Diamond’s Sh80 million down the drain
Tanzanian artiste Diamond Platnumz says he is set to lose approximately Sh80 million in earnings this year owing to the restrictions on social gatherings because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Diamond, who is said to charge upto Sh1 million for an appearance within East Africa, says he had 30 shows lined up which have all been either cancelled or postponed to a later date.
Speaking to Mvumo TV in his homeland, Diamond lamented the major disruption of the entertainment industry occasioned by the pandemic.
“Entertainment depends on gatherings. I had shows in Europe, America and Africa which have all been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That as an artiste means loss of income to me personally and to the label,” Diamond explained.
That disruption, the musician pointed out, is bound to affect several things including payment of salaries because, at the end of the day, some of the people who work for the label do not depend on shows and have to be paid monthly salaries.
In the meantime, Diamond says he is banking on his large following on social media to make some sales.