‘On The Up’ (OTU) is an official list we launched last year in July. The OTU list will be published three times a year. OTU will give you and the rest of the country a clear picture of which artists are on the up, and deserve a chance to sit alongside the Kings and Queens of the Namibian entertainment industry. 

These are artists whom you do not know. They are underground, but deserve a chance. If you happen to know any of the acts on an OTU list, then you are a true lover of quality music, regardless of status. The official OTU list has one criteria, and one criteria only...good music. If your music is good, you WILL feature on this exclusive list.

This first edition of the OTU official list last year revealed and highlighted three acts: Royale, a female Afro-pop/RnB artist from Grootfontein; a group from Omaruru, The Fam, consisting of BJ, MarvinTheRat, Coco, Eli and Nxase, with associate acts like Tricko, Dj Tevin & Tjipee and Tukondjeni AKA Maniak from the capital, managed by 061 music.  

In February this year, we published the first edition of 2021 of the OTU list. Volume 1, 2021 of the OTU list revealed and highlighted The Smith, an RnB and Hip Hop head from the capital; Dark VapOur, a singer and rapper from the capital; and Yeezur, an RnB singer from Otjiwarango, managed by Ynot Records. 

An update on these acts...The Smith released an early preview titled ‘Godly’. It’s out on Spotify. Yeezur has since dropped visuals to his hit ‘Rolls Royce’, currently sitting at 17 000+ views on YouTube. Dark VapOur has a big song out with Dj Dozza titled ‘2much’. Maniak dropped a full project. Such is the power of the OTU list. 

With our second (of only three) edition of the OTU list of the year, we would like to introduce you to Veekay from Grootfontein. She finished her school in Otjiwarango. Veekay is your typical Namibian story of a girl from a small town, in and out of choirs, doing covers to big songs, and finally finding the courage to record her material. Her song ‘Tjiramue’, featuring Kp Illest and Etjo, will make my top 10 radio hits of the year. Her sound? Literally everything...lol. 

The second act and last on the OTU list is Nally from Oshakati. I stumbled across his music by sheer chance. I checked his visuals to his song ‘Number One’, and I was hooked. His sound? Afro-Pop. Man, he does it so well. I can see Nally going toe to toe with acts like Burna Boy, WizKid and Omah Lay. 

Dear industry insiders, media, promoters and music lovers. Take it from someone who has been an industry analyst for over 10 years, Veekay and Nally deserve a chance. Listen to them. Book them. Fan them. I doubt you will regret associating yourself with these acts. The second edition of the official OTU list 2021, exclusive to the biggest newspaper brand...done and dusted. Check out their music, and let me know what you think using the hashtag “OTUList”.

Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM                       

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