Workshop opportunity for local musicians

Orrin Singh

LOCAL musicians are invited to submit their work to be chosen for a music workshop.

Hosted by Bando Unlocked Events, the workshop will be held in Empangeni next month with the purpose of providing artists with knowledge about the inner workings of the music industry.

Organiser Mndeni Mhlungu said the music industry is a lucrative business. He felt there was a need to host such a workshop to help upand-coming local artists.

‘The landscape of the industry is always changing. The days of the cassettes and vinyl are long gone, while CD sales are rapidly declining as streaming services are now at the forefront.

‘With the evolution of the Internet, young people are now able to record quality songs from the comfort of their bedrooms and distribute them worldwide with just a single tweet.

‘As talented as many of these individuals are, most of them won’t make it in the music business, not because their songs are not good, but merely owing to the fact that they don’t understand how the business side of the industry works.’

Mhlungu said while artists want to simply focus on their music and their craft, they have to understand the business aspect of the industry and what it takes to become an independent artist, without signing up with any record label.

‘If artists want their music to be heard and make money, then they need to know how to navigate the evolving industry.

Most artists don’g have a clue where to begin when it comes to the business side of things, and this is where we believe the workshop can be of help. The worshop will cover areas such as artists’ rights, how to effectively distribute their music and understand what the top revenue streams are.

Only 30 artists will be invited to attend.

Established musicians from KZN will be present at the workshop to give insight into what it takes to become a successful artist, while South African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) representatives will provide arrendees with information about artists’ rights.