The making of the Jetu brand

The entertainment industry has in the past few months been greeted by a new entrant in 72-year-old Jetu. Against all odds, the entertainer has risen from nowhere to claim a spot among the movers and shakers of the industry in a story that continues to surprise many. But who are the brains behind her sudden rise and what trick did they use? Our Staff Reporter BRIAN ITAI caught up with Jetu’s manager Blessings ‘Emu Dee’ Kazembe to share more on Jetu’s rise to stardom. Excerpts:

Q: Who is Emu Dee?

A: My name is Blessings Kazembe. The name Emu Dee came from the Chichewa version of my name Madalitso. I used to dance a lot and people used to call me Mada Dancer way back. That is where the moniker Emu Dee came from.

Q: How did you find yourself in the entertainment business?

A: I have been in the entertainment trade for some time now. I remember the time when the likes of Waxy Kay were coming in around 2017 I was his right hand man who managed his business. Wherever he went, he was with me. Professionally, I am also a videographer. I shoot videos during different events such as weddings. I have also worked with reputable names in the sector such as VJ Ken. And for your information, I am the one who shot Jetu’s Chakwaza video. I have been in the industry that long and I have the required experience.

Q: What is your relationship with Jetu?

A: Jetu is the mother of my mother. As you see her, she is my grandmother.

Q: How did you get her into this trade?

A: Jetu grew up in the village. She comes from a background where her obsession was farming. She had nothing to do with music. When her husband died, she came to stay with us in Blantyre. So, this was a male-dominated household and it was apparent that the old lady felt lonely and stressed at times. As young men, we spent most of our time doing some online challenges and producing video clips that we shared on Tik-Tok. We then decided to start involving Jetu in our clips. From the clips we produced we could earn some little cash, so we thought that could be an ideal platform for her to make something of her own. When she started getting the money, she was excited and she wanted us to do more of such clips.

Q: What strategy did you use that has facilitated her rise to fame?

A: I don’t think there is a particular trick that we pulled for things to turn out this way. It is all down to the grace of God. It is just through His will. I cannot say there is anything special that we did. The support we have gotten from Malawians has been crucial, but above all that, it is God’s will.

Q: Did you expect that Jetu would make it this big when you started?

A:Honestly, we never thought she would make it this big. In our mind, we just thought our grandmother was having fun with us. Apart from the little we earned through the Tik-Tok promotions, we did not imagine anything big. We were all surprised with the way things turned out. When we did her first song, it got massive support and some people encouraged us to do more. The producers we have been working with encouraged us too and they all believed we could produce a proper song.

Q: Is her newfound status bringing in the desired financial returns?

A: If we talk about the financial rewards, I can say that we are getting there slowly. Jetu started singing last year in November and we cannot say we have made a lot of money. The shows that we have been signed for now are our first. We hope things can only get better. But it is not the same as before.

Q: How do you categorise what she is doing? Is she a musician, comedian or just a content creator?

A: Previously, I just used to see her as my grandmother, but as we transitioned, I started seeing elements of a comedian in her. Now, I see her as a full artist. She doesn’t have a mindset of creating content so practically she is not a content creator. She can do music and she is a big brand.

Q: From here, where do you want to take Jetu’s brand?

A: My wish is to see her happy and fulfilling some of her dreams. She always says before she dies she wants to go see her child in South Africa. I am glad that some promoters are planning to organise a show for her in South Africa. I am sure that opportunity will allow her to see her child and that will surely make her happy. That is what I want.

Q. How many children does Jetu have?

A. She gave birth to nine children and out of those eight passed away. The only one remaining is the one in South Africa.n

Jetu is Emm Dee’s grandmother

PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF BLESSINGS ‘EMU DEE’ KAZEMBE

New music sensation: Jetu