I write this as a follow-up to my recently written article, “How COVID-19 humbled musicians”, which triggered a lot of responses from artistes and their managers. Why is the follow-up article this late? Girl child has bills to pay. I don’t know if you have noticed but each time we iron our performance outfits, exchange emails, and calls over upcoming performances, another of the ‘yellow papers’ is released, cancelling events and sending our rays of hope back to the gloomy waiting area. This recent one mostly affected weddings, and while I empathise with the couples that were soon getting hitched, my heartfelt compassion goes to the performers who were sent into a temporary downheartedness. Don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely traumatised by COVID-19 and I haven’t left my house in days just so I don’t catch it (or the crazy flu going around) again. I have even gone ahead to cancel some lunch plans- and if you know me well, that alone is a cry for help because I love eating out. When I saw the list of restaurants that requires one to be tested before access, I groaned in pain because that translates to ‘no more dates until further notice.’ Anyway, before I lose track of my main point, COVID-19 has undoubtedly caused so much pain to the entertainment industry and both the performers and their managers are crying foul. When Remmy Lubega, Managing Director for RG Consult read my article, he was unamused, to say the least, because of how ‘unserious’ it sounded. So if you pick up any humour in my article today, please understand that it is a force of habit, because it is all I have left. “I think you were too easy in the article. The pandemic has ruined not only artistes but entrepreneurs in art as well,” said Remmy. “Our passion to invest in music won’t be the same again! Right before the pandemic, I formed an all-girls band but due to the longevity of the event annulment directive, many of them got depressed from having to rehearse without playing.” Beyond the fatigue and exhaustion that comes with rehearsing with no future performances that many of us can relate to, some of the impacts to the entertainment industry include lack of income. Even before the pandemic, musicians were underpaid and sometimes ‘generously’ paid with exposure. So one can only imagine the drop in dignity that came with having no work during the COVID-19 season. I remember a few days ago, after having paid rent and tithe in one go, I got back pain from the traumatic experience. Bills don’t know of COVID, sadly. Also when I took my car for inspection, I was shocked beyond words to hear that I have to repaint the entire automobile in order to pass the test and I am still confused about how the colour will help increase road safety. Anyway, confusion is usually triggered by a lack of sufficient funds, so let me go to bed and have a meeting with myself. The uncertainty isn’t just for us, turns out. The music entrepreneurs have had their share too. “Taking care of all those talents with no work for over one year has been tough and I have finally surrendered to the situation. I am ready to tuck the equipment away because I have failed to cope with the bills that come with sustaining musicians without work,” said Remmy, the brain behind the Kigali Jazz Junction. All clouds have a silver lining though, and the one thing I have been brutally taught by the pandemic is that one income source is never sufficient, if you want to be financially independent. So when we meet again, my profile might read, “Saxophonist, Farmer and Yego Driver”...because one gig is not enough. Titles have never mattered to me anyway, especially if they are accompanied by an empty bank account, and COVID-19 has repeatedly reminded me of this truth. We recently had a mini ‘meet and greet’ with Mr. Eazi, thanks to Afrogroov and Atelier, and the most inspiring lesson for me is that he has done so much besides music. He has sold phones, mere days after some of his most successful performances, hustled across many fields, including the mining industry, and to crown it off, he is a certified mechanical engineer. If this teaches us anything, it should be that only the flexible thrive. This inspiration couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Shortly before this, Eric Kirenga, a musician, consultant, and artist in Rwanda, also shared his encouraging thoughts with me after having read the article. “COVID-19 is a double-edged sword,” he said. “It’s about time we enjoyed the other side of the pandemic. We are working towards creating opportunities to bring back the shine on creatives and musicians.” To prepare ourselves for future pandemics and economic shocks, how can the entertainment industry be restructured as an important piece of the pie, so that its players can survive beyond gig money? The writer is Rwanda’s first female saxophonist
