No happy tune from singer

By Frankline Okutoyi

Even as she prepares to produce new music year, gospel singer Nancy Torome is still counting last year’s losses.

The singer known for her first hit song Simba wa Yuda, says she was duped by a local company registered to sell music ring tones to mobile phone subscribers. Mrs Torome says she entered an agreement with the company.

The ring tones are bought at the mobile phone subscriber’s request and paid for before downloading.

The singer says most composers are crying foul because they are yet to get royalties for their music.

The said company is also embroiled in a legal tussle with Music Copyright Society of Kenya, which has taken it to court for engaging in music selling tones to mobile subscribers illegally. The society is also pushing for payment for several musicians who the company has failed to pay for the services.

She revealed that the company has been selling her work for two years since she sighed the agreement but she has not received a single cent. "I believe musicians would make a kill from their work through this technology if it was to be handled well. These companies are hindering our efforts ", says Torome.

She says musicians are being exploited at their expense.

"It is discouraging when you call someone and listen to your song playing on the other end and yet you get nothing," she says.

According to the musician, this has become another form of piracy that is killing music industry.

Her other compositions include Bila Yesu Siwezi, Muhuri Wa Mbeu, Ndaina Kayu, Binadamu ya Mavumbi, Kuzaliwa ka Yesu and her newly released song Kuja Kibaki among others. Her first hit entitled Muhuri Wa Mbeu was released in 1993 and sold in volumes, which enabled her to gain momentum and recognition in local music industry.

She appeals to Kenyans to stop buying pirated music because the original is affordable.

"Buying original boosts the composers not only financially, but also creatively. With piracy, one never knows whether people appreciate the music," she says.