I spoke at a music publishing seminar a couple of years ago with a producer buddy of mine. With my experience at a major label and his experience as a writer for a major publisher, we covered all bases and spoke some hard truths about publishing as well as the industry as a whole.
After two hours of industry information and inspiration, a young lady approached me at the end. She spewed off a list of all the people she’s “worked with”, then posed the often-asked question “how can I get on?”
It doesn’t surprise me when some people come to industry panels just to be seen and connect with the panelists, completely ignoring the valuable information given that could actually help their careers.
Being a nice guy, I took what she told me and tried to pose a couple of routes she could take. She then asked the same question in a different way. Burying my disdain, I gave her a couple other routes.
After this second round, she asked me again in a third way: “how can I get on?”
I then circled back to give her the same answers I gave her the first time she asked. With a straight face of course, because I’m a nice guy.
I kid you not… when I finished, she stared at me for about 3 seconds, giggled like a schoolgirl, then ran off.
Funny thing is: that’s not the craziest encounter I’ve had.
I tell this story to say: there are no shortcuts in this industry. The people who make it to the top and stay there are completely dedicated to perfecting their craft and have accepted the harsh truths about this industry.
Stay with me long enough to digest what I’m saying: the quicker you learn and understand these, the further you will go in the industry.
Talent Is not enough.
Talent is the foundation of your career: is it essential to your success, but it is only the base level. The recording artists that maintain lasting careers are the ones that filled a void in the market that no one else could.
What is the thing that makes you different from every other artist out there? Once you find it, use that as your foundation and build around it. Authenticity is key: gimmicks never last.
You don’t have to be the best vocalist/musician/entrepreneur out there: you just have to be the best you. There’s a chunk of people who don’t think Alicia Key can sing at all, but she’s built a successful career perfecting herself as a singer/songwriter/pianist.
ambition IS not enough.
You can have more drive to succeed than anyone else, but it means nothing without talent and action. In any given area, and especially the music industry, the formula for success is preparation + opportunity.
Make sure that you have a strong foundation in your talent/abilities and that your brand/product is polished and ready for whenever the opportunity knocks at your door. If your goal is to be the next big singer, get a vocal coach. If you want to be the next big manager, learn from someone already doing it.
Roll up your sleeves and get to work. This is not an overnight process, and you can’t just skip through it like a movie montage.
It doesn’t matter who you know.
Even if you get the chance to work with big names, it doesn’t mean that they will be able to magically give you an amazing career. For example: Kiley Dean and Nelly Furtado both had albums produced entirely by Timbaland and his team. Nelly made millions; most have no clue who Kiley is.
Every time I speak on a panel, one of the main points I try to make is for the attendees to network with each other and build careers with the person next to you. Instead of trying to latch onto the coattails of someone else, build your career’s foundation with other like-minded people. It’s how Missy Elliott and Timbaland got to where they are. The same goes with Rick Rubin and The Beastie Boys.
If you know someone trying to be a manager and you need one, link up and rise together. If you’re a singer and you know a producer grinding just like you, test out a working relationship. Make each other better. Learn and grow together. There’s strength in numbers.
There are thousands of one-hit wonders (and thousands more of no-hit wonders) who tried to take shortcuts to get to the top faster. However, those that took their time, perfected their crafts and persisted through the storms are the ones that built lasting successful careers.
How badly do you want it?
