How to make money as an East African Artist ? - Mdundo C.O.O , Wanjiku Koinange.

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As the world continues to embrace technology, and with the current state of quarantine in so many countries, musicians are in a constant search for new and better streams of income. In East Africa, artists and companies are looking to tap into a tech-savvy, smartphone-connected population of around 537 million people through several pathways.

Ahead of the MIDEM digital panel conversation on Reinventing Monetisation Sources in East Africa, which we will be moderating, we spoke with the panelists: Tanzanian star Vanessa Mdee, TRACE TV's Head of Music Business East & Anglophone Africa and Swahili nation Founder Cleopatra Mukula, and Mdundo's Chief Operating Officer Wanjiku Koinange, and also hear from insider voices like Nairobi-based Camille Storm to get their takes on income options for artists in East Africa.

The best way for East African artists to make money right now—given the current situation

"Currently the best way is to monetize off of digital content and brand endorsements," says star singer-songwriter Vanessa Mdee. "Beyond concerts, artists in East Africa should make the most of their revenue on social media and  their music streaming platforms. However being a brand ambassador is the most lucrative means of making revenue aside from the above mentioned."

 

Streaming Platforms

"The future is in data and East Africa has that," says Cleopatra Mukula. "The East African algorithm and ecosystem actually drives lots of business for artists in the East and lots of Africa. Africa has 1.2 billion people. A minimum of 75% are on smartphones. Look at the data. The majority are 35-years-old and under. This is a demographic that consumes music. For East Africa, you have a population 537 million. In Nairobi, 80% of people have a smartphone."

The mobile-web based music service Mdundo has been operating in East Africa and beyond for close to eight years. It offers songs for free downloads and streaming directly from their website and Android app. "We're predominantly a digital music service available as a web download and streaming app. We have 5 million users on a monthly basis and work with 50 thousand artists signed directly to our platforms," explains Wanjiku Koinange, "but we also have partnerships with Believe, Tunecore and others."

"We create an option for users to be able to stream, an option for low income users on the digital space, people who have very basic phones or smartphones. We're trying to get all the music available on the catalog for free. Piracy is the number one thing we have to fight." Any user searching for "download Sauti Sol" on Google, for example, will see Mdundo's site in the top results. The company cites that it now has 7.2 million users in Tanzania, 7.1 million users in Kenya, and 5.4 million in Nigeria, 3.4 million in South Africa and more across the continent.

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