From Namibia to the world

MICHAEL KAYUNDE WINDHOEKIn 2021, Namibia yearned for a rebirth. A change of some sort, from a devastating pandemic that had us questioning everything, including this thing of ours – show business.The way business is conducted in entertainment has changed and the Namibian music industry needed new ambassadors, or at least an alternative profile to choose from. And more importantly, Namibia needed to smile again.We had lost the ability to celebrate little successes. Within the panic and uncertainty, something was brewing at Andrew on the Beat’s studio, and Ethnix Namibia was creating soundtracks for Namibian music consumers for different occasions.Made up of Page and Etjo, the duo’s ability to paint that so vividly with their first single of 2021, ‘Ohole So Nice’, secured them the nation’s attention immediately. And from there, they took us on the path we should have taken from the very start.Many musicians do not quite understand the burden of defining a new era, of being a game changer. The need to challenge the status quo is perhaps why it took Ethnix Namibia such a long time to make sense or appeal to the masses. But they understood the importance of breaking out and standing alone - beyond just being musicians, but as individuals.Their music is an organic expression of their unique perspective on life. Investing time and resourcesWhen the duo released their debut album ‘Made In Namibia’, major labels and corporates didn’t show them love from the onset, but that did not discourage them from investing time and resources in their art and growing their fan base.This year, they set the tone with ‘Ohole So Nice’ and right after they released their second single, ‘Open Up’. Without any major label or corporate backing, the song became the biggest Namibian track of 2021, eventually garnering over 1.3 million views on YouTube.In a conversation with tjil, Page said he attributes the duo’s success in 2021 to hard work, dedication and the passion to push the vision as far as possible.“We also attribute our success to a manager who knows what they are doing and our producer, Andrew On the Beat,” he said, adding that his highlights from their 2021 achievements are scoring a feature with South African duo Blaq Diamond and travelling to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban for private house parties hosted by Russian Bear. New year, new musicEtjo echoed his sentiments, adding that the opportunity that came with the Russian Bear victory was her highlight as well.“The trip to South Africa was definitely a stand out. I learnt a lot and the experience was epic,” she said.The duo confirmed that they are working on their second studio album.While they couldn’t disclose many details, they hinted that it might be released during the first quarter of 2022.

From Namibia to the world

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Namibian Sun 2022-08-08

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From Namibia to the world

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Namibian Sun 2022-08-08

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