April 2018

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BrandSpark
NativeMag vs
Culture Custodian
The music industry is becoming more structured in Nigeria and one of the pillars that will ensure it
stands over time is how well the stories, lessons and inspiration behind the musicians and their music are
recorded. In this edition of BrandSpark, we beam the light on two curators of music news in Nigeria.
By Damilola Oyewusi
The Nigerian music industry, like most other industries in the
country suffers from a documentation deficit. The average
individual and business is eager to get things done and hit
milestones. But only a few people take notes and record the
journey to the victories or failures. Most of what each generation
learns about the past are snippets compared to the robust
stories that make up the lives of our music heroes.
The rise of digital media and the increased appetite for
information has definitely changed the narrative in many ways.
However, it is also important that the focus is not only the gossip
and soft sells from blogs and social media influencers.
This is what makes both of these brands impressive as they
intentionally celebrate the best of and curate information
about the Nigerian music industry; telling stories to influence
the trajectory of the business, inspire a generation and give a
blueprint as new dreamers begin their journey in the industry.
NativeMag
The NativeMag is your quintessential platform for music and
entertainment news. The online magazine has its special focus
on the music industry, offering their audience information on
the latest music releases, trends and happenings around the
industry. One of the key features of the Native is influencing
the popular music culture by bridging the gap between the
niche genres of underground music and the widely accepted
mainstream sound. Their interesting angles to stories, interviews
and opinions cut across different styles of music and art, giving a
new flavour to the culture of entertainment. Content is delivered
in a mix of videos, easy-to-read text, audio and inviting imagery.
While they are largely focused on the Nigerian music industry
and her musicians, the publication also travels across Africa and
the diaspora, soaking in the African culture across the continent.
In addition to music, NativeMag also curates neo-African fashion,
art and style, topping it all up with social awareness and staying
in touch with salient issues that affect the Nigerian youths.
Outside of the platform, Native has hosted two editions of its
flagship NativeLand, an event that brings musicians, curators,
cloth brands and food vendors together for an entertaining
evening.
“With more projects like
these, aspiring
musicians and talents
across the value chain
have an index point
on the map to music
business success.
“
Culture Custodian
Culture Custodian is not exclusively centred on music. The
platform is a potpourri of everything that concerns the youth,
from politics, to sports, fashion, music and more. However,
content about the music industry on the site takes a different
route from the pop rhetoric of trends and gossip. The interviews
seem mostly drawn from foreign websites but the articles are
original and insightful, with the right dose of sharp opinions.
With a piece like ‘The absence of protests in Nigerian pop
culture’, the team is not only highlighting the culture of social
consciousness in the country’s musical history. They are also
raising a necessary question about the value system of the
industry.
A key part of their strategy is giving little known brilliant
underground acts the same attention to detail as established
artistes. Bridging this gap is essential for the overall growth of
the industry.
Their podcasts are largely pop culture talk shows while the
Culture Custodian TV hosted on YouTube covers various angles
of the music business using interviews, event coverage and
showcasing numerous artistes.
Beyond the original and engaging content on both platforms, we
have to commend the sites for their simplicity and use of white
space.
In conclusion, both platforms hold great value for the everyday
youth with interest in the music industry. It would be great to
see them include in-depth analysis of different aspects of the
business and branch out into interviews and stories on the talent
managers, publishers, distributors, lyricists and more. With more
projects like these, aspiring musicians and talents across the
value chain have an index point on the map to music business
success.
What do you think? Which brand captures the heart of the
youth more?
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