WINDHOEK - Timing in the music industry is key when you plan to release an album and most artists have chosen to release albums during the months of November and December, particularly this time around.
The looming deadline for the Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) entries (tomorrow), coupled with the fact that the awards will be hosted for the last time next year, has seen a tremendous increase in the number of albums released this month alone.
Entertainment Now! spoke to Dragan Djokic, popularly known as Antonio – arguably Namibia’s top-selling music promoter, about why there has been a spike in CD releases.
“Most of the artists are dreaming of making quick money through NAMA awards. We have only one annual serious excitement in Namibia when it comes to the entertainment industry and that’s the NAMAs,” he said.
The Deal Done Records boss said it is worrisome because most of the artists will not be able to sell a lot of their CDs during this festive season, as sales have dropped by 60 percent because of the stagnation in the economy.
“The selling of CDs has dropped rapidly, down by 60 percent, so less and less money will be coming from CD sales. Fifty percent of the artists in the country are making just a few dollars. The top artists can expect to reach 5 000 sold CD copies if they make good engagements with retailers,” he explained.
He revealed to this reporter that Kwaito and House are the most famous genres at the moment, leaving R&B, hip-hop, rock and others in serious trouble.
Antonio believes that with MTC pulling out of the award show there might be serious repercussions lying ahead for the music industry that could see it going through its own recession.
“Black days are coming for the music business. The real catastrophe is on the horizon; it was only the NAMAs, through MTC, that was giving artists exposure to the world music map. I’m expecting that big corporate [companies] will massively reduce money for music in future,” he observed.
He feels unity among artists/producers/promoters etc is the only way to salvage the music industry that will help further music development in the country.