COVID will ground tours for some time, music exec believes

With many countries still facing lockdown conditions because of COVID-19, the global entertainment industry continues to suffer.

Locally, calls for the sector to be reopened have been reignited with key players lambasting the Government for refusing to prioritise an industry that has contributed billions to the country's economic growth. Still, even if the 'global green light' is given for the entertainment space to resume normal operations, music industry executive Neil Robertson believes it will take years before the sector fully recovers.

No real timeline

"Are our artistes really prepared for what is to come? It's a question I ask myself a lot these days. I see artistes in Jamaica holding on to hope that they're going to be touring and doing huge shows overseas as early as April. I'm wondering if they haven't realised that none of the huge festivals that are supposed to be held this year will not happen. There is no real timeline on when the global entertainment industry will recover," said Robertson, who has worked at Island Records, Gee Street and V2 Records.

"I think for the most part, artistes and musicians are being optimistic and I don't mean to sound negative, but we need to be prepared for that reality. No one really wants to be the person to sound the alarm and scope out the extent of the damage but I just want us as an industry to wrap our minds around the fact that a lot of things are going to change about how we operate as an industry."

Robertson said based on patterns he has observed in the US, 2021 is going also to be largely inactive entertainment-wise, which would make two straight years of financial losses.

"We are approaching the second month of the year and usually this is the time when artistes are closing out deals regarding bookings for huge events; that isn't happening. Top artistes are usually booked six to nine months in advance for events and even they are in limbo. The key to look for in terms of when things will start getting back on track is the reopening of Broadway in New York. And even if that gets up and running again, the global entertainment scene will not start to turn this pandemic onslaught around for years," he said.

Will recover

Robinson said that while the entertainment industry is formidable and will recover, he thinks that may happen three years down the line after reopening.

"That means there will be so many changes, so many adjustments that it will take the leaders of this industry to collaborate like I've never seen in my 25 years in this business. People are going to have to communicate, form action plans etc, and it's sad to say but at that point, only the fittest of the fit shall survive," he said.

Robertson urged local entertainers who hope to emerge on the other side of the pandemic stronger than before, to get their houses in order.

"Study the business, make investments and most importantly, hone your craft. When the industry reopens, it's going to be all about supply and demand and only A-list artistes will be in demand. Get yourselves to that level," he said. "After not earning income for more than a year, it is going to be hard but this is the music business and nobody's spot is guaranteed. You have to keep working for that spot even when you're at the top. Catalogue, calibre and reach is critical in an industry that is headed for interesting times."