WEST NILE ARTISTS EMBRACING ONLINE PLATFORMS TO SELL MUSIC AS COVID-19 BITES

In Uganda, the entertainment sector is one of the hard-hit sectors by COVID-19 lockdown that is put in place by the government to control the spread of the virus. With no music shows or concerts as a result of the ban on public gatherings, several artists/musicians are unable to raise money as most of them rely on only one source of getting money, the music performance. But some of the artists managed to set aside an alternative source of income in business while others take advantage of the available internet through social media or websites to upload and sell their songs. Via websites, Spotify, iTune,s and Amazon, some West Nile artists are now making money. The latest on the list is NPK Youngblad whose songs are already on some of the platforms. This excites him as he joins the likes of FreeBoy, O.P.U, Martha Lovey, and Rappa BluTit among other West Nile artists. "West Nile artists should not only look at music shows but be open-minded to focus on making money through music in different ways" NPK advises fellow West Nile artists after his songs were uploaded online for sale. The Lockdown that is greatly affecting the artists who have not been allowed to stage music shows or perform in concerts for more than one year now was taken by surprise and many are now struggling, especially those without an alternative income source.