By Winnie Oloo
When he talks about his reasons for supporting upcoming artists, his voice is full of passion, his eyes lights up and in between the brief silence speaks a man who is genuinely interested in what he does.
Wasp Africa targets talented artists who have the potential to be global brand names but are left out by
the mainstream media for lack of high-end quality visuals.
He says that there is the untapped potential of beginning artists, but limited attention is given to such.
Meet Sam Kamau, the chief executive officer of Wasp Africa, a firm that assists individuals and organizations to achieve results through cellular solutions.
Wasp Africa through an online content sign up platform sets the stage for talented aspiring artists who have the potential to be global brand names but are left out by the mainstream media for lack of high-end quality visuals.
With the ongoing tussle over royalties’ payment in Kenya, artists are stuck on unpretentious platforms that will value their creativity as the Kenyan audience is major revealers of music and art.
In April, the Music Copyright of Kenya (MCSK) received a major backlash from artists after it emerged that their years of efforts in the industry cumulated to less than Ksh 3000.
It is with these concerns that Sam realized the gap in the entertainment sector that would link up artistes to their audiences. He, therefore, tapped Bellarmin Mbulinda to set a stage for ambitious young talents, creating Dosika Rising Stars.
Bellarmin Mbulinda is a reserved technology enthusiast with unresolved desire to find common solutions through the use of technology.
When Sam came forward with the idea, Mbulinda did not disappoint and in 2015, the two entrepreneurs set up a journey to recognize the untapped talents.
So far, over 20,000 members have been signed in with vigorous efforts to recruit more. The site, Sam says, is actively visited by over 200,000 people further widening the customer base for the music aspirants.
Dosika Rising Stars
When asked about why he majored on young artistes and not the established ones for major earnings, Sam recalls of an incident he attended an official function back in his backyard. He says he that he felt challenged when he had attended a function, where an invited musician performed well only to realize that he had no brand name to himself.
The singer, as Mr Kamau says, deserved to be featured in all the major media outlets but lack of funds left him only famous to a handful of the villagers. He then came up with the idea to launch an online platform, which would have a greater global impact.
How Dosika work
The brainchild of Sam Kamau and his co-founder Bellarmine Mbulinda promises to at least save the artists the headache of sourcing a market for their songs.
Since the company is regulated by the Communications Authority as a licensed content service provider, the musicians have to adhere to the set standards before uploading their music. This means that it has be appropriate to all ages, and adult scenes are vehemently discouraged.
On the company side, they have to ascertain that the uploaded content is purely original to avoid copyright infringement cases.
It also ensures that the material is not pornographic as the industry regulatory requirements stipulate. They equally have to ensure that the video content prescribes to the standard of Dosika for quality visualization.
Sam is quick to also recognize that he has competitors, there are global players like Youtube, Vevo and many others mushrooming every other day. Asked how he keeps such cut-throat competition at bay, he reveals that he seeks to be different by offering content that millions of Kenyans and Africa can connect with in terms of diverse culture and a rich in heritage.
“Uploading content on an online platform is not new, with millions of people doing it worldwide. Sites like YouTube and Vevo have been gaining popularity among artists, but what Dosika offers differently, is a ready platform and guaranteed quality showcasing our diverse culture to aspiring musicians,” he says.
How artists earn
The amount of money earned is based on the number of downloads garnered by artists and promotional content on the website. The artists can closely monitor such procedures from their account ensuring a transparent process in laying up their claims. The funds are then disbursed after an agreed period of time signed in a contract.
“When the content is uploaded, the artists are notified through a link sent to their phones. They can then access updates on the viewership and automatically calculate their projected income. For every download that is made, they earn 40 per cent of the proceedings. The more hit songs an artist has, the more revenues they will collect, says Sam.
The Dosika founders are looking beyond Kenya and now, they want to take on the Africa continent.
