The popularity of music in Kenya is rapidly increasing. 

Because of technological advancements, both young and renowned performers are flooding the music industry, generating stiff competition and every musician is striving to stay consistent and relevant to his or her listeners.

An artist should have exceptional potential to succeed in the Kenyan music scene. 

You may be wondering how to get your music out there and make money from it as you prepare your next release, whether it's a single, EP, or full album. One thing is for sure, you are not alone.

If you're thinking of getting into the music industry or are already in and you're wondering how you can make money or more money, this is for you.

Live Performances

Playing a live concert can give you a number of different income sources from the distribution of tickets, fees collected at the entrance and if the concert is paid, payment from the venue owner or show promoter.

If you've established yourself as an artist and are receiving regular gigs, whether as an opening act or the main artist, you can start charging fans for tickets to come to see you play in live concerts.

Furthermore, if you have a support act or are a group/band, you should agree on how earnings will be distributed ahead of time, ideally before the show.

Money aside, live performances are times for enjoyment!  Live performances work extremely well both for experienced and upcoming performers.

YouTube Channel

This is another way musicians can earn money. In this digital age, almost 60% of the world's population possesses a smartphone and uses YouTube. 

You can start by creating a YouTube channel for all your music uploads. If your channel gets more than a thousand subscribers and a good engagement, advertisements will be placed on it, and every time someone clicks on an ad on your channel, you get some revenue. 

You are also entitled to a portion of the ad revenue generated when your music is used in a YouTube video, on someone else's channel. 

Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships

With brand partnerships and sponsorships, musicians get money as brand ambassadors for a particular brand or product.

As a musician, you may have the opportunity to work with brands/companies that deal with:  Clothing and Fashion, gadgets, Grooming product lines, etc.

If you choose to work with a corporation, they will come to an arrangement with you to promote their brand or raise their visibility by working with you as an artist. This might include sponsored social media posts, live performances, videos on your YouTube channel, and other activities.

Hiring musicians as brand ambassadors is becoming increasingly common among many organisations in Kenya and beyond. 

A good example is King Kaka, a Kenyan hip-hop artist, who was recently named the brand ambassador for Itel Kenya, a mobile phones, accessories, and TV company.

Selling Merchandise

You can also generate money as a musician by selling your own artwork.

You can make them at a reasonable price if you know where to hunt for items. If you sell merchandise during your live performances or concerts, your social media handles, or in a store, the proceeds can assist you to cover other expenses for you or your family. 

You can sell clothing,  mugs, mobile phone cases, bottle openers, and keyholders.

Actually, having a varied product line may help you establish low and high pricing points for your merchandise. A Ksh3,500 hoodie may not be affordable to some of your fans but a Ksh200 keyholder could be. So have a variety of products to get to more people and make more money.

Royalties

Musicians can supplement their income by collecting royalties. In this case, musicians are paid a variety of royalties. Among these are publishing royalties, digital royalties, and live performance royalties.

When your songs are broadcast on the radio, on tv, in advertisements, in films, or in live performances, you will earn publishing royalties. 

To get these rewards, a musician must be a member of an organisation that manages a musician's performance rights. Kenya's MCSK is a good example of such an organisation.

As an artist when you are given the opportunity to perform your original songs live, royalties are frequently earned. This could happen in venues where music is played, such as taverns, clubs, or restaurants.

Digital Sales and Collaborations

Many people listen to music over the internet. 

Kenyan musicians profit from the online selling of their music. You can sign up for compensation for song downloads on outlets such as iTunes. 

You might also set up a website to sell songs and before downloading your songs, internet users will be required to purchase them. 

Furthermore, numerous local sites such as Usanii.ke provide similar services with which you can collaborate and begin earning money from your music.

Tones for Ringbacks

Skiza Tunes and Hello Tunes are Safaricom and Airtel products, respectively which have the ringback tones feature. 

Ringback tones are songs that keep callers entertained while they wait for the receiver to pick up the phone. 

Ringback tones have turned into fantastic tools for musicians looking to make money. The more popular your songs are, the more money you'll make because they'll be used as ringback music by more people.

When you sign up for ringback tunes, you will be given a unique code for each song. You can then share the code with your followers in order for them to use your music as their ringback tone.

In order to profit from Skiza for example, you must first register with a content service provider then your music will be formatted and uploaded to Skiza by the provider. 

Interactive Media Services, M-Tech Communications, Liberty Africa, and Cellulant are among the content service providers for Skiza.

Final thoughts

If you're prepared to widen your skillset and try a few different strategies, you'll uncover a multitude of monetary possibilities to explore. Why not make money from your music as well as your skills if you can?