While we had been accustomed to album launches as the biggest musical displays by our Ugandan musicians, a new trend and style of attracting bigger crowds emerged courtesy of our always innovative music promoters.
Since time immemorial we have always known album launches to be biggest crowd magnets until Balaam Ent came up with a greedy innovative concept to combine two crowds on the same show. The ‘Battle of….’ has since taken trend and so far none has flopped unlike so many album launches that have not been impressive at all.
For starters the ‘Battle of…’ is a musical exploitative concept where two or more prominent musicians have a talent show off on the same stage and normally the two parties remain unsettled over who won since its the crowd to decide.
Has the idea worked?
Yes, so far all the parties involved are enjoying the new idea. Promoters are making abnormal money while musicians are also on top of singing to a doubled crowd earning hundreds of millions of shillings. The crowd also enjoys a display of two or more talented prominent artistes on the same stage.
How long will it last?
Much as the idea is on top of its game, music analysts think this idea will not take long before it fades. Reason? Soon promoters will run out of artiste’s combinations to battle. Yes, after chameleone, Bebe Cool, Bobi wine and Goodlyfe battling each other either the battle will go to amateur singers or attract foreign musicians to battle our own indigenous musicians and this will be the beginning of the fall of our fast rising music success.
Does it beat the album launches?
Much as it attracts big turn ups these battles do not see the artistes have an explicit display of musical works like album launches do. While battles have a sole aim to beat the other participant, album launches have remained with their sole aim to give back to the particular musician’s fans by doing all new projects that day.
Are all singers happy with the new idea?
No, never, so many non-participating artistes have complained about these battles. Our female singers have found this very unfair and claim this concept which is said to be the concept of the ‘best’ is in some way, a way to tell our female singers to up their game since none has been involved in one. Singing groups like eagles production have also highly opposed this, reason? We should both find out.
As I put down my pen I personally believe our album launches are still a better way to represent music rather than the ‘Battle of…’ idea.
I don’t think “BATTLES” will make it into 2015.
“[katogoaward]”