Neema Nekesa’s ‘Saving All My Love’ features in the film Sugar. A song with a story of its own, becoming part of another.
Some songs find you through a friend. Others through a late-night playlist. And sometimes, a song finds you through a film. In a moment that makes you want to know what you’re hearing.
With ‘Saving All My Love’ appearing in Sugar, there’s another place to discover Neema’s music. At Maktub, we’re proud to share this placement and reflect on what it means for a song to find a life on screen.
The story behind Sugar
Sugar follows Chyna, who runs a hair salon with her sisters. From the outside, her life appears settled. Behind closed doors, her partner Raoul becomes increasingly violent. Chyna must find a way out, for herself and her daughter, Sugar.
It is a story of domestic abuse and a mother’s determination to find safety for herself and her child. ‘Saving All My Love’ features in the film’s soundtrack, bringing Neema’s work into this story.
Beyond the release
There’s a life to a song beyond the moment it comes out. A film, a series or a campaign can introduce it to people who may never have come across the artist before.
That’s part of what makes sync, the pairing of music with moving images, meaningful. The listener arrives through the story. A voice, a lyric or a melody stays with them. Perhaps they look up the track. Perhaps it leads them further into an artist’s work.
For songwriters and artists, it’s another way for music to travel. And it doesn’t depend on a song being new. The right setting can come along at any point in its life.
The business behind it
Alongside that creative connection, sync can provide an additional source of income for artists and songwriters.
A placement may come with a licensing fee, agreed around the specific use: where the music will appear, for how long and in which territories. Both the underlying composition and the recording have rights attached to them. What each artist or songwriter receives depends on the rights they hold and the agreements in place.
Every placement is different, both in what it earns and the attention it brings. But the opportunity matters: music can continue to find listeners and generate income well beyond its original release.
Stay close to the music
Through Sync Selects, we share the places our music goes and introduce you to tracks that could become part of your next project.
For music supervisors, our Sync Selects playlist is a starting point. Explore music from the world of Maktub with a brief in mind, or simply take time to listen.
Listen to the playlist → Sync Selects
You can also join our monthly Sync Selects email. Each month, we send a curated selection of tracks straight to your inbox. Music to discover now and keep in mind for what comes next.
Sign up for Sync Selects → Sign Up
Something catch your ear? Get in touch to discuss your brief and licensing options.