Reviewing Malawi's music industry in 2022

Malawi: There was a time when music arts were viewed as a clear venture in Malawi, with little to show for the music creators; however, recent music chronicles and perceptions appear to be shifting to lucrative prospects, writes Thokozani Beaton.

Making a difference for some music navigators by closing deals and other revenue-generating activities.

The music industry became irritable in 2022 as it recovered from a three-year shock caused by the Covid 19 pandemic.

The entertainment and other arts industries have been severely harmed as a result of a series of restrictions imposed by countries such as Malawi regarding movements and activities.

Businesses were almost put out of business, and normal human life was disrupted.

Malawi's music industry, which is still seeking better compensation, was also hard hit, leaving players begging for mercy.

Most entertainment actors, particularly artists who rely heavily on public appearances such as live shows, were screwed out of their livelihoods.

A reggae group called Black Missionaries once spoke out about how the environment was working against them due to the pandemic.

In one of the interviews, Black Missionaries band manager Ras Ray Harawa gave to print media at hot wheels during the covid pandemic, he admitted that music shows are the primary source of income for many artists.

Fast forward to the end of the year, and artists were on crusades across the country with musical activities to supplement their income. Some have even struck deals with corporations under the guise of ambassadorship and partnership agreements.

Eli Njuchi is a witty dancehall reggae artist who has taken advantage of opportunities this year.

The 20-year-old lyrical dancehall wonder signed a new deal as a brand ambassador.

Eli, who launched his Red Flag label this year, stated that music in Malawi is growing and that patronage has increased.

The interview with the British media took place at the same time as Eli Njuchi's hit single Gu Gu Gu went viral on Tik-Tok. But how does a well-known music promoter assess the year's end music trends in Malawi? Tonderai Banda of the massive music entertainment brand Entertainers Promotions weighed in on the 2022 events.

The music promoter told AfricaBrief on Thursday, December 15, while reviewing this year's music events, that the year-end is/was "full of positive and energy" because many artists successfully launched their albums in style and took advantage of digital online music markets.

Tonderai also stated in a phone interview that this year has seen big international music acts come to Malawi to support local artists and that "local musicians were able to shine on stage" with their stunning performances, indicating that the music industry is maturing.

The event management expert says it is high time musicians explore ways of entrepreneurship ventures, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as an eye-opener for every artist, on how best the acts should move away from relying solely on performances.

He went on to say that the pandemic had both positive and negative consequences that artists should learn from in order to increase their earnings.