By Ian Ortega
I am often asked about the making of a hit song. Time and again, I avoid committing myself to an answer. But I guess today is one of those days that I should give an answer. I have studied a number of hit songs in Uganda from the time when they are first released to the time they get repeat play on all lists.
Here’s what will land you a hit song in Uganda. If you follow this formula to the dot, you will have a hit song within a month.
First, let me assume the basics. I believe that you already have a well-produced song, a fantastically shot video to follow it. And the song title is a memorable one, not something that will stress our brains. You can pick a leaf from Bobi Wine, Bebe Cool, Sheebah, Ykee Benda and the rest’s song titles. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.
So what next?
Forget about spending money doing a club launch of the song. Forget about doing a launch of the newly released video. Those methods won’t work. That is why the Jeff Kiwa’s of this world don’t use them.
Rule One: Befriend the Club Deejays
By befriend I mean go ahead and tip them. Let it be a must for them to play your song countless times in the night clubs and bars. Human beings are similar to Pavlovian dogs, they can get conditioned. They will learn to associate your song with the good feelings of partying with friends. I repeat, the night spot is your first winning spot. That is why on Friday nights MC Kats moves from club to club benching deejays to put Fille’s songs on the playlist.
Rule Two: Reviews
The more people see, hear and read about a song the more they believe it is popular and the more they learn to like it. So establish a network of all those people who review audios and videos in newspapers and online sites. Ask them to do a review of your video and song. Don’t care whether they write good or bad things, all you need is publicity.
Rule Three: Win With Radio and TV Show Hosts
If you don’t know about the likes of Kasuku, Kapalaga, Katongole Omutongole then my friend you should bid the hit song destination farewell. Get these people to discuss your song. Call up Douglas and ask him to drop your song on the show. Ask those programme managers on the TV stations to line up your song on every playlist. Let someone watch your song on Delta, listen to it on Youtube, watch it on UBC Magic, find it on KFM. Be on all platforms.
Rule Four: Win on Whatsap Groups
Compress your audio to less than 3mbs. And then drop it massively in all whatsapp groups. Don’t tell anyone what the audio is about, just drop it there. People will be surprised to find it in their phone playlists and will have no option but to always listen to it.
Rule Five: Keep repeating these four things day in, day out.
Don’t do any other thing in this time, just do these four things. Don’t print T.Shirts, don’t ask for interviews. Just do this background work. If possible let your song be played in every top nightclub in town every night until people are forced to love it.
That my friend is how the likes of NANANA become hits. There is no quantum physics involved just easy tricks.