18 Oct 2017

Local artists under the Botswana Musician Union (BOMU) banner need to demonstrate high levels of integrity and professionalism, says BOMU president.

Speaking at a media briefing, Pagson Ntsie pleaded with artists to show growth and maturity in the process of commercialising and professionalising the local music industry.

He said artists needed to make a commitment to themselves, to the art form they had chosen to persue and to the audience they desire to entertain.
 

This, he said, would provide artist with enough strength to organise, maintain, and develop their talent.

Some artists, he said, continued to live in dreadful conditions despite possessing rare talent that could be used as a getaway to success. He encouraged artists to take cognisance of the talent they had and to find ways to use the talent for self-empowerment.

He said the professional imagery would attract the greatest amount of attention from professionals and commercial endorsements.

 He said it was time to transform from being a mere music industry into a reputable music business that would be worth millions and attract foreign investors.
 

As kings and queens of the creative industry, he said artists needed to move from their comfort zones and strive to meet international standards in terms of production, engineering and stage performance.

He warned artists from basking in the rays of fame at the expense of establishing income generating avenues in the music industry.

Furthermore, an official from Brand Botswana, Gaorekwe Gaorekwe encouraged local artists to take their talent seriously and work towards exploring international markets.  He said local artists needed to benchmark from their Nigerian counterparts in terms of branding and market dominance.ENDS