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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
South Africa-based multi-award winning dancehall artiste, Buffalo Souljah has challenged local artistes to be more visible in the virtual world in order for their careers to remain relevant and competitive.

Popularly known as Big Buffs, the renowned musician who has scooped several Channel O awards said the Covid-19 pandemic era should serve as a wakeup call for artistes to push their art more on online platforms.

For years, most local artistes relied on physical connection in order to make their work known, but due to the ongoing lockdown restrictions, that is no longer possible. As such, artistes worldwide have turned to various online platforms to market themselves.

Speaking from his Johannesburg base yesterday, Big Buffs said local artistes should invest more of their energy on social media pages including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

“This is the time for artistes in Zimbabwe to invest more energy in the digital space, mainly Twitter. Most Zimbabwean artistes are not active on Twitter while their counterparts in South Africa and Nigeria are doing great because of their dominance on Twitter.

“This is simply the biggest platform for impressions, push trends, push agendas and marketing music,” said Big Buffs.

He added that artistes should also flood their work on online music platforms in order to leave an indelible mark in the industry while also making money.

“As artistes, we make the most from outdoor events so the pandemic has really crippled us therefore there’s need to push our works more on the digital space (iTunes, Spotify and YouTube).”

But most importantly, he said artistes need to seriously consider having side hustles instead of just relying on their talents.

“I’m lucky enough to have other businesses on the side apart from having to rely on shows and video productions,” he said.

The adept musician is set to release his seventh album titled Unity on September 16 which will coincide with his birthday celebrations. The album, a follow up to an EP titled 2020 released last year is set to have diverse sounds from genres that include reggae, dancehall, afro fusion and hip hop.

“We’re currently busy mixing, mastering and selecting tracks that’ll be part of the 15-track album. The tracks include No Man Bigger Than God which I did with Jamaican producers Sponge and Elvie as well as Gals Dem which features Ice Prince,” he said.

The Izandla Phezulu hit-maker once quit music in 2014 before resuming a year later as he had difficulties letting go of an industry where he was flourishing. Son to the late great Zimbabwean saxophonist Unity Ndlovu (who played alongside Thomas Mapfumo in the 70s and early 80s), Big Buffs drew a lot of inspiration from his father and began his music after his father’s death in 1992. — @mthabisi_mthire.