Tips that could prove to be helpful for any upcoming music artist by C MARK
I think the most import tip I could give any upcoming artist is to get use to failure. Failure should be your best friend. If you can overcome your fear of failing & welcome it like an old friend I believe this industry will feel more graceful. Each failed experience can be accompanied by powerful knowledge & extraordinary growth if you let it. If you can think of failure as a tool you will learn to use it & in result it will make you a much better artist in the long run.
DON’T BE JADED! It’s very easy to get jaded in this business. Instead of searching for things you don’t like about a song you should always try to understand why people connect with it. This exploration might even spark inspiration. Don’t let someone else successes & failures determine your successes & failures! It’s easy to get down & question your abilities or purpose when you see another artist popping off. Especially if an artists hasn’t been around as long as you. It’s also easy to get discouraged when you see an artist you really love not popping off.
It makes you question if you even have a shot. But remember everyone’s journey/story is different. Instead of letting someone’s success get you down be happy for them! And if you notice an artist not getting the love you feel they deserve SHOW THEM LOVE. Support other artists & let it all inspire you to work harder.
DO IT YOURSELF! We all have access to so many tools today. Don’t find yourself in quicksand because you’re always waiting for someone to deliver. Don’t let you art come across as budgeted because you don’t have the money for high priced producers, mixing engineers, graphic designers, etc. If you want a badass mix then start investing your time. Research, practice, repetition! If you don’t have money to do a photoshoot then set one up yourself. We have access to so much knowledge. You can learn how to do anything on Youtube these days. Make your own destiny.
Don’t be greedy. If someone is investing their time into your project make them feel valued. If you don’t have money to pay for their services offer them equity. Think about it? Do you want 100% of K100 or 50% of K1,000? If someone is making a big difference in the quality of your work whether it be creating music or creating avenues to getting your music in front of an audience then that difference is worth something.
Don’t spend your career trying to create what other people think is cool. Create something that YOU believe in. People fail all the time writing music that others are telling them to write or that they feel is a “sure thing.”
There is literally no such thing as a sure thing in this business. But as long as you believe in it then there will be no regrets. Don’t let money make or break your spirit. I TRULY didn’t start making money until the last 3 years & I’ve been doing this for over a decade. The reality is most money make goes right back into my project. I believe a lot of artists are this way. So if you are in this for the pay-check I suggest turning around.
I know this is very fortune cookie of me but ENJOY THE JOURNEY & CELEBRATE THE SMALL VICTORIES. I can’t tell you how many times I missed out on what was happening in the present moment because I was hyper focused on the future. Every release, ever show, & every time you write a new song is so special & we need to remind ourselves of that more.
What do you think of these tips? Don’t forget to share those with any upcoming producers/DJs, you might know.