Youthful musicians Eli Njuchi and Driemo yesterday underlined their strength in the music industry when they ruled the blank media levy spearheaded by Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma), pocketing over K5 million during an event held at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.
Crossroads Hotel Bamboo Room was the centre of attraction as musicians, both gospel and secular, got decorated on the day through blank media levy.
Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and Cosoma recommenced collection of a levy on media storage devices in 2020.
The levy on media storage devices, also known as Private Copy Levy, is charged on purchases of recordable media as compensation to the rights holders for loss of income due to copyright infringements.
Eli Njuchi, real name Chifuniro Magalasi, famed for songs such as ‘Yabaya’ in which he collaborated with Zambia’s Yo Maps and ‘Gugugu’, came first followed by Driemo (Shafie Phiri), who recently released a single titled ‘Trailer’, that garnered 162,000 views in a day.
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Only two artists made it in the bracket of K5 million to K6 million followed by Skeffa The Jamming Machine Chimoto and Phalombe music star Gibo Pearson, who received over K4 million in the range of K4 million to K5 million.
In the absence of Eli Njuchi, Driemo spoke on behalf of fellow artists during the event that was presided over by veteran musician Soldier Lucius Banda, who also happens to be presidential advisor on youth and arts.
“It is amazing to receive such an amount of money through blank media levy and this is a motivation to spur me and fellow artists to keep on doing the best in terms of producing good music,” Driemo said.
The ‘Popo’ maker said he would utilise the over K5 million package efficiently for the progression of his music, revealing that he has a number of projects to work on.
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He then took time out to advise fellow artists to put the money they had received to good use.
“For a long time, we have been criticised that we misuse the money that we get at times but let me call upon fellow artists to take their time to invest part of the money in other areas,” Driemo said.
Lucius, who also was one of the beneficiaries, receiving over K3 million in the range of K3 million to K4 million category, concurred with Driemo, saying times were hard and it was thus right for fellow artists to use the money received wisely.
“We did not have the blank media levy in the past years but now it is all smiles that we are able to get something. It even makes me happy to see young artists such as Driemo and Eli Njuchi getting more money,” he said.
The ‘Mabala’ star, who received his certificate of recognition from musician and legislator Billy Kaunda, also dared artists to rise up and start pushing their music to conquer the world.
“We should not be doing music for us only. We need to start exporting our music,” he said.
Apart from Lucius, other artists who pocketed in the bracket of K3 million to K4 million, included Janta, Wikise, Kell Kay, Zeze Kingston and Patience Namadingo.
The category of K2 million to K3 million included fallen artists Martse and Atoht Manje. The others are Saint, Piksy, Zonke Too Fresh, Malinga Mafia, Great Angels Choir, Jay Jay Cee, Onesimus, Azizi and Dan Lufani.
The K1 million to K2 million bracket had artists such as Pop Young, Gwamba, Innocent Chitimbe, Macelba, Temwa, Lulu, Keturah, Phyzix, Henry Czar, DNA, Nesnes, Waxy K, Lawi, Avocado, Suffix, Phungu Joseph Nkasa, Billy Kaunda, Black Missionaries, Tay Grin, Anthony Makondetsa, Moses Makawa and the late WalyCris of the ‘Achalume’ fame as well as the late Tremour.
A total of 1,176 musicians have benefited from the blank media levy with about 1,122 in the bracket of K1,000 to K1 million whereas 33 make up the range of K1 million to K2 million with 11 between K2 million and K3 million.
Six artists are in the range of K3 million and K4 million whereas two artists are the category of K4 million and K5 million.
