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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent

Popular Jazz songstress Vuyo Brown has ventured into the risky but bold “Pay What You Want” model with the online launch of her brand new single “Mayeh” on last week.

The song, produced by Just Percy and written by Vuyo Brown, was conceived in August 2019, however its production and release were delayed by the onset of COVID-19.

Through Pay What You want, Vuyo Brown lets people decide how much they want to buy her new song rather than give them a set price tag.

Vuyo Brown said the delay of release of the song, was a blessing in disguise because between that time and its recent release, the idea of using the Pay What You Want model came to shape to try and reach a wide audience at the best price for each of them.

“The goal is to reach 400 digital sales in two weeks with fans paying as much as they feel the song is worth to them. The more they like it, the more they may pay. As such, the model is in effect from 23 April to May 07, 2021 and aims to reach as many people as possible,” said Vuyo Brown.

The decision to use the Pay What You Want model, Vuyo Brown said, came after seeing that traditional sales model has borne little to no profit for her with all her past releases.

She also felt online streams paid too little to give any real profits unless she would be getting streams in the millions or billions.

“Considering how much I would have sacrificed to make the music however, I still need to make profit in order to survive and continue working, thus being creative and strategic with the sales is a very necessary and overdue move,” said Vuyo Brown.

““The model comes with high risks as people might pay the bare minimum which is below the true value of the song, however some might pay so much more which would more than make up for the losses, thus it felt like a necessary risk worth taking instead of repeating a failed strategy. Business after all comes with many risks and I look at my music as a business, more than just my talent or craft.

Vuyo Brown said since “Pay What You Want” comes with no set price tag for the song, any of her international listeners using international money transfers and for locals they can use EcoCash.

She said the song was one of regret.

“Mayeh is a song of regret, of someone who wants to go back where they now realise, they were truly loved. A brave cry for forgiveness and a plea for a second chance with the singer admitting her mistake of leaving and overcoming her ego to say “ndixolele bo, mayeh!” (oh please forgive me!),” said Vuyo Brown.

She said with her Christian background the song was her cry to God.

“In my context, it is a love song to God as much as it may be to a man because the emotions and struggles are the same once one strays,” said Vuyo Brown.

“It’s a person who wants to go back to what they first felt, that first love that got lost along the way. A basic desire to rekindle a fire. I’m simply capturing my relationship with God. The song is shaped after Revelation 2:4” (“But I have this against you, that you left your first love.”).”

Vuyo Brown is an award-winning Zimbabwean singer, songwriter, and multi-genre artist who broke into the music industry in 2016 as a Contemporary Christian Artist.

Born Nokufeza Vuyolethu Ngwenya, she makes music because she believes it should bring joy and healing. She released her debut album ‘Grace Fulfilled’ in 2018 and is the voice behind the 2019 chart-topping jazz hit “Thula Wazi” (Be Still and Know).