When musician Patience Namadingo expressed his optimism towards claiming two BET Awards in the 2021 edition, some folks laughed their lungs out, arguing the singer was being overambitious.
His doubters argued that he falls short of the muscle to compete at that stage. On the contrary, a small portion of the receiving end had confidence that Namadingo will finish the year with two accolades in the said honours` phenomenon.
The musician commenced the journey to BET in 2020 which was without doubt a defining year for Namadingo`s music career; he released a number of songs that won people`s hearts. His new taste of music proved to be key to a tremendous expansion of his fan base both at local and international level.
Earlier in 2021 he started establishing a bond with music lovers from other countries in the SADC region, a development which was right in his pursuit of BET glory. Then he released a couple of good songs in foreign languages in an effort to penetrate the region.
Came the nomination process for the BET Awards, the Malawian man did not make the cut. This was good news to his doubters because they felt vindicated. For a few that believed in him, the news was not music to the ear.
Considering the beauty in the music that the Mapulani star is dishing out in the hunt for global honours, it is safe to argue that he can win a BET award. However, that cannot happen if he will not consider changing his base to countries that have vibrant entertainment industries.
The musician`s current bases, Malawi and Zambia, are not favourable enough for talent exposure. This is because entertainment is not a big industry in the two neighbouring countries, as evidenced by the quantity of the content they have on international platforms.
International televisions air more South African and Nigerian contents in Africa. Since Namadingo has bases in less exposed countries, it puts him in an unfortunate position to get international honours.
In this regard, switching his base to South Africa can be a giant step towards prestigious awards like the BET. South Africa`s entertainment industry is way ahead of many nations; it is well marketed; it boasts about high level of creativity and it has many platforms among others.
So, for a talent as rare as that of Namadingo to be glued to third world countries like Malawi and Zambia, it is a great loss. If Gemini Major, Eugine Khumbanyiwa, BFB and Zani Challe to mention but a few, were based in Malawi, they could not be where they are.
If Wyclif Jean was based in Haiti, the world could not have known him. So, our country`s golden voice should consider switching to Africa`s entertainment hotspot if he wants a BET. He is for sure not an ordinary artist, he is among Africa`s finest, the kind of an artist other country`s wish was theirs.
In a nutshell, he can win the BET because he is a complete artist. He is even better than some South Africans and Nigerian artists who have won the BET awards before.
Koma mpakana using ‘third world’ – a derogatory term!