CONTINUING on the topic for last week I decided to find out more on one of Zambia’s successful musicians Jordan Katembula alias JK, while also finding out on what his take is on the rampant free shows at almost every night spot in the city.
JK recently released a hit single Telemundo Loving with the video enjoying a favourable airplay on international music video channels.
Telemundo Loving was done as a result of the popularity of the Telenovela movie channel Telemundo on DSTV which has taken Zambian homes by storm. The channel has our sisters glued to the television sets for even worse 20 hours a day.
JK in the song was just expressing his love to a woman just like the movies are all about but like some of the Zambian showbiz followers know or have heard about, the singer is now ripping huge sums from Multi Choice Zambia, the providers of DSTV.
Multi Choice Zambia recently announced that JK will be their ambassador of the telenovela channel and eventually tour major cities of Zambia promoting Telemundo.
With the European soccer season over and the World Cup coming in June, there is no doubt that traffic to the channel will surely go up because the men have now voluntarily handed the remote to the women folk.
Now when it comes to free shows, JK with his new role will surely join the bandwagon but at a different level.
“We make money through shows but it depends what shows you do,” said JK.
“There shows when you can make a lot of money and others were you make K 2000, you have to know which shows to go for,” the Kapilipili singer added.
The move by JK calls for our artists to endeavour to associate their names with big organisations and companies that can easily adopt them as ambassadors for their products.
One of the major areas of good earnings for recording artists in both the developed world and the developing nations where artists seem to be doing better is through endorsement and corporate shows.
An artist can make more money through one corporate show than what one can make after performing at five different night clubs in a month. The choice is ones.
While the choice might be for the artist, it is not easy for every singer or musician to get such contracts.
Some singers’ music does not inspire confidence in people while others are literary bad performers.
This then calls for quality and foresight in the way musicians handle their businesses and their private lives.
JK has been there since the late 1990s while others have gone under the spiral, the singer has adapted well to the ever changing world of music.
He is still enjoying his trade while making it big in the industry.
One bar owner who refused to be disclosed said his bar will always ensure that gate charges are paid whenever an artist is contracted to perform at his venue.
“We need to add value to the place as well as the artist performing.
Charging at the gate is not for monetary gains but dignity and respect for the pub,” he added.
He further said that because he operates seven days a week, he gave those customers that are regulars’ membership cards that would allow them to enter for free whenever there was a show.
While others might be willing to pay for shows others opt not to. Not because they don’t have money but because they feel it is unfair on their part as regular patrons to be charged.
The regular patrons feel being there almost on a daily basis they cannot be spending another dime as they support the business always.
While the free shows have promoted both the artists’ and the bar businesses, the casual handling of this business will or has started to show some serious negativity and thus calls for serious redress and approach by both players.
ROAD SAFETY TIP – For those driving within town or densely populated areas, make sure your speed is 60 KM/H or less regardless of the amount of traffic on the road.
Avoid being stopped for speeding and giving money to paying ‘fines’.
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