THE ALBUM AFTER - the big break

You can do it again.

Not everyone would be lucky to have non-stop success like Psquare or a big second chance like Olu Maintain. For some artistes, that big break may only happen once. But you can do it again.

Your first big break is not an affirmation that you should party away the proceeds you get from your first opportunity.  Honestly, you have not arrived, since it’s your first album, you only just broke in.  But can you afford to stay in and on top? Well, unless you are satisfied with one good album.  Considering the state of the Nigerian music industry, you have to put more effort into staying at the top because of the steady influx of fresh talents and speedy growth of the industry.

There are people who you met in the game who are now your competitors and there are artists coming up and hoping they take your new found spot probably because they think you are a fluke.

After your first album, your focus should be on doing it again; making that magic happen again.

Therefore, after your big break first album or single:

1.      Don’t Relax

You should make an effort to identify your fans.  Know them, recognize them and gather them.  Build and grow your fan base. This is so that there is a set of people to sell your next project to and there is a group of people who would still be talking about you.  You can fall back on them to spread word about you while you prepare for your next project.

2.     Milk the opportunity

Strive to get as much as you can from every opportunity that comes your way during this first break of yours. Make most of the cash, connections and attention.  Be careful.  Don’t be in a hurry to close a door and if you have to, close gently.  Don’t take any item for granted and don’t waste away your ‘profits’ forgetting that you are on a journey.  Don’t just be the creative music artiste, be a business man. Take opportunities like shows and endorsements seriously. Build a good reputation especially before event organizers and the corporate world. I’m not saying be a saint but I’m saying keep doors open for yourself. 

3.     If you can write songs…

If you get inspired during this busy period of yours, you can steal time to write some new songs for your next project.   You will travel, meet new people, share new experiences; hence you would have a lot to share in your next project. 

4.     When your first ‘break’ season begin to die down, take a break and go prepare.  Write and record new songs.

5.     Finance: make good use of your resources especially financial, so you can better focus on your creativity. Channel them right.

6.     Seek for better management of your business and talent.  If your current management can’t match up with the pace at which your career moves you might need to seek better hands. They either catch up or you move on. No sentiments attached. This doesn’t mean you should breach any contract that you both are in but if your contract is over, this option can be very much considered.  This decision should be well deliberated.  If your choice is to move, close the door gently while you leave, who knows...

PROJECT IMPACTAINMENT

Music for change

“Music itself is a proficient way to convey a Message.  Music does not just beget attitude but a life style, a way of thinking.”

Project Impactainment is about charging music artistes to educate, motivate and be socially and intellectually responsible.  It’s a campaign…

And the campaign is about:

‘Ideas music artistes sing about or things they do that pass across wrong messages to the younger generation.’

This session is some kind of starter. We do hope you spread the word.

Music and Education

The mistaken thought that artistes didn’t want to get education.

#what will education do for a music artiste?

Education is not limited to the classroom. So I am not only talking about conventional schooling here. The concept of education is a very flexible one and education itself is a continuous process. They say: 

‘The day you stop learning is the day you start dying’ –Anonymous.

 I’m sure they mean dying mentally. The mind begins to weaken…

Young people are getting a very wrong impression that some successful music artistes didn’t and still don’t want to get education.  I believe this is not necessarily true.  Music artistes are making efforts to become better at what they do and part of those efforts is getting knowledge or getting knowledgeable people around them to guide them right; hence the impact of education.

I believe education is majorly about getting knowledge to practice for good - for your good and the good of others. The key is to have a goal and study in consistent with that goal. Basic education (primary and secondary) and even tertiary will always be a plus to your music career.

Our music has gone beyond “make I sing make them know me”. Look at us; this is not where we were we and our music used to be. There has been an evolution and this sporadic growth is not coming to a stop in the nearest future. There is a huge disparity between artistes who are knowledgeable and artistes who are not.  Illiteracy begat stagnancy. 

Please don’t get me wrong, I am not talking about learning to speak Queen’s English, this is more about educating your mind.  

Educate your mind, sell your music, and make money. They say there is so much music and there is little or no business. Break the norm and induce the business.

Education will open your mind.

Do you need music education to become a music artist?

It really depends on what kind of artist you want to be. Classical, yes. Rap, No. A class in your music category would definitely help you. 

In most areas involving the arts, your performance matters more than your education. While a degree in music might help you get a job teaching music, it will be a recital or demo tape that will determine if you get a job as a musician. 

And it will be your talent, your persistence and a lot of dumb luck that will determine if you are successful as a performer. 

In hiring artists, I place far more weight on their portfolio than I do their education. 

However, that being said, a good music school can certainly improve your talent and ability dramatically, and the good schools can even offer industry connections and introductions.

Anonymous

Culled from http://wiki.answers.com/

Music and Dignified labor

The mistaken thought that music is not a respectable career

The mistaken thought that one does not need to work to succeed (“I can go into music and somehow I will blow”).

#there is dignity in labor

Why do people turn to music when they have life issues/struggles and they can’t even sing?

And why do ‘Johnny miss roads’ and fraudsters keep saturating the music industry sef?

Please, there is dignity in labor.

Every mega successful artiste from this country understands the above concept.  Do not misjudge or misunderstand them. I don’t believe a 2face lounges all day and I heard D’banj does not either.

A music video is a selling tool and it will be silly for you as an upcoming music artiste to believe that this is the lifestyle of the average top celeb. Well yeah, maybe on weekends, but not on a Monday morning.

Being a music artiste is a job. You need to work your job. 

 

Also, please feel free to see yourself as person who’s got a job – no matter how well you are known. As long as you are on this journey to getting your music known and accepted you have a career already. I know this could be difficult, especially if you are not earning, but that’s what it is. You do music. 

Package your music career. Be serious about it. That you ‘sag’ your trouser does not mean you should be sag or slack in your career. It is your ‘career’ we are talking about here.

If you are an upcoming artiste doing good music but not earning, you can get a part time job or business to support yourself. Get more on this from my post on this.

Successful music artistes should do more to encourage young people through their music that work can not be evaded. They should teach them the concept of work and how they themselves work.  This is because a lot of upcoming artistes and young fans think a top music artiste just goes into the recording booth, producer produces, marketer pays and wala! ‘Won ti so wo’(they’ve paid) so where the girls at?