Remembering Jomolizo
This week tjil talked to Antonio, the late Jomolizo's manager about how his death affected him and the plans he has for the late Jomolizo's music.
My first encounter with him was two years ago when he released 'Kaandjetu'. I last spoke to him on Monday and on Tuesday I got the news that he was no more. It's so sad,” said a heartbroken Antonio who couldn't hide his emotions.
He described him as the easiest artist he has ever worked with out of the 25 he has signed since he started working in the industry. Jomolizo was full of life, he loved everyone and he was a delight to be around, Antonio says. The news that Jomolizo was no more came as a shock to him as it was unexpected.
“The last call on Monday was about me ordering five T-shirts for him. I mean if he was sick or old; I would expect it. This was out of the blue… It only really hit me that he was gone when I went to the burial,” said Antonio.
Antonio says the management contract he has with the late singer will end in six months' time. The two were planning on renewing it but Antonio has spoken to his mother who wants him to continue managing and maintaining Jomolizo's legacy.
“I got his number from Shitana, we spoke and we signed contracts. Six months later we released his album 'Epata lange'. I was warned by many people not to sign him because he was 'difficult to work with' but he didn't give me any problems. I would like to think that it's because we had a very honest and transparent relationship,” he recalled.
The manager's priorities are to make sure that Jomolizo's music lives on even though he is not around. He says he wants to ensure that his unfinished work goes out and that his fans still hear him. Antonio says that a lot of artists around the world are only appreciated when they pass away but their managers still find ways to maintain their legacy which is something rarely practiced in Namibia.
“It not about money it's about music. The mother is next of kin so we will renew the contract and I will continue managing his work. I do have a plan and the first is to get the album on which he featured Shitana out and take it from there. We found a lot of music on his computer that is enough to release an album so we will work with that. I will need support from everyone to do this,” he concluded.
My first encounter with him was two years ago when he released 'Kaandjetu'. I last spoke to him on Monday and on Tuesday I got the news that he was no more. It's so sad,” said a heartbroken Antonio who couldn't hide his emotions.
He described him as the easiest artist he has ever worked with out of the 25 he has signed since he started working in the industry. Jomolizo was full of life, he loved everyone and he was a delight to be around, Antonio says. The news that Jomolizo was no more came as a shock to him as it was unexpected.
“The last call on Monday was about me ordering five T-shirts for him. I mean if he was sick or old; I would expect it. This was out of the blue… It only really hit me that he was gone when I went to the burial,” said Antonio.
Antonio says the management contract he has with the late singer will end in six months' time. The two were planning on renewing it but Antonio has spoken to his mother who wants him to continue managing and maintaining Jomolizo's legacy.
“I got his number from Shitana, we spoke and we signed contracts. Six months later we released his album 'Epata lange'. I was warned by many people not to sign him because he was 'difficult to work with' but he didn't give me any problems. I would like to think that it's because we had a very honest and transparent relationship,” he recalled.
The manager's priorities are to make sure that Jomolizo's music lives on even though he is not around. He says he wants to ensure that his unfinished work goes out and that his fans still hear him. Antonio says that a lot of artists around the world are only appreciated when they pass away but their managers still find ways to maintain their legacy which is something rarely practiced in Namibia.
“It not about money it's about music. The mother is next of kin so we will renew the contract and I will continue managing his work. I do have a plan and the first is to get the album on which he featured Shitana out and take it from there. We found a lot of music on his computer that is enough to release an album so we will work with that. I will need support from everyone to do this,” he concluded.
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