Creative media storyteller and live performance artist Yemi Kimbali has emphasized the need for better documentation of Nigeria's live music performances. He notes that while Nigerian live music is reaching larger audiences globally, the documentation of these performances remains inconsistent, putting the country's performance history at risk of being lost.
Kimbali attributes the problem not to a lack of cameras, but to the absence of proper planning around documentation. He explains that events often have multiple cameras and mobile phones recording performances, but the resulting footage often lacks basic information such as the event name, venue, date, and performer.
The growing global audience for Nigerian music makes proper documentation increasingly important, Kimbali stresses. With Spotify reporting a 158% increase in Nigerian artists on its platform since 2021, and Nigerian artists receiving over N58 billion in royalties in 2024, accurate documentation can help artists and event organizers benefit commercially and culturally.
Kimbali recommends that documentation should begin before the artist takes the stage, with artists and organizers establishing the purpose of the material and determining the shot list, audio arrangements, and permissions. He also stresses the importance of accurate credits, identifying the artist, event, venue, and date, as well as musicians, vocalists, arrangers, and technical contributors.
Audio quality is another concern for Kimbali, who notes that visually attractive footage can fail to represent a music performance properly if the sound is distorted or incomplete. He suggests combining camera recordings with a clean feed from the sound desk while retaining audience sound to preserve the atmosphere of the performance.
Kimbali also calls for better organization of files after events, with archives identifying details such as date, venue, event, performer, and usage permissions. He urges artists to treat documentation as part of their professional preparation and event organizers to include documentation requirements in production meetings and budgets.
Ultimately, Kimbali believes that improved documentation can have significant cultural and commercial value, capturing the interaction between artists and audiences and showing an artist's development over time. He encourages artists, event organizers, and media professionals to prioritize documentation to preserve Nigeria's music history and support the growth of its artists.
Key points
- Yemi Kimbali urges better documentation of live music performances to preserve Nigeria's music history and support artists' growth.
- Inconsistent documentation of live performances puts Nigeria's performance history at risk of being lost.
- Improved documentation can have significant cultural and commercial value for artists and event organizers.
