Smart Monkey TV’s top 5 2016 music interviews

Below are the top five African music interviews according to Smart Monkey TV: 

1. Djo Moupondo, La Clique Music on launching diaspora Congolese artist Mohombi in Africa

Congolese Djo Moupondo is the CEO of La Clique Music. He is one of the top creative managers in African music creative managers you probably have never heard of. Moupondo manages diaspora Congolese artist, Mohombi, who he is seeking to help break into Africa. In the interview Moupondo talks about Mohombi, the artist's original deal with Universal and a digital strategy to get him better known in Africa. 

2. Gallo Music’s Tsholo Moraba on label acquisitions and how tech is increasing royalties’ collection

In this interview Tsholo Moraba, General Manager at Gallo Music Publishers, talks about how Gallo Music has picked itself up and begun to both acquire new properties and exploit its fabulous historic catalogue. Moraba mentions his involvement in one of the collecting societies and how revenue collection has efficiently increased the amount of money coming into the industry and going to artists. He also touched on the opening of a rights office in Kenya, selling rights across the continent, his involvement on the board of SAMRO, its implementation of a digital rights management system and the increase in revenues achieved through it.

3. Catherine Luckhoff, NicheStreem on bringing Afrikaans music and Nigerian gospel online

In the video, Catherine Luckhoff, Founder and CEO of NicheStreem, talks about her company’s role in streaming services aimed at Afrikaans music lovers. She discusses how a niche streaming service will work and its plans for a gospel channel in Nigeria and channels in Iran and Brazil. She explores how that channel can break other streaming services.

4. Adam Tiran, Head of Operations, Africori, on A'friquency music event series and digital playlists

In this video clip Adam Tiran, Head of Operations, Africori talks about the music event series they have been running and their digital music deal with Nigerian label Chocolate City. Tiran explores some of the roles done by Africori to promote its A'friquency music event series in Johannesburg and London. He also talked about the growth in digital streams and why digital playlists are now so important for African music.

5. Marek Fuchs on working with Sauti Sol and launching an entertainment branding agency

Marek Fuchs, Managing Director, Sauti Sol Entertainment, talks about how he started working with Sauti Sol and why the band is different. He goes on to explain how he spreads their music across Africa, setting up a record label and the launching of an entertainment branding agency that will look after African celebrities, including sports people.