Society, Safaricom to set up system to increase musicians' earnings

Brian Pendo plays a guitar at Serena Hotel in Nairobi on July 24, 2016 during the launch of a 350km walk by local artistes. MCSK vice chairman said the biggest challenge for a Kenyan musician is the fact that 85 per cent of their earnings go to the government and Safaricom, leaving them with 15 per cent. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The non-profit organisation, which has 15, 000 registered members, said the new stream of music distribution would help fight piracy completely.
  • He expressed concern that top earning musicians had unknowingly signed away rights to royalties for their music to companies.

Kenyan musicians will soon be able to sell their music directly to end consumers courtesy of a brewing partnership between Safaricom and Music Copyright Society of Kenya, which would raise their income.

MCSK Vice Chairman Lazaras Muli told Nation that the agreement was in advanced stages.

"Safaricom approached us to provide till numbers and sim cards which musicians will use to sell their music directly to end users for as low as Sh10," Mr Muli said.

He said the telecommunications firm was committed to issuing the products to all MCSK registered musicians for free.

"The agreement stipulates that musicians will receive 70 per cent of their sale earnings while Safaricom bags 30 per cent to cover administration costs," he added.

The non-profit organisation, which has 15, 000 registered members, said the new stream of music distribution would help fight piracy completely.

The songs will last for a week until renewal.

He expressed concern that top earning musicians had unknowingly signed away rights to royalties for their music to companies.

"We realized many content sales companies have been cheating musicians out of their hard-earned money by making them sign away rights to royalties. Most of Kenyan musicians do not know they should be paid royalties because companies lied they are marketing for them," Mr Muli said.

He cited Eunice Njeri, a vernacular gospel singer, who makes an average of Sh38 million monthly but loses it to content sales firms.

He warned musicians against signing agreements before seeking legal consultations.

CAREER IN MUSIC

He said the biggest challenge for a Kenyan musician is the fact that 85 per cent of their earnings go to the government and Safaricom leaving the musician with a meagre 15 per cent.

He also noted that the Kenyan digital platform is circulating billions of shillings every year.

He urged musicians to focus on quality instead of quantity so as to earn better.

Mr Muli also indicated that they would push for appropriation of funds to the music industry from the national budget.

He also said there was a Bill in Parliament, which if passed, will help in compliance with public copyright laws.

Mr Muli - who is also in charge of operations and marketing - said they will hold a meeting with Google next month to streamline channels through which musicians can ​tap royalties from viewers and listeners on YouTube, a video-sharing site.

He also said MCSK was in advanced stages of ensuring that foreign musicians acquire licences before performing in Kenya.

It is also pushing for taxation of non-Kenyan music, attempting to promote the Kenyan industry and fight piracy since Kenyan music will be more affordable.

He said consumers might soon have to pay to listen to music on YouTube depending on how talks with Google go.

He further urged talented Kenyans to venture into music as a career because it is well paying.

Editing by Philip Momanyi