2017 showbiz crystal ball

It is that time of the year again when our showbiz crystal ball looks into the future and predicts what to expect. In the past, we have accurately predicted various trends and we believe this year will be no different. But there is no magic involved, we simply study the trends and accurately predict what we expect to happen. There are certain fundamentals that make or break an entertainment franchise, and either for ignorance or arrogance there are those who ignore the age-old wisdom. Though there’s always that exception to the rule, this year our musical crystal ball predicts that those who ignore solid fundamentals will do so at their own risk. Big artistes will fall and new ones will rise, all based on how much they follow these basic rules.

Here are our predictions for 2017.

MANAGEMENT

In Kenyan showbiz, talent management is almost a myth; we have too many people who call themselves managers but are in fact personal assistants. In the developed world, it takes several companies to manage an artiste’s brand. Record companies run the show but they contract several companies to manage the venture. These include PR agencies, marketing firms, tour promotion firms, distribution firms, digital monetisation firms and many others. In Kenya, however, we do a one-man show and wonder why we are broke. Our showbiz crystal ball predicts that the artiste who puts together a professional and experienced management team will carry the day. A few years ago, not many people knew of Diamond, but with time, this star put in the right structures and the rest is history. We expect artistes like Diamond, Yemi Alade, Alikiba, Mafikizolo and Sauti Sol to continue soaring, based on this.

STRATEGY

Ancient military strategist Sun Tzu, in the Art Of War, said: “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”. In the same breath, our crystal ball predicts that the year will belong to the slow but sure entertainers. There is more to it than pure talent, it takes a proper understanding of how to position yourself for success. There are many talented acts who never see the light of day because of poor strategy. It takes creative and effective strategies in media, social media and performance to make it big in this business. Some of the people we expect to see making smart moves include Chipukezeey, Eric Omondi and Akothee.

CONTENT

In this digital environment; content is king. Gone are the days when radio deejays determined what people listen to, these days it’s a free-for-all market. Last year we saw relatively unknown artistes who receive minimal airplay pack out venues while popular ones struggled to sell tickets. In 2017, our crystal ball predicts that he who has content will rule this kingdom. Instead of empty publicity stunts, entertainers need to focus their energies on developing content that will sell itself. The gospel fraternity has over the past few years been gravely affected by mediocre content; we said it in last year’s predictions, but it seems no one listened. The dominance of gospel music will most probably continue to decline if players persist on this path. Nonetheless, those who continue to produce authentic gospel content, famous or not, will most probably have an awesome year. Some of the artistes we expect great content from include, Nyashinski, Khaligraph Jones, Sinach and Mercy Masika.

GOING PAN-AFRICAN

For far too long, our showbiz industry has had tunnel vision, boxing itself within Kenyan borders. Last year, some acts made consistent efforts to “vuka border.” Naija and South Africa artistes get it, that is why they are constantly pushing the boundaries. Kenyan music is actually well received in Rwanda, Uganda, Cameroon and Zambia. Unfortunately, many of our celebrities don’t actively seek out pan-African markets. Instead, we focus on supremacy beefs and haggling for the limited bookings available locally. Previously, Kenyan comedians had been criticised for crafting jokes relevant only to a local audience. With time, however, they have developed relatable content and we have began to see pan-African bookings in Kigali, Kampala and Dar es Salaam. Our crystal ball predicts that artistes who package pan-African content and distribute it as such will leave a mark. Some of the acts we expect to see do this include: Sauti Sol, Yemi Alade, Elani and Pompi.

BRING BACK THE SPONSORS

A peculiar trend has emerged in Kenyan showbiz where companies find more value in their internally generated ideas than in plugging into entertainers’ projects. The reason for this is simple, it is cheaper and more effective for them. Most artistes do not understand this “kizungu mingi” that brand managers talk in regard to ROI (Return On Investment). Each year, several brand managers return millions of shillings back to their company accounts because they couldn’t find anything worth investing in.

Companies do not invest in showbiz for the fun of it. It is a business decision that needs to bring profit. Various companies have also tried to invest in showbiz but burnt their fingers due to lack of proper guidance and consultation.

Our crystal ball predicts that artistes who can package themselves well and deliver proper value to companies will be swimming in endorsement deals. Some of the deals we have seen sealed this year include: Sauti Sol with Chrome Vodka, Jimmy Gait with After 40 Hotel and Eric Omondi’s dalliance with O-Charge. Other artistes we expect to continue scoring deals include Professor Hamo, Teacher Wanjiku, Churchill and Maina Kageni.

QUALITY PERFORMANCE

Kenyans are past the hype point at this point, they want quality and they are willing to pay for it. Nairobi is the toughest crowd of them all, so if you are planning to ply your trade in the capital you definitely need to up your game. Performers need to invest in their craft, voice coaching, choreography training, performance coaching and the works. Gone are the days when people showed up at a gig because of a big name. These days people want a whole lot more. Last year, we saw highly priced gigs pack out while some cheap ticket concerts struggled to get numbers. Whether it’s live band or playback, dancers or some special effects, acts need to bring it in 2017. We predict that brands that continuously improve their performance will have a great year. These include Wyre, MCA Tricky, Phy, Nameless, Filah and the Red Fourth chorus.