How Not To Be Successful In The Kenyan Entertainment Industry

Piece by: Kwarula Otieno
Entertainment

Many Kenyan artistes, actors and media personalities have decided to follow this route and eventually end-up regretting. The Kenyan entertainment industry is huge, and I have learnt that Kenyans can actually love you and embrace whatever you do as long as you offer them what they want.

We often complain that Kenya is a hard market for entertainers, but the truth is, some of our entertainers don't put in the work!

Below are some of the things that can make you become unsuccessful if you're an entertainer in Kenya;

1. Just wake up and start doing what you want.

As an entertainer, you MUST plan yourself very and identify your crowd. Do proper research before doing anything.

2. It doesn't matter if you like it or not, just do it.

Because your friend or someone that you know made it, it doesn't mean you will also make it in the industry by doing what he/she did. Decades ago, music was for those who are talented. Nowadays everyone just sings.

3. After putting your work out there, make sure you have enough sleep, and if possible go for a vacation.

This is something many Kenyan entertainers do. It's good to rest, but many people become lazy instead. Theses are the artistes who release 2 or 3 songs in a year and they still expect Kenyans to recognize them.

4. I don't give a damn about what people think about my work, they're just a bunch of haters.

In any business, the consumers are always right even when you know they are wrong. Accept criticism and rectify where you went wrong and try to improve.

5. After becoming a star, forget about your friends and those who helped you, after all they not on your level.

We all have those friends who don't talk to you, but when you finally make it, they suddenly reappear asking for help and favours. You can ignore and even block those ones, but not someone who helped you build your career.

6. Buy a car, eat enough food and don't even bother to go the gym.

We have several celebrities who got into the limelight when they were as skinny as Uncle Chim Tuna 4 years ago, but right now they can't even pass through some doors. As an entertainer, you need to take good care of you body, at the end of the day that's what makes money for you.

7. Make sure you don't miss any event in town. You can get the passes for free.

To have the respect that you deserve, your fans should not be seeing you everywhere they go. They should only see you often on social media, TV, newspapers and magazine. Attend events only if you have to or maybe when you're part of it. I won't pay to watch you perform if I always meet you at the club and I can listen to your music on my phone.

8. Don't mind the media, you can do anything on your own.

There are celebrities who feel they are too big for the media. But without radio, TV, social media and newspapers, they'd only be known to their relatives and friends. Go for photo-shoots and make press releases.

9. After making a lot of money, do cheap and free shows.

It's so unfortunate that some of the biggest Kenyan artistes have become so desperate for money that they accept to do a show for as low as Ksh10,000. As an entertainer, you should have a standard rate that should NEVER go down whatsoever.

10. Last but not least, get guys to write your name on the walls of Nairobi County Council Toilets. You've made it!!

In less than 5 years, you would have made it this far, and the good thing about Kenyans is that they will never forget you.