1. Play at free gigs – In fact, part of your early years should be geared towards hunting for opportunities to perform for free, opportunities that just let you get your art out there to a larger audience base. You see, no one will tell you the truth about their career beginnings but the fact is they all went through a lot of deep stuff only best for imagination. When times are hard as a young musician, sleep in the studio and make music out of that hunger and pain and frustration. Only then can true art and creativity be made manifest in your work. Ever wondered why most artistes make their best materials before their glory days? It’s simple. The reason is they were hungrier and more passionate before the jewels and big bank statements, hence their abilities to dig deep for the gems in their souls which they transferred into the art.
2. Understand the business or hire someone who does – It is not enough to be super talented and popular as an artiste looking to be successful. You must be business savvy. Even the greatest entertainers understand this. And so however good you are, you need to detach yourself from the creativity aspect of things and study in order to understand the business aspects of entertainment. Without a rich knowledge of showbiz, everything else is a charade. So clearly, an artiste who doesn’t understand the business angle of things can look out for capable hands to help out, or hire seasoned professionals to handle those aspects for him. Talk to a lawyer, protect your investments, register your name and ideas for copyright cover and everything else that’s relevant, otherwise you might just be working tirelessly and reaping only a fraction at the end of the day. Who knows, at the end of the day it might a bit too small a fraction for you, depending on how criminal your pirates are.
3. Originality – Whatever you do, however much you blend with the trend, be sure to be as original as possible with your craft.
4. Social media relevance – There is no gainsaying the importance of the internet today and young musicians who are looking to get into the big league must never downplay social media and its relevance. It's important.
5. Be careful who you take advice from – As simple as this sounds, it is paramount. It is what it is.
6. Empower yourself mentally – Keep studying about the music industry, no knowledge is ever enough and no man is an island. You need to be mentally equipped otherwise you stand the chance of being victimized every other time there’s a business deal to be brokered. And there will always be deals, as long as you are having a fruitful career, so make the right moves.
7. Networking – Associate with like minds, don’t develop a nasty standoffish attitude because your songs are popping across various stations and charts, remember that no one was born on top of the chart and it’s not anyone’s exclusive preserve. Once you have these in mind, you realize the need to stay pushing and developing yourself whatever the success level, as though you are prepared for lean times, because in truth there comes a time in every musician’s life when the music stops popping and these knowledge from others as well as relationships built become helpful.
8. Measured dose of controversy – Swim against the tides, go upstream, but in all, be well-timed and cautious no to overdo it so you don’t burn out in front of the audience or kill that young brand you are still creating. And please, even though swimming against the tides requires a PR stunt from time to time, be careful so as not to pull a Skibii as no one is really interested in anything that has to do with a ‘dead’, upcoming musician.
9. Dress the part – If you intend becoming a bigwig, you have to dress like a million bucks in order to attract those investors, show promoters and the media to use your pictures from concerts, hang outs and whatnot. Now, this is not to mean you go about living beyond your means and all that but as much as possible try to always leave a good impression with your outfits. You can’t have everything as an upcoming musician but that’s why contacts can always help out if you have the right affiliations. No one is saying you can’t get a little help here and there. Go figure.
10. It’s a lonely road till you make it– Initially, no one will help out. In fact, you have to be well positioned, fortunate or something close to get free assistance in the early days of your career. Be prepared. But whatever the case, don’t give up. It is this stage that serves as the real test of your endurance and determines to large extents how far you will go as an individual. Sell yourself, be humble and focused, meet industry veterans and speak politely to them about your music and where you want to get to. Distribute your materials for free at every given opportunity. You need all of these and more, except of course you are the son of a billionaire or you have a huge financial base from your financier, both of which do not come by every other day for upcoming musicians.
11. Always be grateful – Even when it is payola and you have sent in some form of financial payment or otherwise to the bloggers, DJs, reviewers, OAPs or events hosts who have helped out in one form or another with plugging your music, still thank them. Be loyal, even when it hurts. You will need it. And you know one last truth about this? No one really knows who you are so you can send in monies for services and get swindled when your materials aren’t deployed as agreed and nothing will happen. Nothing. So be thankful when you get helps, free or not.
12. Understand the terms and conditions in every legal agreement you get into – Hire a lawyer. In the event you can’t, talk to an older colleague or friend who can get you one to either work pro bono because he/ she believes in your talent and vision, or work for you based on the agreement of getting a certain percentage off your returns in subsequent time, whatever works best for you.
CREDIT:
Adeokun Emmanuel..
Signature z MEMO..
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