Releasing an album: East African case study

Typically the launch sequence begins with some kind of prelaunch hype to create a buzz and raise anticipation for the upcoming release. Some international examples are in order before we look at the East African context.

During the build-up of the 20/20 album, Justin Timberlake put up the album artwork and tracklist on his Twitter page. This sparked anticipation, and speculation, about the upcoming launch.

Many other international artists use unconventional methods – such as Beyoncé who in 2013 shocked fans when she released her self-titled fifth solo album completely out of the blue in the middle of her Mrs Carter Show World Tour. The Beyoncé album debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 with 617 000 copies sold, despite the fact it had only been available for three days of the tracking week. The release set in motion a trend that has permeated release strategies ever since.

Adele withheld 25 from streaming services for about seven months, a move many analyst considered unwise. The result was a record-breaking 3.38 million physical copies sold in the first seven days after the release. Rihanna’s album Anti had a release deal with Samsung that was rumoured to be at about $25m. The package included a sponsorship for her world tour as well as an eight-part interactive ‘diary’ – which was essentially an app.

In East Africa, artists are also continuously looking for unique ways to launch their albums. In 2016 Kenyan band Sauti Sol launched Live and Die in Africa, exclusively to Safaricom for a few days. The telco gave the album to its subscribers for free before it hit the market. Sauti Sol then followed up with a nationwide tour of proportions that had never been seen in Kenya before. The tour elevated the band’s status in the industry and earned it the support of various corporate sponsors, some of which continue to work with the boy band until today. Sauti Sol’s Live and Die in Africa tour has not been replicated by another Kenyan act since 2016.

Muthoni Drummer Queen recently launched her album She with an all-day concert. The live performance was aired live on HBR radio and streamed on social media. The strategy was ideal for her because she appeals to a digitally savvy market that includes upmarket Nairobians and a growing international audience. The launch included appearances on several local and international media outlets.

Tanzanian artist Vanessa Mdee also enjoyed an successful launch of her first album Money Mondays. Beginning with a Tanzanian release late last year, Mdee then held a release in Nairobi in late January. Her release strategy relied heavily on media attention as well as several press conferences and media events.

“I am trying to make an experience with my release process,” she said at a press conference in Tanzania. “I want people to remember the place and time when they first heard the song so it sticks with them. I want to involve my fans, my friends and the media more, because it takes a village. I need all of you to believe in me ” 

Diamond Platnumz’s highly anticipated A Boy From Tandale album utilised star power and hype to gain market entry. The involvement of American musician Omarion, who featured on the song ‘African Beauty’, elevated the profile of the launch. The Tanzanian popstar also partnered with Safaricom and Kenyan event organiser MoSound for the launch. But the partnership with Safaricom elicited sharp reactions from Kenyan musicians, with singer Habida asking why the Kenya telco had invested so much money to launch an album of a Tanzanian artist while ignoring local acts. Ultimately the launch received a lot of publicity.

Designing the right album release strategy is a task management teams in East Africa take seriously. A strategy needs to be unique, thought out of the box and relevant to the artist’s brand. Though borrowing ideas from other markets can be a good thing, it is critical that the strategy makes sense locally.