CRÉATION AFRICA: Turning SA’s music hits into successful businesses and generational wealth
Ninel Musson helped build the careers of some of South Africa’s best-known musicians. Now she is turning lessons learnt behind the scenes into practical skills, so the people who make African music can also own its value.
Ninel Musson, a music promoter, financier and creative maven, has transformed her experiences in the South African music industry into practical skills to help artists own the value of their work. Co-founding Vth Season, an independent talent management agency and record label, Musson facilitated the careers of notable artists such as AKA and Tresor. However, she recognized the need for better business skills among the music industry's workforce.
After stepping back from the record label, Musson reflected on her experiences and developed curricula for Music Business Lab (MBL) programmes and syllabi. MBL offers hands-on training in music publishing, covering aspects such as copyright registration, royalty collection, and revenue generation. Musson emphasizes the importance of applying these learnings immediately to improve one's systems and increase revenue.
MBL's faculty consists of working professionals from the music industry, who share their real-life experiences and lessons learned. This practical approach sets MBL apart from traditional educational institutions, providing students with a certificate from the University of Pretoria and a short course. The organisation has graduated more than 100 independent music publishers and is currently in its fourth publishing cohort.
Création Africa, a grant-supporting organisation, played a crucial role in refining MBL's business model and accelerating its growth. MBL was selected as one of 15 finalists for a seven-month business incubation programme, which helped Musson focus on building the business rather than merely running it. The grant provided funding for fractional chief of staff roles and faculty leadership, enabling Musson to create an institution that could expand and thrive.
Looking ahead, Musson plans to develop a virtual platform to further disseminate MBL's knowledge and resources, ensuring that the benefits of her work extend beyond South Africa's borders.
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