A LOT of independent artists out there find out the hard way that it takes more than good music these days to get publicity, bookings, a social media following, a core fan base, let alone get signed to an independent with major distribution, or get signed directly to a major. I come across so many talented artists who have the potential to acquire indy or mainstream success, but they are missing one very crucial component, A BRAND.
I've started this 25 Day #ADD Brand Challenge to give a little insight to independent artists about what it takes to develop an attention worthy brand to grasp the attention of fans and music business executives. I am challenging you all to take it up a notch! #ADD simple stands for "Artist Development Dedication." If you are serious about getting into the industry of music, you must be dedicated; which means, you must look like a professional doing it! Otherwise, we're not paying attention to you. The market is saturated with aspiring musicians. I'm taking a new approach to artist development and teaching you artists out there a little something called "branding." Your success starts with the music, but you will last in this business by developing a brand. Your brand consists of your music, the message of your music, your image, your online visuals, your marketing collaterals, your merchandise... any and everything you put out to the public.
These days, you must come with the total package and that includes what seems like team of individuals who manage your brand, but it could very well be you sitting in your living room or studio with multiple apps and computer software, producing high quality visual presentations. All it takes is a little "know how" and creativity to get noticed. Grab you a couple of college interns, set aside a budget and let's get to work.
If you are an independent artist and you feel what I'm saying, then listen up because for the next 25 days, I'm giving you the juice and guiding you on how to #ADD to your brand....
DAY 1 - I'm an artist. How do I get my music "right"?
As an artist, your music is your legacy. It will be here long after you leave this earth. The first and most important step is getting your music right. You can't be heard without the music. Make sure that your
the genre of music is the love of your life. Immense yourself in your genre and understand it thoroughly. Study your craft. Learn from the successful greats who came before you, then add your own approach. Pay attention to the individuality of the various artists in your genre.
If you're not sure if your music is any good, it probably isn't. But, it may not be your fault. It could be an issue of bad vocal production, you may need better writers or the track's production isn't all that great. If you are a singer and you can't quite hit every note the way you should, or if you're pitchy and always out of tune, get a vocal coach. If you are a writer, take your time with the music. Write songs one inspiration at a time. Never rush the songwriting process. Make sure you have catchy hooks and the lyrical content that is not common; something you hear in songs everyday. Invest in a thesaurus or visit Thesaurus.com. You will learn there are a million and one ways to say the same thing. Singers, your lyric and melody should ride the tracks perfectly. If you are a member of SESAC, ASCAP or BMI, invest in the songwriting workshops they offer. You will learn from Grammy award winning producers and writers. If you are an aspiring producer, make sure you are using software to produce professionally mastered music quality. Take a trip to Guitar Center and get schooled about different production equipment and software. Research the producers and studios in your local area and get an apprenticeship under a producer you admire. Also, I encourage everyone to learn a thing or two about engineering. It will help your ear when recording. If you don't know what that means, then you need to take a couple music classes...
At the end of the day, if you hand an executive a demo and it's not properly mixed and you sound horrible, we are going to toss it to the streets and find out what they think about it. It only takes 30 seconds into each song for us to know.
Start the social conversation by using hash tags #ADD and #JCouturePR
- Joy A. Young, CEO of J.Couture Productions
Visit www.JCoutureProductions.com to submit for a one on one consultation.
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