Harriet Njenga challenges Kenyan artists to rethink music marketing
By Trizer Lijondo, September 9, 2026Kenyan artists may have the talent and good songs, but without a strong marketing strategy, their music could struggle to reach its full potential, according to content creator Harriet Njenga.
Njenga raised the issue in a post addressing musician Masauti, where she questioned how some artists and their management teams approach the promotion of new music.
Her comments have sparked a wider conversation about what it takes for a song to move beyond ordinary streaming numbers and become a genuine hit in an increasingly competitive music industry.
Recording a good song is not enough
Njenga said artists can no longer rely on recording a song, shooting a video and uploading it to YouTube while waiting for audiences to discover it.
“You record a good song, shoot the video, put it on YouTube and leave it there. That’s not enough anymore,” she said.
She argued that some Kenyan musicians have released songs with genuine hit potential but failed to invest adequately in the marketing needed to push the music.
According to Njenga, the problem is not necessarily the quality of the music but what happens after the song is released.
She said artists need to look at how other musicians are investing in their releases and creating moments around their songs.
“Look at how other artists are investing in their releases and how they’re creating moments around their songs,” she said, adding that musicians could borrow ideas and learn how to properly invest in their music.
Uploading to full campaigns
Njenga also encouraged artists to think beyond traditional music promotion by involving creators and taking their songs to a wider audience.
Her advice included working with platforms and creative groups such as The Cluster and Colloblue UDC, creating dance or song challenges and giving content creators a reason to use the music.
“Take the song to the streets, create a proper dance/song challenge, involve creators, give people a reason to use the sound and talk about the song,” she advised.
She further urged musicians to treat every release as a campaign rather than simply another upload.
“Make the song a whole campaign, not just a YouTube upload,” she said.
Artists need to budget for marketing
Njenga also challenged musicians to deliberately set aside money for promotion when planning their releases.
“And next time you release a song, please have a proper budget set aside specifically for marketing,” she said.
She warned that artists who are unwilling to spend money promoting their music should also be prepared for limited financial returns.
“If you don’t want to spend money pushing the music, then you also have to accept that you’ll probably make peanuts from it,” she said.
Njenga maintained that many artists already have the talent and songs needed to succeed, but what may be missing is the strategy and investment required to turn that potential into sustained success.