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Daniel Maposa Arts Correspondent
When Tawanda (not his real name) died, he was buried like a pauper. Many artistes contributed to buy a coffin and food for the mourners.

His mother had to negotiate with a distant relative for a place to host the funeral as he was staying in a backyard one-roomed “chinyeda” (small wooden cabin) which he rented.

At his funeral, people would whisper “maartiste marombe”.

Tawanda was known and adored by a multitude of fans, yet upon his death, it was a shock that people had to contribute for him to get a decent burial.

There are countless stories of artistes who became famous but died poor and were buried like paupers.

The arts industry, just like football and other sport disciplines, can bring fame that can change life overnight.

However, being famous does not necessarily mean one instantly becomes prosperous.

In some instances, what fame might mean is that the door to riches may have been opened.

For some it might mean a total demise to their artistic career and livelihood. It all depends on how one handles fame.

Most artistes who get famous overnight or have fame thrust upon them end up being broke after having failed to use that fame to create a sustainable future. It is very easy for artistes to lose focus and squander the goodwill and resources they would have created.

Many artistes, especially those who do not have a strong management team, forget to utilise their fame to prepare for a rainy day.

They fail to understand that when they are famous, they are at the top of their game, they are better- placed than other artistes to unlock opportunities. This is the time to knock on doors that would otherwise have not opened if they had remained as struggling artistes.

This is the best time to use their talent to engage people who can help them sustain their careers.

One of the biggest challenges for most artistes is being unable to diversify and create other income opportunities after they reach their sell by date. Everyone has a sell by date. When you fail to utilise your chances, then forget about rising again when you fall. There is an old adage that says don’t put all your eggs in one basket. It is important to create various revenue streams. When you become famous and you are lucky to be paid well, it is time to invest your income into other businesses that will continuously sustain your lifestyle. A clever artiste leverages his popularity to grow these side businesses. Alternatively, famous artistes can start social enterprises that can attract sponsorships from corporates and charitable organisations. If one cannot invest in other business ventures, it is then important to invest in building a strong and sustainable brand that lives beyond retirement.

There are a lot of artistes who when they get famous, think they are God’s first born child. They become so pompous, they get involved in scandalous issues and shady deals. When one gets famous, it is important that they keep their brand untainted so that they can attract endorsements. A lot of corporates out there are looking for celebrities to appoint as brand ambassadors.

Most times they look for someone with a strong, clean character to associate their product with. Being famous puts them in a good position to endorse products. To be able to benefit from endorsements, one must be “clean” in the eyes of corporates.

Locally, Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah and Winky D lead in terms of getting corporate endorsements, which add to their incomes.

New media presents an opportunity for celebrities to not only grow their brand, but to create revenue streams. It is easy for celebrities to build a huge following on social media. In this day and age, there is need for celebrities to go beyond likes and use social media for financial benefits. However, many are on social media for the wrong reasons. An artiste must by all means work to monetise social media channels that can bring them income from followers or adverts.

It is very sad that many artistes who would have made a lot of money during their peak days die paupers without anywhere to stay. Some like Tawanda would have made enough to buy a house or a stand, but because of living a flashy uptown life, they rarely think about the future. They rent expensive houses, drive expensive cars and forget that it is important for one to have a place they call their own.

Celebrities like Simon Chimbetu, Safirio Madzikatire, Oliver Mtukudzi, Dominic Benhura and recently Jah Prayzah and Winky D understood that fame is temporary and utilised their money to build houses.

Lastly, becoming famous or being a celebrity can be easy. But maintaining that fame is a big challenge, especially creating a livelihood out of that celebrity status.

Handling fame requires discipline. It requires extra hard work and humility. Above all, artistes should make hay while the sun shines and enjoy the fruits of their fame.