Last year was pivotal for many businesses, including the entertainment industry, especially coming out of the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With 2023 here with us, it’s time to look at how the industry will change or remain the same. Jackson Onyango highlights some auspicious predictions, activities and practices we are likely to see in showbiz this year
Only Fans
Kenyan sexperts will flock to the adult film site to push their content. Personalities, such as Huddah Monroe, Vera Sidika, and Waya Wavua are the leading contingent on this front.
Their robust success on the platform charging between Sh500 and Sh3000 for monthly subscriptions have given them an edge and financial currency many will look to emulate.
With Twitter already explicit in nature, more erotic content creators will be looking to cash out from this avenue as the liberalisation of Kenya’s content space charges on to new heights.
Street Interviews
The street interview muses, such as Thee Pluto, Joe Segera and others are making a killing. Sending invoices to brands for up to Sh300,000 per post as our sources confirmed, it’s no surprise that this will pick up even more in the coming year.
Expect to see new entrants and new niches being explored, whether it’s Joe Segera asking trivial questions or a new name just interviewing people on what they’re wearing - these kinds of broadcast and content seem to rouse Kenyan audiences immensely and make superstars.
Thee Pluto purchased numerous vehicles claiming that this format of content is what has been his claim to fame and fortune, and this will inspire many others to venture into the business.
Influencing
It doesn’t take much to be an online success. In the famous words of rapper Murda Mook, “Having no talent, is the new talent”. Prepare to see an upsurge of names in the digital lexicon of social media looking to use their clout and numbers to make sales for brands.
Influencing will probably peak and fade away this coming year as it becomes oversaturated, but who knows?
Clout chasing
Kenyans can pick a leaf from the book of celebrated rapper, Nyashinski. Nyash can easily go incognito and come back, drop a song, disappear and go on about his business, fill a venue - basically mind his business.
Today, however, artist marketing, promotion and PR departments are worried sick of how they will push their artists through the noise on social media.
Artists have become drama queens, attention seekers, actors, and dishonest - all in the name of pushing their music- From faking breakups, tragedies, conflicts, to staging dramas you name it.
DIY Concerts
When Muthoni The Drummer Queen started Blankets and Wine close to 15 years ago as a simple soirée for her cool kids click, no one could foresee the result years on.
Fast forward to 2023, Nyashinski is now a Primetime act with his National-rallying machine in Shin City, Sautisol have their inaugural Sol Fest that attracts up to 5,000 plus revellers, hence why the concept of being booked for shows is quickly dissolving in relevance.
Upcoming Kenyan heartthrob Maya Amolo sold out her first concert Maya and The Clouds at a local Westie joint, and this is only the beginning of what Kenyan acts can begin to dream of. Do not wait to be spoon-fed, set up the table and invite fans to come and eat with you.
All Kenyan acts who claim they are big time and can’t put together a show, your star power, credibility, work ethic, and claims are all in question now. We are talking to Khaligraph Jones, Willy Paul, Octopizzo, Otile Brown, Nadia Mukami, Bahati, and all so called A-listers.
Kenyans going international
Elsa Majimbo crawled, so we can walk. In Kenya, while we have international icons - they are only in sports and athletics; Kipchoge, Collins Injera, Humphrey Khayange, and so on.
Perhaps, throw in fine artists, such as Michael Soi and so on, and perhaps Lupita Nyo’ngo and President Barrack Obama - oh, some Benga artists. We need more international stocks in the arts and entertainment, as well as sports.
Well, Kenyans are coming of age. Natalie Tewa is starring in beauty product Lancome campaigns, Sarah Hassan is reportedly signing to Africa Creative Agency, Kate Actress is being invited to seminal events - we hope these are signs of our talents entering the global fray of things after playing it back home for too long.
Use of streaming farms
It’s always been known that artists are manipulating their numbers on YouTube. The use of streaming farms to inflate numbers not only on VOD platform YouTube, but also buying followers on apps, such as Instagram, this is a common practice not only exclusive to Kenya.
Artists illegally faking their numbers has been spotlighted in an article by The Native, and the question of the gap in how artists can garner millions of views and still fail to fill up arenas or venues in real life has been a serious ailment of the credibility and authenticity of Kenyan artists numbers and influence.
The practice will, however, continue until a serious expose or call of accountability is brought up.
Community-based parties
We all know Kenyan society is dynamic and fragmented. There are divides in terms of geography, class, levels of income, age, and so on. However, in 2023 the rise of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) and feminist movements is immense.
An example is The Whine Down party, a monthly event that allows only women and a strict no-men policy.
This will become completely strong as even popular city lawyer Ahmed Nasir lamented President William Ruto on his inclusion policy in government for not having represented all human societies, specifically alluding to the queer community.
Diversifying income streams
Kenyan artists are slowly noticing the backward economy of selling records. Digital streaming platforms are paying peanuts and yet artists are toiling to upload their music on these platforms.
Artists are left to look for other ways such as live performances, endorsement deals, syncs and licensing in order to make ends meet.
Contemporarily, we are seeing artists become YouTubers, podcasters, others are Instagram models, some are extending their brands into more inclusive of other activities, such as Bey T is also a cook, and Tanasha Donna made her acting debut.
Music is not as profitable when artists do not understand the business and strategy of how to be lucrative, hence artists are being forced to be creative to make themselves financially viable, and not speed themselves thin into music alone.
Merchandising
Artists, such as Ochungulo Family have their own smoking papers as side hustles. This business savvy goes on to elaborate how artists are going on about creating value for their fans.
Benzema has his own clothing line that sells cool slides and this was successful for the Gengetone act. It’s paramount for artists to have more than music on the shelf to keep their brands interesting and competitive.
