NAVYA C
ADITI SARAWAGI
The 101 to Being a Successful Musician
What does it take to be a successful musician today ? Only composing good music and having a good voice is not enough , other factors are needed to make it in the highly competitive music industry today . Music is available in different formats and platforms , in a range of genres and one has to keep up with the times to be a successful musician .
Write your Own Music-These days just having a good voice is not enough . You must have a sound knowledge of music and writing one ’ s own songs gives an added edge to the composition as a whole in the eyes of the audience .
Produce your Own Music-Big recording studios and music labels are not the only means to get one ’ s music out in public . A label might take a while to sign an artist but it shouldn ’ t be an obstacle in releasing one ’ s music . Gear , today is affordable and easy to set up so producing your own music is not that big a challenge anymore .
Distribute Your Music Effectively- Distributing music is no longer limited to large record labels . There are many small and medium distributors now in India who operate in the media business .
Copyright-Awareness about copyright and music licensing will go a long way in securing one ’ s career .
Study and Give the Best you Can- Study music theory and appreciation from experts in the field and always give your best . The more you hone your craft , the less room for error and more room for musical hits .
Tours-Individual tours and festival tours increase artist visibility and play a huge role in the popularity of one ’ s music , songs and brand as a whole .
Music Streaming Platforms- Apps like Spotify , Apple Music , Amazon Music are an integral part of the music industry today and has completely changed how music is consumed . Shazam is also an app which helps in locating and identifying your music . One ’ s music needs to be present on these platforms to reach the audiences .
Social Media Platforms-Social media like Instagram , Facebook , Twitter , Snapchat have become an integral part in defining a musician ’ s success today . As more and more media is consumed digitally , these platforms are engaging fans like never before allowing a direct contact with the artist . One ’ s presence on social media can make or break a career .
Create a Team-Creating a team to work for you and with you is a game changer . Being a musician is not an easy task and everything cannot be done alone . A great team can make life easier for an artist which includes the recording labels , managers , booking agents , PR agents , and social media managers amongst others . Surrounding oneself with the right people can make a huge difference in a musicians ’ success rate . Stay Authentic-With digitalisation reaching the grassroot level , today ’ s Indian music industry is booming and regional sounds are slowly but surely becoming one of the top contenders for the charts . Audiences are exploring non-film genres and myriad tastes are evolving giving more plausibility to the artist to stay authentic to his roots and create the music he wants .
Connect with Fans-Gone are the days when being a media personality made you a distant , inaccessible human on the billboards . Today with social media , live shows and concerts , there are a lot of ways to interact with the audience and the fans . The more connected an artist is with his fanbase the more his reach extends and this has become crucial for success .
International Reach-The internet has made it very easy for fans sitting thousands of miles away to be listening to your music . This can not only lead to increase in your fanbase , number of hits on your social media pages , and number of plays ; but also lead to international gigs and collaborations .
Short Video Apps-Instagram Reels , Triller , TikTok ( though banned in India ) -these apps have been seen playing a major role in increasing the popularity of songs and the artists and create viral trends which supplement the success of a musician .
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