EENHANA – Music producers here in the North have castigated fly-by-night producers that “have turned their bedrooms into studios” saying this has stifled the growth of the music industry in, especially in the North.
Kauko Negongo, aka DJ CK, a renowned music composer and producer here in the North, challenges artists to take their audiences and fans seriously because music is all about good sound and well –articulated lyrics. “When you talk of proper music it must be a combination of well-articulated words fused with proper sound system,” he says. “But you will discover that the quality of music that is being produced in these bedrooms doesn’t appeal to audiences because the songs would have been in rooms that are not sound proofed.”
Another upcoming Kwaito musician here, Nestor, who is set to release his debut album titled Back up Plan in October echoes DJ CK’s sentiments saying artists should hire skilled people who can assist in terms of sound when they produce their music. “As upcoming artists, we should take our time when it comes to producing and releasing songs and albums. Some of us are rushing to studios just for the sake of making a name while the works are not well polished. Unfortunately, if you get a hungry producer who only needs your money, you are doomed to fail in your music career,” he explains.
However, Eddy Katele of the Mamboflani Studios formerly of Tsumeb but now based in Walvis Bay says it is not true that music produced from home studios is poor in quality. He says he has managed to produce more songs for three artists which went on to become hits in Namibia, and some of them have been nominated for the Namibia Annual Music Awards (NAMAS). “I understand that people believe that some of our studios are not fit for the purpose. Some of the producers, produces music as our colleagues call them from backyard studios,” he says.
“It’s not true that our studios and rooms are not fit for the purpose because music is dynamic, and through advancement in technology, we are now using software that allows us to produce music of high quality regardless of the venue or the facility that we use.”
Eddy Mamboflani has managed to produce artists such as Ivan Chippa, Hazard, Respect, M-Gee among those whose music have been nominated for the NAMAS.
The debate on bedroom studios has been ragging on over the past few weeks here in the North on the Ohangwena Community Radio with some producers, composers and disc-jockeys challenging each other on how to produce quality music. Upcoming Kwaito artists who have made a name for themselves on the Namibian music scene like Big Sound Richie, recorded their own albums in these kind of studios and Eddy Mamboflani was the man behind the sound engineering during his hey days in Tsumeb.
By Clemence Tashaya