Sally's
Living the dream through hard work and dedication the Boss Madam way, Sally is on the way up and taking her time doing so. From collaboration with international stars, winning local and international awards, to being the face of MultiChoice Namibia, she says patience and dedication are key.
Having only being in the industry for a few years Sally Boss Madam has made her mark in the entertainment industry by releasing great music with grand collaborations. From her humble beginnings, she shares with tjil her journey in a one-on-one interview.
Last album
It's not a secret that anyone can ever beat their album. My second album 'Mukwanekamba' didn't do so well in terms of sales as compared to my first, 'Courage.' 'Mukwanekamba' also has its strengths and areas that it did so well, especially on the corporate side. We got a lot of orders from companies to give the album to their employees for year-end functions and other events. My team and I also faced certain challenges which made it very hard for us to do well in music outlets and on the streets. Challenges like piracy, particularly with WhatsApp groups. I don't think it's something we can ever overcome, but definitely something we can use to our advantage, because we can see what songs are on demand and which ones people like on the album.
Corporate world
One thing my team and I discovered about the corporate world and how to penetrate it is the fact that it has nothing to do with your music, but rather your brand as an artist. It's about whether the company can relate to you as a brand because a lot of people have the perception that corporates are all about certain genres like jazz but it's actually not. We actually got to find out that at the end of the night I'm the highlight because as much as they love their calm music, they still want to dance, you know. So they do want to have fun and party but at the same time they don't want an artist with a bad reputation. I for once used to be very vocal on social media and my team realised that it has its pros and cons - mostly cons - so I limited what I say and it has been working quite well for me.
Natural
I was listening to 'Mukwanekamba' and I realised that I needed a summer jam, something different and groovy. I also realised that 'Mukwanekamba' didn't really target the youth. My team and I decided to try something completely different which was to do a single for the young market. To our surprise it was wonderfully received… we didn't think it would have this impact at all. Some of the highlights of Natural include it being accepted on MTV Base, it then got on to Trace TV and Trace Africa. With Natural I won the AFRIMA Best Female in Southern Africa. The fact that I got in whilst in the same category as Lira and Zonke… I didn't think I stood a chance. This showed that the song was good and that fans really support. From this I gained confidence to enter the NAMAs because I realised it was about the fans from Namibia and abroad. With the help of social media one can even see where the fans are located and I found out that I have a huge following in Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Tanzania.
Going international
Namibia is really a small country and it only takes a few performances for people to get bored with you and your music. It's something that a lot of artists haven't grasped and suddenly shows also have low attendance. Because of this I want to branch into the southern African market because of there is an international market and the fan base is there. Yes, the first performance might not attract a big crowd but just make sure it's your best. Patience is a virtue.
Collaborations
Collaborations are crucial because they create awareness in terms of penetration into the international market. It's very important for us as local artists to get out in the world but one also has to do it right. Don't just collaborate for the sake of doing it. With this you get music that is popping in Namibia but it isn't on the other side so we need to get to the level where the certain big artist that we have features with respect us to push the music on their social media platforms and the media too. I realised that the industry isn't about rushing to get to the top, but rather taking it one step at a time and with that you will get the respect you deserve, and the recognition. Not everything you do will have a big impact because the small impacts build up to the final stage where everyone will say yes, that is the artist we need.
Current album
Yes, I'm working on a new album and I really can't say much at the moment. All I can say is that it's a shift, it's not the usually Sally we know. My team and I have to decide to relax a little so we don't over-perform because we want the public to anticipate the album. When we come back, we do so with a bang and refreshed. It's too early to say anything else, but I'd like to believe that this album is the one.
Fashion
One of my hobbies since I can remember has always been fashion designing and sewing. I'm very deep into it and I'm taking it seriously. Most of the outfits I wear, like at the NAMAs, are designed and tailored by me. My team and I are ready to introduce the fashion line and more details about that will follow soon. There is a video on my social media pages with a snapshot of what to expect.
June Shimuoshili
Last album
It's not a secret that anyone can ever beat their album. My second album 'Mukwanekamba' didn't do so well in terms of sales as compared to my first, 'Courage.' 'Mukwanekamba' also has its strengths and areas that it did so well, especially on the corporate side. We got a lot of orders from companies to give the album to their employees for year-end functions and other events. My team and I also faced certain challenges which made it very hard for us to do well in music outlets and on the streets. Challenges like piracy, particularly with WhatsApp groups. I don't think it's something we can ever overcome, but definitely something we can use to our advantage, because we can see what songs are on demand and which ones people like on the album.
Corporate world
One thing my team and I discovered about the corporate world and how to penetrate it is the fact that it has nothing to do with your music, but rather your brand as an artist. It's about whether the company can relate to you as a brand because a lot of people have the perception that corporates are all about certain genres like jazz but it's actually not. We actually got to find out that at the end of the night I'm the highlight because as much as they love their calm music, they still want to dance, you know. So they do want to have fun and party but at the same time they don't want an artist with a bad reputation. I for once used to be very vocal on social media and my team realised that it has its pros and cons - mostly cons - so I limited what I say and it has been working quite well for me.
Natural
I was listening to 'Mukwanekamba' and I realised that I needed a summer jam, something different and groovy. I also realised that 'Mukwanekamba' didn't really target the youth. My team and I decided to try something completely different which was to do a single for the young market. To our surprise it was wonderfully received… we didn't think it would have this impact at all. Some of the highlights of Natural include it being accepted on MTV Base, it then got on to Trace TV and Trace Africa. With Natural I won the AFRIMA Best Female in Southern Africa. The fact that I got in whilst in the same category as Lira and Zonke… I didn't think I stood a chance. This showed that the song was good and that fans really support. From this I gained confidence to enter the NAMAs because I realised it was about the fans from Namibia and abroad. With the help of social media one can even see where the fans are located and I found out that I have a huge following in Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Tanzania.
Going international
Namibia is really a small country and it only takes a few performances for people to get bored with you and your music. It's something that a lot of artists haven't grasped and suddenly shows also have low attendance. Because of this I want to branch into the southern African market because of there is an international market and the fan base is there. Yes, the first performance might not attract a big crowd but just make sure it's your best. Patience is a virtue.
Collaborations
Collaborations are crucial because they create awareness in terms of penetration into the international market. It's very important for us as local artists to get out in the world but one also has to do it right. Don't just collaborate for the sake of doing it. With this you get music that is popping in Namibia but it isn't on the other side so we need to get to the level where the certain big artist that we have features with respect us to push the music on their social media platforms and the media too. I realised that the industry isn't about rushing to get to the top, but rather taking it one step at a time and with that you will get the respect you deserve, and the recognition. Not everything you do will have a big impact because the small impacts build up to the final stage where everyone will say yes, that is the artist we need.
Current album
Yes, I'm working on a new album and I really can't say much at the moment. All I can say is that it's a shift, it's not the usually Sally we know. My team and I have to decide to relax a little so we don't over-perform because we want the public to anticipate the album. When we come back, we do so with a bang and refreshed. It's too early to say anything else, but I'd like to believe that this album is the one.
Fashion
One of my hobbies since I can remember has always been fashion designing and sewing. I'm very deep into it and I'm taking it seriously. Most of the outfits I wear, like at the NAMAs, are designed and tailored by me. My team and I are ready to introduce the fashion line and more details about that will follow soon. There is a video on my social media pages with a snapshot of what to expect.
June Shimuoshili
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