For several upcoming music acts, the cost of running their career and lack of reach for their music has been a massive struggle despite the amount of talent they possess. As a result, a question that often crosses the mind of young musicians just starting out or even old ones still navigating the industry is, "when will I get signed?"
No label will want to dole out money or sign you if they are not sure they are making a suitable investment by bringing you on. So you need to reach specific requirements to convince the label you are an appropriate investment.
These guidelines will help you to start paying emphasis to the right things in your music and brand. Whether you are looking towards getting signed or not, here are seven tips you need to start using to impress label heads
You need a Social Media Presence: You need to be in the faces of people; labels sometimes don't want to start doing the tough job of connecting with local audiences for you. So you need a social media presence to build an audience that makes labels turn their heads and look for you to the ends of the earth.
In developing your social media presence, don't rush it; pay attention to developing it organically; if the music is good, you will grow naturally. Build your followings, and ensure you have an interactive fanbase on your social media. You could also do the job of pointing labels to your music by tagging them from time to time.
Pay attention to the trends: From time to time, trends come up that almost everyone on the internet is paying attention to. So when global trends like this come up, that is your perfect time to get people's attention.
It is essential that when you are crafting your content for whatever trend is trendy at the time, try not to overdo it and avoid being corny. If you do it in a corny way, you can lose fans and even become more hated.
Make sure whatever content you are crafting for a trend is creative and passes a message. Trends can escalate your career because of the number of interactions it provides.
Be Strategic with your content: Employing a strategy for your content helps provide people with a story that sells you and your music. For example, assuming you are someone from a racially marginalized community or a marginalized social group.
If some of these messages are passed in your music, it can get you a platform that amplifies your voice for more people to listen to you. The message in your content is essential as labels sometimes need strong voices; they can provide a platform depending on what the audience wants to hear.
Attend Music hangouts: Music hangouts are the perfect opportunities for you to socialize and meet people who can foster your career. Be ready to hand out copies of your music at music hangouts. Make sure you make the best use of the hangout opportunities you get.
Sometimes it can get frustrating as some people you will meet to help might disappoint, but take the disappointments to the chin and keep moving. At hangouts, there are many people you could connect with that could give you a listening chance, be prepared and make the best of hangouts.
Hangouts are always advertised near you, and it could be an afterparty of a famous musician, get tickets and be there. If getting tickets is expensive for you, there are online spaces where the needed ears are gathered; join those spaces and contribute.
Make submissions: Be sure to submit to labels and A&R requesting submissions. Then, go the extra mile by giving your music to DJs, radio houses, and music events. Sometimes a third party to the needed ears can stumble on your music through these submissions.
Have enough copies of your music you can submit when needed. These days, most might not demand physical copies of your music. Be sure to have your streaming services link and artist card ready to be doled out to individuals at any moment. Also, make as many submissions via mail as possible.
Take the Small Opportunities: Never overlook the baby steps that can catapult you to the peak of your career. Take up cheap offers such as opportunities to make jingles for a company, a movie soundtrack, or even radio jingles.
These little opportunities could be the stepping stone your career needs; the music industry, the movie, and the broadcasting industry are all intertwined. Taking up these little opportunities could lead to someone else recommending you to someone else, and that's how it goes. Sooner or later, you will find yourself where you want yourself.
Go to music competitions: Music contests or shows are an excellent way to display yourself for the right opportunity. For example, Eminem used to do rap battles in his neighborhood until he went to the rap Olympics. The rap Olympics is a competition for rappers from three states in the United States.
Although he finished second in the contest, his display in the competition was the beginning of a change in his career. He went from unknown to arguably the most famous rapper to walk the earth and went from poverty to a multimillionaire.
His performance at the competition got someone interested in him, who got his CD and submitted it to a label. So go to competitions and show what you are made of, and luck might shine your way.
These guidelines will only position you for the correct label; many more details go into getting signed. Be sure to get your lawyer involved when getting into contracts, and make sure you know your worth. Do not rush your growth; make sure you emphasize developing and creating the right music people want to listen to, don't be too desperate to get signed and lose everything you are building.
Tunedly is your go-to online music studio, music publisher, and masked music discovery service. Tunedly connects songwriters and music creators to some of the world’s most talented session musicians to create professional-sounding music and help you gain exposure through music publishing opportunities.
