Describe yourself in one word.

Focused

 

Clearly, Zambian music has taken a new path and is being appreciated by fellow Zambians and has reached new horizons. What do you suppose has brought about this change?

Some of our achievements Mondo Music has so far released 7 albums and two singles and we have published close to 60,000 cassettes and 12,000 CDs.

We supply our cassettes and CDs to over 120 outlets along the line of rail ranging from small market stalls, supermarkets, (Sounds, the country’s leading specialist music retailers) and Shoprite, who are Zambia's biggest supermarket chain. We will be venturing further into Zambia’s other provinces later this year.

 

Late last year we started selling Mondo Music internationally over the internet and we now have people from all over the world enjoying our CDs.

Our music is now played on radio stations in Europe, The United States, South Africa, on worldwide broadcasters like the BBC and Voice of America and even on internet radio stations. Our music videos are also being broadcast on Channel O, which goes out all over Africa.

This is what gives us the confidence to proudly call ourselves “the Nation’s Music leaders”

But our biggest achievement, has been something intangible. Something that cannot be put on a balance sheet or in a business plan.

The most important thing that Mondo Music has done over the past two years is to help bring back something that was lacking in our country’s music scene. Something that other African countries like Zimbabwe, Congo DR and South Africa have always had when it comes to their music. Mondo Music has helped to bring back the Pride that Zambian people once had in their music.

 

Mondo Music were the first company to seriously put money into Zambian

music. As it's founder, I realised that there was a gap in the market. Since the demise of Teal Records Zambia Ltd, and Zambia Music Parlour, who were the country’s and major players in this industry, Zambia’s musicians did not have any serious backing to help them record and release their works, and the public have not had any local organised structure for bringing those

musical works within their reach. As a result, local music would come onto the market sporadically, with little if no marketing and promotion.

 

In order to meet our business philosophy and objectives, Mondo Music Corporation Limited has put together a team chosen for their commitment to both the artistic and business aspects of the music industry, while ensuring the necessary resources and specialised skills are applied into our projects to achieve maximum results. We also draw on the expertise of local and

international consultants in the field of music, and apply proven business techniques and management styles.

 

 

Working with people from all walks of life with contradicting ideas but wishing to achieve the same goal is a challenge. How do you build teamwork? 

Teamwork is a very important element of what we do. It's difficult to say how it's really done. Part of it comes from picking the right people to employ and work with while another part of it comes from keeping my head clearly focused on our company's objectives and mission. More importantly, there is a part of it which comes from exhibiting leadership and management skills.

 

 

Have you had any artist cancel the contracts or show regret?

We live in the real world. Not everything can go right all the time, especially in the field of human working relationships. We have had a couple of artists who's sales have not met our expectations and we have had to part company with them.

We have also had one artist who could not focus herself on the needs and demands of a career as a recording artist at Mondo Music. We also parted company. Generally speaking however, the artists we have contracts with are quite happy with us and what we do with them.

 

 

What does Mondo mean?

"Mondo" is the name of a type of drum from the Bemba tribes here in Zambia.

 

 

How strictly do you involve the legal aspect? Do musicians have independent lawyers to enable them toward the rightful decision when making these deals?

We sign professional recording contracts with all our artists, who are advised to seek independent legal advice before signing the agreements. This is a very important to us because we take ourselves seriously as a record company and need to act is a serious and professional manner. In addition, when you invest K30-40 million into an album, you can't leave anything to

chance.

 

 

If you could provide a better record deal package, what would it involve?

The royalty percentages we give are very competitive for the music industry

worldwide. As the company grows, we will be able go offer better deals in

terms of advance payments and facilities, etc.

 

 

What is the main system you use to tap talent?

Like any other record company, we receive demo tapes from hopeful artists that we then evaluate and appraise. Where we see promise and commitment, we are then able to sign a recording or publishing contract with the artist.

How the music industry works Think of your music as a raw material like timber. Right now your music (the timber) is still in the tree, and we have to cut down the tree and chop it up into planks and boards that will then be used to make chairs, desks, and other furniture. The furniture is then placed in a shop and advertised for the public to buy it. At each stage of the process, value is being added to the timber until someone comes along and pays the person working on the

product money for the finished item.

 

Our job is to get music into a form that people will want to buy and to encourage them to actually purchase it. We do this by making it possible for artists to actually record their music

to the right artistic and technical standards.

Then we package the music in the form of cassettes and compact discs, that people can easily get hold of.

After that we make it available to the buying public by delivering it to retailers (shops) around the country and outside Zambia.

Finally, we market and advertise the product so that people will get to know that it’s available and make the decision to get themselves a copy of the music.

 

What is the main reason why you wish to promote Zambian musicians and in what way do you expect them to benefit from the record deals?

As Henry Higgins said, "Happy is the man who makes a living out of his passion". I have always loved music and was a DJ for ten years. Running a record company is a wonderful experience, despite the difficulties we face, especially in terms of piracy of our music.

 

 

Who owns the copyright of the song?

It is important for us to increase the value of our company by buying copyright in the music that we produce. A major party of the value of a record company is made up of the quality and quantity of it's catalogue of rights. So we try to make sure that Mondo Music owns as many of the copyrights in the songs that we produce as possible.

 

 

Do Mondo musicians compete among themselves? If so, who is the leading recording artist?

Of course they do. I don't like to comment on who is the biggest because we strategically place the artists in different target markets. That way, our artists don't waste energy competing with each other when they could be competing with other artists from some of the other smaller record labels.

 

 

What do you wish to accomplish in this industry before you retire?

I'd like to make Zambia's music industry one of the biggest in the continent. It will provide employment, government revenue, and value to our country. My dream is for the Zambian music industry to be as large and well respected as what they have in countries like Zimbabwe, Senegal, etc.

 

 

We are all pupils and teachers; your personal experience as a business owner and promoter has obviously presented you with lessons. What is your advise as a teacher?

The main lesson in life is to have belief in your goals and then to make them happen. You have to know what you want and go for it.

 

 

How much do you treasure your National Registration card? Are you a proud Zambian?

Yes, I treasure my NRC very much and I am a very proud Zambian.

 

Do you see yourself as a politician?

Never. The political life is not something I aspire to. I think what Africa needs more than more than politicians is more "Captains of Industry". These are a very important part of the economy in the Western world and are described as private sector individuals who are able to mobilise resources for the development of the countries. Most Africans place too much emphasis on what the government can do for them, rather than what they can do in their individual capacities to develop their countries. By investing our money and doing business in our own countries, people like me create jobs and enable empowerment among our people.

 

Do you have a Trust Fund that helps the underprivileged? What is the major qualification for the scholarships?

Every year we offer the Folotiya Memorial Scholarships, which offer one boy and one girl from any school in Zambia the chance to get 75% off their secondary tuition at Rhodes Park School from grade 8-12. The candidates sit an entrance exam, which is based on the ZBEC Grade 7 Composite exams, and the scholarship is given to the top scoring students. So, it's all about academic excellence.