Local musicians have expressed frustration and disappointment with the practices of certain music producers in the country.
Many artists claim to have faced delays, lost files and outright disregard for their projects, despite significant financial investments.
“It’s a recurring issue. We pour our hearts and souls into our music – only to be met with unprofessionalism and lack of accountability,” said Hurry Haiketi, known as Bonsella, an upcoming artist based in Tsumeb.
The grievances against producers range from missed deadlines to outright refusal to deliver completed projects.
Some artists have reported paying substantial sums for recording and mastering services, only to be left in the dark about the status of their work.
“I’ve had a producer tell me my files were lost due to a computer crash. It’s a common excuse, but it’s incredibly frustrating,” he said.
The situation has reached boiling point, with many musicians taking to social media to share their experiences, and call for change.
“We’re tired of being treated like second-class citizens,” he charged.
The issue highlights the power imbalance between musicians and producers.
Many artists feel pressured to comply with the demands of producers, fearing that speaking out could jeopardise their careers.
He added that producers must start giving files after recording to make it easier for musicians to approach their closest producers for mastering.
Upcoming musicians are the victims, with most of them quitting music due to a lack of confidence and delays.
“Us upcoming artists, we go through a lot, and it is not funny anymore. We are not even progressing because of producers. Instead of helping and uplifting us, they are draining us. We are really trying, but they are not,” he said.
Tulukeni Nelson, known as Wiefuller, another artist in the same boat, told VIBEZ! that he paid a producer for his second album, who failed to deliver.
“I gave up on my singing career because of this, and it’s discouraging. We are investing so much money, yet there is no result,” he said.
He stated that local producers do not care about upcoming artists, but only themselves.
Ndemuweda Petrus, known by his stage name as Dream Master, has an album that he was supposed to release three months ago – but to date, he has not received his songs.
“I think our Namibian producers do not respect their business or work at all when it comes to upcoming artists. I have no power to go against anything… we pay for songs that we never get. If he happens to send it, then it’s not mastered. Nobody can listen to tone tunes,” he said.
Music producer Natangwe Kaholongo, who works with Bonsella, was called by this publication, but his phone went unanswered.
Chaki Beats’ owner, who preferred not to provide his name, responded to the allegations.
He claimed that the delays are caused by his computer, as it has a problem, and the storage is full.
“Hopefully, by next week, I will be able to fix this issue and send the artists their songs, but this is not intentional,” he said.