Agency aims to end international gig cancellations
Remember the KCI and Jojo no show in Malawi way back? What about the last minute cancellation of a Dru Hill performance last year? Remember the time reggae star Luciano aka Jah Messenger failed to perform in Malawi over Ebola fears?
If the branching into Africa of an international booking agency which works with an extensive catalogue of artists and celebrities is anything to go by, late cancellation of performances may be a thing of the past in Africa, including Malawi. A release from the outfit, Next Level Agency (NLA), the company has linked up international acts with organisers and promoters in little known lands.
For instance, their profile shows a 50 Cent performance in Azerbaijan, king of dancehall Sean Paul tour of Sri Lanka. It has also worked withLil Jon, Ja Rule, T-Pain, Jeremih, Eve, Vanilla Ice, Chingy and Naughty by Nature, Chris Brown, Robin Thicke, 2 Chainz, Nelly andB.o.B.
For 2016, NLA already has confirmed shows with R&B superstar Jason Derulo in Sri Lanka and Macau, Blurred Lines singer Robin Thicke in Philippines, five cities tour across Australia with US rapper Tyga and more to be announced.
The NLA management board has two Malawian names, Arthur Milanzi and James Woods-Nkhutabasa, which puts Malawi at a better place.
“The Malawi entertainment scene has seen a tremendous growth over the last eight years. We now have more international shows than ever before. NLA will give promoters and event organisers an open access to the international music and entertainment scene. We have access to some of the biggest names in music industry. Our experience allowed us to cement relationships directly with artists and their managers. Our presence in Malawi means promoters can now book artists and celebrities from a reliable source, with a proven track record of delivering successful show,” said Milanzi, currently based in London.
According to him, Malawi will become an entertainment hub and the high profile shows will also contribute towards the increase in the country’s tourism industry. He adds: “These shows will allow some Malawian artists to share a massive platform with international artists. The transition of bringing artists that people would only otherwise see on TV to performing at local venues and stadiums is one that will inspire the music audience in Malawi.”
Milanzi, whose music interests became evident as a 11 year-old DJ at St Andrews International High School, believes the main reason for previous cancellations on the continent is unprofessional behaviour and breach of contracts with artists by either local promoters or by unreliable third-party agents, who fail to deliver, which is partially due to lack of access to information about the right channels and contacts in the industry.
As a booking agency, he said, NLA will help bridge the gap between artists and promoters to ensure that all necessary due diligence is done and all parties are protected in order to deliver successful shows.
