Paheja Siririka

WINDHOEK- The 2019 Namibian Annual Music Awards (NAMAs) executive committee has announced that it will host an artist masterclass session. Under the topic: Succeeding my Music, Brand and Business as an Artist across the African continent, the session panel will present great and experienced gurus in music.

 Judges overseeing the session include Sean Watson: MD of Sony Music Pan Africa, Somoina Kimojino: MD Somz Talent & Homeboyz Radio & Media Kenya, Sammy Thuo: Director, Saracen OMD: No 1 Global Media Agency, South African legendary artist Yvonne Chaka Chaka and Namibia’s own Axali Doeseb. 

 MTC’s Chief of Human Capital and Corporate Affairs, Tim Ekandjo, said the session will be an opportunity for artists to meet, engage and discuss all things music and share ideas on how to optimally get positive results from their music careers. “We thus strongly advise artists to attend this masterclass,” said Ekandjo. 

The artists’ masterclass will be conducted on the day of the awards, September 7, 2019, in Swakopmund. 
 With 16 days before the awards, the executive committee promises a jam-packed show as far as performance is concerned. “We have 13 performance slots, which give us a total of 36 performances throughout the whole event,” said Ekandjo. 

He also assured 100 percent live band performances. “We initially started with 30 percent live bands then we went to 40 percent. We were at 80 percent last year after we got the NAMAs jazz band. I don’t know what excites people about live bands but we are going to have 100 percent live band (five-piece band: drummer, music arranger, lead guitarist, co-music arranger, bass guitarist, main key and second keys, with two separate full backline setups),” explained Ekandjo.

 Ekandjo said out of the 123 dancers who came for auditions, 20 made the final cut. Something new to the NAMAs2019 podium is that non-music artists will also be allowed to showcase their art pieces and drawings on the blue carpet.