Upon Interview with Emonews, Dominica’s dancehall artist, entrepreneur and public figure, Colton Thomas, affectionately known as Colton T, expressed that the Covid-19 pandemic has affected him tremendously as an artist.
According to him, he has been unemployed within the entertainment industry for the past two (2) years. He added, “The pandemic has affected me financially, having been unable to work. It has also prevented me from hosting my annual event ‘Bomb in the City’ which helps me to generate revenue.”
While the art form has been suffering a harsh blow, Colton noted that he has sought to overcome the obstacles by seeking other means of income. “Music is not my sole source of income. My side hustles have become main hustles and have taken precedence during this trying time,” he voiced. As of current, the Dominican artist has been engaged in real estate and farming and has continued with the production of music and music videos.
Significantly, Colton highlights that the pandemic has opened his eyes to many possibilities. “It has given me the opportunity to learn different trades. Some things that I was too busy to pay attention to before, I now have the time to learn and master them,” he articulated. Though the pandemic was an unforeseen event, he felt fairly prepared because of his work ethic. He refuses to sit and wait for the music industry to be revived. Instead, he has put on a 24/7 working mentality with a focus on time management, finance management and discipline.
In addition, Colton proposes that more can be done to keep the industry alive during and post Covid-19. According to him, “In a lot of countries like the US, the artists and musicians are working. We down here in the Caribbean are unable to work because of heightened restrictions.” He believes that more should be done to facilitate full time musicians. Measures such as vaccinated events, antigen testing prior to events or reduced number of persons per event could be put in place. “Life goes on. Life cannot stop as a result of the pandemic. I don’t fully agree to the vaccinated versus non-vaccinated entry since some persons have valid reasons for being unvaccinated. Nonetheless, we need to find a way to get through this,” he added. Thus, he advises the authorities to find a way in which safety measures and the entertainment industry could co-exist.
Moreover, Colton encourages other artists to use the pandemic as a medium to diversify and embark on other trades. “Human beings were made to adjust. I think that is what everyone has to do, adjust. My advice is to use this experience to prepare for other unpredictable times like this and be open to new income opportunities,” he stressed.
Interestingly, the pandemic has not placed much difficulty on his other means of income. Accordingly, this softens the blow on him as an artist. “This is attributed to my level of involvement in other trades. At the moment I am so caught up in other things that music itself is on a hold for me,” he expressed.
Moreover, Colton uses this avenue as a means of encouraging the public to protect themselves against the Covid-19 virus. Unfortunately, he fell victim to the virus and would hate for the spread to continue in the distant future. Therefore, he urges persons to stay safe as he believes that it only takes one person to facilitate the spread. “I was reluctant to go to the Covid unit because I live alone. However, when I considered how quickly this could spread, there was no other option,” he stated. He commended the Covid unit for the good treatment that he received. Further, he lectured that the human body is a vessel and everyone has a responsibility to take care of their vessels.
Amidst this difficult period, Colton is committed to staying positive. He is currently the Brand Ambassador for a new agricultural company called Bloom Box. His produce are currently sold at various markets such as Miniyas and Fresh Market. He believes that if the entertainment industry continues to suffer, he is prepared to use any medium or measure to reinvent himself and diversify his talents. It is clear that there is not much that one can do to prevent the existence of Covid-19, however, collectively better steps and measures can be put in place to bring life closer to normal.
