The booming secular music industry in Kenya is saturated with budding artistes. And their number is bound to increase exponentially, owing to the proliferating platforms sprouting from the advancing technology.
However, most of their new songs cannot stand the test of time. It is not astonishing for one to rise to limelight overnight only to be forgotten within days. Their work is short-lived; they seem to lack resilience.
But there are few veterans whose works outlived them. They left immortal legacies with their works indelible owing to their longevity. Why the difference between the icons and the greenhorns?
The major factor is the quality of the song, particularly its content. Most artistes of this generation compose songs that address the trending events or transient situations that are bound to change the next moment. No wonder, some songs are just like memes; they cannot appeal more than once!
To make their songs appealing, the artistes resort to sandwiching dirty lyrics in their compositions. The youths and teenagers fall for this ploy since they have itchy eyes and ears. Love songs have long ceased to be so; they are just fantasies and vivid descriptions of sexual activity. The naive teenagers absorb these songs as the ‘gospel truth’ and copy the artistes’ lifestyles.
The music industry should serve to transform society by condemning evil and immoral behaviour. Sadly, the young musicians spearhead moral degradation in their quest for fame and money. That has also compelled gospel artistes to plunge themselves into secular music in pursuit of fame and riches.
The lewd content should be banned lest they subvert the moral standards of our country. Artistes should also be responsible for their art works. Music videos that display nudity strip humanity of its dignity. Good music will always market itself.
