The problem isn’t that artistes spoke. It’s that many chose to speak only when it benefited them, and the sudden silence... when citizens needed a voice, just a tiny hint that they understood the national mood.
Life is basically one big teamwork project…. whether we like it or not. Mwalimu needs students to pass so the parents don’t come breathing fire.
A bodaboda guy needs passengers so he’s not just cruising around town looking important. Even Mama Ntilie needs hungry customers, otherwise, that pilau becomes kiporo.
Yet some artistes act like they’re the only people in Tanzania who don’t need anybody. Newsflash: fame doesn’t grow on trees, and applause isn’t automatic.
Just like a fundi depends on clients, a preacher depends on a congregation, artistes depend on fans, the very same people who stream, shout, argue, defend and basically give them celebrity oxygen.
It’s a two-way street, not a royal parade. And lately? Fans are slowly but surely saying, “No more background dancing in your ego show.”
What exactly did our artistes expect?
Honestly what was the endgame here? That fans would quietly sit there, clapping on command, streaming songs on autopilot, and flooding comment sections with heart emojis while the same artistes couldn’t bother to show even a hint of interest in what Jamii was going through?
Fans have been loyal, forgiving and basically doing the emotional heavy lifting for years.
They hype songs before they drop, defend artistes in online wars they didn’t start, fill concerts even when the economy is squeezing everyone and treat celebrity drama like a full-time job.
That kind of loyalty is rare. But even rare things get tired when they’re mishandled.
The problem isn’t that artistes spoke. It’s that many chose to speak only when it benefited them, and the sudden silence... when citizens needed a voice, just a tiny hint that they understood the national mood.
Fans noticed, compared energy, filed receipts. And realised the love wasn’t mutual…
On the digital side, fans are already perfecting the art of passive-aggressive warfare. Views are down, comments are spicy, and the vibe on artists’ pages is… cautious.
Every like withheld is not just a number, it’s a neon sign flashing, “We are watching you. And we’re not impressed.”
On the economic side, the warning signs are even louder.
No shows announced, streams underperforming, and hype levels resembling a flat soda. Fans haven’t changed...They’ve just grown up. They got smart. They stopped giving endless loyalty to people who weren’t giving anything back.
So if artistes are confused by the faint rumble of discontent, let me spell it out.. fans are not choosing chaos. They’re choosing themselves.
And if the music industry wants that trust back, it’s time to earn it, the same way fans earned their own patience, their own hype, and their own heartbreak over the years.
Because in the end, you can be the fanciest artiste in Dar, but without your fans, your concert is just you and a microphone echoing in an empty room.
