20 Sep 2022

South Africa based radio personality and entrepreneur, Thato Sikwane, has called on artists to build a robust industry, which will ensure less talent import from across borders.

He underscored the need for the creatives to have plans and be clear about what they wanted to achieve.

Sikwane, famously known as DJ Fresh, said this in Kanye during a roadshow intended to empower creatives.

His company, Big Dawg Productions, is undertaking the project in collaboration with the Department of Broadcasting Services and other industry stakeholders.

DJ Fresh urged attendants to seize the opportunity to optimise their talents.

He also encouraged them to build their own culture and not be obsessed with other countries’ culture.

“The government is intentional about empowering artists, especially in the wake of COVID-19 effects, which had an effect on the creative industry. Therefore, this is a massive empowerment drive and we are working with other stakeholders in the industry to ensure that creatives packaged their talents and skills for the market,” he said.

He said in order to grow, artists needed to first build a network and market from their surroundings, which would assist in growing their brands.

Even though he encouraged them to network with existing people in their industry, he underscored the need to be unique and work towards filling a niche in the market.

“As a creative, you should strive to be unique and stand out and not imitate those we look up to. One mistake we make as creatives is to be like existing artists but instead, we need to take them as inspiration which fuels us to do our own thing,” DJ Fresh.

Additionally, he advised them to consider collaborations with other artists to enhance their talents and package their products for the international market.

DJ Fresh further said personal branding, through attributes such as timeliness and integrity, was an integral part of the creative industry.

He said artists should always position themselves well for opportunities that might arise. However, he said such positioning should also add value to their clients.

He urged attendants to take advantage of social media to showcase their talents.

“You should take advantage of the internet and social media because truly the internet is a game changer for this industry. When we started back in the days we did not have such a privilege but we made sure we worked hard for people to know us,” he noted.

Kanye-based vocalist, Amantle ‘Mimi’ Moumakwa said as an upcoming artist, the workshop was an eye-opener for her and many others who aspired to learn the ropes in the industry.

She said it was important for artists to have knowledge of the industry and how to use their talents to make an impact in their lives. “It is important to have first-hand information on the industry, including memberships of bodies such as BOMU and others, as well as issues of royalties,” she said.

She said they needed DJ Fresh’s motivation since most young people had neglected their talents owing to various factors, including lack of funds for recording.

Another artist, Emmanuel Bodigelo, stage name EMK, commended DJ Fresh and other stakeholders for availing a networking opportunity for artists in different ramifications of the industry.

He said the platform was a welcome development that encouraged them to be self-reliant and work together to grow the industry.

“I am motivated to produce good quality music which will help build and grow my brand as an artist,” he said. Ends