13 TANZANIAN’s NEW GENERATION ARTISTS [MUSIC] WHO HAVE WITHSTOOD “THE TEST OF TIME”

Naturally, if you are an artist [or probably anyone in arts and performance], the biggest challenge ahead of you is how to stay active, loved by fans and remain constantly successful even if not at the same level per se as to when you had your first “hit”. Once you have a hit song and everyone in the streets [including kids] are singing along when it is on air, somehow the pressure starts mounting. What am I gonna come up with? Will fans receive it as well as this one? Those are just some of the questions without answers rumbling in the head.

According to the artists I have interacted with and even the ones I have interviewed, it is a scary experience. It is enough reason to bring about sleepless nights and even an addiction to drugs and alcohol. Fans are always busy looking for the next big thing in the industry. To keep their feet up in the air, is a lifetime challenge.

Since what is now known as “muziki wa kizazi kipya” became a new thing in Tanzania in late 90s and early 2000s, we have seen lots of artists coming on top [or almost top] full of energy and enthusiasm. Then the next thing you know, they are nowhere even to be seen. In the industry they have a name for it….one hit wonders. Unfortunately, such a downfall for artists usually become disastrous because a lot of them never had time to learn any other life-skills that could be used as an alternative route in terms of finances and life in general. As a result, most of them ends up being “regulars” at bars and pubs waiting for any good samaritan[ mostly fans who remember their faces and music] to buy them a drink and food. Life goes on.

The above, of course, is not the case with every artist. Some are able or have been able to withstand the test of time. For years they have remained active and to this day they are still able to sell concerts and have fans on their feet dancing and screaming on top of their lungs. Here are 13 from Tanzania that I have been able to remember. Who else do you think deserves to be on the list? … Did I miss anyone? Use comment tab or e-mail please. The only criteria I used is; must have started music career in late[or even early] 90s towards early 2000s and have remained active since then with at least a hit single in the past two years.