Amavulindlela urges musicians to capitalise on live shows

Entertainment
A LOCAL record company, Amavulindlela Ultimate Records, has launched a blueprint on the survival of artistes in the music industry.

A LOCAL record company, Amavulindlela Ultimate Records, has launched a blueprint on the survival of artistes in the music industry.

DIVINE DUBE Own Correspondent

The record label which is arguably the first in the region to tap new talent, has helped upcoming artistes such as Bulawayo’s sensational kwaito outfit Three Kings of the Iseqa Mabhilidi fame and Afro-jazz rising star Exmile.

In a document seen by Southern Eye Lifestyle, the record label argues that in a country where the cost of living is marginally high, artistes cannot rely on music disc sales hence the need for them to capitalise on live shows.

“The music industry has over the years been poor in Zimbabwe with most artistes failing to get royalties from their productions.

“Most people are unemployed and the few who have jobs are living below the poverty datum line and it is almost hard for them to spare money to buy discs,” wrote the record company’s director Shepherd Dube.

Piracy has in the past been blamed for stunting the growth of artistes, but research indicates that most music consumers prefer free downloads from online music distributors.

The country’s sole music distributor Zimbabwe Music Corporation is currently failing to promote and sell local artistes’ music productions. The document further states that it is sustainable for musicians to capitalise on live shows than relying on selling discs — which has proven to be costly.

“Musicians must capitalise on live shows. Shows have better returns compared to selling music discs,” says the document.

Most local musicians are now staging live shows in a bid to get returns from their productions, but fans have in the past boycotted shows by both local and international artistes.

Amavulindlela also says it is better for artistes to give out music discs for free than selling them.

“This helps them (musicians) to market themselves well so that fans turn up for their show,” Dube argued in the document.

The record level also urged upcoming musicians to embrace new technologies to sell their music productions.