Play your part and support local composers and musicians

South African Music Rights Organisation (Samro) urged local corporates to book exclusive online performances for their staff working from home.

Samro chair Nicholas Maweni said local artists were living in difficult times with the country under stricter lockdown regulations and greater economic uncertainty looming.
In a bid to help struggling local artists and lonely people working from home, Samro encouraged the booking of online performances. “As we try to curb the spread of the virus, many South Africans have been forced to work from home. While some people have embraced this, others feel lonely, stressed and isolated from having to work alone,” said Maweni.

“To lift the morale of some employees and provide them with some quality entertainment, we are calling on companies and organisations to book online performances by our members, or concerts featuring their work.”

Maweni explained that once the performance was booked, it would be exclusively streamed to a group of employees invited by the company.
Maweni said the ban of all live performances had brought a serious blow to Samro members. “While royalties earned from the use of their work continue to trickle in, the lion’s share of our members’ earnings come from live performances.”

Samro works to administer performing rights on behalf of its members, typically composers and authors, by licensing music users through the collection of licence fees which are then distributed as royalties. “Many artists are really struggling at this time and it is our duty as Samro to protect their rights and ensure their ultimate survival.”

Maweni said Samro was not merely asking for a handout. “In return for their participation, corporates will get access to some of the country’s top musical talent and performances of great original compositions.”