Bilha Ngaruiya wanted to study business administration, but didn’t.
“I dropped out of college because of circumstances out of my control. But because I loved music, I found my way into Homeboyz Music Programmes,” Ngaruiya says.
Soon, she established a reality check that many never see.
“Having the talent to sing is one thing, and making money from that same talent is a whole other ball game. There are a lot of moving parts that an artiste needs to ensure they are all in sync to capitalise on their raw talent,” she explains.
"Too many musicians continue to lose money because they do not fully understand publishing, copyright registration, and royalty collection systems."
She realised many Kenyan artistes were leaving money on the table for lack of knowledge. “That is what pushed me into wanting to understand the business of music. Because talent alone is never enough.”
Gradually, she took courses on music management and business, worked with several music agencies, including Zikki Media, before finding her way to the top of the chain of ONErpm when the music company opened its doors in Kenya in 2022.
Under her leadership, ONErpm has helped thousands of Kenyan artistes access global streaming platforms and receive royalties directly.
“I have helped onboard several artistes, and we now have 8,000 on our databases. Our success as a company is tied to the success of the artistes, because it creates a shared incentive to grow careers and increase revenues.”
She is eyeing stronger copyright protections, improved industry regulation, and greater awareness among artistes about intellectual property rights.
“Too many musicians continue to lose money because they do not fully understand publishing, copyright registration, and royalty collection systems.”
What is her bare minimum? See Kenyan musicians earning consistently from multiple revenue streams.
— Sinda Matiko