Do you know your Meru Artists and Musicians?

What comes to your mind when someone mentions art? If you are like me you have been thinking painting is what art means. In real sense art is something that makes you feel a certain way. It elicits an emotion. Painting, drawing, music, poetry, novels, films, architecture. The definition of “art” is so subjective that almost anything could be considered art.

Most artists discover their talent on their own and perfect it. Perfection comes from constant practice. Say you are writer, you must sit down and pen articles and stories to perfect it. If you are a musician you must compose your music and sing to train your voice and sharpen it. If you are a painter you must pick up a brush and get all inked up as you create a piece.

Meru is known for peace, agriculture and its brainy people. A short while ago people thought we could not sing. By people I mean the rest of the country. It’s not because we could not sing it’s because our musicians were not visible. It felt like our musicians sang only in villages in circles surrounded by men with spears and that was the end. Not music alone there are painters and writers in Meru but few are known for their trade.

The reason they are not known is largely because of the way marketing dynamics work. If no one is talking about you no one is going to buy from you. That is because no one knows you exist. If no one is going to buy from you then you are not going to benefit from your talent. As you should be willing to support each other. If you want a musician to perform at an event for free because he/ she is your friend then you are an enemy of progress. You are not willing to pay your friend so you go out there and get Kidum to do it and you pay him higher. It’s not wrong to get Kidum to perform at your event but if you probably give a Meru artist a chance you have helped grow him and he will do a better job. Experience is valuable but if you we are not willing to give our upcoming artists a chance then where are they going to get the experience from?

Artists also need to perfect their trade. People love quality. Just like how you would not buy spoilt milk is the same way you will not hire a substandard musician to sing at your wedding. You will not hire a bad writer to write your music or your biography. You need to put in the effort to give quality music to your fans. That is the only way as a fan I will not feel ripped off. If I feel ripped off then I will not buy your music and I will not recommend it to anyone. Word of mouth is the greatest marketing tool we still possess even in the digital era. To make sure word of mouth works for you must be willing to produce quality.

Artists also need to join organizations and groups that enhance and support your skills.

We are here to give a few tips on how you would go about doing exactly that and also help tell your story. We aim to tell the world your story or even have you tell it to the world.

Hit us up at uga@ameru.co.ke