This and That

Of Maskal and contracts

At the weekend, Malawi’s music scene experienced a fallout between urban songster Maskal and his managers, Nde’Feyo Entertainment.

A revolutionary music marriage lost balance and ended in a thud on the concrete showbiz floor.

It was a sad open letter to the country’s music audience that things are not always as rosy as the publicised wide smiles and hugs between managers and artists.

And yes, it sent tongues wagging as the media hungrily gnawed at the scanty details of the issue.

Social Internet sites were awash with naked opinions; most of them holding that all that managers in the country do is squeeze their birds into undersize financial nests.

The core of the Maskal/Nde’Feyo fall is not told fully. Nevertheless, believe me, it is tip of a gigantic iceberg against which titanics will crash, unless a few things change.

I can say without fear of contradiction that many other artists out there have issues with their promoters or managers.

Akukhalira mphanthi?

It is time for solutions. Firstly, the role of managers must be clarified for the benefit of the manager and artist’s understanding.

Music managers worth their name do extensive amounts of administrative work for the artist, turning the talent into a profit tap that both parties can drink from.

The managers work their lungs out to promote the performance and image of their catch too. It is even more with urban artists—the swag and all.

The manager must take good charge of income and expenses, advising the artist on assets and investments, savings and taxes. They help artists save for a rainy day.

However, amid all this large amount of work, managers must be open with matters of money. There must be credible accounting and auditing systems ably listing financial ins and outs.

One also knows most artists are so pressed for a helping hand that they won’t think twice if offered a chance touted to grow them from strength to strength.

But it’s time artists stopped signing contracts blindly.

The Musicians Association of Malawi too has a role in advising both managers and artists on roles in a contract. They can act as a court of mediation.

Otherwise, tune in for more fallouts!

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