More sponsorship

Heads up! Namibian music has evolved and is massive these days compared to how it used to be in the past. We get to hear more Namibian music on radio stations and watch Namibian music videos on continental music channels like Trace Africa and MTV Base (Africa).

However, my concern is that in the music industry there is less sponsorship than there is in other industries. It seems like most of the well-known and recognised companies are contributing money to sporting activities, SMEs and in other fields. I am not saying they should stop what they are doing, but looking at the bright side, not all Namibian citizens are gifted when it comes to sports or being entrepreneurs but rather, they have diverse talents.

Now realise that the reason people pay tax is because, in return, the money should be used to develop the country as a whole. It hurts me to see the music industry and talent shows only get to be sponsored by mainly Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Budweiser and Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL). It would be thrilling if the musicians in Namibia move forward with good cooperation and collaboration from its citizens and get a helping hand from corporates. There are a lot of people with talent but they end up not going anywhere because they do not get recognised. Let us work together in order to put Namibia on the map with local talent. A motivated individual is a productive person.

I do acknowledge that sponsorship deals for unsigned artists are considered a financial risk. Why? Because they are not a guaranteed return on investment, like established superstars are. What does a superstar have? Sell-out shows countrywide with hit songs in the top-10 radio countdowns and companies fighting over them to represent their brand. For massive organisations or companies that invest a lot of money into marketing, the superstars that best represent their brand are the people they focus on building financial business relationships with. I believe we have many of these superstars, both emerging and established, have potential to represent different companies via endorsements yet these artists aren't sponsored.

To the aspiring musicians, please remember that in every age there is a time for growth while an older concept is dying. Nothing on earth stops moving and possibilities are always there for you to take hold of. The most important thing for a new artist is to keep focusing on growth and move away from decaying. There are avenues to tap into if you keep you own momentum growing. If you stop, any investor will look elsewhere. Just keep writing your songs, playing live and building your fan base with a vengeance like you have a need to conquer the world, and you will be noticed and sponsored accordingly. Nothing is impossible, just reach for the possible.

In this issue Courage the Comedian graces our cover as he hosts his one-man show today at Warehouse Theatre. He shares the themes he will be exploring as well as the organisations that are going to benefit from this concert. Other pieces you should look forward to in this issue include that of recording artists Mbuku and Kaboy Kamakili who are some of the most talked-about musicians in Namibia at the moment. Enjoy this edition, until next time, peace out!

[email protected]; @MichaelMKAY on Twitter