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Kenya: British Council to Host Music Awards
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Business Daily (Nairobi)
10 March 2008
Posted to the web 10 March 2008
Mwenda Wa Micheni
The International Young Music Entrepreneur of the Year award that was launched in 2006 is back.
The British music award celebrates achievements of young music entrepreneurs - whether label managers, artist managers, DJs/VJs, festival directors, music or retailers- who are working in emerging economies.
Coming to Kenya for the second time, the programme is a big boost to an industry that has shown signs of growth in the last five years.
In the 90s, the industry was slow with most business coming from cassette sales.
When music with wider appeal started playing on television stations, a fan base was built. This has boosted revenue from public performances; more music programmes have also been started to satisfy the growing demand.
"We recognise that a participant may be active as a musician as well as being focused as an entrepreneur in the promotion of music in their country," said a British Council officer.
The council, which is organizing the programme, promotes arts, culture and research in different countries.
Each year, between eight and 10 participants from emerging economies are selected to take part in the competition through the British Council network.
To start the process, a national jury of leading industry players in the respective country is created and an open selection process established.
Candidates, all aged between 25 and 35, are selected on the basis of their contribution to the development of music, and their potential as leaders in the music business in their countries.
The contestants go to UK as part of the finals and get an opportunity to interact with other artistes.
The tour, organized in June each year, provides a tailored introduction to the UK music industry, including meetings with senior industry figures and a chance to visit London, Manchester and attend the Glastonbury festival.
Glastonbury is the largest Greenfield music and performing arts festival in the world.
The festival aims to encourage and stimulate youth culture from around the world in all its forms, including pop music, dance music, jazz, folk music, fringe theatre, drama, mime, circus, cinema, poetry and all the creative forms of art and design, including painting, sculpture and textile art.
After a day of presentations from the finalists, the winner is chosen by a UK jury. The winner receives a financial award of about Sh1 million to be spent on a collaborative project with the British Council.
Last year, Nigerian Audu Maikori, chief executive officer of Chocolate City, emerged the winner. Eric Wainaina represented Kenya.
"Participating through the award taught me the power of good music, which can be enjoyed by people all over the world and if used properly can be a means to effect great changes socially, politically and economically," said Maikori.
The entertainment lawyer based in Lagos says that though the process was very competitive, he still had faith in his talent.
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"Most memorable about this experience is the meeting with one of the most memorable Tony Platt- an award winning producer and sound engineer-who worked on Bob Marley's Catch a Fire album among hundreds of platinum selling albums," he said.
This was at the Glastonbury music festival- where over 180,000 people gather in one place for three nights just to worship in the temple of music and a tour of Manchester-the music capital of the UK.
He says that his participation in the competition was an opportunity to learn more about the music industry.
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