Images courtesy of #bandustry
Written by: Dumisani Radebe
So, after a while of procrastination and laziness, I thought
I should write about this. Bandustry came to Sawubona Music Jam and shared a
lot of light to our side of the musical sphere. The usual Sawubona atmosphere
was in this case filled with infinite amounts of curiosity.
A huge part of why I haven’t written anything is due to that
my attendance of this innovative interaction was more observant than
journalistic – although the intention was journalistic. It turned out I was
there to participate more than to write. Hence my lack of confidence for an accurate
account of the events that transpired.
According to my understanding however, Bandustry is a
collective of cool people who are concerned about the circulation of
information among artists within and about the music industry. Their approach
is having a panel with much established artists or music industry sages in
engagement with upcoming talent and generally those who wish to know more. DJ Catherine
Grenfell takes the hosting of these and eases platform for everyone. On the
panel this time was DJ Invizable and Jovi of BCUC (Bantu Cultural Uhuru
Consciousness).
My breakdown of things may not reflect the full speech of
the panelists but what is written here is what was said by the concerned panelist.
First up we had DJ Invizable, who had jusdt completed working on a track with
BCUC.Hailing from Pretoria, DJ Invizable lets us know that the style of music
he makes is known as Afro-futurism. He plays using small sound interface and
Macbook. When asked about the whole contraption and how he makes it do what it
does he simply chuckled and said – “It’s not about the gear but rather about
the idea.” He says in order to come across this sound he had to lose his
identity only in order to recreate it again. When asked who he can compare his
sound to, he let us know that he likes what Gazelle does.
Another big question that was lingering for the night was
how to break through or interact with the international market or role-players.
This first thing thst Invizable emphasized in this regard was the willingness
to take risks. “Buy a ticket!” – he said. He continued to explain that one does
not last long in the game if they’re not serious. “Consistent creation of
content like pictures, dj mixes, podcasts etc. is what creates credibility
around yourself.” – he added. His talk continued to reveal more important
undertakings one can embark on in trying for musical success at home &
abroad - such as building and maintaining relationships through the use of
relentless communication. The key to this lies in keeping the human element,
while being professional and proactive. He advised that respect and reliability
will help one go a little further than the rest. The careers of many people are
balanced on ego, which makes it difficult for one to reimaging how they present
themselves and this is a trait many of us will need going forward. He let us
know how to adapt to an ever-changing musical environment.
One of the most common challenges faced by many artists is
the issue of funds. Despite the pressure this puts on everyone, he ensures that
this challenge only marks a barrier to entry and is not by any means a
limitation to one’s creativity. Dj Invizable also says that there are good
times to look forward to and only needs to be positive and keep doing what they’re
doing.
JOVI
I like thinking of Jovi as one of South Africa’s township
superheroes. My reason for this may be obvious but I will clarify. For me,
coming from a township is one of life’s biggest struggles on its own. Becoming
an international brand is something else. To top it all off, his band is signed
to an international record label in France. The success of anyone born in the
township is in many cases marked by coming back home and doing something
progressive for the “ghetto” – to which in this case I beg to differ. Being an
artist and seeing successful artists is one of the greatest things one can
witness. Especially, if from a township and BCUC is the embodiment of township
arts success.
When asked about the journey of BCUC from
conception to now this is what he had to say. He said it has been a long
journey, a long struggle for approval and the feeling of being owed. He adds
that it’s a struggle of disappointment after disappointment until you gauge the
struggle. It is a struggle that ends when you start doing YOU, until you start
believing in your ‘CRAZY’ and start taking your ‘WEIRED’ as a gift. He adds
that their music is far beyond what is in circulation. He emphasizes that through
their music, consciousness should resonate and it must be felt how proud they
are of being black.
Through the many years of being involved in the music, Jovi
warns that one must toughen up as it is a road of constant back-stabbing, among
other things. I would just like to emphasize “CONSTANT BACKSTABBING” (clears
throat – and out) – which is something I am sure many of us have felt while
walking the mile. It is good to keep in mind that not all of us can afford
things hence we must wear our hardships with a certain amount of swag – he added.
When it came to the international advances the band has been
making, Jovi told the crowd upon being asked – that they are now signed to a
French record label known as NyamiNyami Records (a name derived from Mnyama
meaning ‘black’. He advised that the trick is to travel lightly, to such an
extent that they went as far as having gear in both SA and abroad. Leaving space
available for other possibilities is a wise move for any traveler. “If you don’t
have enough to wear, the photos will look the same.” He added that as artists,
we never have to beg, especially in an international paradigm.
In closing Jovi stressed that we must be as professional as
can be and that we must have the attitude of treating our art like a job. That
was after letting us know that one festival affords you another…
“Don’t lose
the match because you didn’t have good game”
-JOVI
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