However, I do not think any radio station in this country will have a problem with play listing 60% Namibian music had there been Namibian music that fits their market.
If there was enough Namibian Music that appeals to the NBC Afrikaans service market, then heck, yeah they will playlist it! All day, errrday! But there is not enough Afrikaans Namibian music in the industry to see out that 60%. You expecting NBC Afrikaans service to playlist The Dogg poh?
Let’s take another case study. We have two German radio stations in the country (I stand to be corrected). Hit Radio Namibia and NBC German Service. Please direct these two stations to Namibian German music, I am sure they will jump at the opportunity to playlist it all day! But it’s impossible! Let me make this clear, it is not a lack of Namibian music that is the bone of contention. We have enough Namibian music. It is the lack of DIVERSE Namibian music that is the bone of contention. Every boy coming out these days it’s either doing Kwaito or trying their luck at Hip Hop.
To drive my point home… this year, The NAMAs had to make redundant the Best Rock/Alternative category because there has just been not enough entries for the category to stand. Musicians in the country must understand that it is also not a question of quality. I say this because the music coming from the studios, 90% is mind blowing quality. Obviously there will be a few poep holle hier en daar but we in a democracy where the majority rules.
So the age old talk of quality is out of the window. Now it is a question of diversity. Has our democracy reached that maturity to have an open LGBT entertainer, a plus sized entertainer, a white entertainer, an elderly entertainer? No we have not reached that maturity yet. Yes, there are entertainers that are different but they find themselves having to experiment with the “popular” to sustain themselves and have their brand remain relevant. Until such time where we have DIVERSITY in our music, MATURITY in our democracy to accept the said DIVERSTY, we can forget about the 60% Namibian music across the board.
Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
Song of the week: Omfally ft. Neslow: My Love (still my favorite!)
Flop of the week: Sha Wiza: Pula Komesho (For a 3rd week running!)
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