Five Things Most Kenyan Artistes Can Learn From The Lyrical Masterpiece That Is Juliani
It is a debate(s) that has evolved into a quandary. Just why it seems most Kenyan artistes are not that good. Local musicians demand a larger quantity of airplay, Radio and TV producers as well as the public demand for more quality local music. Why do some start out well and fade off or suddenly change to boring monotonous musicians and some never just seem to make the next step up. This leaves a few to cater for a very demanding audience. It is not really a dilemma if the musicians were to actually stop doing things the same way they have been doing and expecting different results pardon the cliché but someone wise defined that as insanity.
So I picked Juliani as someone to exemplify what the public craves for both from the local artist and the music they produce. He is not an artist with the most YouTube video views, he is not the one who will fill your gossip pages day in day out; he is above that. Is he the most successful musician in the country? I would say arguably for no matter which way you measure success he will be at the top three of most lists. Is he the most consistent artist? Hands down Yes! Is he the most relevant artists in the country right now? Show me another I would love to increase my list. Here are the five things Kenyan artists will be better served learning from Juliani.
- Invest in your work
When the whole quality thing started, video quality and the beats was the main issue. The producers upped their game and the video directors too and artistes were not afraid to get to and pass the one million figure for a good video. However, somewhere in that pursuit, they lost their skill or desire to write a song well. Not all are made out to be both songwriters and performers. Juliani is arguably the best lyricist in the country and this flows over to other facets of his music. He can get off with an average video but the song stays tight. So musicians invest in your whole body of work and get the best people to do that which you cannot.
- Do make an extensive body of quality work
This is one area most local artistes are very challenged at. One swallow does not a summer make so three hits will not sustain you especially when you follow it up with three other average productions and forgettable collaborations. Contrast that with Juliani’s now third album of hit after hit and a host of memorable collaborations and you have an assortment of classical songs. This is not only a mark of consistency but it is also hard to see how you would miss airplay even in the face of stingy stations.
- Cut across the entire demography and be diverse
Our artistes would do with a lot of help here. it is no longer about producing music to just a small group, not if you want to achieve relevance and influence and be played across shows. Gospel or secular, pop or rhumba or hip-hop or genge and whatever other style there is out there. Everyone has got to be able to listen to you even if it is just some of your songs. Juliani’s songs are national anthems cutting cross the business titans, the guy at the slums the elderly the politicians the youth the drunkard and the pator at the pulpit. Now that is quality music.
- Do practice/prepare and deliver in your shows
There are some artists who make a simple school hall performance as memorable as a BET or VMA performance (okay hyperbole moment) and some turn up at a festival or main show performance not sure whether they care about their audience or getting of the audience as soon as possible. On behalf of all people out there who have ever gone to a show to see an artist let me remind our artists when we come to your shows we are there to see you perform. Give us a night we would cherish. There is a reason you and not the food offered take a prominent part of the poster. Please do turn up not just physically but in your show as well. If we had come to have ten or fifteen minutes of your time we would have gotten ourselves three of your songs. To Juliani and the few others who do make it memorable salute!
- Be more than your music
The Corporate world may call it corporate social responsibility, for an individual whose work and payment derives much from the society a point has to come when people remember you for more than just your music. Sure charity may be the opium for the rich and you are not out to solve all the world’s problems, but you can make it a little better. Get involved not just sending a donation, be actually and consistently involved in a community to your best. I need not outline Juliani’s examples.
This is not too much to ask from our artistes, I mean they overcame their biggest hurdle placing the work out for public critique; they shouldn’t fail to improve on it.
Have a different view, let me hear you.
