Strauss Lunyangwe
Winning a Metro FM award which is among the most prestigious awards in South Africa – second only to the SAMAs – demonstrates that Namibian music is on par with the rest of Africa, says Harry Mutambo Junior Tjipueja, also known as Waters.
The R&B crooner stunned all and sundry by winning the Best Pan African Artist award at the 2023 Metro FM Awards held in South Africa last Saturday.
He told VIBEZ! that it is an amazing feeling winning the award. “The nomination resulted from the significant airplay and success of my new single ‘Kwelizayo’ on South African radio stations. Within just three weeks of release, the song achieved impressive numbers. This led me to become the first Namibian artist to enter the Top 20 of the Top 500 songs on radio in South Africa,” Waters said proudly.
Based on this accomplishment, Metro FM took a special interest in him which resulted in the nomination. “Initially, we struggled to get airplay on South African radio stations, as they believed our music didn’t meet their standards. However, we learnt the proper format for submitting our music to radio and music videos to TV, and we also improved our production quality.”
“They have systems that monitor airplay on radio and
TV. They also have systems that capture the data of the number of people that your music reaches, and it is based
on these stats combined with your music charts. In contrast, the Namibian music industry lacks these resources. To grow and improve, we need government support and investment from interested stakeholders in researching and
developing our music industry.”
Namibian artists over the years have struggled
to get recognition outside its borders or bag any awards with the exception of the then Channel O Music Awards which they dominated.
“This time around, TNA (Timeless New Art) Music and Entertainment has done its groundwork in terms of shining outside the country. I believe our artists, including myself, need to be better educated on how to penetrate foreign markets,” Waters suggested.
“Thankfully, my team has conducted extensive
research and implemented the information they’ve gathered so far. As a result, TNA Music and Entertainment currently ranks 17th in South Africa for market share on radio, competing with the best in the world. Winning the Metro Award is an indication that Namibian music is finding its place on the world stage once again.”
Accepting his award last week, Waters thanked the people of Namibia and South Africa for their warm embrace and support that has been the driving force behind his music. “This award is not only for me but for all of you, as well. You have shown me that beautiful music transcends borders and unites us all, regardless of our differences.” The soulful Waters promised to continue creating music that brings people together and celebrate the beauty of their diverse cultures, saying: “This is just the beginning and I am excited for what the future holds. Thank you, and may beautiful music continue to unite us”. He is working on the release of his second album titled ‘Becoming’ towards the end of May, which will showcase his ability to stand out and continue to ride this new wave. “The album tells the story of my musical journey and personal life experiences. I have already completed shooting four music videos to accompany the release.”
He collaborated with South African artist Mashudu the Vocalist on ‘Becoming’.
TNA is also home to DJ Yessonia, DJ Kboz and Mr. Glo that heads production. The company is registered in both South Africa and Namibia.
King Bill who is responsible for marketing and public relations said they had an instant connection when they met the talented Waters at first.
“Waters was introduced to me by DJ Kboz, who had previously produced his ‘Grey’ album. When Waters came into the studio, we immediately connected and found that we shared a similar passion for music,” King Bill said.
Waters attended music school at Unam and was under the tutelage of François Haipinge Tsobaloko, better known
as Papa François, and learnt to play the piano from Bonnie Pereko.