Entertainment

More than a third of UK music industry workers lost jobs in 2020

More than a third of UK music industry workers lost their jobs last year – 69,000 in total – as venues closed, festivals were scrapped, tours ground to a halt and the pandemic wiped billions off the value of the sector.

UK Music, the umbrella organisation representing the commercial music industry from artists and record labels to the live music sector, said the value of the industry almost halved last year due to the financially crippling impact of the Covid crisis.

The music industry’s contribution to the wider UK economy, ranging from music sales and licensing to stadium tours, gigs in grassroots venues and merchandise, plummeted from a record £5.8bn in 2019 to £3.1bn last year.

With hundreds of festivals and live music events cancelled, and no insurance scheme in place to enable them to reschedule, there was a wave of job losses. As three-quarters of music industry workers were self-employed, many fell between the cracks of eligibility for government support schemes, resulting in tens of thousands of workers having to seek new occupations to survive the pandemic.

UK Music’s annual report, This is Music 2021, estimates that employment in the sector plunged by 35% from an all-time high of 197,000 in 2019 to 128,000 last year.

“The past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging for the UK music industry, with billions wiped off the value of the sector, but we are determined to look to the future and focus on recovery,” said Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, chief executive of UK Music.

The hardest-hit sector was the UK live music scene which saw revenues collapse by about 90% to just a few hundred million pounds, while the value of British music exported overseas, such as through international touring, slumped 23% to £2.3bn.

Horace Trubridge, general secretary of Musicians’ Union, said: “The total loss of live work for over a year and the fact that the financial help offered by the government left so many out in the cold, has resulted in a huge loss of jobs and talent.

“With the live industry now having to deal with the appalling impact of Brexit on artist’s mobility, now is the time for this government to step in and provide realistic and effective support for an industry that was once the envy of the world and is now struggling to survive.”

Tom Watson, chair of UK Music, and former shadow culture secretary, said “more needs to be done to remove the barriers to touring in the EU, boost UK musical exports and deliver more funding for music in education”, adding that it was “critical” that the music industry receive the support it needs from the government to fully recover “and protect a talent pipeline that is the envy of the world”.

Rebecca Lucy Taylor, better known by her stage name Self Esteem, said: “Without these changes, and these changes made soon, the UK music industry will be even further an arena for the privileged than it already is.

“Art made by those who do not need to earn a living. A very niche perspective, a deeply arid sonic and lyrical landscape. There’s a place for everyone’s voice, but to take away the ability to earn from sales, streams and then to take away the ability to tour? It means nobody without a financially comfortable situation can survive.

The UK music industry has not been helped by lengthy delays to the launch of a government-backed Covid cancellation insurance scheme, which was finally unveiled in August, more than a year after the film and TV production industry gained access to a similar scheme. It came too late for many events and festivals which had to cancel for a second summer running.

“We have listened carefully to UK Music’s arguments about a market failure regarding events insurance,” said Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary. “The UK music industry is one of our country’s great national assets, and I give my commitment that the government will continue to back it every step of the way.”

Njoku-Goodwin called for measures including tax incentives, scrapping restrictions on transport and work permits affecting the ability for musicians to tour in some European Union states and a permanent reduction in VAT on live music event tickets.

The annual report does not break out figures on the one bright spot for the industry during the pandemic – the streaming boom.

In the UK, music streaming surged by 22% last year to a record 139.3bn streams as global music sales grew for a sixth consecutive year to $21.6bn, with subscriptions to streaming services soaring as fans went digital to alleviate lockdown boredom.

The world’s biggest streaming platform, Spotify, added a record 31 million new paying subscribers last year. Subscriber numbers for Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music are expected to total 550m by the end of this year – up from 86m in 2015.

Arts

Abiodun Eulogises Alaba Lawson, Vows to Uphold Legacy

L-R: Children of the deceased, Babalola and Akinola Lawson; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; Evangelist Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi and another son, Dr Olaoluwa Lawson during the final burial service of the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson in Abeokuta, on Friday.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Friday said that the late Iyalode of Yoruba land, Chief Mrs. Alaba Lawson left a legacy that would be a reference and an inspiration to generations yet unborn.
Abiodun stated this at the funeral and outing service held at the African Church, Cathedral of St. James, Idi-Ape, Ago-Oko, Abeokuta, even as he noted that the late educationist life and times are inspiring narrative of great accomplishments.
According to the governor, as the first female president of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), former Chairman, Board of Governing Council, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Fellow and Council Member, Institute of Directors, Chairman Board of Trustees, Nigerian Quality Infrastructure Forum, among others, the deceased dedicated her life to serving the nation, Ogun State and the society at large.
He added that her accomplishments are extraordinary and challenging to replicate.
The governor said: “Chief Alaba Lawson was a woman of remarkable achievements, leaving indelible marks and lasting impact, not just in our dear State, but throughout the entire country. A great philanthropist who garnered numerous accolades throughout her life time and her contributions to the society were immense.
“The Lawson family of Abeokuta has lost a true gem, and the Association of Academics in Nigeria mourns the loss of a distinguished member with exceptional intelligence. Her eventful life will continue to inspire many especially the younger generation.”
He described the late Alaba Lawson as the cultural ambassador who held on to her root by promoting the cultural values and the Adire fabrics wherever she went, adding that as an advocate of women rights, she was fearless and tireless and was always ready to sacrifice for the benefit of the society.
Mrs. Lawson, the governor emphasized, was a loving mother to her children and those of others, saying she lived an impactful life, and was a strong supporter of the present administration, assuring that his administration would do the needful to sustain her legacy.
“We as government, we will do the needful in sustaining your legacy. Let me assure you that we will continue to ensure that we sustain the legacy of our own dear Iyalode Oluwaseun Alaba Lawson,” Prince Abiodun said.
In his sermon, the Primate, African Church, His Eminence Julius Olayinka Abbe, said the late Alaba Lawson lived an impactful life as she was kind and generous to the people, the church and the society.
Iyalode Lawson, according to the Primate, was a defender to the defenceless, a reliable and worthy mother who was not only interested in the welfare of her biological children, but to anyone who crossed her path during her life time.
Taking his text from the Book of Matthew 5 verse 8, the Cleric decried the attitude of some wealthy individuals who care less about the well-being of others, noting that late Alaba Lawson, apart from being a well known educationist, an industrialist with wide network of connections, was a beacon of hope.
He added that her death has created a big vaccum that would be difficult to fill.
He called on the wealthy and those in authority, to work towards alleviating the sufferings in the land brought about by the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, saying many people are struggling to survive due to the hardship.
The service had in attendance the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and his wife, Chief (Mrs) Bola Obasanjo; former Governor of the state, Ibikunle Amosun his wife, Olufunso; the wife of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, amongst others.

Entertainment

I Am A Superstar With Over 30 Mansions- Singer, Portable Brags

Headies Disqualify Portable Over ‘Reckless’ Statements

Controversial singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has bragged about his wealth, saying he is a low-key millionaire and owns about 30 mansions scattered across Lagos and Ogun states.

The ‘Zazu’ crooner also said he engages in a lot of philanthropic works because the more he gives to the poor, the richer he gets.

Portable, who spoke in the latest episode of the Afrobeats Podcast hosted by Adesope Olajide, said the music industry is very lucrative. He likened “music money” to money ritual.

He said, “I’m a superstar, man of the people. People come to me for aid and I have to give them because the more I give them, the more I blow.

“I have a lot of money. The amount of money I spray… I’m not normal but I get 30 mansions. I have houses in Abule-Egba, Ikeja, Sango-Otta, and Abeokuta. I just bought the houses down because of tomorrow. Nobody knows that I’m the owner of those houses.”

He said he is richer than most of his colleagues who he met in the industry, claiming that most of them flaunt “fake lifestyles” on social media

Entertainment

U.S state of Georgia General Assembly honours Davido as ”Outstanding Georgia Citizen”

Nigerian singer, Davido on Friday Dec 1 was honoured as an Outstanding Georgia Citizen, at the Georgia General Assembly.

Davido shared a video of the lawmakers giving him a standing ovation when it was announced that he was present.

‘’This morning I attended the U.S. State of Georgia General Assembly meeting with the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia state senate to be recognized as an ‘Outstanding Georgia Citizen’ … God is good.”

The letter of Davido’s proclamation as “Outstanding Georgia Citizen” was signed by Brad Raffensperger, Secretary of State of the State of Georgia.

Davido is a citizen of the State of Georgia by birth. He was born to Nigerian parents in Atlanta, the state capital.