Are global record deals an opportunity or trap for East African musicians?

Collage of Nyashinski, Nikita Kering, Redsan and Xtatic. [Courtesy] Take the whole Blankets and Wine experience out of the way and nothing else has captured the imagination of a country than Yariasu, the 13-song album that Nyashinski dropped the other day. The opinions have come in hard and strong, and for the first time in probably the artiste's entire existence, there is no consensus on whether his art and craft, in this case a feature body of work, is great, or not. "Unpopular opinion: Nyashinski needs Cedo. Cedo does not need Nyashinski," one X user wrote, another writing, "That Nyashinski album is actually fire kama unaelewa music." According to one online review: "Yariasu feels weighed down by an overextended formula, and more troublingly, marred by puzzling music choices that dull the impact of Nyashisnki's craft." Full disclosure, for a writer who has made a name reviewing music week on week, the album is great; experimental in sound in songs like Don't Play With My Money (DPWMM), Elegance, Celebrate Life, Grateful and Becoming, and bold - he does all the heavy lifting as there is no single feature. To the creator, Yariasu is "...a very honest album. It talks about how people love you some days, but they may not love you forever." And that's where the big divide between Nyashinski, a Johnnie Walker brand ambassador, and the fans comes in - they want him to rap and sing a certain way, something he has refused to be boxed in, time and again. While some have voiced it, most have thought about it. Yariasu's artistic direction is a product of circumstances - Nyashinski has signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment East Africa Limited. Thus, the stylistic output reflects the global viewpoint of what the album should look, feel and sound. Sean Watson, Managing Director for Sony Music Africa, captures this school of thought, and what the future looks like for Nyashinski's fans, saying; "Nyashinski represents everything the world needs to see from East Africa - authenticity, versatility, longevity, and artistic excellence." Yariasu is written to a wider, global audience, M.I.A, Fresh and Tai Chi the only song written for a Swahili speaking audience, the latter the most brand-Nyashinski of the tracks; full of bravado, bars that sting, and still, danceable. The choice of an eclectic sound style that transverses the continent - tapping into Amapiano, Afrosoul, and Afrobeat, cements the suggestion, and opinion, that Sony influenced the album choice of sound, and writing. The artiste himself was quoted saying; "With Yariasu, I'm speaking to the world, but I'm also speaking to every person who's been with me through the highs and the lows." Does signing a major recording, publishing or distribution deal with a major label automatically mean a shift in sound? Nyashinski is not the first Kenyan or East African act to sign a deal with a major label, he's just the latest. Before him, Xtatic, Redsan, Ali Kiba, Nikita Kering, and Sauti Sol have penned deals with global labels, with arguably nothing much coming from the said deals. Just last year, Afro-Indie and Afro pop sensation Njerae signed on Universal Music Group East Africa (UMG EA), assuring her fans that she still "...intends to work even harder to produce even bigger hits." The assurance, whether intended or not, partly reflects the journey that many artistes who signed to global labels experienced - a hiatus from being active in the music scene. When Xtatic, then a fresh and immensely talented young femcee signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment in 2012, it heralded a new chapter for the local entertainment scene, a move that validated 'usanii' as a potentially lucrative career. By the time Xtatic left Sony Music in 2017, it had been five years of almost becoming irrelevant, the promising artiste becoming a short-lived star. "It was great when it started - that's all I can say," she said when it came to an end, amid rumours that the deal wasn't sufficient enough for her to even pay rent at times, respectfully adding, "Well, to just sum it all up it's been a learning journey, as hectic as it was." When he walked away from both Sony and Rockstar4000 in the year 2021, the Nakshi Mrembo singer cited disagreement over how his musical affairs were being handled as the main reason. Ranting on Tiktok in early 2024, Nikita opened up about the loopholes that labels tend to hide in contracts, which, in her case, led to depression. "There is always a loophole," she confessed. "And that's how my year went. Complete depression. Knowing that a decision you made thinking that you're big enough, smart enough to make it. We made it, and it was the wrong choice." Even the legendary group Sauti Sol walked away from Universal Music Africa after only two years of Midnight Train, the most global of their albums. But the biggest shift is, while Xtatic, Redsan and Ali Kiba had serious expectations for the labels to push their brands ahead, Sauti Sol, like Nyashinski, had an album to drop immediately when the deal was announced. According to Boni Nyaga, CEO of Mawaitha Africa, what most labels look at before investing in a brand, is the global appeal, not necessarily the potential. "Global Music labels invest in global Music brands who have built a global audience for their music; key word here is Global. Unfortunately, most of our talents are Kenyan artistes and not international artiste from Kenya." Not to pour cold water on the massive talent and potential in the industry, he clarifies that marketing is where a big gap exists. "As far as music talent, we have the best in the world but we never market it well outside our borders. A case in point, my agency Mawaitha Africa has recently rebranded as a Global Expansion Marketing Agency, helping African businesses from all sectors go global and I can assure you most of my music clients are Nigerians!" Passionate about marketing and branding, Boni is adamant that only thinking outside the box will prepare Kenyan acts for the global stage. Redsan, who signed for the South Africa-based Rockstar4000 in the mid 2010s sees the situation, especially the despair and disappointment around global labels, differently. Speaking to Pulse in 2022, he said; "To everyone trying to drag Sony through the mud, let me tell you the truth; if you are a failed artiste, don't blame the label. As an artiste you should give the label ultimatums rather than sit and wait for them to push you." Nyashinski is upbeat, and as a man who doesn't say much outside his music, his optimism is captured in bars and lines from Yariasu. "Niko ready kuona million dollars," he raps on Fresh, indicating his intentions of wanting to go global. He also raps, "I'm on a mission to be legendary," on Legendary, and if takes a deal with a global brand, who has the right to stop the Ogopa legend from touching the skies? The words that keep popping are 'world' 'universal' and 'showcase'. Nyash's wife Zia Bett Nyamari posted words that reflect the new career goals, saying; "Watching you pour your heart into this album has been nothing short of inspiring and now the world gets to hear it too." The artiste himself said; "This partnership with Sony Music is more than just a deal - It's a recognition of East Africa's rich musical talent and a platform to showcase our stories to the world." For sure, it's time for East Africa to showcase its talent to the world. But on whose terms? "Unfortunately, our local artistes don't know what it means to build a global brand or market their music globally. No matter how good your product is, if you market it locally it will stay local, and a global music label will not invest in a local brand," said Boni. Speaking on Nyashinski's deal, Sean added; "This partnership is about more than music; it's about elevating the culture and giving East African voices the global platform they deserve." Go back to 2020, and Sipho Dlamini, the MD of UMG South Africa And Sub-Saharan Africa, while speaking of Sauti Sol's deal, said: "Universal Music Africa is dedicated to helping the best African music talent reach new audiences around the world and we are excited to welcome them to our global UMG family.' On Njerae, UMG EA general manager Chinasa Udeala said; "Listening to her style of music, she transcends not just East Africa, but internationally in the way it addresses everyday needs and speaks to core life experiences regardless of people's age, generation or class." Sound familiar?

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