Our celebrated artist, KIM of Diamonds, went to Nigeria and visited Mavin Records, a well-known music label in Africa. There were a lot of speculations and talks about this trip, by her fans and the general public. Luckily, I managed to land an interview with her to get to know more about this trip.
Q: I’d like to know more about your trip. How did you get there? Were you invited? What's the story? A: I visited Lagos, Nigeria for a week as part of the Music Business Academy for Africa program. The program partnered with YouTube for their Incubator Program, bringing together the Top 10 MBA students from the 2022 Cohort. During the trip, we visited major music companies that are revolutionising the African music industry, including Trace Africa, OneRPM, and Mavins HQ. We also visited Google Africa x YouTube Music and learned about their new features and areas of focus. It was an amazing and insightful experience.
Q: How did it feel to be in the middle of people who are running one of the biggest labels in Africa and what have you learnt from this experience?
A: I was reluctant to leave as the energy and motivation in the record label were electric. Witnessing how departments and teams were dedicated to artists down to the finest detail motivated me to establish the same in Malawi. I realized that serious investment in music education and financial investment is crucial to set up a successful music business. The music industry is too involving being taken as a hobby. I also saw potential in creating job opportunities in Malawi's untapped market for young, innovative people with no companies or platforms to showcase their talent. Overall, the experience enlightened me about the music industry and the potential for growth in Malawi.
Q: Did you notice anything that they have as a driving tool to succeed in the music business that the Malawian music industry might be missing? A: We need more music-specific venues and festivals, along with creatives and ordinary people organizing genuinely beneficial events for all involved, including communities. Investing in music businesses locally and globally will support artists’ growth and development. It’s essential to work with the major music, entertainment, and media companies in Africa and worldwide to create more opportunities and exposure for Malawian artists.
Q: How will you apply the lessons learned from this experience to enhance the growth of Malawi's music industry from a business perspective? What changes do you plan to make to your music career?
A: I plan to apply the lessons learned from this experience to my music career and will let time reflect on how it has impacted my way of doing things. Follow my journey on social media @kimofdiamonds, my website, https://www.kimofdiamonds.com and streaming platforms as KIM of Diamonds. For more information on the Music Business Academy for Africa program, visit their website, https://www.mbaforafrica.com/en/. If you decide to apply, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter and Instagram @kimofdiamonds to hear about my personal experience.
In conclusion, KIM of Diamonds’ journey was more than it seems. Even though she wasn’t getting signed to the label, as a lot of Malawians had expected earlier, this trip has been beneficial for her. It will surely contribute to her music career as she has shared that she learned a lot from the program. I am looking forward to seeing the results of this trip.
Brilliant articl! Very proud of you ❤️
Honestly kim has always inspired me and I'd love to hear your personal experience
The introduction to the article is kinda flat but I love Kim’s responses…they were engaging.