By Micheal Tubes:
I am beginning to feel uncomfortable with Nigerian Artists who spoil their brand with mediocre promoters in the name of performing in London. How much pounds sterling are they being offered that they would even consider jeopardising their career? Nigerian artists please do your basic home work on promoters that come to you to promote you in the UK, some of these promoters can’t even sell out their living room.
The main job of a music promoter is to publicise your concert and make sure things go off without a hitch but this is not the case usually in London. I have photographed every single show that has occurred in London in the past 3 years but I can count how many shows that was sold out or half full. Recently one of Nigeria’s musical legends came to sing in an almost empty 2661 capacity venue. If I have to release the images of that show that will be bad publicity for this legendary artist. It’s not the fault of the artist but artists you are also guilty by association. Please stop this assumption that they have paid you your money if the show is not sold out it’s none of your business. Yes you are right it’s not your business but please sit back and think what an empty venue does to your brand. Your brand is your vision of who you are and what you do for your audiences. It encompasses a message.
What kind of message do u want to send out to your fans or potential clients and corporate company/ bodies who might want to use your brand to promote their brand that you can’t sell out a show. Please think about the consequences of jumping in bed with some of these cowboy promoters in the name of performing in London who are not looking out for your best interest or your brand as an artist but what to get out of your brand. Why am I speaking out now? I love to promote our artists in a good light and enhance their profile but it’s seems they are not doing themselves any favours by working with these unprofessional promoters. Astrid, a coaching and training company, said one of the most important tools for advancing a career in the creative world is the use of a personal brand.
Please do your home work on these promoters, research their work, have a knowledge of their track record. Recently a female artist almost refused to perform on stage because the promoter didn’t pay her in full but a huge respect to this female artist she gave her fans a performance that is value for money. A performance in line with Beyoncé of Africa but I ask myself one question why did she associate her brand with such promoter. Afrobeats has gone beyond Nigeria and Africa, it’s now an international genre and all stakeholders must begin to take it serious. Artists if you find the right promoter to work with in UK, please kindly give your fans a performance that is value for money. Do not just come two days or a day to your event and make noise on the stage and call it a performance.
Recently I photographed Asa’s concert. She was very professional and her show was nothing short of epic. In our community we don’t take criticism very well, we can’t continue to sugar coat awful performances. Recently Lauryn Hill was criticised for her awful performance at her show at the Brixton Academy in London. As a photojournalist both in our community and in mainstream media I want to see Afrobeats grow to a very high standard, from strength to strength both locally and internationally.
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