TAKEAWAYS

• Big crowds don’t automatically mean big profits, according to Bebe Cool.
• He says artistes should consider smaller venues, premium tables and lower production costs.
• Bebe Cool wants musicians to embrace economic thinking and sustainable business models.

Bebe Cool has advised Ugandan musicians to become more strategic and economically minded when organizing concerts, arguing that filling major venues does not necessarily translate into making money.

The Gagamel Entertainment boss made the remarks during a surprise birthday celebration organized by , where he was interviewed by Crysto Panda.

Bebe Cool was asked about his plans to stage a concert at Kololo Independence Grounds next year in honour of wives of UPDF soldiers, and whether the recent wave of artistes organizing shows at the venue had motivated him to prove that he could also fill Kololo.

However, the Kakebere singer said he had nothing to prove, noting that he was among the first Ugandan artistes to successfully stage concerts at venues such as Kololo and Serena.

“I’ve done Kololo. I was one of the first artists to do Kololo and Serena. I’d be happy to see other artists doing it because that’s where I want the sector to go.”

While welcoming the growing confidence among younger artistes, Bebe Cool argued that many musicians are focusing too much on crowd numbers without considering whether their concerts are actually profitable.

According to him, an event that attracts 20,000 people paying Shs20,000 each may generate hundreds of millions in gross revenue, but venue costs, advertising, production, staff and other expenses can significantly reduce or even wipe out profits.

“They don’t make money. You can have 20,000 people paying Shs20,000, but after the venue, advertising, production and all the people you work with, there is a lot of expenditure.”

The veteran musician said this realization is one of the reasons he reduced the number of large-scale concerts he stages.

Bebe Cool, who is known for premium-priced events, said artistes should think more strategically about venue size and target audiences instead of organizing expensive concerts simply to prove their popularity.

He recalled a time when he attracted between 10,000 and 15,000 people to concerts at KCCA’s Lugogo Cricket Oval but made relatively little profit. After moving to Serena, he said he attracted fewer people but saved significantly more money.

“I got 2,000 people at Serena but saved Shs150 million. At Lugogo, I got 15,000 people and saved only Shs28 million. Musicians should learn economic transformation and how to make money.”

Bebe Cool suggested that younger musicians could consider smaller, controlled venues and premium table sales rather than investing heavily in massive concerts.

Using the Sheraton Kampala Hotel ballroom as an example, he argued that an artiste could fill the venue through table bookings from a relatively small network of supporters and friends while keeping production and operational costs manageable.

He said such an approach reduces expenditure on advertising, weather-related risks and large-scale logistics while potentially leaving the artiste with better profits.

“It is about economical thinking. You don’t always need to prove anything by doing a Shs20,000 concert with tens of thousands of people. Sometimes a smaller event with the right audience makes more business sense.”

Bebe Cool added that his own ticket prices have increasingly targeted premium audiences, with some tables costing millions of shillings.

Although he acknowledged that higher prices can lock out some ordinary fans, he said the model makes more financial sense, particularly because some of his events are connected to charitable causes.

His message to Uganda’s younger musicians was clear: success should not only be measured by how many people attend a concert, but also by whether the event creates sustainable profits.