Other musicians, usually the ones who had a good year or are the most ‘happening,’ choose to not engage in the protest and instead just proceed to campaign for votes. Until the next time… When they are on the other side. It becomes apparent that a more defined and dignified award system would be most favorable. So they ‘join’ the protest, but rarely is anything achieved, because there will be others who’d just had good year and are most happening who will choose to not engage in the protest and instead just proceed to campaign for votes. And the cycle continues…Now to the award organizers. What is the true purpose for your awards? If it was truly, recognition of artists, one would expect that the calls, protests, suggestions on how the awards could be better, etc. would be taken into account the year that follows. But aweh, no change. Where they do make a change, it’s also controversial. This year, no club DJ category. Has any explanation been given? Or was it an oversight? This could suggest that, to the organizers, the awards are not really as important as the ceremony and the mileage gotten from it.
To all well meaning, lovers of Zambian music, please join the artists that are calling for change. This can be done by choosing not to participate in the nomination process until the organizers address their issues. Or/and by posting messages similar to this one on your social media accounts for the attention of the organizers.
This thing can be fixed once and for all. Otherwise, the awards will still go ahead and next year it will be the same cries. And each year they lose their significance little by little, until no one worthwhile will care.
