Imagine showing up on stage for a performance, and unfortunately, the audience remains ‘cold’ and dull, with no cheer — or even worse, they start booing you. These are situations musicians have to put up with, especially when an upcoming artiste yet to make an impression. It is distressing, especially when reflecting on the sleepless nights spent during rehearsal. For many, dreams are cut short while others find luck. There is no particular formula but it is a must for every artiste to focus on building and boosting their fan base to grow career-wise. According to Jean-Marie Mukasa, a music talent manager, for local artistes such as Yvan Buravan, Active Group and Kevin Skaa, under “New level music label”, doing good music that excites people and compels them to dance is a sure way to win hearts and minds. A musician must listen to his or her work and relate to it or know if it suits their audience, and that is already a pass to gain enthusiasts. He notes that other factors include building one’s public image by avoiding grudges or petty fights with competitors, and staying away from controversy or scandal. This is very important for the integrity of an artiste. Mukasa says discipline matters a lot, especially in Rwanda. “People naturally relate to well-behaved and cultured artistes who are not bizarre or flashy. You have to be natural, real and down to earth,” he says Deo Munyakazi, an inanga player and singer, explains that YouTube is one way an artiste can win supporters as it is very much a ‘music library’, where anyone can access the songs they are interested in. The songwriter says that his YouTube channel has gained him a greater audience, locally and internationally. He says that promotion is the best way to sell and expose a musician to the public, by playing their songs on radio, television, and other public platforms. That way, new talent is discovered. For Yvan Buravan, a local artiste, best known for songs like “Inkuru”, “Ni Njye Nawe”, “Si Belle” and others, social media connections cannot be underestimated when it comes to acquiring fans. Yvan Buravan. / Courtesy He says it costs nothing to open up an account on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Sound Cloud, and invite friends to like and follow your page and request them, to also call upon their friends to like and follow the pages. With time, you will be assured of a steady following. However, Buravan says that it is essential to use those platforms to post information that is useful and appropriate to both the artiste and the fans, and avoid any conversations or material that could outrage fans or ruin the reputation of a musician. He points out that the more one posts, the more followers they are likely to get. The “Inkuru” singer also says that building a following, involves engaging imagery, and relevant hashtags. Keep your fans and followers updated about your shows, events, and daily life through uploading videos and photos as it keeps them feeling like a part of you. Apart from that, working hard and producing more music, good music, is also another simple way of winning a fan base. The fan base is also boosted through having a positive public image and getting connected to the press, or media for good public exposure, he adds. For upcoming artistes like Rita Ange Kagaju, knowing your audience and capitalising on your talent easily wins fans. “Being an upcoming artiste, I don’t have a huge number of fans, however, I am overwhelmed and appreciative of the enormous audience I have earned in about one year. I believe that to actually win the hearts of a vast group of people, it takes paying attention and appealing to their emotions,” Kagaju, an upcoming musician and songwriter, says. Rita Ange Kagaju. / Courtesy “This involves getting to know your audience based on the kind of music you deliver. Of course, a hip-hop artiste’s fan base will slightly differ from that of an R&B singer, because the genre is not the same and neither is the vibe,” says the singer. The vocalist spares some time once in a while to go through all her direct messages on social media where she reads people’s requests, messages, and praises of how her music moves them. This is what inspires her to write her next song, that will not only fulfil the desires of her admirers, but also, keep her going and working tirelessly on tackling a different emotion every day. To her, a new fan is always one new meaningful song away. The songwriter urges fellow singers to keep their art in motion through releasing new music, all the time, as vigour and creativity conquer the minds of the audience.
