Open letter mail won't stop soon and anyone could one lol. Well seems this fan of 9ice has got something to say to the singer concerning his recent gush on bloggers for poor music sales and other issues. Enjoy the letter.
Dear Adigun Alapomeji,
It is my pleasure to write to you. I have always being a fan…accept my gracious courtesies.
However, I am not too pleased as I write this letter, and I’m sure you’ll want to know why. I just saw this headline flashed across my TV screen, “9ICE BLAMES BLOGGERS FOR POOR MUSIC SALES.” I was instantly tempted to dismiss it as fake gist, as I couldn’t believe that a wannabe artiste would say that, not to talk of an A-lister like you.
Like seriously, Egbon Adigun, surely you live here in the 21st century with the rest of us, and as such must know that a lot of what happens in the music industry starts from the virtual streets of social network sites like Facebook and Twitter.
If an artiste is going to generate a buzz, a good indication would be the kind of attention he can attract on blogosphere.
Likewise, if a song has a bright future, we would know from the number of Retweets and favourites it gets when it debuts on Twitter.
Of course, that’s not all there is to the music business, neither does it mean that an artiste who doesn’t trend on Twitter cannot have a hit record.
The fact is, bloggers have helped artistes even more than the musicians have helped them. The streams of communication have widened over the years, and except you’re saying that you have a problem with radio stations playing your music, then you have done bloggers a disservice by that statement.
A lot of established artistes often premiere their songs first on blogs and websites before they’re even played on radio. This brings to mind the recent bruohaha between Broadcasters Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (IBAN) in which they 'banned' some artistes from their stations. Your case is like theirs. I ask you Egbon Adigun, as an experienced artiste, how will radio stations thrive if they don't play good music...particularly those of established artistes which fans are familiar with and yearn for? It can't work, and that's how your statement sounds. You may argue that bloggers allow people to download your songs for free, but Egbon, you should know that musicians make the most of their money from shows. Pirates have been the ones reaping the sweat of artistes over the years when it comes to cd sales, and no lasting solution has been found; it seems none ever will be.
If it's any consolation, it's not a peculiar Nigerian thing, as 'heavy weights' such as JayZ and Kanye West still have their records boot-legged. However we must not compare piracy with blogging! Pirates can be seen as working 'against' the business, but bloggers actually help the system.
Not everybody listens to the radio or television; many rely on the internet as their first source of information and gists. Thank God, you're not quitting the internet totally, only asking that your songs should not be uploaded on blogs.
The word on the street is that you have made 'too much' money and can afford to enforce a 'ban' on bloggers, but some informed observers also believe that your threat, if carried out, may get your fingers burnt.
Even though you're 9ice, it's hard to see how non-uploading of your songs will help you have better sales. On the contrary, one can easily picture how it could make sales dwindle.
Egbon, I think a better appraoch is to think up a strategy that would involve bloggers, and not exclude them. You may choose to release only a few tracks on the internet as teasers to whet the apetite of fans so they can go out to buy the album when its out. Afterall, it's only what people know that they will buy.
Don't think that because you're 9ice (actually, this goes to all other artistes as well). Don't ever think that because you're up there, your works would automatically sell themselves. Duh, even Coca Cola still does advert.
Dearest Egbon Abolore, you know that the sales of your last albums were not too impressive (considering your status) and industry insiders have whispered that this is not unconnected to the fact that you refused to engage in effective 'promo' of the albums.
A word is enough for the 9ice, even as I congratulate you on your political future (sorry, I should have said that first sef). Anyway, goodluck in your political career, however remember that many of us fell in love with you through music, and would still love to have you as one of our favourite artistes. Please give hear to all that was stated here, get your team together and work out a good idea (if you pay me, I can give you one...lol). In the tech savvy world of today's youths, surely you don't want to be seen as an artiste who isn't internet, or blogger-friendly.
Yours,
Tofarati Ige.
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