Songstress Jean Masters firmly believes that female creatives need to work twice as hard as their male counterparts to put food on the table.
She also claims they often fall victim to sexual and economic abuse at the hands of promoters who renege on their promises.
Most of her counterparts have either fallen by the wayside or regretting ever joining this profession.
Jean, who has kept a low profile in recent years, admitted she almost gave up when public shows were not rewarding.
“I have been in the game for years, and I can share with you the challenges that come with being a female band leader, where you need to work twice as hard as your male counterparts. There are some promoters who take advantage of us by not fulfilling their contracts.
“In most cases, we put everything in writing, but when it comes to payment time, most of these guys vanish, and you don’t see them anywhere nearby. You are then forced to use your own resources to fund the band’s continuity,” shared the talented diva.
“I have been in this game for over 15 years, but there are times when you feel like giving up because promoters are always the same. In my case, I ended up dealing with corporate shows since there are professional people in this sector.
“With most corporations, you do what you agreed upon, and there are no cases of contract breaches, as is often the case with most promoters.”Jean, who was recently brought in by Alick Macheso as a supporting act for a series of shows, described the move as a game-changer.
“Baba Shero is more than a father figure to us because he delivers on the promises he makes.
“If you receive his phone call, you can sense that something good is on its way, which is why we always salute him for the good things he has done for us.
“There are shows where I will be performing with him as an opening act, and my camp has welcomed this opportunity. I have worked with him before, and this honor means a lot to us.”
Source: H-Metro
