Bulawayo youngies create music platform for upcoming artistes

Flora Fadzai Sibanda, Entertainment Reporter

AFTER realising that upcoming musicians in Bulawayo were struggling to get recognition, five youths in the City of Kings and Queens have created a website where artistes can upload their music.

The website allows musicians to share their music with the world without the need for a record label or a promoter.

09music.com is the first low-cost music distributor that helps unknown musicians to distribute their music online with a download option that requires payment.

Brighton Nkomo (21), Bradley Nkomo (26), Ephraim Kwenda (25), Audry Mangena (21) and Nkosinomusa Moyo (24) said they came together with their different skills and used them to create the website.

Bradley, the project manager for the group, said they named it 09music.com as a way to promote Bulawayo.

“The 09 is the old code for Bulawayo’s landlines so that is why we chose that in particular. It shows that it is made in Bulawayo for the Bulawayo people.

“We have someone in the group who is a website developer, we have a software developer, a graphic designer and a marketing person. All of these people came on board with their qualities and this is what made our project a success,” he said.

Bradley revealed that their love for music drove them to develop the website.

He said they have been helping young people who have the passion of being musicians to record their music at their home studio.

“I have always loved music since high school. I used to entertain during shows at St Bernard’s High School. The funny thing is I did sciences at school so everyone was surprised when I started showing interest in being a musician,” Bradley said.

“After finishing high school I went to university and enrolled at Nust for an Architecture degree.

However, I dropped out during my second year because I knew my passion was in music and I wanted to help local musicians in Bulawayo to be recognised,” he said.

The website developer said their website offers a variety of tools and services to independent artistes to help them develop their careers.

“After uploading the music what will happen is fans will choose the genre that they like and some information like location and age just like it is done on Facebook. Once they do that it will be easy for us to identify the location where there are more fans and that is how we are going to be planning shows for the artistes, therefore, generating income for them.

“Also, the music on the website will be bought using EcoCash. It will be going for a small amount of fee that can be afforded by everyone. Half the money will be for the artiste and the other half will be for the website,” he said.

Brighton Nkomo, the web developer, said he has always loved web creation from a young age.
“Designing is very easy and fun. It’s like being a practical learner throughout because it needs one to try different things until you get it right.

“I did not go to school for this. It’s something that I learnt through practising and failing. Plan International then came in and helped me with some of the things that I did not know. So, pursuing a talent has no age and it’s never too late to do it,” he said.

Brighton advised youths to desist from staying idle at home doing nothing. He also said they were in the process of registering the website.

“We are in the process of registering our website and we have already showcased it in front of ICT Deputy Minister Dingumuzi Phuthi. That alone shows that the website is going to grow big only if we continue working hard. So, nothing comes easy without being worked hard for,” Brighton said. [email protected]_sibanda

Article Source: The Chronicle