Is Diamond Platnumz’s success a superstitious yield?

By Haji Said (Twitter: @Despicabledude)

Within the last couple of years, we have witnessed some Tanzanian artists transitioning before our very eyes into becoming regional and global superstars. Diamond Platnumz particularly has become a household name in undoubtedly many East, West, Central and South African countries. His recent BET (Best International Act: Africa) nomination amongst many others from different awards shows like MTV MAMA and AFRIMMA has created a stand-out lane for him as an artist and this cannot be taken for granted.

Amidst hearing all sorts of rumors and hear-says revolving around him being associated with superstition and nepotism such as the scandalous allegation of the star’s entanglement with the Freemason secret society; it’s only fair at times to put the cynicism aside and look rationally on what has turned an artist like Diamond Platnumz the megastar that he is.

Since we’re all allowed to have different opinions, this is a positively-angled, non-superstitious take on what might have contributed to Diamond’s successes:

Being at the right place at the right time; what most “naysayers” fail to understand is the fact that the music industry in Tanzania has been steadily growing, the recent social media revolution has provided a platform for artists like Diamond to showcase their work, engage with fans and promote his work within the country and globally.

Putting out good performances on stage and visuals is another thing which has made Diamond stand-out as a performer. Not that the industry never had or do not have artists who (can) perform well but Diamond embodies this aspect amongst others hence making him an all-around entertainer. His choreographed dance moves and back-up dancers have always been part of his spectacle on stage guaranteeing him invitation to perform in many concerts and events. To top it all off, he set a new bar for music videos in East Africa with his Number One number which is a comparatively a high-budget and undisputedly high quality video.

Having a decently good singing voice and a whole lot of catchy songs which speak and seduce many girls/ladies/women has also definitely made him the most-sought-after bongo flavor crooner. Most of Diamond’s songs are about love and relationships. His chat-topping singles like Mbagala, Kamwambie, Ukimwona and Number One have enabled him to garner such a loyal and big female fan base.

Diamond has also been romantically involved with other celebrities to which if anything, has just given him more buzz and coverage on national and international tabloids and blogs. It’s not easy to recall exactly how many popular female celebrities Diamond has dated but the recent Wema Sepetu, Jokate Mwegelo and Penny Mungilwa involvements with the star might have received more coverage on entertainment media than any other celebrity in Tanzania and possibly elsewhere in the last 2 years.

Any artist who has all these qualities and limelight-provoking situations/experiences at his/her together with a great management steering team behind him/her supporting and help to promote his/her work is definitely deemed to be the biggest pop star. The situation is alike anywhere else in the world. Diamond just happens to be the one in Tanzania right now.