Keeping it real
What’s up, music fans? Firstly, shout out to you guys for keeping the culture alive; your support of Namibian arts and entertainment over the last 18 months or so has been impressive.
I was having a conversation with one of the biggest new artists in Namibia last week and that dialogue really left me thinking. I won’t mention his name but he was telling me how happy he is that Namibia’s music and entertainment industry is diverse as it keeps growing and there is room for new talent to flourish.
In his words: “It’s no longer just King Tee Dee and Gazza any more; if your art is good and you curate it nicely, Namibians will consume it”.
The lack of support for local arts has been a cry for so many years in Namibia, so it is great that art in Namibia is finally getting the support it deserves. It’s amazing that musicians put out music videos now and get hundred thousand views within days or weeks. It’s wonderful that people are keen to attend art exhibitions and purchase items from Namibian fashion designers.
To a certain extent, I attribute this growth in the industry to the unity among creatives. This unity has birthed so many collaborations. So many Namibian music videos are styled by Namibian stylists with garments sourced from Namibian designers.
The last 18 months has also changed the way content is consumed and this I believe is because Namibian content creators are now developing concepts, podcasts and reality shows with themes that speak to Namibians.
We’re not where we’re supposed to be, but we are making progress as an industry. The one thing I would suggest we tap into as an industry is developing and owning our own platforms. The many shows and podcasts referenced above are mainly aired on YouTube. While it’s an easily accessible platform for the masses, it is high time we invest in our own platforms. A good case study in this regard is DONLU Africa. If we can create our own music streaming platforms, we can surely also create our own platforms where Namibian content is aired. We are already limited as a country with only having two major TV stations, so there is a need for platforms to house Namibian content.
In this edition, we spoke to Waters, whose debut album is slated to be released later this month, so check that out to see what the buzz is all about. It is new music galore for Namibian musicians, so we also have album reviews on Cassidy Karon and Don Jeezy’s latest offerings. This and more in this edition. Enjoy!
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I was having a conversation with one of the biggest new artists in Namibia last week and that dialogue really left me thinking. I won’t mention his name but he was telling me how happy he is that Namibia’s music and entertainment industry is diverse as it keeps growing and there is room for new talent to flourish.
In his words: “It’s no longer just King Tee Dee and Gazza any more; if your art is good and you curate it nicely, Namibians will consume it”.
The lack of support for local arts has been a cry for so many years in Namibia, so it is great that art in Namibia is finally getting the support it deserves. It’s amazing that musicians put out music videos now and get hundred thousand views within days or weeks. It’s wonderful that people are keen to attend art exhibitions and purchase items from Namibian fashion designers.
To a certain extent, I attribute this growth in the industry to the unity among creatives. This unity has birthed so many collaborations. So many Namibian music videos are styled by Namibian stylists with garments sourced from Namibian designers.
The last 18 months has also changed the way content is consumed and this I believe is because Namibian content creators are now developing concepts, podcasts and reality shows with themes that speak to Namibians.
We’re not where we’re supposed to be, but we are making progress as an industry. The one thing I would suggest we tap into as an industry is developing and owning our own platforms. The many shows and podcasts referenced above are mainly aired on YouTube. While it’s an easily accessible platform for the masses, it is high time we invest in our own platforms. A good case study in this regard is DONLU Africa. If we can create our own music streaming platforms, we can surely also create our own platforms where Namibian content is aired. We are already limited as a country with only having two major TV stations, so there is a need for platforms to house Namibian content.
In this edition, we spoke to Waters, whose debut album is slated to be released later this month, so check that out to see what the buzz is all about. It is new music galore for Namibian musicians, so we also have album reviews on Cassidy Karon and Don Jeezy’s latest offerings. This and more in this edition. Enjoy!
[email protected]
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