Super producer, Kallo on the Beat recently said and I quote: “Some artists have 1000s of songs and no exposure and some artists have few songs and are famous. Marketing is key”. I agree with Kallo. I’ve echoed this on this platform so many times that I’ve lost count.
You get artists that are brilliant but are sitting the whole day in the studio. They isolate themselves from the world. They make little or no attempt to brand themselves. They make little or no attempt to market their product. They make little or no attempt to network. They make little or no attempt to liaise with the media.
Ousi Khoes, you can be the best singer in this Namibia…but if no one ever heard your material, you will remain the best singer in Namibia in your head amae! I’m not sure whether it is a condition of some sort but , yoh, I’ve experienced it myself. Where you see this insanely talented person but they keep delaying on putting themselves out there. Its hella sad bruh! It’s sad because the people with the actual talent do not get the recognition and financial benefit they deserve and bench to people who mumble their way to success. But again, whose fault is that?
These aren’t the movies or America where someone will kama discover you on YouTube. LOL. It ain’t happening here fam. Namibians don’t operate like that. Namibians could give a rat’s ass about your material. I’ve seen brilliant songs uploaded on music groups that don’t get a single stamp of approval.
Namibians are comfortable with who they know and that’s that. Now imagine, you are still “cooking” in the studio? Homie you been cooking and somehow you expect the rest of the country to bow down to you but you ain’t doing vokol to justify kneeling down to you? Nonsense.
Accept the fact that Marketing is Queen. Get over your silly anxiety and release and market! You can’t just release hey…you need to release and market. It’s like doing the number 2 and completing the experience by using two ply. You need to release and market. Otherwise, you will grow grey hair in that studio omes.
Life will pass you by. One good case scenario? Flame. The RnB crooner of yesteryear. Homie once invited me to his studio in Golgotha and played me some of his unreleased material. Guys, this was at least 5 or 6 years ago. The songs were so brilliant that I remember begging him at the time to give me one song so I can debut it on radio.
He hasn’t released until this day. There are many examples like Flame who have brilliant songs collecting dust somewhere in the Namib Desert. Release and market. Marketing is Queen!
Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
NSK is a professional MC. For bookings, email naobebsekind@gmail.com
@naobebsekind (twitter)