Gengetone singer Mejja explains how he makes money by being on demand
Gengetone singer Mejja has opened up on his secret of being able to remain relevant in the music industry for many years while ensuring he is always on demand, which then ensures he remains booked or land deals most of the time.
For Mejjja, being unique is not just a creative choice, but a strategic one that defines longevity and value.
“One thing I have learned as an artist is that art should be rare. Anything rare is expensive. As an artist, you should try to stand out. If you become too common, your value goes down.” Mejja ex[plains.
He likened the idea to common materials like sand, which is abundant and cheap, versus rare gems, which have immense value.
“If you have a common mentality, your value goes down. That is why some materials are more expensive than others even when building a house.”
Mejja goes on to state being rare goes beyond music, it’s about maintaining high standards, authenticity, and a strong personality.
“The more unique you are, the more demand you create. But it is not just about being rare, you have to have good music, a strong character, and faith because God is above everything”.
This is why he prefers using his private means to travel and move around rather than public transport to create scarcity and increase value.
“Recently I did a commercial for EABL where I had to hop in a matatu and I was paid,” he vaunts
Mejja has been in the music business for 17 years.
In a recent interview, he addressed critics of his music, saying:
“For those who criticize my lyrics, it is up to them, not me. It depends on how old they are. Sometimes, they make songs that a family can listen to. I have to feed everybody, I try to keep a balance.”
He added that he does music as a business.
“I can’t just write songs for my family. What about the parties that Kenyans love? When I’m in that space, I have to write lyrics about women, who are always the life of the party, and in a language that these people understand and always communicate in, which is dirty. So how I write is inspired by Kenyan behaviours. Their love for parties, women, and alcohol,” he said.