For years I’ve been preaching the need for entertainers to up their game in all aspects of the trade. I’ve been on the musicians’ cases to improve the engineering processes of their music. I’ve been on the musicians’ cases to improve their image online. Most importantly, I’ve been on the musicians’ cases to improve their stage presence with choreography, outfits and vocal delivery.  

But I’ve recently been challenged on this by a collective of musicians who ultimately post the question to me... “is it worth it NSK?” Their logic was that the Namibian market lacks the sophistication to appreciate an act who puts in the effort. They especially drove home the aspect of stage presence.  

If it’s one thing about me which I’m positive you’ve come to appreciate through this column, is that I can change my stance. All I ever ask is, walk me through your logic. If it gets me thinking, you might get me to look at a said issue differently.  

This collective of musicians who walked me through their logic really got me thinking. Event organizers book them for a small fee. Let’s work on 10 000 for argument’s sake. Of which 50% of that is paid before the event. A musician now has 5000 to work with to put together outfits, arrange space for rehearsals, arrange dancers and secure products for your vocal cords.  

You come, perform and the audience still ends up giving the same amount of energy they gave you to another act who rocked up without any level of effort. No band (or any live element), no dancers or choreography and no outfits. “NSK is it really worth the effort?” 

If people will still scream and sing along to an act who seemingly makes no effort for their set, why should we? Which really begs the question, do we...the Namibian house lack the sophistication to demand value for money? Surely there’s a problem, here right?  

I’ve never actually noticed this until it was raised by the collective. They are right. Some acts just rock up. No effort whatsoever. Is their arrogance misplaced or did they perhaps learn from experience that the Namibian house simply does not care about the quality that needs to come with a performance?  

I still believe in value for money. As much as I sympathize with the collective...I still believe that should not be an excuse to take the Namibian house for a p***. As a matter of fact, the collective needs to engage the guilty ones and try to up standards.  

It is only through a united approach, that musicians will be able to charge good money. For now, event’s organizers are aware of this and will keep paying you peanuts until the industry ups the standards. 

Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
NSK is a professional MC. For bookings, email naobebsekind@gmail.com
@naobebsekind(twitter) NSK #GMTM (facebook)