For independent artists, being talented is not enough in this modern age of advancements in technology. Due to immense competition and rat race, one has to keep in mind on various other aspects. The first and foremost being boosting the popularity. How is it possible to boost popularity and gain fame and followers? Let us learn about entrepreneur Ish Kevin, the rising music sensation who has taken his popularity to new heights through his ace digital marketing skills, brand strategies and influencing.
Entrepreneur and influencer Ish Kevin, a rising music sensation from Rwanda, has carved out a unique identity for himself as a singer, rapper and a song writer who understands how to strike the right chords with the right people. He has unapologetically placed himself in this category. The sole reason for his success, apart from his music skills, is his digital presence – the way the digital audience sees him online! Entrepreneur Kevin has a unique way of portraying his image online. It’s simple. He’s a master content creator on Social Media. His brand voicing abilities make him stand out from the rest of the crowd. “In the age of social media, apart from your skills and talent, I consider digital marketing as an essential tool to boost popularity and make my work visible across different digital platforms. Common! it’s the digital age and all the big shot music producers recruit and hunt talent through digital platforms like social media, so it is extremely necessary to go digital in this era!” says he.
In this digital age, not only are more musicians making their way in the business without the aid of a label, but independent musicians are actually the fastest-growing segment of the global recorded music business. The global independent artists and performing art companies’ market size is expected to grow from $101.33 billion in 2021 to $163.14 billion in 2022 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 61% and is expected to reach $328.87 billion in 2026 at a CAGR of 19%.
From Ish Kevin’s work with enthralling numbers, to his most recent releases, he has been viewed as one of the revolutionary musical architects of the scene. He is also an acclaimed producer and composer, having helmed recordings for different artists all across the African region. “Growth has come from increased DSP [digital service providers] subscription numbers, but also from rise in social media consumption and the increased importance of music on platforms like Tiktok, Snapchat, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts — these are now pillars in people’s music discovery” says entrepreneur Kevin. According to him, growth is mainly due to artists embracing the opportunities afforded by social media apps and the gaming sphere.
Like many of his peers around the continent, Pop Smoke is the obvious reference point for the Drill explorations of Rwandan rap superstar, Ish Kevin. In his earlier work, Ish Kevin predominantly dealt in the localised variant of Trap music—KinyaTrap—before switching things up following the untimely passing of Brooklyn Drill’s totem figure. In 2021, it’s absolutely spot-on to refer to Ish Kevin as one of the best and biggest Drill artists in Africa—and by extension, one of the best and biggest rap artists in Africa. Even though he was slightly less prolific than his previous two calendar years, every output from the artist felt definitive. He opened the year with his biggest song yet, “Amakosi” an insanely catchy anthem with the conceited hallmarks of Brooklyn Drill, but with a distinctly Rwandan pulse via Ish Kevin’s lingual choice, his titanic presence and limber flow over the groovy beat. He soon followed the Drill Movement, a freewheeling EP of solo and collaborative Drill thumpers with a self-anointing verve. Gradually he sealed his place as Rwandan Drill’s frontrunner with “No Cap” a sturdy banger acclaimed as one of the hardest Drill songs of the year by GRM Daily. His gift as a formidable rap artist is undeniable, as is his star power, and the success of his recent Stadium-size headlining concert is overwhelming evidence. At present he is basking at the success of his latest release “Trappish2”, a seven-track mix tape that features big musicians locally and internationally which includes Yannick YMK, pioneer of Kinyatrap, Kivumbi King, Confy, and Ycee.
Ish Kevin has been in the industry for quite some time now and is able to create a platform for music lovers and artists in the market where people can connect over their mutual love for music, art and other forms of creativity.“There is no limit in the music industry. In today’s era, artists have crossed borders with their work and have found listeners. With the rise of digital platforms, several artists from various parts of the world are getting the limelight.” says Kevin. Apart from being a musician, entrepreneur Kevin is an ace brand strategist and keeps working on ways to boost his digital presence and also helps other artists do the same too.
For the African region countries to become an even bigger market, the region needs to be viewed less than a whole. A big goal is to become more nuanced in key regions like Africa, so that eventually we stop talking about them as regions and focus on individual countries and distinct cultures — sometimes, of course, different cultures and languages within a country.” says Ish Kevin. According to him, this is very important because the opportunity for these parts of the world are huge and we don’t want any talented artists, or any aspect of the culture left out of the trend towards global success. He’s right, isn’t he?
So what is it that separates Entrepreneur Kevin from others? It is his smart and witty marketing skills through which he has maintained his image and portfolio online. According to him, in today’s age, it’s not just about skills or confidence. It’s about how people will come to know about you and how often will they see your face on the digital platform. He adds, “To get into the eyes of big music producers or directors, you have to make yourself visible!” No matter how talented you are, unless and until your talent doesn’t pop up while people scroll their newsfeeds on social media, you will lag behind in the race.” stresses Kevin. He adds, “It’s important to note that advertising yourself in social media ads is a crucial part of doing business and boosting popularity.”
Entrepreneur Ish Kevin has been quite a sought after influencer for the crowds. Due to his unique activities on social media, he has garnered 114K followers on his Instagram in a short span of time! Influencers like him are attracting extremely large audiences, which enables him to enjoy a high degree of trust with leading companies with whom he has collaborated. According to him, connecting and striking the right chord with the audience is key to any influencer’s success.
Entrepreneur Kevin is well aware about the struggles people face because of their unsuccessful lives. Being from a third world country, Kevin has faced a difficult childhood. In his recent interview, he has been quoted as saying that belonging from a backward village somewhat was creating a hindrance towards achieving his dreams. But due to the support of his parents, he moved ahead in life with flying colours. He often states that his goal is to influence the young generation and inspire people to take action which would help them make something out of their lives.
