Diamond Platnumz reveals he was paid Ksh2K for his first music performance
By Steve Ireri, June 25, 2026Tanzanian music superstar Diamond Platnumz has urged upcoming musicians to treat music as a serious business, revealing that he invested every coin from his first-ever performance payment back into his career instead of spending it elsewhere.
Speaking during the Zuchu Imbeju Masterclass on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the ‘Komosava’ hitmaker reflected on his journey from a struggling young artiste to one of Africa’s biggest music stars.
According to Diamond, many upcoming artistes make the mistake of diverting their early earnings into other ventures instead of strengthening the very career that is generating the income.
The singer explained that success in the music industry often requires patience, sacrifice and a willingness to continually reinvest in one’s craft.
“When an artiste starts off, they do not start at the top. Even people like me started low and rose to the first class,” he said.
Diamond noted that young artistes should not be discouraged by modest payments during the early stages of their careers, arguing that every successful musician begins somewhere.
He explained that rather than focusing on how much money they are being paid, upcoming artistes should concentrate on how they can use those earnings to improve their brand and secure bigger opportunities in the future.
The singer advised artistes who are paid small amounts for performances to use those funds strategically in ways that can help them attract larger audiences and more lucrative bookings.
According to him, musicians should view their early payments as capital for growth rather than immediate profits to be spent elsewhere.
Diamond further warned against rushing to invest music earnings into unrelated businesses before fully establishing oneself in the entertainment industry.
He argued that doing so may signal a lack of confidence in music as a viable business.
“But when you get money from music, don’t invest in business. Invest in music. It could mean you don’t trust music as a business,” he said.
The WCB Wasafi boss then shared a personal example from the beginning of his career, revealing that his first paid performance earned him Tsh50,000 (approximately Ksh2,400).
While the amount may seem small compared to the millions he earns today, Diamond said he made a conscious decision to channel the entire sum back into improving his music career.
Rather than spending the money on personal enjoyment, the singer used it to enhance his image and performance package.
He disclosed that part of the money went towards purchasing stylish clothing that would help him stand out on stage and build his brand as an entertainer.
Diamond also invested in dancers, believing that a stronger stage performance would help him secure bigger and better opportunities in the future.
“When I started, I was paid Tsh50,000. And I used that money to do things which I knew could help me elevate my next show,” he said.
“And such things included buying nice flashy T-shirts and such. I also used that money to pay dancers. I mean, all that Tsh50,000 went back into music.”
According to Diamond, that mindset of continuously reinvesting in himself played a major role in helping him climb the ranks of the music industry.