Zimbabwean musicians are increasingly turning to the corporate sector to finance new music as rising production costs reshape how albums are released, with award-winning singer Ammara Brown becoming the latest artist to seek business support for a major project.
Brown's second studio album, Flaming Lily, will be launched through a two-day programme beginning with a corporate fundraising dinner at Hyatt Regency Harare The Meikles on September 4, before a public performance at Reps Theatre the following day, departing from the traditional single-night album launch.
The 12-track album is Brown's first full-length release in seven years and will officially be released at midnight on September 6.
Her manager, Chido Musasiwa, said the corporate dinner is intended to create business partnerships while raising resources to support the album beyond its release.
"We want this to be more than just an album launch. We want to create an environment where corporates can meet, network, showcase what they do and support Zimbabwean creative talent at the same time," she said.
Musasiwa said the team hopes the support generated through the launch campaign will fund the production of music videos for every song on the album.
"We are hoping that, through what will happen at the corporate dinner and at the launch itself, we'll be able to produce a video for every one of the 12 songs," she said.
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Brown said Flaming Lily captures her personal journey over the past seven years.
"For me, Flaming Lily is about embracing all the different seasons of life and allowing myself to tell those stories honestly. There is love, there is heartbreak, there are moments of joy, vulnerability, strength and growth. These are experiences that make us human, and I believe everyone will find a piece of themselves somewhere in this album," she said.
She said the project reflects how she has evolved since releasing her debut album.
"This album is very close to my heart because it comes after a long journey. I have grown so much as a person and as an artist since my first album, and Flaming Lily allows me to share some of that journey with my audience. It is personal, but at the same time, I believe the stories are universal," she said.
Musasiwa said feedback from a private listening session involving musicians, collaborators and members of the creative industry had boosted confidence ahead of the album's release.
"We had such a resounding response from the people who attended the listening session. It was exciting to see how differently people connected with the songs and the stories. That gave us even more confidence that Flaming Lily is something special," she said.
The public launch at Reps Theatre on September 5 will be followed by the album's official release at midnight on September 6, which also coincides with Brown's birthday.
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