Reaping from Malawi-Zambia Music Partnership
This success highlights the flourishing music partnership between the two neighbouring countries.
Lilongwe, Malawi-In a groundbreaking achievement, the music collaboration "So Mone" by Zambia's Yo Maps and Malawi's Tay Grin has amassed an impressive one million views within just three days, writes Howard Mlozi.
This success highlights the flourishing music partnership between the two neighbouring countries.
In the music business, numbers are pivotal, serving as a significant factor in marketing.
Advertisers and corporate entities often seek artists with a large following and influence for investment.
This is echoed in global awards like the Grammys, which require a substantial number of votes to nominate artists in different categories.
Nigeria stands out on the African continent with one of the most successful entertainment industries, where both music and films thrive.
The substantial investment from both the government and the corporate world has propelled Nigerian artists to international acclaim.
When Nigerian artists release new music or plan a tour, the buzz is palpable on every platform, with massive support and frequent airplay on internationally recognized platforms like Trace.
However, Malawi has been behind on the global platform in terms of recognition. To address this, Malawian and Zambian artists have come together to forge a robust music partnership aimed at making a mark on the global stage.
Among the noteworthy music projects gaining traction is "So Mone," a collaboration between Yo Maps and Tay Grin.
The song, delving into themes of impatience and the desire for quick success in love, has shattered records by garnering over one million views in less than three days.
Yo Maps has also collaborated with Eli Njuchi on "Yabaya" and with Driemo on "Popo."
Notably, a few years ago, Malawi's Skeffa Chimoto collaborated with Zambia's Dalisoul on "One Day."
The list of impressive collaborations between Malawian and Zambian artists is extensive.
Creatives from Malawi and Zambia, along with their fans, are confident that the artistic partnership between the two neighbouring countries will yield remarkable results in their musical endeavours.
For a long time, social media users from Malawi and Zambia engaged in banter. However, since the release of "Yabaya," the narrative has shifted, with positive vibes flowing from both sides.
Fans praise the artistic prowess of artists from the two countries, expressing optimism about the potential opportunities for global exposure.
Gerald Jones, a YouTube commenter, remarked, "These are the kinds of partnerships that will help artists in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) compete well on the global map. We need a slice of the market that our Nigerian brothers and sisters have dominated. 'Yabaya' is simply a great time."
Pleasant Banda, another fan, emphasised that cross-border collaborations are crucial for Malawi to make a breakthrough on the global music market.
"The collaborations between Malawi and Zambia are the way to go if music from these countries is to go global. As a Malawian, I am happy with the path that artists from Malawi and Zambia are taking because together we can achieve great results."
Bright 'Eksess' Chiligo, the proprietor of Mikozi Bright, highlighted the need for Malawian artists to build substantial international numbers.
The online entertainment platform entered into partnerships with Zambia's Elation Entertainment Company and Power TV Channel 278 earlier this year to promote local content.
Chiligo noted that Malawi had low online numbers, necessitating partnerships with other countries like Zambia, South Africa, and Nigeria to gain heavy international airplay. Collaborating with artists from other countries provides an advantage as artists stand a chance to benefit from the diverse audiences combined.
"When this year Mikozi entered into a partnership with Elation Entertainment and Power TV of Zambia, Malawian content appeared in over five countries, namely: Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia, where Power TV has coverage. Therefore, Malawian artists stand to gain incredible viewership through networking and collaborating with artists from other countries like Zambia," said Chiligo.