The Year Of Showbiz Windfall in Kenya

Juliani

Forget the glitz, glamour, red carpet and hangers on - showbiz - our local celebs lived by the dictum there is no business like show business. Pulse recaps how this year’s entertainment scene - music, film and fashion - faired in terms of cheddar waxing celebs hands, great releases, big shows and sponsorship deals, write Standard's STEVENS MUENDO, DAVID ODONGO, SHIRLEY GENGA AND PERPETUA ADOYO

For showbiz, 2011 will go down as one of the most fruitful years. It is when entertainment scene reached a new level and gained unmatched success. Unlike the previous years where entertainment and fashion was fledgling, 2011 saw musicians land good sponsorship deals, fashion designers got international recognition and Kenyan moviemakers upped their game.

From the music front gospel music still ruled the crest just like the previous years with Daddy Owen and Juliani topping charts and winning most awards. Juliani pulled the rag under Daddy Owen’s feet by winning Sh1million cash prize during the revived Kisima Awards. He went further to test his popularity by organising a major street concert for the launch of his album, Pulpit Kwa Streets, with hundreds in attendance. Although Juliani was a darling to many — after winning Kisima for the Artiste of the Year — Daddy Owen remained the toast of local showbiz, winning the remaining big secular and gospel awards.

The secular scene, however, did not lag too far behind with the likes of Jaguar and French Boy reaching the threshold of their careers with massive releases, Kigeugeu and Moto Moto respectively.

Having won over four awards each Jaguar, Juliani, Daddy Owen, songbird Emmy Kosgei and BMF stood out.

However, Daddy Owen’s Saluti video remains one of the most recognisable releases of 2011.

But it was also refreshing to see new blood blend into the music scene with gospel rappers BMF mesmerising with great flow, Camp Mullah rhyming with ease, Kevoh Yout bringing conscious reggae to pulpit, Size 8 literally on fire and Octopizzo emerging as one of best underground artiste.

It was also a wakeup call for Jaguar who lay in his laurels as the best secular musician this year as CMB Prezzo made a surprise comeback with a new release, For Sho For Shizzle. But the act which made great stride in showbiz was Nonini with many hit singles under his belt and debut movie, Killa Moja.

There was also disquiet among music leading lights especially Amani and Wahu while Jua Cali woke up too late in the evening.

New acts dislodged the veterans while the quality of theatre productions, music lyrics and video quality improved.

Female singers also upped the ante with Marya putting behind her relationship blues and releasing chartbuster Chokoza featuring Avril while Size 8 was on fire with Fire release.

In Norway, songstress STL (Stella Mwangi) still flew the Kenyan flag high winning Nordic Music competition with hit single, Haba Haba. Her win was a great feat for Kenya music defeating a host of Caucasians wannabees. This achievement was, however, met with death threats from a demented white supremacist.

Corporate deals

This year also saw several corporate companies approach celebrities to position their brands. Wyre was the face of Samsung phone and Suzanna Owiyo promoted Harpic. Both Daddy Owen and Juliani had Safaricom and Nokia sponsoring their album launches. Juliani even landed Sh250,000 to promote Nokia handsets during his album launch, Daddy Owen and Emmy Kosgei drew slightly a lower amount but made more on product endorsements and other musical ventures..

That notwithstanding, artistes earned royalties collected through Music Corporate Society of Kenya (MCSK), ring tones and online sales.

Nonini, for example, has been on the lead, having garnered massive international following through his website. He is the first Kenyan artiste to have a customised Apple Music application.

Digital showbiz also created a major market for music deejays with the likes of DJ Hassan landing deals with Google. Gone are days when DJs lived from hand to mouth. Most of the decksmen now earn between Sh70,000-Sh150,000 for corporate and club gigs a night. The same applies to MCs who rake in big figures.

Big Shows

For once, Kenyan fans have finally realised that for them to watch quality shows featuring big acts, they must pay for it. And they are now forking as high as Sh3,000 for a VIP show. This new trend influenced promoters to sign up big acts for concerts. Pulse crowned it two weeks ago with a concert to celebrate eight years in showbiz with dancehall star Chris Martins performing at the Carnivore. The show, organised together with Homeboyz and Flame Entertainment, saw hundreds of dancehall fans jam-pack the venue.

A week earlier, Tusker Lite threw a huge party at the Nairobi National Park with R&B singer Donell Jones. The show saw music lovers throng the park. Before Tusker Lite threw the party it was, Tusker who brought the star studded cast of celebrities including rapper Eve Jeffers, Shaggy and Cabo Snoop to headline the Tusker All Stars Concert in Carnivore. The impressive lineup also included Tusker Project Fame Winners Alpha, Davis and Msechu.

Reach Records recording artistes Lecrae Moore toured Kenya together with other gospel acts like Trip Lee, KB, PRO and Tedashii, along with DJ Official and special guest C-lite.

Early this year, Craig David was also in the country for a five-day charity trek.

August saw Kenya host rapper Joe Driscoll. He was among key international artistes who attended this year’s Rift Valley Festival.

Blankets and Wine monthly shows have also attracted stars like Thandiswa Mazwai, Oliver Mtukudzi and the indefatigable Hugh Masekela.

The Swaggerific concert featuring dancehall stars RDX was also highlight of the year as well as Fally Ipupa concerts.

Reggae lovers got a treat from Jamaican star Gramps Morgan performed at Carnivore while Ginjah performed at nearby Splash Water World.

Come August, it was laughter galore at Bomas of Kenya for the Nite of a Thousand Laughs. The organisers had flown in top comedians Pablo from Uganda, Klint the Drunk from Nigeria, Gordon from Ghana and South Africa’s Tshepo Mogale alongside fast-rising Eric Omondi.

Naija Nite also hosted West Africa’s biggest star, D’Banj, Naeto C, and the soulful Omawumi.

Film and television

It has been a big year for the film and television industry. Kalasha Awards got bigger and better with a total of 129 local film entries.

Kenyan flag has been flying high globally with good movie productions appearing in various festivals. Beatrice Wangondu’s Extra Ordinarily Large Loves and Life of Richard Onyango were the only African movies selected among 200 international productions to feature in the Doc Meeting Argentina 2011. Three Kenyan films also stole the show at Zanzibar International Film Festival. Bob Nyanja’s film The Rugged Priest scooped the prestigious Golden Dhow award while the Silver Dhow went to another Kenyan film, Togetherness Supreme by Nathan Collett. And Kwame Nyong’o’ animation The Legend Of Ngong Hills bagged the East African Talent Award.

The story of the late Kimani Maruge was another first. Told in the movie First Grader, directed by UK-born Justin Chadwick and written by South African Ann Peacock it starred Kenya’s Oliver Litondo. The movie won big at Toronto Film Festival, The Pan African Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival, two awards at the Sedona Film Festival, Durban International Film Festival, Palm Beach Film Festival, Nashville International Film Festival and Black Film Critics Circle. At the Toronto film festival, First Grader was second overall after The King’s Speech, which swept the board during the 2011 Oscars. The Academy Awards recently issued a list of 39 songs, which it viewed as eligible for nomination in the Best Original Song category and Keep On Walking from The First Grader was on the list. The 86th Academy Awards Oscars ceremony will be held February 26, 2012 and just maybe, a Kenyan film will win an Oscar.

Fashion

The fashion designers also raised the bar. Blackbird Jeans duo made it to New York for fashion week, while Kaveke was in London. There were other designers who did good work showcasing their line in various fashion week platforms. But the biggest coup in fashion was when international designer Louis Vuitton embraced the ethnic red Maasai shuka in his collection. The couture predominantly showcased outfits designed from the red shuka with ethnic theme.

Source: The Standard