Tessanne Chin’s phenomenal success on The VOICE brings into razor sharp focus the Jamaican music industry. We all know it is a huge money spinner but importantly we know we’ve never fully capitalized on this industry that has the ability to catapult Jamaica to “the next level” as has happened for Tessanne Chin (Shaggy encouraged her to enter the competition!!). Tessanne’s upward trajectory could coincide with a national upward rise in the music industry if Jamaica harnesses its abundant, innate creative power and firmly positions our country Jamaica as a major player globally.
We now know funding for music projects may benefit from the Tessanne Phenomenon – Tessanne awakened the sleeping giant called the Power of the Diaspora which mobilized votes for her. This power can continue to mobilize and raise funds.
The Tessanne Phenomenon will ease the way for new players entering the industry. Bankers/financiers still have to be convinced that music is marketable/ valuable/viable. Luckily new players entering the music industry now have many alternative financing options – including listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange or the Junior Stock Exchange. Neville Ellis, JSE Marketing Officer, stated “… listings on the Junior Stock Exchange are not expected to close off until 2016.” C2W Music Ltd (MUSIC), which is designed to provide international opportunities for Music Writers and talent from the Caribbean, is currently listed on the Junior Stock Exchange under the symbol (MUSIC). Other options include Venture Capital: the Venture Capitalist will need to be convinced regarding viability – cash flow, etc. – to provide funding and Crowd funding is a fairly new option – you upload your project and people can finance it. The benefits of Crowd funding are that you need not relinquish control; additionally, you are forced to be accountable and to set achievable targets.
It is now apparent that the most potentially powerful funding option is mobilizing funds by utilizing that sleeping giant “The Power of the Diaspora”, via cutting-edge technology including combining smartphones with the power of social media site link-ups such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and tele-conferencing!
Few organizations are more aware of this power than the Jamaica Promotions Corporation, JAMPRO. JAMPRO has historically utilized the power of international partnerships/linkages to boost Jamaican businesses in all industries, inclusive of the Creative Industries that encompass music, film and fashion. In fact JAMPRO’s association with Tessanne Chin pre-dates 2007. JAMPRO President, Diane Edwards remarked that “In 2007 Tessanne was part of the JAMPRO Creative Industries mission to MIDEM, France, the world’s largest music industry trade show of its kind; attended by thousands of music professionals, major record companies, music publishers and distributors, A&R executives, agents, producers, attorneys, promoters and festival programmers. Outstanding emerging Jamaican talents like Tessanne Chin have partnered with JAMPRO over the years to promote business and investment opportunities in Jamaica’s Creative Industries”, JAMPRO further stated that, “Jamaica’s Creative Industries generated $267 million in local capital expenditure in the 2012-2013 financial year”. JAMPRO’s annual report presented in the House of Representatives disclosed that “…a further $1.2 billion in capital expenditure took place in the economy through linkages with other sectors…The creative industries, primarily in the areas of film, music and fashion, continue to represent a major industry of focus for the agency, given the growing demand for Jamaican culturally inspired designs and products.”
Milton Samuda, JAMPRO Board Chairman, commented that,
“Tessanne Chin’s victory throws into extremely sharp focus the almost limitless dividends that investing in the Creative Industries can pay in the national effort to create wealth…
Once again, amidst the considerable challenges that beset us, a gifted artiste has given us renewed hope that as a nation, we can overcome those challenges; renewed faith that as a people, we can beat the odds; and renewed conviction that our combined talent can earn for us robust economic growth”.
The time is NOW and one can only imagine the potentially huge additional revenue generation and spin offs that the Power of the Diaspora unearthed with Tessanne’s amazing VOICE win!
Kingsley Cooper, Executive Chairman of Pulse Investments Limited – their JSE stock exchange symbol is (PULS) – and Chairman of the Entertainment and Advisory Board which falls under the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, has partnered with JAMPRO on several occasions. He is intimately aware of the capacity and power of Jamaica’s Creative Industries to generate wealth. When I spoke with him recently on the matter he stated “…Right now we need to move sacrifice into real economic growth, this remains the very real challenge to act and to act decisively.”
Having been named the Caribbean Journal’s Artist of the Year 2013, Jamaican singing sensation and The VOICE winner Tessanne Chin also made the Journal’s list of the 25 Most Interesting People for 2013, along with seven other Jamaicans.
The Tessanne Phenomenon has shown that Jamaicans worldwide working together are a force to be reckoned with – they have the ability to positive and meaningful change in business anywhere in the world! It is therefore fitting that Tessanne’s first performance in Jamaica was at Shaggy & Friends 2014 as Shaggy (aka Orville Richard Burrell) has “been there” as Tessanne’s true friend and a guide throughout her incredible journey!
Shaggy & Friends 2014 was amazing: every aspect of the concert was finely orchestrated to “the T” including the brilliant line-up of artistes headlined by Tessanne Chin, Shaggy, and NeYo. Food to suit every palate was laid on in abundance. A shuttle bus service to the concert gates added great efficiency and service. This historic occasion – a not to be missed event – was attended by people from all walks of life and they had a fabulous time.
Tessanne Chin’s upward trajectory is clear! The only question that remains is: will Jamaica capitalize on this moment? We repeat Kingsley Cooper’s statement “…Right now we need to move sacrifice into real economic growth – this remains the very real challenge, stop the chat and act decisively NOW!
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Tessanne Chin’s phenomenal success on The VOICE brings into razor sharp focus the Jamaican music industry. We all know it is a huge money spinner but importantly we know we’ve never fully capitalized on this industry that has the ability to catapult Jamaica to “the next level” as has happened for Tessanne Chin (Shaggy encouraged her to enter the competition!!). Tessanne’s upward trajectory could coincide with a national upward rise in the music industry if Jamaica harnesses its abundant, innate creative power and firmly positions our country Jamaica as a major player globally.
We now know funding for music projects may benefit from the Tessanne Phenomenon – Tessanne awakened the sleeping giant called the Power of the Diaspora which mobilized votes for her. This power can continue to mobilize and raise funds.
The Tessanne Phenomenon will ease the way for new players entering the industry. Bankers/financiers still have to be convinced that music is marketable/ valuable/viable. Luckily new players entering the music industry now have many alternative financing options – including listing on the Jamaica Stock Exchange or the Junior Stock Exchange. Neville Ellis, JSE Marketing Officer, stated “… listings on the Junior Stock Exchange are not expected to close off until 2016.” C2W Music Ltd (MUSIC), which is designed to provide international opportunities for Music Writers and talent from the Caribbean, is currently listed on the Junior Stock Exchange under the symbol (MUSIC). Other options include Venture Capital: the Venture Capitalist will need to be convinced regarding viability – cash flow, etc. – to provide funding and Crowd funding is a fairly new option – you upload your project and people can finance it. The benefits of Crowd funding are that you need not relinquish control; additionally, you are forced to be accountable and to set achievable targets.
It is now apparent that the most potentially powerful funding option is mobilizing funds by utilizing that sleeping giant “The Power of the Diaspora”, via cutting-edge technology including combining smartphones with the power of social media site link-ups such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and tele-conferencing!
Few organizations are more aware of this power than the Jamaica Promotions Corporation, JAMPRO. JAMPRO has historically utilized the power of international partnerships/linkages to boost Jamaican businesses in all industries, inclusive of the Creative Industries that encompass music, film and fashion. In fact JAMPRO’s association with Tessanne Chin pre-dates 2007. JAMPRO President, Diane Edwards remarked that “In 2007 Tessanne was part of the JAMPRO Creative Industries mission to MIDEM, France, the world’s largest music industry trade show of its kind; attended by thousands of music professionals, major record companies, music publishers and distributors, A&R executives, agents, producers, attorneys, promoters and festival programmers. Outstanding emerging Jamaican talents like Tessanne Chin have partnered with JAMPRO over the years to promote business and investment opportunities in Jamaica’s Creative Industries”, JAMPRO further stated that, “Jamaica’s Creative Industries generated $267 million in local capital expenditure in the 2012-2013 financial year”. JAMPRO’s annual report presented in the House of Representatives disclosed that “…a further $1.2 billion in capital expenditure took place in the economy through linkages with other sectors…The creative industries, primarily in the areas of film, music and fashion, continue to represent a major industry of focus for the agency, given the growing demand for Jamaican culturally inspired designs and products.”
Milton Samuda, JAMPRO Board Chairman, commented that,
“Tessanne Chin’s victory throws into extremely sharp focus the almost limitless dividends that investing in the Creative Industries can pay in the national effort to create wealth…
Once again, amidst the considerable challenges that beset us, a gifted artiste has given us renewed hope that as a nation, we can overcome those challenges; renewed faith that as a people, we can beat the odds; and renewed conviction that our combined talent can earn for us robust economic growth”.
The time is NOW and one can only imagine the potentially huge additional revenue generation and spin offs that the Power of the Diaspora unearthed with Tessanne’s amazing VOICE win!
Kingsley Cooper, Executive Chairman of Pulse Investments Limited – their JSE stock exchange symbol is (PULS) – and Chairman of the Entertainment and Advisory Board which falls under the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, has partnered with JAMPRO on several occasions. He is intimately aware of the capacity and power of Jamaica’s Creative Industries to generate wealth. When I spoke with him recently on the matter he stated “…Right now we need to move sacrifice into real economic growth, this remains the very real challenge to act and to act decisively.”
Having been named the Caribbean Journal’s Artist of the Year 2013, Jamaican singing sensation and The VOICE winner Tessanne Chin also made the Journal’s list of the 25 Most Interesting People for 2013, along with seven other Jamaicans.
The Tessanne Phenomenon has shown that Jamaicans worldwide working together are a force to be reckoned with – they have the ability to positive and meaningful change in business anywhere in the world! It is therefore fitting that Tessanne’s first performance in Jamaica was at Shaggy & Friends 2014 as Shaggy (aka Orville Richard Burrell) has “been there” as Tessanne’s true friend and a guide throughout her incredible journey!
Shaggy & Friends 2014 was amazing: every aspect of the concert was finely orchestrated to “the T” including the brilliant line-up of artistes headlined by Tessanne Chin, Shaggy, and NeYo. Food to suit every palate was laid on in abundance. A shuttle bus service to the concert gates added great efficiency and service. This historic occasion – a not to be missed event – was attended by people from all walks of life and they had a fabulous time.
Tessanne Chin’s upward trajectory is clear! The only question that remains is: will Jamaica capitalize on this moment? We repeat Kingsley Cooper’s statement “…Right now we need to move sacrifice into real economic growth – this remains the very real challenge, stop the chat and act decisively NOW!
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