Timing: The secret word in showbiz

Fans at a concert. It’s not an exact science, but there’s an unwritten rule when it comes to timing song releases, album launches, concert tours and movie launches. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Groove Awards determine song releases in the gospel fraternity, but the trend is mostly among young artistes. For him, relevance is more important, the ability to read the public mood and deliver a timely message is what has kept him on top all these years.
  • In this crowded and highly competitive industry, newbies have a hard time breaking through. The clueless usually release their songs with no plan, but the strategic often pick an opportune time.
  • According to him Kenyans lack deep appreciation for artistes, and that is why industry players have to constantly seek the perfect timing. He says if Kenyans truly loved their artistes, then “any time would be a good time.”

Showbiz cycles are informed by several factors, among them award shows, consumer behaviour and cultural realities. In Tanzania, for example, the mega concert festival, Fiesta, is the heartbeat of the entertainment calendar.

Started as an annual event 15 years ago, the festival has covered 20 cities around the country, attracting over 700,000 people. The grand finale typically attracts over 60,000, making Fiesta East Africa’s biggest stage. Most Tanzanian artistes plan their releases and concert tours before the mega show, which typically takes place in the last quarter of the year.

In Hollywood, major studios release their movies during the Oscar season, with an eye on nomination and prize. Referred to as “Oscar baits”, these movies are made for the express purpose of securing a nomination, and are released from November to December 31. The timing is designed to ensure the movies meet eligibility requirements, while remaining fresh in the minds of voters come the Oscar ceremony in February.

Certain industry realities also dictate timing; like releasing a song when audiences are distracted by something else is suicidal. In 2015, the hype surrounding Adele’s third studio album (25) release was so loud that major artistes held off their releases to avoid walking into the storm.

Ellie Goulding, Little Mix, One Direction and Justin Bieber are reported to have postponed their release dates because of Adele’s impending release. Even Beyonce is said to have held off the release of her sixth album until the mega album was released on November 20, 2015.

Locally, the same case applies, albeit not as strict. Gospel singer Daddy Owen is an old hand at the game and, like the Oscars, he sees a Kenyan version.

SENSITIVE TO THE TIMES

He admits that the Groove Awards determine song releases in the gospel fraternity, but the trend is mostly among young artistes. For him, relevance is more important, the ability to read the public mood and deliver a timely message is what has kept him on top all these years.

He says: “A song generally takes three months to hit; so if you are going to release a party song, better do it after August. People fear releasing songs in January but I usually take advantage of that because there is space.”

He says gospel artistes are currently going back to basics in response to public outcry and a demand for authentic content. Though he advocates for consistency in style so as to maintain one’s musical identity, he recommends spacing releases to avoid flooding the market. In his view, back-to-back releases are useful only when one is marketing a major project that requires the hype.

“Cultures are very different,” he says. “Ugandans, Tanzanians and South Africans can listen to the same style over  and over, but Kenyans are very diverse. As former Safaricom CEO Micheal Joseph put it, ‘Kenyans are peculiar people’, but if you give them what they want, they will love you.” Owen says a song’s content should also follow the trends. “Five years ago, a song like 'Vanity' would not have made much sense, but now it’s relevant because our society has become more materialistic.”

In this crowded and highly competitive industry, newbies have a hard time breaking through. The clueless usually release their songs with no plan, but the strategic often pick an opportune time.

In his first solo project after the breakup of gospel trio Christ Cycoz, Ben Cycoz is treading on unfamiliar ground. He has had to postpone the release of his latest song, Lile Lile, several times. This, he claims, is to avoid being drowned by all the hype surrounding international artistes touring Nairobi.

“I can’t compete with Trey Songz, or some of these big acts. The hype they generate can drown my song,” he says. “You have to be sensitive to the times. For example, during election time, most song’s backfire, unless they are topical songs like Juliani’s Utawala and Rufftone’s Mungu Baba.”

As an up-and-coming artiste, Ben argues that there is a need to keep pumping the market with content until you create demand for your products. He says that industry timing only works for established artistes.

Timing is equally critical for events. In Kenya, most promoters position themselves for the end-month gold rush. The overriding consensus is that Kenyans are generally cyclical in their consumer behaviour; spending excessively around payday and then retreating behind the poverty line mid-month. Public holidays are also a favourite, especially for out-of-town gigs with a road trip element.

FOOLS RUSH IN

But there are those who go against conventional wisdom to gain an advantage over their competitors. Besides being a major reggae deejay, Kriss Darlin is a promoter under the umbrella “Dohty Family”. The outfit, in collaboration with other players, puts together a variety of events, from club theme nights to major concerts with reggae heavyweights headlining their shows.

“I love a good challenge, so I always do my shows in the off-peak days,” he says. “End month is usually crowded because everybody thinks it’s the best time, but if you market the event well, you can still get a good crowd during off-peak days. If you give people what they want, they will come, regardless of the date.”

According to him Kenyans lack deep appreciation for artistes, and that is why industry players have to constantly seek the perfect timing. He says if Kenyans truly loved their artistes, then “any time would be a good time.”

Missing a beat in the showbiz cycle could cost an artiste, or his record company, millions in investments. Though there is no fool-proof strategy, only the fool rushes in, oblivious of the times.

To hedge their bets, entertainment professionals rely on their experience to establish the perfect timing. For newbies, however, it may be wise to ask around lest one makes a major blunder. In showbiz, timing is everything.