In the vibrant music scene of modern-day Zimbabwe, artists are evolving. They are now embracing new strategies to overcome the challenges that hinder them from releasing full-length albums. However, they are tapping into the power of EPs, collaborations, and singles to captivate their audience. These innovative musical ventures have become the driving force behind the country’s emerging artists. It has allowed them to showcase their talents and connect with fans in unique and exciting ways.
The Rise of EPs:
A Distinctive Musical Journey Among these creative releases, the EP takes center stage. With its distinctive blend of artistry and conciseness, an EP offers a musical journey that is longer than a single but shorter than a full album. Packed with two to five tracks, an EP becomes a compelling canvas for artists. A canvas to explore their creativity, experiment with different genres, and deliver a focused message that resonates deeply with listeners.
The Magic of Collaborations
Uniting Voices, Amplifying Impact Collaborations have become an integral part of the Zimbabwean music landscape. They bring together the diverse talents of individual artists or groups, resulting in a harmonious fusion of sounds and styles. By joining forces, artists amplify their voices, share their unique perspectives, and create a powerful synergy. These strategic alliances and synergies are what allow their music to reach new heights. These collaborative projects not only broaden the artists’ fan bases. They also showcase the rich diversity and unity within Zimbabwe’s music community.
The Allure of Singles
A single release is like a burst of musical brilliance, where an individual artist or a group/band shines in their own right. These standalone tracks serve as showcases for their raw talent, creative expression, and unique artistic vision. Moreover, when artists come together to create a feature, their combined energy and charisma create a sonic experience. Such which transcends boundaries and captivates audiences across genres and generations.
In this article, we delve into Zimbabwean music, exploring rise of EPs, magic of collaborations and the allure of singles. Join us as we celebrate the innovative ways in which artists navigate the challenges of the modern age. Leaving an indelible mark on the ever-evolving Zimbabwean music scene.
Why EPs?
The Music industry in Zimbabwe is widely known for being a low-income profession. Requiring significant financial investment and resources, the production of a full and lengthy album is a challenge. As a result, many artists choose to release singles and collaborations, as the ultimate goal remains the same. For artists on a limited budget, EPs can be a more cost-effective option. Financially stable artists like Winky D (with 11 albums), Jah Prayzah (with 12 albums and set to release his 13th album this week), and Freeman (with 13 albums) have managed to record full albums with numerous songs. However, most Zimbabwean musicians prioritize survival skills rather than proper business ethics and growth, often focusing on the release of hit singles.
Many Zimbabwean artists are now producing EP’s, singles, and collaborations due to several factors:
1. Trends in the Music Industry
In today’s fast-paced world, songs can quickly lose their popularity after going viral, especially on platforms like TikTok. This constant influx of new hit songs makes it challenging for artists to sustain their success with a single release.
2. Changing Audience Preferences
There is a growing audience preference for shorter and more concise musical experiences. Many listeners enjoy discovering new songs frequently rather than committing to a full album. Artists have recognized this shift and are adapting their strategies accordingly.
3. Maintaining Audience Engagement
Releasing shorter projects such as singles or EPs allows artists to stay connected with their audience on a regular basis. Instead of waiting for an extended period to release a complete album, they can share one or a few songs at a time, keeping fans engaged and interested.
4. Flexibility and Creativity
EPs provide artists with the flexibility to experiment with different styles, genres, or themes within a concise format. This creative freedom can lead to exciting collaborations and unique musical expressions.
5. Cost and Time Efficiency
Producing a full-length album requires significant resources in terms of time, money, and studio sessions. On the other hand, creating singles or EPs is relatively more cost-effective and time-efficient for both independent and established artists.
6. Promotional Opportunities
Releasing multiple singles or an EP allows artists to generate more promotional opportunities. Each song can be marketed individually, potentially reaching different audiences and increasing overall visibility. These factors combined have contributed to the rise in popularity of EP’s, singles, and collaborations among Zimbabwean artists like Leo Magoz who gained traction on social media with his song Fire Emoji.
Silent Power of Collaborations
When an artist collaborates with a prominent figure in the music industry, it can bring attention to lesser-known artists and help them gain recognition. As a result, many artists now prefer collaborating with established music giants as it accelerates their career progression more rapidly than releasing full albums. By focusing on individual tracks through the production of singles, artists have the opportunity to devote ample time to refining their lyrical content and creating captivating music videos that will resonate with the target audience. Notably, artists like Nutty O have recognized the potential of EP projects in fostering meaningful engagement with their fans, thereby facilitating the growth of their fan base.
The Advent of Piracy
The issue of piracy has greatly affected the growth of music industry in Zimbabwe as many artists have abandoned releasing albums. Blessing Shumba is one of those artists who greatly suffered from piracy especially his album he released in 2011. He suffered a series of financial losses from the piracy. It is so disheartening for a musician having used so much funds in order to release a full album with over 8 songs only for it to be sold on the streets at the costs of a dollar and they do not get a cent out of the dollar. Most musicians have seen it better to at least release one song or EP projects at a time. This is effort to minimize losses which can incurred once the song or songs have been released.
Conclusion
Some other artists also have seen it fit to release more singles first in order to maintain fan base first as they will be upcoming artists thereby allowing audience to respond first and see if they are heading the right and favourable direction with their music before committing to a full album. Just like Saintfloew who started by releasing an EP in 2019 and after creating a larger fan base moved to making albums.
However, creating albums still holds a unique appeal for both listeners and artists, and it is important for artists to continue doing so.
- Albums allow artists to portray a cohesive story or concept in a way that single releases cannot match.
- Despite the significant time investment that albums require, often taking months or even longer to create, they enable artists to craft a true masterpiece by dedicating ample time and effort to deliver their best work.
In addition, albums foster a mutual relationship and bond between artists and their audience, providing a deeper understanding of the artist’s narrative. Releasing albums creates a lasting fanbase, as many listeners who enjoy a well-crafted album will actively seek out the artist’s previous song releases, resulting in the growth of a dedicated fanbase. Therefore, it is highly recommended that most artists explore the creation and release of albums to cultivate a strong and loyal
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About The Author
Lindsay Warambwa is an aspiring Digital Media Scholar with a strong passion for writing explorative articles about music industry of Zimbabwe. She is also a primary school teacher and a farmer. Connect with her on her social media.
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