A local recording artiste and radio presenter, SOBRE has advised his fellow artists in the entertainment industry to help one another so as to grow music scene n the country.
He said some musicians only work with a select few record labels and are unconcerned for the development of others.
Many recording artists are privileged with the talent but have no access to prove their worth because the people who are in the right positions to help are not willing to welcome them.
“The music industry is now about which camp you belong to, which studio, label or singing group or genre you are affiliated with. If you don’t belong to this or that camp, they won’t share your songs.
“When an artist catches a rare connection, one keeps it to him or herself instead of helping others grow. It is really a competition now and not unity and that’s why we are not growing. We rejoice at people’s downfall more than we pray for them,” he said.
SOBRE said in his press statement on Zambian Music Blog, that lack of unity among musicians is the reason the country’s music industry is failing to grow like those of South Africa and Nigeria.
The renowned recording artiste and radio presenter, wonders why local radio stations do not play much of their own country’s music but of foreign music, compared to other countries that prioritise their own local music unlike foreign.
“If we research on other countries music industries, they play mostly about 80 percent of their own music and less of foreign music on their TV and radio stations. In Zambia, we play 95 percent foreign music and less Zambian music.
“How do we expect a local to value what’s less exposed to them? Then we call a foreigner to sing in our country and we are giving them hundreds of thousands which they are taking to their country and leaving us with nothing. How can we ever be a million-billion-kwacha art industry?” he added.
SOBRE has advised all stakeholders in the music industry to open their eyes and put local first in order to develop in the music industry.