“The magic of the media industry and of digital space is that you can be anything, see anything, and imagine everything. Then, as if the dream were not sweet enough, the reality is how it can all come true, regardless of your previous circumstances”
– Angelo, The Plug Mag
we all want to be the best in the business – we want to be the ones to set the bar high. we want elaborate stages with glaring strobe lights and honestly, we deserve it!
naturally what happens is that we start off mimicking the people whose work has achieved prominence in our respectful industries, people who inspire us – it’s called “faking it until you make it”. we mold ourselves and the art we create according to supposed “industry standards” and then actively produce work we see on our screens and hear on the radio station because that’s what sells. i don’t know though, sometimes it seems we fake it too much we start to miss the point, that in the plight of developing sustained careers in an increasingly digitized space we must also remember who we are as creative bodies and what value systems create space for our art and the ways we choose to present it.
i remember a lecturer in one of my Journalism classes imploring that as we start to dig deeper into who we are and how we are defined in politicized spaces, that we should be resolute in creating meaning from our experiences. this has stayed with me since.
and impressively, what i have seen happen over the past 4/5 years is the Creative Industry broadening its spectrum by promoting local and indigenous perspectives on especially Music. We’ve seen the industry make way for artists like Yanga Chief, YoungstaCPT, Sho Madjozi, Msaki, Sjava and more recently we’ve had the pleasure of being introduced to Ami Faku, Blaq Diamond, Dee Kaola, Big Zulu, Mlindo The Vocalist and Makhadzi. in my view these artists all have one thing in common: they’ve managed to successfully create music which reflects their stories as developing artists in South Africa. and that’s the point right there, the bottom line – telling our stories.
i emphasize creating meaning from our experiences because what happens is that we find artists making music or just creating artworks that even they don’t believe in because that’s the supposed industry standard.
but when Art should reflect our realities who determines an industry standard?
what i have resorted to doing is solacing myself by nurturing my strengths and creating SPACE for my music – i am comfortable existing outside of the perimeters of the current wave BUT i also know that where music and other forms of art are concerned – limitations and boundaries seize to exist. So i will say this: create with and from what you know because that’s your blueprint.
