tag:kingstonelite.com,2005:/blogs/kurt-d-flurt-drama-free-single?p=1Kingston Elite News2021-09-23T11:28:40-04:00Kingston Elitefalsetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/67552422021-09-23T11:28:40-04:002023-10-16T10:52:34-04:00Every Musician Needs A Revenue Completeness Check: Here’s How<p>As a musician, you don’t want to be leaving any money on the table. With this revenue completeness checklist, you can guarantee you’re capitalizing on opportunities to monetize your music.</p>
<p>Are you taking advantage of every opportunity to monetize your music? This Revenue Completeness Checklist is a great way to guide your efforts as an independent musician. Refer back to this post and use this checklist to evaluate your progress and stay on track. </p>
<h3>“You can’t knock on opportunity’s door and not be ready.” – Bruno Mars</h3>
<h3>Releasing Music </h3>
<p>Is your record released and on all platforms? </p>
<p>Alongside our legendary client support team, get the most out of your music with our technology, distribution network, royalty management, music monetization services, and marketing. Distribute your music to the largest network in the world, with 120+ stores and streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and many more at your disposal. </p>
<p>Are you giving yourself ample time to build releases? <br>Are you effectively marketing those releases? </p>
<h4>Sound Exchange </h4>
<p>Register with Sound Exchange on both the artist AND label side. </p>
<p>Need help with this? No problem. — Here at Symphonic, we can assist you in managing this line of revenue. In addition, there’s a good change you have unallocated royalties waiting for you there already if you have had any considerable Pandora, or Sirius XM radio play. </p>
<h4>Neighboring Rights </h4>
<p>The concept of neighboring rights is similar to that of performance rights, because both kinds of royalties are earned through public performances/broadcasts of music. </p>
<p>Sound recording owners (record labels and performing artists) collect Neighboring Rights royalties whenever their sound recordings are publicly performed on satellite radio (such as Sirius XM), internet radio (such as Pandora, BBC), cable TV music channels, TV outside of the USA, terrestrial radio outside of the USA, and much more. </p>
<p>If you are not getting plays here, you won’t be entitled to any money. However, if you ARE… this could be considerable revenue for you. </p>
<h4>Live Streaming </h4>
<p>Are you live streaming? — If not, why not? <br>Monetize live streams through a 3rd party provider or digital tip jar. </p>
<h4>Publishing </h4>
<p>Are you registered with a local PRO? (This is not the same as “having a pub deal”- Pick one, and sign up! <br>Do you have a publishing deal? or Are you properly administering your publishing? </p>
<p>If you do not have a publishing or admin deal you NEED to register yourself with the MLC (Mechanical Licensing Collective). </p>
<p>How much co-writing and collaboration are you doing with other writers? You can make great money writing with and for other artists! <br>Consider print publishing if you have songs that would be easily translated to sheet music for the enjoyment of others. This is a small piece of the pie, but can be good if you have an engaged audience who would buy it. </p>
<h4>Live Shows </h4>
<p>Are your tickets available for purchase online? <br>Do you have merch available? <br>Are you registered with a Performance Royalty Organization? (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC)</p>
<p>You need to make sure you’re registered with a Performing Rights Organization like ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC. This is crucial because these are the people that make sure you’re getting paid every time your song is played…. But don’t stop there. You’ll also want to look into mechanical royalties, aka the money you make when something is downloaded or sold on say, iTunes, which ASCAP, SESAC, and BMI don’t cover. </p>
<p>In the meantime, sharpen your legal skills and check out “Booking and Live Contracts for Musicians”. </p>
<h4>YouTube </h4>
<p>Are you active on the platform? If not, WHY? <br>Have you optimized your channel? <br>Are you monetizing your channel? <br>Content ID? </p>
<h4>Sync </h4>
<p>This applies to publishing a bit, too. if you have a pub deal, you likely cannot do a sync rep deal for anything other than your masters. </p>
<p>Are you actively pitching for syncs? <br>Is your music appropriate for sync opportunities? </p>
<p>There are ways to make it more sync friendly and increase your chances for placements. — Check out “How to Optimize your Songwriting for Sync”. </p>
<p>Do you have split sheets for all of your music outlining who owns what? <br>Be sure to have instrumentals and clean mixes on hand of all songs. (Stems would be even more beneficial.) </p>
<h4>Social Media / Tik Tok / Triller/ Facebook/ Twitter / Bandcamp, etc. </h4>
<p>Are you on all of these platforms? You need to be! </p>
<p>You can monetize activity on these platforms – especially when it comes to the use of your music… assuming you have a distribution partner watching and monetizing there… *cough cough* that’s us! </p>
<p>These platforms are also essential to building and engaging your fan base. Success here is directly attributable to success at the DSPs and in the live show world. </p>
<h4>In Conclusion… </h4>
<p>This checklist is meant to help you make sure that you are monetizing your music in every way you can. Go down the list and check off what you’ve done and what you haven’t. Then, make sure you’re taking steps to complete everything you’re missing. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/67552402021-09-23T11:21:37-04:002021-09-23T11:21:37-04:005 Tips To Grow Your Own Music Business<p>While it certainly takes hard work, being able to grow a successful and profitable business out of your passion makes it all worth it! Here, we look at five tips that will help you on your way to success.</p>
<p>Building a business around your passion is often portrayed as a difficult pipe dream. Yet how incredible does it sound to wake up and do what you love every single day — all while being paid handsomely for that work? I cannot imagine anyone saying “No” to that! </p>
<p>Fortunately, social media, e-commerce, and everything else about the connectivity of the internet has made this lifestyle much more attainable, erasing the need for labels and middlemen, and removing the authority of industry gatekeepers. Now, a music career can become a completely viable path when matched with a solid plan and consistent action towards your creative and business goals. </p>
<h4>1. Know your offer. </h4>
<p>First, you need to understand what you want to offer to your future clients. A great starting point is finding a middle ground between where you excel as an artist and what is marketable (i.e: what one can charge money for?). </p>
<p>Go out and ask your friends and family what they think makes you different as a musician. Ask what have been some of their favorite projects of yours or what hidden talents you may not be aware of; then ask these same people what skills you have that you could potentially charge for. </p>
<p>A great opening question could be “What topics do you usually come to me for when you need advice?” Write down 3-5 things that stand out and see which ones you could potentially create a business around. This can become your first offer and business idea to experiment around. </p>
<h4>2. Share your work and create brand visibility. </h4>
<p>Once you have decided on a business idea to roll with, the next step is to start creating content. We live in a content-rich and content-based age so sharing our work becomes essential to developing visibility. Fortunately short-form content is so popular these days that creating is now pretty sustainable. </p>
<p>Think about creating pieces around your business that you can share in about 15 – 30 seconds worth of video. Hint, people love content that is either funny, inspirational, or educational — and bonus points if it tells people more about your work process. It also pays to think analytically about who your audience is and where they typically consume content (i.e: platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram). </p>
<p>Regularly sharing and posting your work — as well as content around your work — will deepen trust with your current audience and clients, and of course contribute to attracting and acquiring future clients.</p>
<h4>3. Build your infrastructure. </h4>
<p>Next is building your system to provide your clients with the best possible experience. This means lining up exactly how your services work, how you will communicate and schedule with clients, how you will collect payment, and lastly your way of operating. </p>
<p>A great starting place is setting up both a website and a standard operating agreement. This level of professionalism will set you apart from the rest and will create an environment of safety and trust for your clients. Try to think of everything that could come up before you start offering your work (i.e: revision rates fees, do you take a deposit upfront, legal, royalties, etc.). Potential clients will ask you all of these questions and having it all locked in will have your clients love and respect working with you. </p>
<p>Everyone appreciates working with a solid and trustworthy professional. Keep the business operations neat, polished, and concise! </p>
<h4>4. Develop a plan and execute. </h4>
<p>Once you have your offer, some content and your infrastructure lined up, the next step is to build a plan as to how you will share your work and attract clients. Set a tangible goal to work towards — such as number of clients per month or a certain amount of income generated — and develop a system around that goal. Keep it light to start and easily achievable, respective to your current resources on time and income. </p>
<p>Then, most importantly, execute that plan of attack, giving yourself at least 4-6 months of consistency before you make any significant changes to your business plan. Building a music business is a slow burn and sometimes things won’t start moving until after a few weeks to several months, so I always encourage musicians to stick to their guns and only pivot if they see a glaring error in their process. </p>
<p>You can break this step down into three subcategories: </p>
<p>Identifying your audience and where they consume content. <br>Getting quality content in front of that audience. <br>How you will accompany clients along your sales funnel (i.e: consultations, Zoom webinars, etc.). </p>
<p>One word of advice: DO NOT spend money on ads, especially if you are starting out. This leads perfectly into my final point. </p>
<h4>5. Collect feedback and adapt. </h4>
<p>Revenue is the best feedback when it comes to the viability of a business. So is the number and consistency of your clientele. After you execute Step 4, look back and see if you’ve hit your goal. </p>
<p>Try to identify the action items that made the most significant difference in your work, as well as ones that may have been roadblocks. Look for the small things. Something as small as not including a “call to action” in a social post can lead to a ton of missed business. Identify what parts of your plan built your business, acted as a hindrance, and/or had a neutral effect (these can often be removed from your process). </p>
<p>From here you can then modify your current plan around this feedback, and that’s where adaptation comes in. During this process, it is vital to not take on any practices that could distort your findings. The big example here is money spent on advertising; ads are great to push an already incredible product but can be misrepresentative of your results if the business idea is weak. In other words, expect false positives. </p>
<p>How can you know if you have a strong idea if you are inorganically promoting it? Wait until you know your business idea is so good that it could thrive without an advertising campaign, then you can start spending money on marketing to scale up! </p>
<p>Also, on this point, make sure to not take anything personally. Results are not dependent upon your level of talent, but just on how well thought out and executed a plan is. There is always something we as musicians can offer that someone will throw money at us for. </p>
<h4>Final Thoughts </h4>
<p>There are, of course, many finer points to building a business in music, but most of them can still all be summarized into two things: action and learning. Like writing a song, building a business is an ongoing process. It will never stop and it will continue to evolve. I am still learning so much about this process but I’ve been able to create a healthily sustainable career out of doing what I love. </p>
<p>I personally cherish my creative lifestyle and can attribute it all to taking action, experimenting, and always looking at both the “failures” and “success” as learning lessons to be able to improve and refine my business. I wish for all creatives out there to live a life of abundance doing what they love.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/67552172021-09-23T11:11:07-04:002021-09-23T11:29:16-04:00Building Your Music Career One Small Success At A Time<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1f9c08bb24974f0463900e9af819ba97a90a874f/original/high-efficiency-buildings.jpg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Here we look at the small steps you can take on the road to success that will help build the foundation for a long term successful career in the music business.</p>
<p><strong>By building off successes – even small ones – you can ladder up to achieve greater opportunities. Try these techniques to grow your music career. </strong></p>
<p>With the music business, whenever something you do becomes successful, even if it’s somewhat small, don’t let it sit — use it as a trigger to try to get more results. This is a tactic called laddering and it’s a powerful way to grow your career, grow your audience, and earn more money. </p>
<p>For example, a sold-out show should get you (or your booker) to book more shows at other prominent venues. Media/press coverage about your latest single should get other outlets to take notice and write about you. Each achievement you accomplish is like stepping on the next rung of a ladder: with each step, you can reach higher to grab even bigger successes that are now within your reach as you work your way up toward your ultimate goal. </p>
<p>The steps below will help you form the groundwork so you can ladder up your successes. That way, you can make the most of them when they happen. Then, each time you achieve something you set out to do or get recognized for your music and what you’re doing, you can use these techniques to generate new business and opportunities. </p>
<p>The following actions will help you build a portfolio of success for your music career. </p>
<p>Always keep an up-to-date “prospect list” of potential clients who represent your next business deals </p>
<p>No matter what kind of business you have, success comes from having a business pipeline of possible opportunities and deals you’re shooting for. Music is no different. There are key professionals you’ll want to know and build relationships with. If you want to generate opportunities (new shows at more prominent venues, more media/press coverage, etc.) this requires you to connect and stay in touch with key people, even if you don’t succeed in your first attempts. </p>
<p>You can convince them you’re worth their attention by sharing successes that spark their interest. By reaching out and building your circle of professionals, you’ll have a greater chance of succeeding with them later and laddering up to the next level after that. </p>
<p>Here are some examples of who to start to cultivate and build relationships with: </p>
<ul> <li>Promoters and bookers. Get to know the talent buyers at venues where you want to book shows. </li> <li>Press/media. Reach out to the press/media outlets where you want to be featured. </li> <li>Journalists. Write to the people who cover your type of music. </li> <li>Music supervisors. Get your music into the music libraries of music supervisors, directors, and video makers who you think would like to license your music and keep them up-to-date on your accomplishments. </li> <li>Business owners. Establish a relationship with any businesses that might be possible sponsors (even if you’re starting out, you can always shoot to get local businesses to sponsor you).</li>
</ul>
<h4>Save proof of any accomplishment or achievement</h4>
<p>Each success should add to your chronicle, or portfolio, a concept we cover in our book in detail. Essentially, creating a chronicle lists all your accomplishments to date and makes it easier to send the entire list of what you’ve done to others. Ideas of what to add are below, but there’s one additional point to consider: when you have too many shows or too much press coverage to list, aggregate them. For example: “we’ve played over 100 shows,” “we have over 60 songs,” or “our music has been streamed over 100,000 times.” These are facts and statistics that are useful for articles and fact sheets for journalists. </p>
<ul> <li>Shows. Take pictures from the shows, note if it was sold out, capture the date and venue, copy/capture any ads the venue put out that promoted you, posters you created, etc. Each time you book another show, either the total number of live shows or some of the key facts (playing at a prestigious venue, number of sold-out shows) can trigger more bookings or ladder up to new venues that were out of reach a few months ago. </li> <li>Press coverage. Track all press/media coverage you get and make sure to capture it since it often disappears off the web. While this is manual, services such as Evernote, Apple Notes, Google Keep, or OneNote can help capture or snapshot coverage as well as store it. </li> <li>Licensing. Keep a list of any licensing deals you make (even ones where you give permission to use your music for free such as YouTubers or student filmmakers) and keep a record of the productions where your music was featured. Each new placement can trigger others to get interested in your music. </li> <li>Sponsorships. Keep a list — or create a collage — of all of the logos from your sponsorships so future business people can see who has worked with you. </li>
</ul>
<h4>Use each success to ladder up to the next opportunity or deal</h4>
<p>Every bit of media coverage, each licensing deal, and every sold-out show and success you have gives you the chance to climb upwards. Use each one as a trigger to remind yourself to reach out to your prospect list you made in step one and see if you can use your new successes to leverage a new opportunity. </p>
<p>You can promote each of these successes to your list of fans and prospects since all of those successes show you’re active and have momentum. For example, selling out a large venue can help create sponsorship opportunities, while press/media coverage can help drive all types of potential deals — more bookings, additional press and media, licensing and sponsorship inquiries, and more. Don’t forget to reach up, not just out. For example, a story or two in a local blog might help you get coverage in a national or international press/media outlet. </p>
<p>Success generates more success, so you’ll want to turn this into a habit. Use the success to trigger you to create more opportunities and reach for another rung on the ladder. You’ll be evaluating each to help you build the next business deal as you work on the shows, licensing, and coverage you’re already getting. Plus, you’ll be sending positive news to the people who you want to do business with, setting yourself up for the next opportunity.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65584082021-02-25T11:03:28-05:002021-02-25T11:03:28-05:0010 Things To Do Now To Leverage Your Growth As An Artist<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/95a0708462a89fe0af28726add3514b8a447fc34/original/img-9466.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As an artist, the way in which you market yourself and your music is much the same way as you would any product or service, in that there are key actions you can take to leverage your growth. Here, we break down what some of these are.</p>
<p>Leveraging your growth as an artist is a continuous process. In fact, it can be very easy to follow your path in music without pausing to actively review where the potential for additional growth lies. The way in which you might market yourself as an artist is ultimately similar to the approach you would take to market any product in that there are key actions you can take to boost awareness, discovery, exploration, purchase, retention and advocacy. Here are 10 things you can do now to leverage your growth as an artist. </p>
<h4>Conduct a strategic analysis </h4>
<p>In order to know what direction to take your career, you have to understand the environment in which you operate. Which makes conducting a strategic analysis essential for artists who are looking to formulate a clear plan for their path forward. A strategic analysis lays the foundation for helping you achieve the goals you set for yourself and it will help guide your decision making when it comes to planning. Additional bonus? It will help your team more effectively support you. </p>
<h4>Prioritize and plan your tasks for the next 6 months </h4>
<p>With your strategic analysis in hand you can prioritize and plan your tasks for the next six months. Such tasks might include setting up a welcome series for your email marketing, implementing basic SEO on your website or optimizing your website for voice search. If you’re moving into releasing an album the task could be to perform a brand audit. </p>
<h4>Conduct a brand audit </h4>
<p>A brand audit is key for helping you understand how your artist brand is performing in the eyes of your fans. Benefits to conducting a brand audit include: helping you determine positioning and planning corrective strategies, discovering the strengths and weaknesses of your business, aligning your offerings more closely with the expectations of your fanase and helping you to more accurately understand how you are perceived by your potential and existing fanbase. </p>
<h4>Craft your elevator pitch and update your short bio on all key platforms </h4>
<p>It’s important to not only know who you are, but be able to explain it in short form. Why? Because on most apps and platforms you don’t have room for a 500 word bio. Nor does your audience want to spend their time reading that length of copy. They want to know who you are, and they want it succinctly. Your personality should shine here, your tone of voice should be at the forefront. Keep it short and sweet, but most of all be you. </p>
<h4>Develop your Content Pillars </h4>
<p>Content pillars are themes or topics which create a foundation for your overarching content strategy. They’re sometimes also called buckets, but essentially they are relevant topics which you might want to talk about to your target fanbase. Often artists forget to talk about more than just music or promotion and this creates an imbalance in content and overall voice. Your fans want to engage with you, not only hear about your new release or upcoming show. Share with them the essence of what makes you, you. Possible content pillars might include Music, Promotion, Interests and Advocacy. You should aim for sharing content that somewhat evenly includes all of your content pillars (while recognizing that during times when you’re promoting a show or a new release that balance might skew somewhat). By following this approach to your content you will be able to successfully gain and engage more fans on your key platforms. </p>
<h4>Optimize your welcome series emails </h4>
<p>Welcome series emails (or email marketing automations) are often overlooked by artists. However, welcome series emails are more positively received than all other marketing emails. Not only do they have 86% higher open rates but they’re expected (by 76% of new subscribers). Further, subscribers who receive welcome emails demonstrate 33% more long-term brand engagement. With a simple welcome series of emails you can implement a strategy for turning moderately engaged fans into mega-fans and create and maintain high-value loyalty. </p>
<h4>Run a campaign targeting email subscriptions </h4>
<p>Email is still king, and don’t let anyone tell you any differently. Emails provide a rich content experience, and you reach fans directly, cheaply, and in a time-relevant manner. With the many benefits to email marketing it makes sense to implement tactics regularly which help you to gain new subscribers you can communicate with. Simply create a social media post with a visual asset, and then 1-2 days later boost that post to your followers. Do this at the start of every marketing campaign you run (such as for a release or a tour) and you’ll see your subscribers grow consistently. </p>
<h4>Optimize your e-commerce store </h4>
<p>If you’re going to sell merchandise it’s important that your store offering is optimized for pricing, positioning and product. This means offering a streamlined range of products (which you may want to align strategically with releases or tours) and promoting the products via a range of marketing tactics including exclusive offers, limited time runs, charity supports and so forth. If you want to take your store up a notch or two set up automated email campaigns which will help you win customers and keep them coming back. </p>
<h4>Create an annual calendar of events (key dates and milestones such as Black Friday, etc) </h4>
<p>Not only is it important to plan your year around recording, releases, promotion and touring but you might also want to create an annual calendar of events which incorporates key dates or milestones such as annual holidays, shopping events or days of worship. Aside from helping you to organize your marketing milestones a calendar can help you to identify any gaps in your plans. For example is there a timeframe in which the calendar shows you have a content gap? Or does it show that plans are overlapping? By being able to clearly see where upcoming plans lie to you can best set yourself up for success. </p>
<h4>Leverage your community </h4>
<p>In order to leverage your community you should post frequently, consistently and with variety (see content pillars, above). Bring your fans along for the story of you and give them reasons to continue investing their time, energy and money into your career. Follow your fellow artists, interact with them, support them, befriend them and help them. Invest in your community and they’ll invest right back in you. </p>
<h4>Collaborate </h4>
<p>Creativity often craves collaboration. By collaborating within your artistic community you’ll feel more connected, and as an outcome, will potentially have exciting music to share with your fans. When you collaborate with, and release music with, other artists you afford each other the opportunity to be exposed to a new fanbase. These fans could become engaged with your story, subscribe to your newsletter, stream your music and attend your shows. </p>
<p>With this knowledge you can better understand and implement your branding, marketing to more effectively grow your fanbase. When you differentiate yourself and stand out in the crowd, leveraging your interests to find and engage new fans you’ll be able to sell more music, tickets and merchandise because you’ll have a larger audience who are engaged with your unique story.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65502882021-02-15T19:00:00-05:002021-02-16T16:43:58-05:00What Artists Should Learn From Entrepreneurs<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/4e58b9592bfde93e8c783ef007a2a328c51aa604/original/entrepreneurs-tool-kit.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In this piece, we examine why artists need to recognize that they themselves are running a small business, and how the rules of entrepreneurship can help guide them to success.</p>
<h2>Can Artists Really Learn Anything from Entrepreneurs? </h2>
<p>The truth is, artists can’t learn anything from entrepreneurs… Why? They are entrepreneurs. A lot of them just haven’t recognized themselves as such. However, I’ve been exploring the connection between music and entrepreneurship for nine long years. Whether you call it “musicpreneurship”, “artist entrepreneurship”, “music entrepreneurship”, or otherwise, we’re fundamentally talking about the same thing. </p>
<p>For the better part of 21 years, in addition to writing, recording, and performing music, I’ve also been a graphic and web designer, ghostwriter, freelance writer, blogger, author, podcaster, YouTuber, course creator, marketer, and more. Whether it’s fusing my various passions (I call that “creative alchemy”) or building a coaching business within the music industry (Music Entrepreneur HQ), I’m not just a knowledgeable expert on this topic – I have spent many years living it. </p>
<p>Here’s what you need to know if you’re serious about creating the life you love through music… </p>
<h4>Recognize That You Are Already a Small Business Owner </h4>
<p>As a musician, your audience has already been built. You aren’t starting from scratch. All you’ve got to do is identify who already has access to your audience (other musicians, influencers, magazines, etc.), and work your way in by creating relationships with them. Then, you can work to buy your way in with great advertising, retargeting, sponsored posts, etc. </p>
<h4>Shift Your Mindset </h4>
<p>“Employees work for money and other people. — Entrepreneurs have money and people work for them.” </p>
<p>Many artists will spend their productive life chasing what they see as being the holy grail – a record contract. Yet, getting a record contract means working your tush off to build a huge, engaged, profitable fan base, and then turning over all control to a label. Then, you hand over 80 to 90% of your revenue over. (Sometimes more.) </p>
<h4>What’s the alternative? </h4>
<p>You can remain an independent artist. You can maintain control of your huge, engaged, profitable fan base. With independent distributors (Like Symphonic Distribution) you can still hire a team and still come out on top, but with most of the revenue going towards a personalized team you vetted, hired, and treat like a family. </p>
<p>Independently, you keep the rights to everything you deserve with a team that has your back 100% of the time.</p>
<h4>Create a Long-Term Vision </h4>
<p>The most successful people I know are those who believe in themselves, and have a vivid, clearly defined long-term vision of what they’d like to create in this world. And they are ruthlessly committed to that vision. </p>
<p>What most people do is make decisions based on where they’re at today, based on the resources and connections available to them now. It’s a form of insanity when you look at it closely because you’re acting based on things you already have while expecting different results. Not based on things you can get or work towards getting. </p>
<p>Let’s make an honest assessment of the situation. — Whether it’s The Beatles, Metallica, Billy Talent, or just about anyone else you can name, success was 10 years in the making. If they’re so talented, so amazing, and so lucky, why should we expect the journey to be any different for us? </p>
<p>No long-term vision, no success. New entrepreneurs don’t look at the money their business can make for them today. They look at the money their business can make for them three, five, and even 10 years from now. </p>
<h4>Take Charge of Your Growth </h4>
<p>If you like burying your head in the sand, artist entrepreneurship clearly isn’t for you. You need to become relentless in your study of networking, marketing, leadership, entrepreneurship, and more. </p>
<p>I can just about guarantee any time you spend growing yourself is worth the investment, and it will return to you tenfold. It will be of more use to you than spending more time on social media, and when you come to the end of your life, you will not regret that you didn’t spend more time on Facebook.</p>
<h4>Be the Most Consistent Person You Can be </h4>
<p>Leadership expert John Maxwell says the most successful people he knows are those who are consistent. Is consistency sexy? Does it feel good when other people tell you, “Wow, you’re such a consistent person?” — Probably not. </p>
<p>But I agree with Maxwell… Successful people aren’t those without emotion. But they do exhibit a level of stability and consistency often unseen in people who are far more naïve. There will be ups and downs in your music career, regardless of how well you execute. So, don’t wish for paradise. Pray for the right challenges to come your way. That way, you can grow and learn from them. </p>
<h4>Legitimize – Fast Iteration </h4>
<p>If you think you’ve “got something,” then you want to get to your first dollar as soon as possible. Get your first music sale. Your first T-shirt sale. Your first gig. Find validation. Then, and only then, can you proceed to grow the idea. </p>
<p>Before you call this selling out, recognize that you should be able to do this with any idea, assuming you’re willing to get out of your comfort zone. There are successful artists in every genre, so there’s no excuse. </p>
<p>However, some ideas do better than others. </p>
<h4>Front Row Mentality </h4>
<p>You are not a victim. Your life is your responsibility. Your music career is yours. </p>
<p>Do not give into “the luck of the draw”. You are exactly where you are, and that’s not by accident. YOU are the one who got you to where you are. — Take ownership. </p>
<p>Teach your audience exactly how they should behave when you release music or put on a show. Be the first one there and the last to leave. Shake every hand. Listen to every word on bated breath. Demonstrate enthusiasm and passion from start to finish. </p>
<p>Don’t give into the post-album or post-show blues. </p>
<p>You’re just getting started. And if you let off the gas after a release or show, you will miss most of the low hanging fruit that comes from the simple act of following up. </p>
<h4>Concluding Thoughts </h4>
<p>The truth is, we don’t just learn from entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs learn from us, too. Because when it comes to early adoption, there’s no demographic faster to jump on new trends to experiment than musicians. Fuse the two and you’ve got someone who’s unstoppable in music, in business, and in life. They will encounter great challenges, but the person they become through that process will be rare indeed.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65502822021-02-15T19:00:00-05:002021-02-16T16:37:32-05:00Artist’s guide to building buzz on Spotify<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/135efba1f20aef111266b6edf6b8e652065a2844/original/spotify-playlists-your-secret-guide-to-getting-featured-1200x675.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Landing your music on an official Spotify playlist has become something of a modern Holy Grail for many independent musicians. The process for making this happen, however, remains a confounding and opaque process. Here, we try and offer a little clarity.</p>
<p>The idea that streaming services, and in particular Spotify, are integral to a successful music marketing campaign no longer comes as a surprise to anyone who has been following the industry for the past few years. </p>
<p>For a lot of artists, the idea of getting their new single included on a massive Spotify official playlist has surpassed a favorable review on Pitchfork or Rolling Stone atop their priority list. That being said, how to get official playlisting remains a bit of a mystery for most independent musicians. </p>
<p>Unless you have direct access to someone on Spotify’s editorial team or are working with a major digital distribution service, there isn’t really any quick solutions for getting playlisting. That, however, doesn’t mean you can’t build a solid following on the platform that could help get the editorial team’s attention and lead to official playlisting a few weeks (or sometimes months) down the line. </p>
<p>Similar to the start of a public relations campaign in which a publicist (or artist) goes after press, you can attract attention from your larger targets by building a bit of a groundswell with lower hanging fruit. </p>
<p>If you can succeed in at least a few of the initiatives listed below, you may be able to get enough buzz going to earn a coveted spot on a massive playlist like Fresh Finds, Rock This or eventually, New Music Friday! </p>
<h3>5 Ways to Build a Buzz on Spotify: </h3>
<h4>Outside Sources </h4>
<p>While Spotify playlisters do get bombarded with submissions each day, they’re also most likely searching a lot of the same outside sources for new music that you are. After all, they are music fans first and foremost or they wouldn’t have put in the hard work to get to the position they’re in. Work other angles to build a buzz around your music – whether it’s social media strategy, viral content, an active press campaign or playing live. If you create opportunities outside of the platform for Spotify playlisters to find you, it can start an organic relationship where you can later submit your music to them directly. </p>
<h4>
<br>Independent Playlisters </h4>
<p>Blogs, brands and individuals who just happen to have great taste in music are all garnering large followers around their playlists every day. While you still have to get them to listen to (and like) your music, these playlist opportunities tend to be easier to dig up a contact for. Not only will these playlists help you increase your play count, but Spotify runs algorithms that track playlist adds and how many times a song has been favorited. If your music is getting added to a bunch of unofficial playlists, it may alert Spotify’s editorial team via that algorithm and lead to them giving you a few spins. </p>
<h4>Be Your Own Playlister</h4>
<p>Verified artist accounts can create playlists directly from their page. You can highlight the music you’re currently listening to, stuff that inspired your new song or create themed playlists. If fans are into your taste, it could add to new followers and draw attention back to your own music. It also doesn’t hurt to add some of your own songs to these playlists as well! </p>
<h4>Monthly Listener & Subscriber Counts</h4>
<p>As mentioned with the independent playlisting section, Spotify does rely on analytics in addition to personal taste. Whenever you’re creating marketing plans around new music, you should always be including initiatives that increase your monthly listener and subscriber counts. If these numbers are trending up for you, it will give you a much better chance of getting noticed and increase your chances of ending up on people’s Release Radar and Discover Weekly playlists. </p>
<h4>Put Your Spotify Links & Follow Buttons EVERYWHERE</h4>
<p>Yes, this probably seems intuitive, but you’d be surprised how many band pages (social or website) I come across on a daily basis that don’t do it. If Spotify is your priority, include links everywhere you can. Is your song also on YouTube? Put a Spotify streaming link in the video description. Are your fans on Twitter or Instagram? Pin a tweet with the Spotify link to your new single to the top of your page and do an Instagram story that allows fans to listen to your new music directly in the post via Spotify. Even simpler, embed “follow” links everywhere on the internet that you can! This could be a website, in a press release or on your other social media pages. Just make sure you’re filtering people back to your Spotify page! </p>
<p>Bonus tip: If you’re reading this post, chances are you use TuneCore for distribution. TuneCore offers opportunities for their clients to submit new music for playlisting as well. Make sure you are taking advantage of this and all the other amazing services that TuneCore has to offer!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65467652021-02-11T19:00:00-05:002021-02-12T13:00:57-05:007 Things Artists Should Be Investing In<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/20c2fb2af8df32c75917bc7945e3179357d997c4/original/529386299green-f-top-art.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Like with running any small time business, being a musician full time means you need to be smart about where you sink your money. Here, we look at seven of the most important things every artist should be investing their money in.</p>
<p>Your music is your business, and every great business owner invests in their craft. To make music a full-time gig, artists need to take advantage of every revenue stream available. Learning to make smart investments will not only help you secure a stable income, but also increase your chances of making it in this industry and give you more time to focus on what really matters… making great music. </p>
<h4>Great Branding </h4>
<p>Branding is everything. Aside from your actual music, your brand is what makes you unique. It’s what sets you apart from a landscape that is oversaturated with talent and jam-packed with artisans just like you. </p>
<p>Your branding is what connects you to your audience and secures your space in whatever niche you fall into. Great branding can get you press coverage, sell concert tickets, increase engagement on social media, and really make a name for yourself in this crazy industry. </p>
<p>Not sure where to start? Ask yourself: </p>
<p>“Why do you do what you do?” <br>“What makes you unique?” <br>“What do you represent as an artist?” </p>
<p>Whether you’re a Reggae group or a Dancehall Artist, your branding should not only represent you, but strengthen what your sound already does. </p>
<h4>Mastering </h4>
<p>Mixing isn’t the last step of the production process! Proper mastering is a crucial step artists tend to skip all too often. Quality mastering ensures your music will sound the best it possibly can wherever it gets played. — Think of mastering as the icing on the cake. </p>
<p>We understand the need for great quality mastering at a low cost. So, we’ve started offering professional mastering services. Our engineers have over 10 years of production experience in recording, mixing, and mastering. Our team has worked as producers and engineers in the EDM, Latin, and Hip-Hop fields and have mixed and mastered Rock, Alternative, and many other genres, ensuring that you get the perfect sound for your project. </p>
<p>Mastering services with <a contents="Kingston Elite" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/268957" target="_blank">Kingston Elite</a> includes: </p>
<p>Cost-effective packages. <br>Discounted pricing in bulk. <br>Necessary mid-side EQ application. <br>perfected imaging to sound great on any system. <br>No muddiness. Brightening the mix. <br>Optional 48-hour rush delivery, and so much more.</p>
<h4>High Quality Imagery </h4>
<p>As we’ve all heard a hundred times before, first impressions are everything. When promoters, booking agents, managers, fans, etc. see a picture of you online, you want that photo to accurately represent you. Having great quality photos (and videos) of you and/or your band could be what makes or breaks your chance of being booked at that amazing venue or signing a deal with that perfect indie label. </p>
<p>Don’t limit your chances of getting that next amazing opportunity by having a low quality online presence. Make sure your photos and videography are professional quality to ensure your first impression is a good one. </p>
<p>Hiring a professional to help you with this is a great start, but you should always make sure their vision aligns with yours beforehand. Your authenticity is what makes you stand out. When the time comes, you want to already be prepared with ideas and ready to collaborate to create something uniquely yours. </p>
<p>This imagery is what the industry will look to when considering you for bigger opportunities. — Put your best foot (and face) forward! </p>
<h4>Advertising </h4>
<p>From social media ads on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to ads on platforms like Spotify or YouTube, you’ve got numerous opportunities to take advantage of. What it boils down to is where your audience currently consumes your content and where you want them to be. </p>
<h4>Education </h4>
<p>You’re never too old or too good to learn something new. Even the best of the best are constantly learning how to be better. Whether it’s personal or professional, there’s always room for improvement. That’s where virtual conferences and online courses come in handy. </p>
<p>At our Virtual Music Industry Sessions, we featured an impressive lineup of panelists from Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, SiriusX, Beatport, FeatureFM, Songtrust, and ASCAP. From marketing, playlisting, and financing to distribution, data, and women in the music business, we covered it all. (For FREE, by the way.) </p>
<p>Virtual conferences aren’t the only source of information to soak up. There are countless online courses you can take to improve your skills in any area. — “6 Courses To Level Up Your Social Media Game” is a great place to start. </p>
<h4>Live Streaming Equipment </h4>
<p>In an age of COVID-19, live streaming has taken over the music scene. With live streaming from home serving as the new age of concerts, it’s important to invest in good quality equipment. From choosing the right kind of microphone to the best streaming software, “How to Improve Your Live Streaming Audio” breaks down everything you need to know. </p>
<h4>A Dedicated Team That Has Your Back. </h4>
<p>Here at Symphonic, we dedicate every day to making sure artists like you have everything they need to succeed in this industry. From music distribution, marketing and playlisting to monetization and rights management, we offer a plethora of tools at your disposal with a team that has your back. </p>
<p>Our biggest priority is to empower the independent music community by providing access to personalized support, powerful technology, revenue channels, marketing, and the knowledge to help artists realize their fullest potential. // Click here to learn about our services and how we can help you reach the next level of your career. </p>
<p>You got this!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65467532021-02-11T19:00:00-05:002021-02-12T12:53:25-05:00Mindfulness Can Help You Unlock Your Musical Potential: Here’s How<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/012eeca93db10d187cb709702eb34a91bff3635b/original/mindfullness-ta.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Mindfulness and mindful practices are often touted as a route to happiness and success in your chosen pursuit, and music is no exception. That said, what is mindfulness all about, and how can you implement in you day to day life?</p>
<p>Mindfulness is a simple, yet powerful concept that we as musicians can use as a tool to our advantage. Mindfulness practice offers a considerable number of benefits, including stress reduction, improving focus, boosting confidence, and offering the opportunity to reclaim the joy that music provides—and it can add a whole new dimension to your musical life too. </p>
<h4>But what exactly is it all about? </h4>
<p>The simple answer is that it helps build an authentic connection to the present moment, allowing one to enjoy the flow of life as it unfolds. But another core component of mindfulness is the enhancement of self-compassion, and this is what can help transform a musician’s perspectives regarding their own beliefs, judgments, and self-critique. </p>
<p>I recently completed an eight-week mindfulness-based stress-reduction program that equipped me with a range of practical skills; and I’d like to share these skills with you. Here’s how you can use mindfulness to experience greater joy and unlock your musical potential. </p>
<h4>Why do musicians need mindfulness? </h4>
<p>I often find it challenging to perform well under pressure—whether in the studio or live on stage—especially if it’s an important show where the stakes are high. And like many musicians, I’m guilty of putting myself under immense pressure to perform the best I can. </p>
<p>I often exert maximum effort to focus my thoughts and execute every rhythm on my drum set with fluidity and control. But I’ve learned that this effort is, in fact, very unhelpful. It’s ironic, but true that all these judgments and thoughts are actually interfering with the natural flow of a performance. When musicians, athletes, and actors slip up, it tends to be in the most crucial moments. </p>
<p>What do you see when you see the world’s best performers on stage? Relaxed concentration, fluidity, quiet confidence, and joy. It would appear that top-flight musicians seem to be under very little pressure, even though the reality is that the opposite is true. </p>
<p>Let’s have a look at the following formula: </p>
<h4>Performance = Potential – Interference </h4>
<p>Potential refers to our musical ability, talent, and practice. That’s the time we dedicate as musicians to building our technique and learning a song note-for-note. All good musicians practice, and this is what helps us to achieve our goals and progress. Interference is talked about much less often, yet it’s something we all experience; we are not robots, and we can’t just put our minds on mute. Interference manifests as lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt, and pressure from expectations. </p>
<p>In the above formula, the outcome of your performance is dictated by how well your potential can minimize the distractions interfering with it. Now let’s talk about the first part of this equation: potential. </p>
<h4>Unlocking your true potential </h4>
<p>Most musicians learn that practice makes perfect. But most musicians are never taught the value of training the mind until it’s too late and bad habits and self-doubt have taken hold. </p>
<p>Yet mindfulness plays an integral role in reducing the impact of negative thoughts and self-criticism. It doesn’t make these thoughts go away; however, we can certainly learn to take them less seriously, and to step back from them and acknowledge them without investing wasteful mental energy into them. </p>
<p>Focusing on the present moment and carrying a mindful approach when performing music liberates us from the doubts and worries that often cloud the mind. While practicing mindfulness, we allow thoughts to come and go without judging the content of them. We let them pass us by like cars on a highway or clouds above the sky. </p>
<p>Emphasizing mindfulness is about engaging with the present moment and placing deliberate attention on objects of focus, such as physical sensations, sounds, sights, smells, or the breath. </p>
<h4>How to practice mindfulness </h4>
<p>Mindfulness requires no tools to begin practicing. A great way to start is with a short breathing exercise. All you have to do is sit down in a chair (with your eyes closed), and to relax and focus entirely on your breathing. Try and find a place where you’ll be undisturbed throughout the practice. </p>
<p>Focus on your breath and the sensations in through the nose as you inhale and out through your mouth as you exhale. Take a deep breath in, and then a deep breath out. Notice what it feels like as your stomach and chest expand as you take in the fresh air, and then what it feels like as you release the air when you breathe out. </p>
<p>Start with ten deep breaths in and out, one or two times a day. You can then proceed to try ten minutes of undisturbed mindfulness breathing. If you would prefer to try out a guided mindfulness exercise, there are lots available on YouTube and useful apps, including Headspace and Calm. </p>
<p>It’s definitely a skill that requires dedication and commitment to practicing though. It may take some time for you to become comfortable with simply sitting still, and focusing on the sensations of your breath. </p>
<p>The likelihood is that the mind will become distracted; and that’s okay. The purpose is not to divert your attention aggressively, but to kindly accept these thoughts and allow them to pass without judging the content of them. It can help to shift your perspective by seeing thoughts as simply involuntary patterns of brainwave activity. There is no need to feel responsible for them. </p>
<h4>Applying mindfulness to musical performance </h4>
<p>Mindfulness is scientifically proven to increase the activity within the parts of the brain responsible for memory, emotional regulation, and gaining a wholistic perspective. It’s also proven to reduce the amygdala – the body’s stress-response signal – and enable you to feel calmer in stressful musical scenarios. </p>
<p>There is no real objective besides being in the present moment. We simply bring our awareness to what we feel, see, and hear with each passing moment. Enjoy being engaged with the present moment and allow the experiences to unfold naturally. </p>
<p>As we step back from doubts, insecurities, pressures, and judgments while performing music, we begin to trust in our innate ability more. It is the valuable muscle memory that retains the information without one needing to try and tap into it. </p>
<p>Mindfulness practice reduces the impact of thoughts and the interference they have on our performance. We learn not to take our thoughts so seriously, and to trust in our own abilities better. </p>
<p>By not taking thoughts seriously, and even giving ourselves the freedom to make more mistakes, it allows us to feel more relaxed throughout our musical journey, whether in rehearsal, recording in the studio, or performing live on stage.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65467492021-02-11T19:00:00-05:002021-02-12T12:34:30-05:00Trigger Cities : The Key To Expanding Your Audience<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ef96a3f101ded4791729eeca0d7710d8fa0e749a/original/zhang-kaiyv-ckgyk1iizx8-unsplash-scaled.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When it comes to growing your audience, new data emphasizes the importance of targeting cities that spark favorable algorithmic effects on music streaming platforms (AKA ‘trigger cities’).</p>
<p>It’s very easy to focus on just the area that you’re familiar with when it comes to marketing your music, but the key to growth is to go beyond what you know. The fact of the matter is that we live in a global economy and there may be many other locations that are fertile ground for your music that you’re probably not exploring. That’s the concept behind “trigger cities,” which are cities around the world that “trigger” favorable algorithmic effects on music streaming platforms and help grow your audience worldwide. </p>
<p> Trigger cities is actually one of the findings from Chartmetric, a company that collects audience data from the major music distributors like YouTube and Spotify. The company outlined the latest on the concept in its bi-annual trends report regarding audience-building efficiency. </p>
<p>The idea is to find cities that have high music consumption and very low advertising rates. If you do some modest advertising in these trigger cities, chances are that you can grow your fanbase faster. That said, there’s no point in promoting your music to a location that has no interest in your music genre, which is why you want to go for a city that has diverse tastes and entertains a variety of different artists. </p>
<p>To that end, here are the top 10 cities that Chartmetric says falls into that category based on monthly YouTube views: </p>
<p>1. Mexico City, Mexico <br>2. Lima, Peru <br>3. Bogotá, Colombia <br>4. Santiago, Chile <br>5. Jakarta, Indonesia <br>6. Bangkok, Thailand <br>7. Guayaquil, Ecuador <br>8. Istanbul, Turkey <br>9. São Paulo, Brazil <br>10. Ankara, Turkey </p>
<p>American cities fall way down on the list, with New York coming in at #29, Houston #36, Los Angeles #37, Chicago #38, and Dallas at #43. For reference, London comes in at #44. </p>
<p>What this means is that it’s way easier and cheaper to gain followers in Mexico City, Lima, Peru, and even Istanbul than it is in New York or London, even though those cities are major music centers. </p>
<p>I’ve written about this in the past, but as with everything online, the data changes constantly and the rankings of many cities on the list has changed. That said, if you care to spend a bit of money on Google advertising specifically targeting these cities, you might be rewarded with a larger following as a result.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65467482021-02-11T19:00:00-05:002021-02-12T12:32:09-05:00Essential Music Industry Contracts<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/60137b29265b1d0e73c95603b01fdc2dad6ddb91/original/contract-management-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Like it or not, contracts are the life blood of the music industry, and understanding how they work and why they’re necessary is key to avoiding disaster for you and your music career.</p>
<p>Contracts in the music industry are like daily bread. What is more, with a contract you enter long term contractual commitments that you can’t necessarily change once signed. </p>
<p>There are numerous examples of court cases with musicians fighting to be released from a contract. This is crazy, many young and inexperienced musicians or bands feel pressured to sign bad contracts. Sometimes because they believe it’s their only chance to make it in the music business. Perhaps sometimes for the feeling of being a ‘signed artist’. </p>
<p>A term that stems from the old times of music business with few options to work your music yourself. Being signed to a record label was one of the only ways of getting your music heard. </p>
<p>Important to realise, the modern music industry has made it possible for an artist to go down the so-called DIY-route. This means the musicians market their music on their own. Only temporarily working together with a distributor in order to push the music to Spotify and co. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, even if you ‘only’ work with a distributor, you still need to sign a contract with them! </p>
<p>Here’s the kicker: you can’t really avoid contracts, and actually you shouldn’t. The important thing is to be aware what contracts there are and how you can make them work for you! </p>
<p>(Disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer (surprise). Before you sign any deal, make sure to contact a professional music industry lawyer!) </p>
<h4>Important contracts in the music industry </h4>
<h4>Band contract: </h4>
<p>The first contract you should ever sign is actually with your bandmates. This is crazy, so many bands don’t do that. </p>
<p>With fatal consequences. Surely, as long as everything works fine you can always talk about things. However, before you think twice you have a dispute and your bandmate pisses off with the tour van. </p>
<p>What is worst, before you think twice he/she/their uses the old band name! Now a contract could come in handy where you’ve already laid down the procedure of a split. </p>
<p>Also, who gets what percentage on what song? It’s always better to talk about those things beforehand when everything is fine than when the damage is already done. Bands are a bit like a marriage. You better sign a pre-nuptial agreement, otherwise, the divorce can get expensive! </p>
<h4>Collecting societies contract: </h4>
<p>In case you want your composer or lyricist royalties to be collected by a collecting society you also need to enter an agreement with them. Important to realise, most countries have their own collecting society. </p>
<p>However, they work together globally, that means that even if you part of the german GEMA, they will also collect your royalties internationally. It is important to really check out the agreement you will enter. </p>
<p>For the GEMA for example, you can only sign an all in agreement. That means they will take care of the total body of art. You can’t select a track that they should care for and leave others out. </p>
<p>Also, GEMA has a monopoly on collecting royalties for composers and lyricist in Germany defined by law (§§ 9 und 34 VGG). </p>
<p>The record deal is one of the traditional contracts in the music industry </p>
<h4>Record label contract: </h4>
<p>If you get signed with a record label you have to make a contract with them. It is crucial you have a proper and honest talk about your goals with the record label. Basically, what they will do is manufacture and market your music release. No matter if it is a full-blown album or just an EP. </p>
<p>Also, how much budget does the record label have for marketing? What is more, the percentage you will receive out of the contract is important to known. Is it after costs have been deducted? </p>
<p>Also, how long will the contract run and is there a renewal clause? A more modern problem a lot of bands have is social media support from the label. If you want your label to support you in running your social media platform you explicitly talk with them about this and write it down in your contract. </p>
<p>Another big trouble maker is the advance. This can be a sum of money the record label will give you in advance of first income from the sales coming in. Mostly used in order to keep your life going before there is income. </p>
<p>However, super important to get right, the advance is no charity money. That means, the record label recoups the advance paid to you with the first money coming in. </p>
<p>You only receive your royalty share after the advance is recouped! Hence, taking an advance can be a tricky thing. Make sure you understand the situation fully before taking on a big advance. </p>
<h4>Publisher contracts in the music industry: </h4>
<p>This is the hidden cousin to the record label contract. However, with your publishing right you don’t sign the actual record or product. Rather you cashing in your songwriter credits. </p>
<p>Of course, for this, you need to write your own songs to start with. Publishing is a very lucrative corner of the music industry. You can earn money when your music is in advertising or movies, for example. </p>
<p>Just one reason why record labels are keen on signing your publishing rights as well. Be smart and really have a think if you get the best out of such an agreement. </p>
<p>Make sure to always check in with a music publisher for another quote. Also, you don’t really need a record deal, however, a good publishing contract can be a great start for a music career! </p>
<p>You need a distribution contract in order to get your music into Spotify and co. </p>
<h4>Distribution contract: </h4>
<p>You only need your own distribution contract if you don’t have a record label contract. Record labels have their own distribution set up. That is one reason they are attractive to musicians. </p>
<p>You simply don’t need to do so much background work. However, if you feel that you don’t really need a record label you can also make a distribution deal yourself. </p>
<p>You need a distributor in order to get your music to the shops, no matter if digital or physical. Really make your research and find a distributor who is transparent and helpful. </p>
<p>There you have it, the most important contracts. Of course, there are many more like managing contracts. However, it is always important to tailor-make all contracts for needs specific. Never just copy and paste from the internet! Also, have proper contract management in place to make the most out of your contracts.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65467432021-02-11T19:00:00-05:002021-02-12T12:25:46-05:00Guide to Contacting Brands For Music Sponsorships, Collaboration<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/55803e02a8af24029fa6fdb59d99589ae5d82c4d/original/corporate-sponsorship-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The prospect of reaching out to brands for a sponsorship or collaboration can be intimidating, and laden with the fear of rejection. As is so often the case with these things, however, the most important part is being willing to put yourself out there.</p>
<p>Reaching out to brands to ask for anything can be intimidating. Especially in an age of social distancing, brand sponsorships and collaborations are some of the most lucrative opportunities you can get. No matter what level you’re at in your career, there’s a brand out there who needs exactly what you have to offer. It’s up to you to put yourself out there. </p>
<h4>Before you reach out… </h4>
<p>Before you ask for anything, you need to build relationships with whoever you’re trying to work with. Reach out to your peers and put out some feelers for brands they’ve already worked with. Whether that’s a close friend or a friend of a friend, brands will be more keen to work with someone who is even slightly familiar to them. </p>
<p>Be sure to engage with their work! Like, share, comment, and warm up to them by telling them how much you appreciate their content. Don’t be scared to suck up. Think of it like trying to make a new friend. — Be warm, show off your good side, and let them know you actually care about forming a relationship with them. </p>
<h4>Crafting The Perfect First Email </h4>
<p>Now, you’re ready to reach out via your first email. I know I don’t need to tell you how to be friendly here… but if you’re struggling with getting started, try something like this: </p>
<p>Hi [insert name here], </p>
<p>My name is [ your name here ] . We’ve been chatting back on forth on Instagram for a while, and you are absolutely killing it with [ insert something specific that they do ]. </p>
<p>I’d love see what you think about collaborating on [ whatever you want ] with you! </p>
<p>… </p>
<p>With this email, you want to give them as little work to do as possible. Next, include any similar collaborations you’ve done with other brands. (If you don’t have any, include any positive growth you have from month to month.) In addition, now is the time to add in stats like your engagement rate, monthly views, and audience demographics. If you have an EPK, feel free to link it here. </p>
<p>Note: Brands are interested in what you have to offer them. This isn’t charity work… How are you going to drive growth for their brand? Don’t leave it up to them to come up with ways for you to get involved. That’s your job! </p>
<p>The key here is authenticity. Include a personal tidbit you like about them or a personal compliment on a specific project they’ve done. Brands can tell if you’ve copy and pasted something a hundred times.</p>
<h4>What if they don’t respond? </h4>
<p>Don’t freak out. If they don’t respond right away, it’s not the end of the world. Brands get tons of emails every day, so it’s not uncommon for your email to have simply slipped through the cracks. </p>
<p>As a rule of thumb, wait at least a week before following up. </p>
<h4>In Conclusion… </h4>
<p>Sponsorships, partnerships, influencer ads, these can all feel like elusive opportunities for musicians, but make perfect sense for both parties. Established musicians see high engagement rates and follower counts across social media platforms and have the perfect audience that many brands spend all their time trying to penetrate. </p>
<p>According to MusicWatch, </p>
<p>51% of Twitter users use it to follow or get updates from music artists and bands <br>56% of Instagram users are viewing and engaging with posts from artists and bands. </p>
<p>Of the top five categories of celebrities or public figures followed, musicians and bands lead the way with 57% across all platforms. These figures should convince any brand that musician partnerships are the best way to advertise online, and many brands have already tapped into this incredible market. </p>
<p>When it comes to reaching out, it’s important to lead with confidence. Show that what you have to offer is worth their time. Show them how working with you can help them increase sales, engagement, etc. </p>
<p>What’s the worst they can do? Say no? Exactly. Then you can move on to the next opportunity and try again. </p>
<p>As they say, every rejection is just a redirection.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65359392021-01-31T20:31:58-05:002021-01-31T20:34:48-05:00Self-Care: Songwriter Edition<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d201f0424794f5fdf4679388070cbb5016bdbc48/original/spotify-songwriter-pages-and-playlists.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Although tropes about the ‘tortured artist’ are pervasive, the reality is that songwriters, as with with any profession, create their best work when they’re actually taking care of their minds and bodies. Here, we look some important self-care tips songwriters should implement into their daily lives.</p>
<p>Transform your songwriting. That’s the first thing you see on Judy Stakee’s website, but scratch the surface and you’ll find out that working with her will transform more than just your songwriting. </p>
<h4>Better Your Life to Better Your Writing </h4>
<p>Well before Covid-19 made self-care a buzzword, Judy Stakee, who worked with artists and held an executive position at Warner Chappell Music for several decades, was teaching self-care for songwriters: </p>
<p>“If you want to make better songs, you must first take care of the songwriter — body, mind and soul.” </p>
<p>Judy’s songwriting transformation begins with a deep dive into the songwriter, and even if that sounds scary, you owe it to yourself to take the first step on this journey because, as Judy says, “If we want something to change in our lives, we have to change something in our body (what we touch), our mind (what we know), and our soul (who we are). To write great songs, you have to continually develop yourself your whole life,” Judy says. </p>
<h4>The Path to Self-Discovery </h4>
<p>Through everything from one-on-one consultations to 5-day retreats, she has guided hundreds of songwriters and artists of every age, genre, gender and level, using a methodology more than 30 years in the making, and based on working with such successful artists as Sheryl Crow and Katy Perry at Warner. </p>
<p>“My system isn’t just for writers, it’s also a great way of leading your life,” Judy says. “It enriches you, and shows you what it is it that you need in order to be great at what you want to do.” </p>
<p>Her signature methodology makes songwriting accessible to everyone, and provides the tools to tap into your deepest inner truth. </p>
<p>“When you learn how to write your story in lyric form, using your words and your perspective, that translates into great storytelling in real-life situations such as auditions, interviews, first dates, even speeches,” she says. “Writing your story leads to self-discovery. It forces you to answer from within, and <br>you can take the material from your everyday life to put in a song.” </p>
<h4>Your Own Consistency is Key </h4>
<p>Speaking of taking things and applying them, retreat alumni not only embark on this voyage of self-discovery, but come away with specific career goals, and a plan for attaining them. “I don’t tell anyone what to do — my style is to guide them into figuring it out and everyone’s path is different.” </p>
<p>Judy knows what it takes to write and pitch winning songs, get them published, and build a successful songwriting career. Ultimately, to succeed in today’s music industry, songwriters need to be consistently writing hit songs, a skill that isn’t learned overnight. </p>
<p>As she reminds her clients, “songwriting is your calling, but not just any song will get you a callback. If you’re serious about a career as an artist or songwriter, you must realize that your song is your calling card.” </p>
<h4>A Songwriting Lifestyle for Success </h4>
<p>It All Starts With A Song Retreats provide a self-care template that includes healthy meals, yoga, co-writing sessions, and performances, that when incorporated into your life until it becomes your lifestyle, begins to eliminate the elements hindering your success, transforming not only you, but your songwriting and your songs. </p>
<p>If you’re looking to be a better songwriter (or a better person), you need look no further than here to get started!</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="LAT53QbcvuQ" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/LAT53QbcvuQ/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LAT53QbcvuQ?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65359252021-01-31T20:25:24-05:002023-12-10T11:57:53-05:005 Tips For Understanding Your Fanbase<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/730141f283df67db230d32ad3af282e421fe544d/original/170320-bieber-fans-mn-1625-39cf4aaeccbbdbaa3d0f66a8b9c7eda3-nbcnews-fp-1024-512.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When it comes to communicating with your fans, listening is just as important as talking. Here, we offer some pointers on navigating the two-way street of fan communication, and how it can help you understand your audience.</p>
<p>In case you’re not aware, your core fans crave your communication. The superfans hang on every word, watch every video, and eagerly await any graphic or music track. That said, communication is a two-way street, and the artist must be just as willing to listen to his or her fans, which basically means that you’re taking the pulse of your fanbase, hearing what they’re feeling and thinking. </p>
<p>This can be helpful in determining just what the core fans really like and dislike about you and your music. Maybe there’s a direction that you briefly touched upon on your last record that drove the fanbase wild, or maybe it was one that they hated? You might choose to follow your musical instincts instead of listening to fan feedback, but at least you won’t be surprised by the resulting reaction. </p>
<p>Understanding your fan’s also lifts the mood of the total fanbase since interaction with the most vocal superfan is always appreciated and results in more participation. Showing your appreciation for their participation fosters even greater loyalty and participation and gets them invested emotionally and intellectually. </p>
<h4>So how do you take the pulse of your fans? You ask them questions or ask them to help you. </h4>
<p>1) Ask them which piece of merch they prefer. </p>
<p>2) Ask them about the best venues in their area, why they like them, and if they’d prefer to see you there. </p>
<p>3) Ask them what song they’d love to hear you cover. </p>
<p>4) Ask them who their favorite artists are (this answer is great for other elements of social marketing as well). </p>
<p>5) Ask them to judge the artwork on your next release, then when they respond, reward them. Give a free T-shirt to the first 10 responses. Send them a secret link to stream a track only available to them. Give a personal shout out to some of the best responses. </p>
<p>The key is to ask any question that makes your fans feel special and great about belonging to your community, and its interest high.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65355982021-01-31T11:13:10-05:002021-01-31T11:13:10-05:00Getting More Views On TikTok As A Musician<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/cfd9f7611407c1c5a24cc5371dd623c0717dd872/original/130245.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>While achieving much-coveted TikTok fame as an artist may seem to be largely a product of random chance, the reality is that there are a few things artists can do to boost their chances on the often inscrutable platform. </p>
<p>Everyone wants to know the secret to TikTok fame. Musicians all over the world have gained major exposure from even a single video’s success. Although some people have found this success completely by chance, there are things you can do to boost your chances. Want to learn how? Here’s how to get more views on TikTok as a musician… </p>
<h4>Hook Your Viewers </h4>
<p>To hook your viewers and stop them from scrolling, you need to engage them in the first 3 seconds. TikTok favors videos that people have watched all the way through. That means the more people who watch your videos from start to finish, the more people the algorithm will share it with. To do this, you need to incentivize engagement. </p>
<p>There are lots of ways to do this. For example, you can: </p>
<p>Add suspense by asking a question in the description. <br>Tell a story, but don’t reveal anything until the end. <br>Create a series. (part 1, part 2, part 3) <br>Intrigue viewers with text overlays like “Wait for it…” <br>Make sure your videos are visually on point. (good lighting, aesthetically pleasing background, etc.) </p>
<p>Take some time to explore the platform yourself and take note of what catches your eye. Practice makes perfect! </p>
<h4>Use TikTok’s In-House Features </h4>
<p>TikTok’s algorithm picks up users who utilize their in-house features (ex. green screen, transitions) over those who don’t. You can find “Effects” to the left of the record button. To the right of the record screen, you’ll find the tools and filters you can use as well. </p>
<h4>Be Consistent </h4>
<p>If you want to build a loyal following, you need to post every single day. If you ask any successful TikToker, they’ll all tell you the same thing. Consistency is key.</p>
<h4>Hashtags </h4>
<p>Hashtags are important on basically every platform. They work by showing your video to people who have also engaged with those same hashtags. So, if your video is a duet and you tag “duet” in your description, TikTok will show your video to people who have liked, shared, and used that hashtag. </p>
<p>Luckily, figuring out how to choose the right hashtags is easy. The trick is finding which hashtags are trending right now. — To do this, all you have to do is tap on the “Discover” tab, scroll through and choose a trending hashtag, then add it to your video description. </p>
<p>Interact with Creators in your Niche </p>
<p>Finding your niche is important in anything you do. It helps engage a more loyal audience and helps you secure yourself in a more manageable, less saturated space. For example, some people post street style videos, some people post alternative covers of popular songs, some people even just post their top 10 favorite songs of different genres every day. Whatever makes you unique, run with it. There is always an audience out there who likes whatever you do. </p>
<p>To find your niche on TikTok, consider your social presence on your other platforms. If you have a secure following on Instagram that revolves around your house music loving/DJ lifestyle, translate that onto your TikTok. When you already have a following elsewhere, it makes it even easier to get fans from those platforms to check out your TikTok, too. </p>
<p>Once you’ve found your tribe, start interacting with other creators who match your energy. Aside from commenting and liking their posts, “duet” their videos, too. </p>
<h4>To make a Duet video: </h4>
<p>Tap Share, located at the bottom of the right side panel. <br>Tap Duet. <br>Begin recording alongside the selected video! </p>
<p>—— </p>
<h4>Here are some extra tips and tricks from the pros: </h4>
<p>Even if your video is just you talking and there’s no music in the background, add trending audio as the “sound” and put the volume to 0. — This will maximize your reach and show your videos to people looking up videos with that trending sound. <br>Interact with your comments and ask questions in the comment section after posting a video. — Start a conversation! <br>Don’t use more than 6 hashtags at a time. (As a rule of thumb, stick with 2 trending, 2 viral, 2 niche / video specific tags.) </p>
<p>—— </p>
<h4>In Conclusion… </h4>
<p>If you want more views on TikTok, engagement is everything. To increase engagement, you need quality content that hooks viewers into watching until the end. Once you’ve figured out your niche and gotten used to the platform, practice makes perfect. Be consistent with your efforts and you’ll see your views start to climb in no time. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65341142021-01-29T12:51:59-05:002022-02-10T04:59:58-05:00What Content Marketing Can Teach Artists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1b85907f8d4e32bc5da2768c443e2f14be8d8b63/original/content-marketing-make-sure-you-avert-these-mistakes.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>While most artists may not feel like the term is relevant to them, they can actually learn quite a bit from the concepts and ideas behind content marketing.</p>
<p>I’m in the midst of an ongoing musical project. And at some point, I realized, this project is essentially content marketing! </p>
<p>Why? Well, I want to share my perspective on this idea — and what musicians can learn from content marketing in general — because while this seems like a very strange concept, it may help you reimagine the work you do from a helpful angle. </p>
<h4>What Is Content Marketing? </h4>
<p>Content marketing is when you create valuable and relevant content consistently. This builds trust with your audience and shows that you’re an authority in your niche. </p>
<p>Tons of businesses use content marketing to grow and scale over time, and it can be very effective. If people see that you can create really amazing content on a regular basis, they’re more likely to stick around. If that doesn’t sound relevant to musicians trying to build a longstanding fan base, I don’t know what does! </p>
<p>But the key is to create valuable content. It can’t just be anything. It has to be helpful, useful, entertaining, or in some way add value to the consumer. The end goal with content marketing is to get people to buy what you’re selling. And to me, it’s the most authentic way to do marketing. You show people that you can create something they value. Then, eventually, you tell them about your product or service, which they’ll also value. </p>
<h4>Here’s the basic cycle involved in content marketing: </h4>
<ol> <li>Awareness: Customers may have a need, but they’re not aware of a solution; they’re not aware of you. </li> <li>Research: After a customer becomes aware there’s a solution to their problem, they’ll start doing research. Usually, this involves Google. This is where the “valuable, relevant content” in content marketing comes in. </li> <li>Consideration: Now that the customer has some options for their solution, they’ll start considering which is best. </li> <li>Purchase: Eventually, the customer chooses what they think is the best solution and buys it. If you’ve done your job, this will be you. </li>
</ol>
<p>The content in question can come in many forms. Usually, it’s a blog post, YouTube video, or podcast. But artists have tons of unique types of content they can share.</p>
<h4>How to Use Content Marketing as a n Artist</h4>
<p>So, now let’s apply the principals of content marketing to your music career. The main elements of content marketing, as we’ve seen, are consistency, relevancy, and value. Let’s talk about how to apply these elements to your music endeavors. </p>
<h4>Consistency </h4>
<p>Right now, I’m releasing one song at a time as part of an ongoing project. I’m doing it to focus on the quality of each song. That way, I’m not distracted by any other songs or any other projects. </p>
<p>Of course, you don’t have to apply consistency by releasing one song every 4-6 weeks like I am, but this is my example of “regular output.” It could be a new EP release every year, a monthly livestreamed concert, a weekly video uploaded to YouTube, or even a daily 1-minute Instagram video, etc. </p>
<p>Even if you’re in the middle of a big musical project that’s taking a long time to complete, you can at least share something more frequently. </p>
<p>Why? Because you want to stay in front of people’s eyes and in their ears. There is a balance between consistency and just completely overwhelming your fans, but you want to stay somewhat present in your fans’ lives by staying consistent. One could say you’d do this to stay relevant… </p>
<h4>Relevancy </h4>
<p>Any experienced content marketer knows their content must be relevant to their audience. It needs to solve a problem they have, address one of their pain points, or give them useful, practical methods to improve at something. </p>
<p>So, as a musician, I see two ways you can make your creative output more relevant: with your productions and with your cultural presence. When it comes to producing music, it’s a good idea to balance your creative freedom with what people want to hear. </p>
<p>I’m not saying sell out. Selling out is when you make music that doesn’t resonate with you just so you can gain popularity for financial success. I’m saying stay in touch with what’s hot in music. Even if you despise pop music, be aware of the instrumentation artists are using; listen to the beats; learn from melodic trends. You can use those elements in your own way, in your chosen genre. </p>
<p>And if you want to stay culturally relevant, it’s a smart idea to be where your fans are. What social media platforms are they using? What type of content do they consume the most? How do they talk online? </p>
<p>Learn these things and start using them to be relevant. By doing so, you and your music will be valuable to your fans… </p>
<h4>Value </h4>
<p>Just because someone creates relevant content on a regular basis doesn’t mean people will like it. It has to have value. It has to do something for the intended audience. And as a musician, the value lies in your music. </p>
<p>You may craft the most relevant social media posts consistently. But if your music sucks, your “fans” won’t stick around for long. Focus on making the best music you know how to. Then every other part of your music career will flow more smoothly. </p>
<p>The true value is in your music — and the music is what resonates with people.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65274632021-01-22T02:16:03-05:002021-01-22T02:16:03-05:00What Social Media Networks Are Best for Musicians? <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/e2f9f9601848f85c3a3187684764a13961c26dae/original/https-hypebeast-com-image-2019-11-tiktok-advertising-instagram-youtube-comparison-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As most artists are aware, maintaining a strong social media presence is key promoting your music and building your brand, but with so many options to choose from, which social media platforms should bands and musicians focus on? </p>
<p>In a world full of musicians competing for a spot on listeners’ playlists, having a robust social media presence can be a musician’s greatest asset. Besides helping you promote your music by building a dedicated fan base and interacting with your audience, social media can also help you create connections with other musicians and land marketing deals with brands looking for influencers. </p>
<p>Perhaps the biggest success story in leveraging social media to further a music career is Lil Nas X. He famously used TikTok and Twitter to catapult his song “Old Town Road” to the number 1 spot on the Billboard Top 100—and the song still holds the record for holding that spot the longest. </p>
<p>So which social media networks are most important to use in order to successfully build your online presence as a musician? It all depends on your personal brand and career aims. Different platforms are better suited to certain musicians, so knowing your short- and long-term goals will help you determine the best platform to focus your time and attention on. </p>
<p>Let’s start with some of the biggest social media networks that every musician should consider building their brand on: </p>
<h4>TikTok </h4>
<p>TikTok’s friendly algorithm and short, engaging video content make it one of the best platforms for going viral. While you can use any sound from its vast sound library to make a video, you can also use your own sounds—a perfect feature for teasing snippets of upcoming songs or simply sharing some covers. And since other users can use the audio you upload, fans can easily share your music. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that your song could be the audio that accompanies a viral trend or even a singular video, which was enough to single-handedly get Fleetwood Mac’s song back into the Billboard Top 100 after 40 years. </p>
<p>TikTok’s live feature makes it easy to interact with your audience whenever you want, and with TikTok challenges or trends often going viral, your music could easily find itself in the middle of one. Some popular stars that use the platform often include Camila Cabello, the Jonas Brothers, and Post Malone. </p>
<h4>YouTube </h4>
<p>Besides being the number one video-sharing platform on the internet, YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world. As a musician looking to grow your online presence, you can’t ignore how important it is to post your music videos on the platform. Aside from the standard music video, there is a variety of additional ways to utilize the platform: </p>
<p>Posting your remixes and covers. YouTube doesn’t interfere with what you post on the platform unless you break its rules. You can release all forms of music, from original music to covers and remixes. <br>Vlogs. Don’t underestimate the value of giving your audience a behind-the-scenes look at your process and how you create your content. These personal-feeling videos help fans feel closer to musicians, which is helpful in both building and maintaining your audience. <br>Collaborations. Team up with other musicians to create YouTube videos. When you collaborate with other musicians, you both get the benefit of attracting the other’s fan base to your content. </p>
<p>If you’re serious about succeeding on YouTube, you can’t ignore SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO makes it easy for people to find your content online, though it requires a bit of work. You need to create great headlines, use catchy thumbnails, leverage hashtags, and describe your content accurately. The benefits of YouTube’s SEO is that it can improve your presence on the platform in the long-term. </p>
<h4>Instagram </h4>
<p>While it started solely as a photo-sharing app, Instagram has since grown into a multi-faceted platform with multiple ways to share content. You can still share eye-catching photos with your audience for personalized engagement, but video content is growing more important than ever in terms of Instagram’s algorithm. Video posts themselves are typically limited to 60 seconds, but you can always post longer video content on IGTV or Instagram Reels, with the latter being the platform’s latest video feature that rivals TikTok in its functionality. Instagram Stories is a convenient function for sharing your daily thoughts, photos, and videos with your audience, especially if you don’t mind your videos or photos expiring within 24 hours. However, with the ability to create Story Highlights that will remain on your profile page, you can keep the stories up for interested fans to view long after they were posted. If you are working on a new album, a project of any type, a music showcase, or more, you can post daily video snippets in order to create hype. </p>
<p>If you have any visual content to post, Instagram can be a great place to start. The fact that you can cross-post from Instagram to sites like Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter makes it an ideal platform to work with. Be sure to use the app to lead people to your website, among other revenue-generating opportunities. </p>
<h4>Honorable Mentions </h4>
<p>The first three options are great for reaching a worldwide audience. However, if you are looking for a more niche platform that focuses on networking with musicians, there are plenty of them out there. Some could easily land you opportunities with popular labels and musicians as a novice musician. </p>
<p>Bandcamp. This platform is a combination of a social media site and an eCommerce platform. It allows you to post your music, set prices, get people to stream it, and even get people to share your music on other platforms. <br>Audition Showdown. An app that is launching soon, this platform allows budding musicians to enjoy weekly contests that are similar to “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent,” but online. <br>Reverbnation. If you are looking to get noticed by other musicians, labels, and brands, this is a great place to start. The site allows you to network with other professionals in the music industry. <br>Soundcloud. This site allows you to share your music with friends, fans, and family. Since it is quite popular, it can easily increase your chances of being found by other industry professionals. </p>
<h4>What do You Want to Achieve? </h4>
<p>Overall, your best bet is to choose a social platform that increases your chance at success. If you have the time to frequent all the major platforms, then go for it, but in the beginning, it might be better to simply target one or two platforms. Take your time understanding the intricacies of how each platform works to increase your chances of being successful.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65274622021-01-22T02:09:57-05:002021-01-22T02:09:57-05:005 Indicators Your Fans Are Engaging With Your Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/555aafffd5997e2b7504164879c6b1b6c8ea13de/original/socialmediaengagement-blogimage.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Without a screaming audience in front of you, it can sometimes be difficult to gauge whether or not you and your music are really clicking with listeners. Here, we look at five perceptible signs that fans are really engaging with your music. </p>
<p>We’re living in a bizarre time in music where it’s completely possible for an artist to be streamed thousands of times a day without having any true fans. Meaningful engagement between musicians and audiences has never been more important in the age of playlists and streaming, but it’s not always easy to tell when or how audiences are showing genuine enthusiasm about your music. Here are five signs that show that someone is becoming more than just a casual listener of your music. </p>
<h4>When someone listens to more than your most popular songs </h4>
<p>Streaming platforms make it easy for audiences to listen to your most popular songs and nothing else. This is why when audiences take the deep dive with your music and listen to all the songs on your albums and your lesser-known releases, it’s a clear sign that there’s meaningful engagement happening. We have to remember that there’s literally more music out there right now than a music fan could listen to in an entire lifetime, so it’s a big plus when a fan listens to all of your music and not just your most popular tracks. </p>
<p>When it’s time to spread the word about your music, it’s time to look at Promote It </p>
<h4>Merch sales </h4>
<p>Similar to the jaw-dropping amount of new music being added to streaming platforms each day, audiences are overwhelmed with musicians trying to sell them merch. So when fans take the time and money to support you by buying one of your shirts, vinyl records, or posters, it’s a sign they’re really into what you’re doing. With streaming platforms charging so little for fans to listen to as much music as they like, it’s meaningful when they use their money to buy merch. But it’s also important to remember that when fans buy merch, they’re connecting with physical representations of you and your music that they wouldn’t be able to find from simply streaming your songs. In today’s disconnected, screen-centric music culture, making physical connections with audiences are a big deal. </p>
<h4>Song searches on apps </h4>
<p>It might not seem like meaningful fan-to-artist engagement when listeners try to identify the songs they hear in public with apps, but I’d argue it is. The average person hears an incredible amount of music during their daily lives, and they’re not going out of their way to learn about each and every song they hear. When you know people are trying to identify your songs, it’s a signifier that there’s some meaningful momentum happening with your music. And with some of the analytical tools offered by streaming platforms to show trends associated with time and location with listener searches, artists are able to identify engagement with listeners on a broader scale. It’s a big endorsement when you know listeners are trying to find out more about your songs so they can listen to them again and again. </p>
<h4>Audiences tuning into live-streams and showing up to concerts </h4>
<p>Streaming counts can be a bit deceptive when it comes to trying to measure true engagement from fans. But the crowds that show up to see you perform in person or catch your live-streams is a completely different story. Fans showing support by making the effort to see your concerts is one of the clearest and important signs of audience engagement. There’s a huge difference between casually listening to an artist and seeing them live, and with an endless array of entertainment options out there for listeners, it’s significant when they choose to spend their time watching you. </p>
<h4>When your music becomes a regular part of someone’s life </h4>
<p>There’s no bigger sign of meaningful audience engagement than when it’s clear your music has become a regular part of someone’s life. Whether you’re the soundtrack to someone’s breakup or are the artist behind their favorite song to dance to, it’s incredibly special when you know your music really means someone to a fan, even if it’s just one person. The bonds fans form with their favorite music can literally last a lifetime. So when someone sends you an email or comment telling you how much your music means to them, take it seriously and recognize that your work is truly making an impact on someone. This can happen whether you’re a big pop star or are releasing your first songs as an artist.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65207622021-01-14T12:08:52-05:002021-01-14T12:08:52-05:00How To Build, Connect With An International Audience<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/876b5e508bad9920d105ef01c7ec702236c73be8/original/international-foundation-diploma.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As the music business has transitioned into a more global industry, it is becoming increasingly important for artists and labels to find ways to connect with a much broader, international audience. </p>
<p>In the last few years, the music industry has transformed into a global platform for artists, listeners, and organizations. This exciting change in the industry is largely due to the widespread use of large platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music aiming to reach listeners all over the world. In the wake of this transition into a more global music industry, as artists, it has become far easier to connect with listeners in almost any country around the world! So, in this post, I listed six strategies you can use for building and connecting with an international audience. </p>
<h4>1. The Essentials </h4>
<p>Before you aim to build an international audience, the first thing you have to do is to make sure your music is available worldwide on all digital platforms. Not all platforms are available in every country, so the more platforms you are on, the better! People should be able to log onto their Spotify and listen to your music. Similarly, your videos on YouTube should be available to anyone at all times. </p>
<p>Secondly, make sure your social media profiles are set up so that people can find you easily. After hearing your music, chances are that people will follow you on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Make sure these pages are all set up, so people can follow your musical journey. </p>
<h4>2. The Lyrics & the Style </h4>
<p>The second step is to look into your music. What language is your music in? If English is the main language of your lyrics, then no need to worry, you can still reach out to a large international audience! What I mean here is that if your music is in Spanish or Portuguese, then you should focus your international audience building efforts first into the countries where these languages are spoken. If you already have a song in Portuguese, then it’s far easier to build your fanbase in Brazil, rather than in Germany. </p>
<p>Moreover, is your music influenced from any global music cultures? Do you use any instruments that belong to a specific culture? If you have any global music influences, this is the time to note these down and you can start by brainstorming how you can relate to these cultures and countries to expand your fanbase. If you are using a bolero rhythm in your song, someone from a Latin American country might enjoy your music! Or, if you are playing bouzouki, some people in Greece might find that to be really cool! </p>
<h4>3. Contact the Media </h4>
<p>Do you want to have press coverage in a given country but you don’t know where to start? </p>
<p>Make a list of artists that you are influenced by and/or that you sound like. Then Google any articles that are published in your country of choice. Keep in mind that in Google you can filter the results by country. Make a list of all publications who have published articles/interviews about this artist. </p>
<p>Find the authors and editors who published these articles. Read other articles written by them. Try to understand their style and try to get a sense of whether they would be interested to write about your musical project. </p>
<p>When you are ready, contact the journalists in their local language, if possible. If you speak this language, that is great; if not, you can ask a friend who speaks this language to proofread your text for you. Even if you use Google Translate, always make sure a human proofreads your translations! </p>
<h4>4. Use your Spotify data to see where you are being listened to the most. </h4>
<p>Spotify for Artists gives you daily updated statistics about where your audience lives. You can even look this information up based on individual songs to see how they are performing in certain locations. The location data not only gives you an indication of where you’re strong geographically, but also where are some places with potential for you, both for recorded and live music. </p>
<p>Location data is also very important for touring. In fact, many artists take their streaming location data into consideration when making their touring schedules. While this is not currently possible given the current circumstances due to the pandemic, when concerts restart, location data can be useful to plot a tour schedule to some cities or countries where you either have a fanbase already,or would like to expand into that territory. </p>
<h4>5. Publish and co-write songs in other languages and collaborate. </h4>
<p>If you write lyrics in multiple languages, why not publish them? Publishing songs in multiple languages will only expand your fan base even further, which can be instrumental to get you more opportunities. You could write songs in your language and translate them to another language. Or you could even get some inspiration and write songs based on movies and literature from all over the world. </p>
<p>Furthermore, you can collaborate with artists from different cultures and countries. Collaboration is a great way to expand your musical horizons, to learn and to be exposed to a new kind of audience to which you haven’t reached out before. It is also a fresh new way of presenting your music and yourself as an artist. </p>
<h4>6. Pitch your songs to playlists in other languages. </h4>
<p>If your songs are getting into a lot of running playlists, why not make it international? Look up running playlists in other languages as well and then pitch your songs to them. </p>
<p>In fact, using Google Translate, you can make a list of your artist keywords in other languages (Spanish, Portoguese, French, for instance). Then you can use this list to pitch to more playlists. </p>
<h4>Final Words </h4>
<p>In this post, I’ve provided six strategies to build and connect with an international audience. It is certainly an exciting time to be in the global music industry, when opportunities are ever increasing for artists as the barriers to enter are lowered and the number of listeners is increasing. </p>
<p>A great way to expand your fanbase is also to follow the lead of successful artists, looking at what they did that helped them become successful as well as learning from their mistakes. Many successful strategies are the result of trial and error. So, during this process you might find that one strategy that works for an artist might not necessarily work for the other. Keep trying, ask for help when you need to and, most importantly, have fun developing a global fanbase!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65207602021-01-14T12:06:05-05:002021-01-14T12:06:05-05:00Dr. Fauci Hopeful Concerts Will Return By Fall<p>Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy And Infectious Diseases said he thinks concerts may be able to return to scale by the fall of 2021. </p>
<p>Dr. Fauci’s comments came during a discussion of the live sector during a conversation with Maurine D. Knighton, Program Director for the Arts, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation during the the virtual APAP|NYC+ 2021 Conference. </p>
<p>“If everything goes right, this is will occur some time in the fall of 2021, so that by the time we get to the early to mid-fall, you can have people feeling safe performing onstage as well as people in the audience. I think you can then start getting back to almost full capacity of seating. We’ll be back in the theaters — performers will be performing, audiences will be enjoying it. It will happen,” Dr. Fauci said. </p>
<p>However, Fauci sounded some cautionary notes and underscored the continued importance of wearing mask, and of ensuring that venues have adequate ventilation and air filtration systems. </p>
<p>“I think you can then start getting back to almost full capacity of seating,” Fauci said.</p>
<p>Watch highlights here:</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="x2qjmuZ11fw" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/x2qjmuZ11fw/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/x2qjmuZ11fw?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65207582021-01-14T12:02:41-05:002021-01-14T12:02:41-05:00Achieving Your 2021 Music Career Goals<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/e1c2839d6e06cb9ea85c646b0d978a4c8c425a68/original/adobestock-85627211sm.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>With 2021 underway and lockdown still in full effect, many artists may be wondering how they can get the most of the coming year. Here, we offer some pointers on how you can achieve your 2021 music career goals. </p>
<p>Get 2021 started right by adjusting your music career goals and plans to make the most of the continued lockdown. Use this list to get the ideas flowing and help you decide where to put your time and energy. </p>
<p>We made it to 2021, and now is the perfect time to set your goals and plan for the year. While vaccines are on the horizon, it will be months before the US is inoculated, and many areas of the world will still be in various stages of lockdown as the year progresses. The Coronavirus will continue to affect live venues, practice spaces, studios, and other music businesses. It also will continue to affect music audiences and your overall revenue. </p>
<p>So now is the time to think through what you want to achieve in the new year, adapt to the realities of the pandemic, and tap new revenue streams. To help, we’ve come up with a few suggestions to consider where to put your time and energy in music. </p>
<p>This year, our advice centers on creating new music and online content, making sure your online presences and royalty registrations are up-to-date and in sync, and trying to create revenue streams (and entertain and build your audience) from the safety of your own home. </p>
<h4>Make more music </h4>
<p>Many musicians are using the lockdown as time to write and record new music. Even major artists are doing this, including Taylor Shift and Paul McCartney, and since the beginning of the year is liable to be a continuation of the past eight months, use this time to create new music so when we emerge from the pandemic, you can release singles, EPs, or an entire album (or two). </p>
<h4>Review your royalty registrations and update your songs and sound recordings </h4>
<p>Use this time to give your song and sound recording registrations a tune-up. Review all the tracks you’ve released and ensure everything is registered with your PRO and publisher. Every time your music is broadcasted, performed, streamed, or covered by another artist, a fee for its use is generated. The only way to get these royalties is by signing up with organizations or services who can identify your music, track how many times it’s played, collect the royalties, and send you a check. If you don’t sign up with these organizations, you won’t get a cut of the income they’re collecting. You need to participate to get paid. </p>
<p>There are actually quite few different organizations to sign up with, such as a performance royalty organization like ASCAP, BMI, SEASAC; a sound recording performance organization (SoundExchange); and others. Another option is to sign up to a service like CD Baby Pro Publishing, which works to capture all your royalties across multiple organizations and countries. </p>
<p> </p>
<h4>Play online shows </h4>
<p>To continue to perform live and pull in some money, artists of all stripes have turned to technology services that help connect people remotely (many of which are free) for their online performances. If you perform live, this is one area to focus on. </p>
<h4>Create more/new merch to sell online </h4>
<p>Merch is one of the best and most reliable income sources for musicians, so it pays to have a strategy. And, if you do it right, merch works with your streaming shows. To make your merch plans for 2021, take a look at our free Disc Makers guide, “How To Make More Money With Music, and check out the Merch Strategy section. (You can also watch the video.) Come up with at least one merch item for your minnows, dolphins, and whales (the guide will make sense of that), because merch can go well beyond t-shirts, posters, and caps. There are a ton of possibilities and the guide has many categories of new merch concepts you might want to try in 2021. </p>
<h4>Tune up your social media profiles (so you can make money) </h4>
<p>Now is a good time to review and tune-up all your social media. Make sure all the platforms you use are aligned to your persona, consistent with one another, and have the appropriate contact info and links to your website. And while social media is a tried-and-true publicity method to get new fans, you can also set them up to make money, even from your very first follower. Read “How to make money off your social media channels (no matter how many followers you have),” because these techniques can be effective even if you’re just starting out. Why not choose one idea and start turning these platforms into revenue generators this year? </p>
<h4>Plan your marketing (focus online) </h4>
<p>Determine how you’ll market yourself this year in light of the continual lockdown. Our book, Making Money With Music, goes into great detail about developing a marketing plan, and you can try any of these “Seven effective strategies to get your music noticed” in 2021, which can be extremely powerful with the right bit of creativity. </p>
<h4>Target at least one new place to get your music heard </h4>
<p>Each year, we push musicians to try to get their music heard in at least one new place, and this upcoming year is no exception. For example, this year, you might want to try getting your music on a podcast or any one of the numerous streaming music stations on the web. There are entire universes online hungry for new music to play, and sometimes, all it takes is a simple email and an MP3 file of your song. </p>
<p>You certainly don’t have to do everything we suggest on this list, but know that each one is achievable and well within your reach (the related articles will give you practical info to get started). With a little bit of goal-setting and planning this month, you can prepare for success in 2021 and what we all hope will be the last months of the global pandemic. Putting in the time now will go far towards creating, distributing, promoting, and generating revenue from your music during these difficult times and beyond. </p>
<p>Also, keep in mind that you’re not alone: we’re here every step of the way, with our articles here on the Disc Makers Blog and our free Making Money With Music newsletter. </p>
<p>Here’s to a Happy New Year and a much more prosperous 2021!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65206752021-01-14T11:50:10-05:002022-05-17T08:18:18-04:002021 Growth Strategies For Artists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b1345713ba6f77cde4864c73d1904e587cc5bc38/original/instagram-blog-main-image-900x506.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Instagram continues to reign supreme as one of the most popular social media platforms out there, making a it a key part of any artists growth strategy. Here, we look at some effective ways to build an audience on the platform. </p>
<h4>Instagram is one of the most popular and competitive social media platforms worldwide. Building an audience isn’t easy, but it is worth the effort. Let us help. </h4>
<p>Instagram is the best social media platform. TikTok may be able to claim it’s the best app for new music discovery, but Instagram empowers musicians to engage and build their audience like no other. It’s the only service that seamlessly blends photo and video content in a variety of engaging ways while giving everyone a chance for added exposure through its multiple discovery features. The competition is fierce, but we know there are ways to make the app work for you. </p>
<p>But let’s be honest: Instagram is not the same app it was in the past. Posts no longer appear in chronological order. Instead, the Instagram algorithm pushes content to users based on engagement. The algorithm considers more than 500 factors, but three of the most important are comments, shares, and story replies. Consistency and likes are secondary to these three, so this is where we are focusing our energy in 2021. </p>
<p>The first thing you need to know is that you should never purchase fake engagement under any circumstance. Advertisers will tell you they can get you legitimate followers or comments overnight, but don’t be fooled! The algorithm is brilliant, and anyone caught trying to cheat the system risks banishment from the platform. </p>
<p>Got it? Okay. Let’s keep going. </p>
<h4><strong>Analytics.</strong></h4>
<p>If your account is a business account, then you have access to Instagram Insights. These tools will tell you everything you need to know about your audience, including the most popular times for engagement. Use that data to create content more in line with what is already working on your account, and try to post it when your audience is the most active. If you need a scheduling tool, we recommend later.com. </p>
<p>Don’t have a business account? No worries! There are many Instagram analytics tools available online. </p>
<h4>Video is the name of the game. </h4>
<p>Instagram has long claimed that it treats videos and photos the same in a user’s main feed. While that may still be true, video content is 4x more likely than images to appear on Explore pages. Instagram Reels, the company’s TikTok competitor, is more than 6x as likely. Video content is keeping people on Instagram longer, which is one of the company’s top goals. If you create engaging content, Instagram will help you promote it to the world. Experiment with one-minute videos in your feed, story clips from recording sessions, IGTV videos, and Reels as time allows. </p>
<p>On that note, avoid pushing users off the app. Instagram is in the business of Instagram, meaning that they want people to stay on the platform as long as possible. When the algorithm detects content trying to get people to go elsewhere (another app, a website, etc.), that post is far less likely to appear in user’s feeds. </p>
<h4>Captions Matters (in more ways than one). </h4>
<p>Every post on Instagram has a caption. Ask yourself, am I making the most of this caption by engaging my fans in a unique and fun way? Are your fans going to read your comment and reply? Will they share the post in their stories? Don’t overlook the power of this section! Spend as much time on creating striking captions as you do your photo and video content. </p>
<p>Additionally, make sure your video content — especially longer clips — has subtitles. Some viewers may be hard of hearing, while others may be in a situation where they can’t listen to clips at a high volume. Certain fans may prefer reading closed captioning over listening to a video. Whatever the case, make sure to make your content as accessible as possible by adding captions. Instagram has tools that make this possible for specific content, but some apps can help as well. </p>
<h4>Stories reign supreme. </h4>
<p>You most likely use Instagram’s Stories feature regularly. It’s the platform’s most popular feature, drawing users to reopen the app repeatedly throughout the day. As you continue to post, make sure you take advantage of the many additional features found within the Stories functionality. Ask your audience questions, and allow them to ask you questions in return. Create polls to choose merch designs, tour stops, song titles, etc. Use the location button while on tour to let fans know you’re in the hometown. Add a countdown in posts that tease a new release to ensure fans remember when your next piece of content will drop. Fans will love the engaging nature of this content, and the algorithm will appreciate your use of the system. </p>
<h4>Reels are here to stay.</h4>
<p>Instagram is pushing Reels harder than any other feature, but the competition isn’t as challenging as you might think. Make experimenting with Reels a priority in your social media efforts this year, and you could easily find yourself appearing on the Explore page of users around the world. Be sure to blend original content with clips from videos, performances, etc. Give people a looping look inside an artist’s life in 2021, and watch as your follower count grows. </p>
<p>Finally, a few words about hashtags. Long before Instagram created its Explore page, users hoping to find exciting new content on the app turned to hashtags. Millions of hashtags are in use today, and a niche community of like-minded individuals populates each one. It would be best to use hashtags with your content, but you’ll want to avoid generic terms. That’s why we recommend using Display Purposes. It’s a free website that will help you find hashtags relevant to your content that is more likely to raise engagement than terms such as #music or #rock. Be creative! </p>
<h4>REMEMBER:</h4>
<p>Experimentation is a necessity. Don’t rush to delete a post that doesn’t work as well as the rest because a single photo or video with low engagement won’t ruin your chances of appearing in users’ feeds. Think of your account as having one overall grade, and the grade improves as you build engagement and use more of Instagram’s features. Play around with the service and find what works best for you and your audience. HAVE FUN. After all, it’s just an app.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65163112021-01-08T08:53:42-05:002021-01-08T08:53:42-05:00Artist’s Guide To Monetizing Music On Every Platform<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1b5a564065e939506c2a6d83bed9af3f5acce840/original/monetize-music-career.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>A number of newer, non-traditional methods for artists to make money off their music have cropped up over the past few years, provided much-needed additional revenue streams. Here, we’re helping make sense of how you can maximize your revenue on every platform. </p>
<h4>Your guide to maximizing your music revenue everywhere </h4>
<p>These days, there are more ways for musicians to make money from their work than ever before. In the modern era, downloads and streaming have become the new “traditional” revenue sources; that is, the ones most artists are familiar with and know they can earn money from based on use of their sound recording and composition. But a new term was needed to define the way to collect revenue from even newer, non-traditional sources. That new term is monetization. </p>
<h4>How is monetization different from other ways of making money from music? </h4>
<p>This is an important distinction. For the first hundred years of mass-distributed recorded music, radio and live performances, artists and songwriters earned money from their work in relatively straightforward ways: </p>
<p>Artists: When their recordings were sold in a physical medium like vinyl or CD. <br>Songwriters: When their compositions were pressed onto a physical medium, or were played on the radio or performed live. </p>
<p>If the artist also happened to be credited as a songwriter for the underlying composition for a recording, they double-dipped and earned revenue from multiple sources. These ways still apply to artists and songwriters today. </p>
<p>And that was about it until the mid-’00s, when streaming came along and complicated things. As we’ve covered in both our sound recording and publishing articles, royalties from streaming are payable to both the artists and songwriters. But earning revenue from streaming is also not strictly monetization in its current definition. </p>
<h4>What is music monetization? </h4>
<p>If earning money from recording sales, streams or composition performances isn’t what we talk about when we talk about monetization, then what is? </p>
<p>In the parlance of our times (to quote the Dude), music monetization is seeking out revenue from new, non-traditional sources. What are those? </p>
<h4>Where can I monetize my music? </h4>
<p>There are quite a few platforms where you can earn revenue when your music is used in videos. These are called Social Video platforms: </p>
<h4>Monetize music on YouTube </h4>
<p>YouTube is the first major video platform on the Internet, and also the most popular. That’s why it’s essential for artists to monetize their videos on YouTube in every way possible so they can earn all the revenue they’re owed. </p>
<p>Of all the video platforms, YouTube offers the most ways to earn money from your music. Here are all the revenue sources from YouTube: </p>
<p>YouTube Music streaming revenue for Art Tracks. CD Baby delivers audio to YouTube as part of our distribution. Each song appears as its own “video,” with the artwork and other metadata. </p>
<p>Content ID from advertisements placed on videos. CD Baby sends your audio to YouTube so it can recognize when you or anyone else upload a video with your songs. When it recognizes the audio, YouTube places an ad on the video and you earn revenue from ad clicks. Revenue from YouTube Premium subscribers. YouTube pays this revenue per view instead of per ad click like Content ID from users watching for free, which means artists earn more per view when Premium subscribers watch than when free users do. </p>
<p>To monetize and collect revenue for both Content ID and Premium subscribers, you’ll need to opt in for Social Video Monetization during the submission process. </p>
<p>You’ll also want to drive fan activity to YouTube to maximize your Content ID revenue. This involves promoting your music on YouTube. </p>
<h4>Monetize music on Facebook </h4>
<p>Much as the term implies, Social Video applies to social media platforms like Facebook, too. As with YouTube, users can upload their own videos to Facebook and select music from its library to place in their creations. </p>
<p>There are two types of videos users can upload on Facebook: </p>
<p><strong>Facebook Videos:</strong> Videos of any length that are permanently posted to the user’s profile (until the user wants to remove them) and can feature music selected from Facebook’s library by the users. <br>Stories: Short-form 20 second videos that disappear after 24 hours. Like normal videos, users can select music from Facebook’s library to place in these shorter videos. </p>
<p>Just as with YouTube, CD Baby delivers music to Facebook’s library when you opt in for Social Video Monetization and select Facebook Monetization. That means your music will be available to place in Facebook videos, so take advantage of that! Tell your fans they can use your music in their videos they post, and don’t forget you can use your own music too! </p>
<h4>Monetize music on Instagram </h4>
<p>Since their purchase by Facebook in 2012, Instagram often goes hand-in-hand with its social media parent company. Thus, most features that appear on one platform are also on the other, with a few notable differences and additions. </p>
<p>There are three types of videos users can upload to Instagram: </p>
<p><strong>Stories:</strong> Like Facebook stories, Instagram stories are short-form videos that appear in the user’s profile for 24 hours. Unlike Facebook, these can only be 15 seconds long. </p>
<p><strong>Reels:</strong> Short-form videos similar to TikTok (more on that soon) that can be up to 30 seconds in length. When a user places your song in a Reel, it links back to your profile with all your music on Instagram. Don’t forget you can also create Reels with your own music to get the party started! </p>
<p><strong>IGTV:</strong> This is Instagram’s platform for longer videos of up to an hour. Artists can use this for anything from music videos to recorded live performances or interviews. Monetize IGTV directly with IGTV Ads. </p>
<p>(Instagram users can also add videos to their regular feed, but those aren’t tagged or monetized through IG’s Content ID like other forms of video are. The same applies to Instagram Live.) </p>
<p>As with other Social Video platforms, CD Baby delivers music to Instagram’s library when you opt in for Social Video Monetization and select Facebook Monetization. That will make your music available for users to place in their Stories and Reels. </p>
<p>Like Facebook Stories, you earn revenue when your music is placed on Instagram Stories. </p>
<p>While there is no direct way for artists to monetize Reels, you can grow your fanbase and earn more revenue by more listeners streaming your music. </p>
<h4>Monetize music on TikTok/Resso </h4>
<p>TikTok is the short-form video platform based in China that’s so popular the U.S. government believed it to be a security threat and attempted several times to ban it this past fall. Those attempts failed and the app is still active and as popular as ever in the U.S. From dance crazes to lip sync videos and pranks, TikTok skews younger in its audience and spontaneous in its content. </p>
<h4>Why is TikTok important for musicians? </h4>
<p>Like the other Social Video platforms, TikTok users can select a song to add to match the content of their video. This is how artists promote their music on TikTok, by creating trends with one user choosing a song that fits perfectly with something they’re doing, and others following with their own take on the action in the video (pranking their significant other, for example) set to the same song, and growing that song’s (along with the artist’s) popularity. </p>
<h4>How do I make money from TikTok? </h4>
<p>You earn money whenever a new video is created that uses your music. That’s why having a song that becomes part of a new trend on TikTok can not only grow an artist’s fanbase but also earn them some extra revenue! Which is why it’s important for you to create videos on TikTok with your own music. </p>
<h4>How do I send my music to TikTok? </h4>
<p>Unlike the other Social Video platforms, distributing to TikTok’s library does not require you to opt in for Social Video Monetization. TikTok is one of CD Baby’s streaming partners, so you just need to opt in for streaming and make sure TikTok is selected and your music will be sent to them. </p>
<h4>What is Resso? </h4>
<p>Resso is a new streaming service that’s affiliated with TikTok. It is currently only available in India, Brazil and Indonesia. When you opt in for distribution to TikTok, your music is also sent to Resso. </p>
<h4>The future of music monetization </h4>
<p>With the music industry constantly evolving, Kingston Elite is always looking for new ways for our artists to earn more revenue from their songs. </p>
<p>And of course, the literal definition of “monetization” is making money from something, whether it be newer non-traditional sources, age-old media like physical formats or new-ish but time-tested ones like downloads and streaming. So there are a TON of other ways to earn revenue from your music outside of these newer Social Video platforms, including: </p>
<p><strong>Sound recording <br>Publishing <br>Sync licensing <br>Merchandise <br>Live streaming</strong></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65138542021-01-05T08:06:07-05:002021-01-05T08:06:07-05:00Music Marketing: The Ultimate 2021 Cheat Sheet<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/eac688a179e72813af49809e1710d88153d21bef/original/8-30-wisdom.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Successful marketing is a challenge in any industry, and the music business is no exception. Here we break down the essentials for crafting an effecting marketing campaign across platform.</p>
<p>Making it big in any industry depends a lot on sheer luck. However, along with luck, it’s also equally important to work hard, have determination, and use the right strategies. </p>
<p>The same goes for those belonging to the music industry. </p>
<p>If you’re an aspiring musician, your goal is to obviously get everyone out there to listen to your creations. The tactics you use in this regard become very important. While self-promotion platforms such as Promoly can aid you immensely in promoting your music, there are other aspects of the music marketing world you should know as well. </p>
<p>Let’s take a look at what it takes to have a comprehensive cheat sheet on music marketing. </p>
<h4>How to Create a Successful Music Marketing Plan </h4>
<p>Before you start making your marketing plan, there are certain questions you need to ask yourself. </p>
<p>These include questions such as whether you’re just starting out with an online presence and need to reach your audience, if you’re ready to head out on tour and sell tickets, whether you’re already on tour and need to sell more merch, if you want to double the size of your mailing list, or if you’re releasing a new album and need to generate awareness for it. </p>
<p>Here are some ways in which you can create an effective music marketing plan: </p>
<h4>Define Your Audience </h4>
<p>Knowing your audience is the first step in any marketing plan. It’s the audience that will help you succeed, therefore, knowing them well is of utmost importance. Find out which platform your fans like to use the most, be it Facebook, Instagram, or something else. </p>
<p>You will need to discover how to communicate with your fans effectively, and what to offer them in order to keep them coming back for more. Ask yourself questions about who your ideal fan is, because it’s this fan who will stay loyal to you, help you sell tickets, and buy your merch. </p>
<p>The questions you need to ask regarding your audience include the age and gender and location of your fans, what their personalities are like, what excites them apart from music, what’s their favorite social network, and so on. </p>
<h4>Analyze the Market </h4>
<p>Once you know what your audience is like, you will have to find out about the current music market. This entails exploring both locally as well as globally. An understanding of this will aid you in figuring out where you fit in and what are the unique aspects you can offer to your fans. </p>
<p>This department requires research as well. You need to explore which bands or musicians are the most popular at the moment, what is it they’re doing to engage with the fans, if the artists within your genre are touring successfully, and so on. </p>
<h4>Create an Action Plan </h4>
<p>Once you have some clear music marketing goals laid out, it’s time to think about how you’re going to achieve those goals. The components to include in your action plan are PR, advertising, content curation, touring, social media, networking, etc. </p>
<p>Try to approach all the goals on a monthly basis. Develop a spreadsheet where you can list down when you’re going to approach the goals respectively. This will give you a picture of all your PR efforts and how you plan on creating and executing content in the upcoming months. </p>
<p>In addition to making these plans, it’s also important to keep a track of how these strategies are working out. Some of the KPIs to consider include how many album sales happened through clicks on your mailing list in the current week and how that compares to the previous week, which sources on your website are leading the most to your store, etc. </p>
<h4>Formulate a Budget </h4>
<p>Much like any other industry, it takes time and money for your marketing efforts to grow and bring about results. Therefore, when you create your action plan, assign the necessary budget to each element so that you know just how much everything is going to cost. That way, you can be prepared and even tackle any sudden expenses that come your way. </p>
<h4>What are the Best Music Marketing Platforms? </h4>
<p>When it comes to music, self-promotion works wonders. If you’re looking to have all your promo campaigns in one place, Promoly is the platform to go for. It lets you view everything happening in real-time, and also helps you create stunning promo packages. </p>
<p>Some of the best music marketing platforms musicians can go for are as follows: </p>
<h4>1. YouTube </h4>
<p>YouTube is obviously the first choice for any musician, both popular and new. With music being the most viewed category of video (27%), and people watching over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos every day, you really can’t go wrong with this music marketing platform. </p>
<h4>2. Social Media Networks: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter </h4>
<p>We’re all aware of the fact that most of the people using social media are gathered and spread between Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Therefore, having a presence on each of these platforms is crucial for any musician. </p>
<p>Twitter has about 330 million monthly active users (MAU), it’s the place for most budding music journalists and influencers, and it helps you get a lot of word-of-mouth. </p>
<p>With a staggering 2.38 billion MAU, Facebook is the most used social media platform globally, and it’s where people discover your live videos. Instagram with its 1 billion MAU is the place where budding artists can generate a community and a loyal fan base. </p>
<p>All three platforms have a varying demographic. This is why your marketing campaigns should be different with respect to all the three platforms, depending on your target audience and the kind of content they like to see. </p>
<h4>3. Spotify </h4>
<p>Controlling over 36% of the global streaming market, Spotify has 217 million monthly active users and is the most popular music streaming platform in the world. Whether you’re aiming for placement on the editorial or label-owned playlists depends on your marketing strategy. </p>
<p>Not only will this give you global exposure and help in transforming your career, you will also be featured by the third-party influencers. It’s digital platforms like Spotify that helped in driving the change and shifting the focus from albums to digital playlists. Therefore, using this game-changer should be a must on every musician’s list. </p>
<h4>4. TikTok </h4>
<p>As you probably know, TikTok is the newest obsession in the world of music marketing. It lets you repurpose music and transform them into memes that you can share with your followers, and this is a trick most people seem to be loving these days. </p>
<p>With TikTok, users will be able to discover your music and create their content with it, which serves as a great word-of-mouth technique. They further share this content and it gets seen on other social media platforms that also has music lovers who appreciate your work. </p>
<p>It’s a win-win situation.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65138472021-01-05T07:57:29-05:002021-01-05T07:57:29-05:00Why Your Digital Presence Will Be Really Important In 2021<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/8d718160301c5c25aa726743fdf44e7190892848/original/sm-graphic.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>2020. What a year, huh? The music industry has been hit really hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, with live music (and live entertainment in general) being especially affected. </p>
<p>But rather than looking back on this year, that most of us would probably like to forget, I’d like to look forward to 2021 and share some thoughts on why I think your digital presence is going to be even more important in 2021. </p>
<h4>Booking Events & Live Shows: </h4>
<p>With the hopeful reopening of the live sector in spring/summer 2021, there’s likely going to be a lot of competition (and appetite) for live shows. </p>
<p>If you’re reaching out to venues or promoters to book shows, you should make sure that you’re making as strong a first impression as possible. A few things to consider: </p>
<p>Does your website showcase you at your best? Are you making a strong first impression, and making it easy for people to learn more about you, hear your music, and see what press have to say about you? <br>Does your social media have a consistent visual theme? Are you projecting a professional image with the content you’re sharing? <br>Are you easy to find? Are your social handles consistent and as obvious as possible? </p>
<h4>Releasing New Music: </h4>
<p>If , like many artists, you’ve spent 2020 writing and recording new material, you’ll want to be sure that you’re releasing effectively. What role does your digital presence play in this? </p>
<p>Your website should make it really easy for people to hear / buy / stream your latest release. <br>If you are reaching out to publicists or others who will help you promote your music, the stronger your existing website and social media platforms are, the more effectively they can pitch your material (and YOU as an artist and brand). <br>Utilise your mailing list to keep your current audience informed. <br>Build anticipation over a few weeks prior to your release on social media by utilising release artwork / preview videos / lyric snippets / behind the scenes content. </p>
<h4>To Stream or Not to Stream: </h4>
<p>We’re all aware of the extremely low pay-out rate of streaming platforms. I’m hopeful that this will improve in 2021, but truthfully, we just don’t know whether that will improve. </p>
<p>One thing I’ve noticed in 2020 is that there IS still a demand for buying music and other merchandise - but what that looks like is different for each band and artist. So what should you do? </p>
<p>Let your audience know what the best ways to support you are - if you’re selling CDs or vinyl from your website, make sure they know that! All too often, people stream out of convenience, but many fans like to purchase a physical CD or t-shirt to show their support. <br>Selling directly via your website is the most profitable, since you keep all of the profits. But Bandcamp is another great platform, which has been a real lifeline to musicians this year. <br>Depending on your audience, you may want to consider releasing music on your website first (maybe for a couple of weeks) to encourage early sales, and then distribute to streaming / digital platforms shortly afterwards. </p>
<h4>Building Connections and Relationships in the Industry: </h4>
<p>I often say that music is a relationship business - and what I mean by this is that it’s often the relationships you have with your audience and professionals in the industry that are going to help you build and grow your career. When it comes to making these connections, a few ways your online presence will help you do this include: </p>
<p>Projecting a professional image (especially when connecting with people who work in the industry), by having your own domain, a strong website, and consistent social media appearance and usage <br>Showing support for your fellow artists and businesses you like on social media - this can go a long way to cultivating relationships in the long term (and also helps share music and services with others who may be interested) </p>
<h4>Learning Lessons from 2020: </h4>
<p>One of the big things we saw happening in 2020 (mostly out of necessity) was the huge uptake in livestreaming. While I don’t think livestreaming will replace the traditional live show, I do think it’s something that will play a larger role moving forward. If you are able to improve the quality of your livestreams (by upgrading your lighting and other equipment), you’ll set yourself above the rest of the crowd as you’ll instantly appear more professional. <br>So many artists and music industry professionals started podcasts in 2020, and this is something I think will continue as it’s a great way of providing more value to your audience and allows you to connect with them in a different way. </p>
<h4>What Have You Learned? </h4>
<p>I’d love to know the biggest lessons you’ve learned from 2020, and what you’re going to carry through to 2021. </p>
<p>What have you tried this year that has worked? <br>What’s the most positive thing 2020 has taught you about your music career.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65131132021-01-04T08:14:25-05:002021-01-04T08:14:25-05:006 Ways To Compose More Creative Lyrics<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/50a6ecb69d4194c9962899b95acb1f8119c511e2/original/letsgetcreative-thecreativestackcharlottenc.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As a songwriter, you’ll eventually hit a wall where the lyrics you’re writing just aren’t as fresh and interesting as they once were. Creative roadblocks like this are inevitable, but can also be overcome relatively easily. Here, we look at six methods that will help you reignite the creative spark. </p>
<p>It’s bound to happen. At some point, you’re going to find your lyrics getting stale. Maybe you don’t even notice it yourself; a friend or colleague has to tell you. Worse, maybe you’re in that all-important pitch session and the publisher says your lyrics aren’t fresh enough. </p>
<p>So how to get out of your rut and make your lyrics shine with originality again? Here are a few devices to do just that! </p>
<h4>1. Change the Perspective </h4>
<p>It’s always important to consider who is singing, and who they’re singing to — that’s Songwriting 101. But if you find yourself struggling for fresh ideas, it might be a good idea to delve into different perspectives. </p>
<p>Is it a female singing to her best friend? Someone in love, singing to their beau? Can you take steps to blur those lines so it’s not so clear? Suddenly your lyrics might take on a whole new meaning, or force you to write new lines that fit with the new perspective. </p>
<p>You might discover your song is so much more unique with just that little tweak in perspective; and that your straight-down-the-middle solo perspective gains new life as a story song, a duet, or even something completely different. </p>
<h4>2. Find Another Word </h4>
<p>As a songwriter, there are certain words that make me sigh to myself and put my head in my hands. Not because the words are bad or boring in and of themselves, but because they’re so overused that it’s difficult to tread new ground. </p>
<p>Take for example the word “love.” (You knew this was coming.) </p>
<p>Probably more ink — and tears — have been spilled over this word than any other since the dawn of time. It’s very, very difficult to come up with a new perspective that also rings true with relatability. So find another way to say it. How does love make you feel? What does it do to you? </p>
<p>As an example, rather than saying “I love you” in your lyrics, what about “you set my heart on fire?” That’s still not exactly a home run lyrically, but you’ve avoided using a very tired old word that might turn listeners off, and maybe injected some new life into your lines. It’s a great starting point. </p>
<h4>3. Write from the Perspective of an Inanimate Object </h4>
<p>One of the coolest tricks in a songwriter’s playbook is writing from the perspective of an inanimate object. I’ve heard incredible songs from the perspective of roads (dirt and highway), trees, chairs, and even more. </p>
<p>This forces the writer into a new way of thinking. And saying what you want to say while staying within the limitations of that object’s frame of reference can be oddly freeing. </p>
<p>Can a road “hold you in its arms?” No, but it’s got shoulders. Can a chair talk? No, but it can support someone. </p>
<p>Even if the song itself doesn’t turn out as intended, this exercise can broaden your perspective and enhance your creativity. </p>
<h4>4. Immerse Yourself in Fresh Culture </h4>
<p>There is a tendency by artists to get rather curmudgeonly about new art; we like “our” music, whether that’s ’80s synth, ’90s grunge, or pop from the early 2000s. Naturally, that tends to be what we gravitate towards when we listen to music, and it ends up coming out when we write too. </p>
<p>Without realizing it, our music can sometimes become “dated” before it has even had a chance to be contemporary. This can happen both lyrically and musically. </p>
<p>Go back and read some lyrics from the 1930s and ’40s. Most of it is pretty obviously out of step with current culture. With a few timeless exceptions, the words just don’t sound natural or conversational, it just isn’t how people talk today. The same exact thing is happening to your music right now — albeit much more slowly. </p>
<p>So tune yourself in to what’s popular now. Listen to what artists are talking about and how they’re talking about it. I’m not suggesting you cop their style by any means, but be aware of what phrases today’s artists are using and whether they tend to stick, or fade away. Try to notice where you might be using dated phrases and substitute fresh ones! </p>
<h4>5. Ruthlessly Root Out Clichés </h4>
<p>Despite many people rolling their eyes at them, many clichés are clichés for a reason — they resonate universally and perfectly describe or express something we’re feeling. But like a song that’s beaten to death on the radio, somewhere along the line, every turn of phrase gets old. </p>
<p>Whenever I hear a well-worn cliché in a song, I feel like the writer was just being lazy. It’s kind of like grabbing the lowest, easiest fruit on the tree. But if you climb a little higher — and sometimes you have to climb a lot higher — you’ll find that unique way to spin a word or phrase on its head to make your lyric pop. </p>
<p>This may sound strange, but try to think of it like making the predictable unpredictable. It’s difficult to do, I know, but that’s part of your job as a writer. Lead the listener in one direction and then flip the language like a coin. If you can’t come up with some other way to say something, at the very least avoid well-trod cliche´s like the plague. </p>
<h4>6. Avoid Dated References </h4>
<p>This is similar to the above point, but it’s slightly different. While certain things, people, and events are timeless and universally known, some others tend to fade in and out of pop culture (sometimes very quickly). </p>
<p>Is that champion boxer you mention in your lyrics going to go over the head of today’s teen music listener? Or how about listeners ten years from now? Is the movie or song you mentioned a generation-spanning classic, well-loved even today by many generations? And what about that reference to an essential technology? (We all know those are doomed.) </p>
<p>For instance, we do not use pay phones anymore. We don’t memorize phone numbers, or have CD collections, or take taxi cabs (we use Uber and Lyft, thank you very much). Email is even slightly dated nowadays, when people can just text each other. </p>
<p>You might just be shocked to find that many of today’s teenagers have no idea who the Wailers are, or has never even heard of Harder They Come. The absolute safest way to go is avoid pop culture references altogether. But sometimes your hook is so good, or the point you want to make really needs that extra kick, and you want to throw the reference in, and that’s fine. Just make it tasteful. </p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to do that if you need to, just know that it probably has a shelf life. A few years (or decades) down the line you might need to revisit those lyrics and update the reference. </p>
<p>There are just a few ideas to get you started on the road to fresher lyrics. And I am by no means trying to offer one-size-fits-all suggestions. There’s every chance in the world that my advice could be perfectly applicable to one writer, and not work at all for your song. </p>
<p>Always listen to your inner voice, evaluate all the criticism and insight you’ve gotten from friends and cowriters, and forge forward. You may even discover tricks of your own that work even better than these do.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65089452020-12-28T09:36:46-05:002020-12-28T09:38:04-05:00Guide To Setting Better Goals As An Artist In 2021 <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/6194918651f542af3bcd1cf9b6cd97fd3de0491c/original/s-m-a-r-t-goal-setting-practices-for-project-managers.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As 2020 draws to a close, it’s important for artists to look ahead and start setting goals for 2021. In this piece, we look at how make sure these goals are clear and actionable enough to actually be accomplished in the coming year. </p>
<p>2020 is finally coming to an end! That means it’s time to start looking towards the future. As a musician, it’s important to set goals for your career and create a plan to make them happen. From learning new skills and getting more followers to earning more money and booking more gigs, setting clear goals is the key to seeing your dreams come to life. Here’s how to set better goals for the new year… </p>
<h3>How To Set Better Goals As A Musician In 2021 </h3>
<h4>Let’s talk S.M.A.R.T. </h4>
<p>When it comes to goal setting, many pros around the world use the S.M.A.R.T method. Created in 1981 by George T. Doran, S.M.A.R.T is an acronym that helps you create specific criteria for your goals to help improve the chances of their success. </p>
<p><strong>What does it stand for?</strong> </p>
<p>S – Specific </p>
<p>M – Measurable </p>
<p>A – Achievable </p>
<p>R – Realistic </p>
<p>T – Timed </p>
<p><strong>How to use the S.M.A.R.T Method: </strong></p>
<p>When it comes to your music career, your goals need to be realistic and specific. You should be able to quantifiably measure their success. They need to achievable for you as an artist, and you need to be able give it a set period of time to be accomplished by. </p>
<p>Pro Tip: Always write down your goals! — Having your goals written down lets you look back at them when you start to feel lost and get back on track. </p>
<p><strong>For example: </strong></p>
<p>Let’s apply the S.M.A.R.T method to, “I want more people to listen to my music”. </p>
<p>This goal needs to be way more specific. First, think about where you want more people to listen to your music. Which platform do you want these listeners on? Next, make it measurable. Come up with a variable that is quantifiable. Now, it’s time to make sure it’s achievable and realistic for where you are in your career. How many new listeners is actually doable for you? </p>
<p>Those insane, big time goals are good to keep in the back of your mind, but starting off with unrealistic goals will only make you frustrated and disappointed along the way. You’ll eventually get to those crazy goals, but you need to start small and work your way up. That being said, that leads us to the last step. Timed. — Your goals need to have a time limit. It’s easier to stay on track when you have set times to get things done by with checkpoints along the way. </p>
<p>When you apply the S.M.A.R.T method to, “I want more people to listen to my music”, it turns into something like: “I want 500 more monthly listeners on Spotify by May 31th.” instead. You can keep it focused on your entire monthly listeners, or you could break it down even further by focusing on a single release. </p>
<p>Now, that’s doable! </p>
<h4>In Conclusion… </h4>
<p>2020 was rough for a lot of us. However, one thing it did give us was a chance to assess ourselves. What do we want for our music careers? What’s been working? What efforts have been more time consuming than fruitful? Now that you’ve had all this time to brainstorm about the future, it’s time to make sure your goals for the new year reflect that. 2021 is a great opportunity to jump back in and hit the ground running. </p>
<h3>Just be S.M.A.R.T.</h3>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/65055452020-12-22T13:20:18-05:002020-12-22T13:25:25-05:00The New Artist’s Hustle<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7fcb1620e3c252fa6b07b52aae911dce4e9ab832/original/6ee710ccb52788e21569212983ba0e6f.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When the pandemic first arrived, it quickly became clear that music was going to be one of the hardest-hit industries. Staring down a gig-less calendar, one artist here recounts the steps they took to stay active and profitable as an artist operating in a struggling music economy. </p>
<p>I don’t think there is a single performing artist who will forget those early moments of the pandemic. When you watched the crowded calendar and potential opportunities fade to a huge blank expanse. Hearing from each gig as they cancelled one by one was like watching the stars going out in the sky. It was worrying. It was heartbreaking. It was rubbish. </p>
<p>For most of us, the shows are what brings in the cash. They pay our mortgage and allow us to connect with fans. They allow us to travel to new places and perform our music the way we intended. They are a lifeline in more ways than one. Without those in place, some musicians have had to seek full-time work elsewhere. Others have put their effort into streaming gigs to tide them over. </p>
<p>I was determined not to get a proper job again after working so hard to escape the last one, but I found the idea of streaming a gig in my bedroom while the kids were asleep more depressing than not performing at all. So what to do? It was time to learn from the forefathers of hip-hop to which I owe my career and get my hustle on. </p>
<p>I appreciate that every musician is as different as music itself and that the following might not be applicable to you, but hopefully there will be something you find useful in here. Either way, here’s what I tried and, in particular, what worked: </p>
<h4>Make Good Art </h4>
<p>Not only did I expand the range of the merchandise that I was offering, but I also teamed up with visual artists to make new images for the items that I had on sale. Working with artists is great, as it can give your merch a new lease of life and inspire your own creativity. Don’t just print out new stuff with the same logo on it, try and find ways to illustrate themes and lyrics from your songs. </p>
<p>I’m lucky enough to be part of a community where I bump into great artists all the time, but I know a lot of people who use Fiverr to great success. If you’re too broke for that, see if you have an artist in your fan base and offer them a creative swap – a lot of artists will happily swap images for specially-made songs. We’ve even gone so far as to publish a range of comic books, which keep selling years after production. I’d also recommend reaching out to people you don’t know on social media – you might not hear back from two out of three people, but occasionally you strike gold. One of my favourite DC Comics artists has drawn the cover for the next album and it all came from a brief conversation on Twitter. </p>
<p>Once you have your art, it’s all about thinking outside the box as much as possible. This year, I’ve gone for face masks (who hasn’t) and tote bags, but also bookmarks, mugs, action figures, and temporary tattoos. If you’re in the UK, I recommend Awesome Merch, who are always on point and have excellent customer service. </p>
<h4>Clear The Decks </h4>
<p>The other good thing about new merch is that it gives you a chance to clear out the old stuff. While ordering my merch, I did a few sales and offers to clear out the existing products (and the occasional album which was just collecting dust, never to be sold). Along with doing a sale for a limited time, it’s also worth trying things like ‘there are only five copies of this album left in the world’ or ‘every sale this week will get a FREE ALBUM in the mail’. In the past, I’ve even given away costumes and props from old shows. If you have an album that didn’t sell as well as you hoped and it’s collecting dust in the garage, or you have a pile of merch that you cart back and forth from every show, consider investing it in a giveaway. It’s great for the fans and can generate some really good revenue from the projects that never got much love. </p>
<h4>Spread the Word </h4>
<p>After clearing the decks, getting the word out is obviously essential. New merch doubles as something new to post on Instagram (instead of those pictures of past glories with ‘I can’t wait to get back on tour with you guys again’ written underneath). The monthly mailing from Bandzoogle is the most essential, as you have a group of people who actively want to hear from you. Alongside that, Facebook groups can be handy, along with Twitter and whichever subscription service you use. Speaking of which, whether it’s Patreon or Bandzoogle’s own fan subscription service, it’s worth giving new merch to subscribers first, and even sending some directly free-of-charge where you can. If you can look after the people kind enough to subscribe, they will look after you. </p>
<p>Outside of merch, I still use social media to remind fans that the best place to buy my tunes is the website with no fees.</p>
<h4>Keep It Bespoke </h4>
<p>If there is a silver lining to the lack of gigs and collapse of the record industry, it’s that us small independent artists can find our own tribe. At the moment, everyone is on their phones more and eager for distraction. Partly with that in mind, I have started a new service creating bespoke songs for individuals. This is not applicable to all – I’m lucky enough to have an established fan base and a type of music that lends itself to a brief – but if you can do it, I *highly* recommend it. It’s hard work, but always an honour that someone would like to commission a song from you. Plus, it has led to the creation of some really fun music. If that’s a bit much, it’s also worth looking at greeting services like Cameo and CelebVM, who I have recently joined. Neither one will pay the rent on their own, but they are a nice thing to add to the mix – plus they force you to be creative again, which can only be a good thing. </p>
<p>So that’s that. A few new possible hustles to keep things going until we can get on the road again. I hope something helps and I hope I get to meet you backstage sometime in 2021.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64962192020-12-10T13:26:05-05:002020-12-10T13:28:17-05:00Money Management: 10 Top Notch Ways To Spend Your Money As An Artist<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f7de9a30ef7e2a35bcc08e2e65cf99f8ba7b4149/original/dollars-and-sense-1024x682.gif/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Proper money management is one of the keys to succeeding as an independent artist. In this piece, we look at ten items that consistently make for smart investing.</p>
<p>To succeed as an indie artist, you’ll need to have a good grip on your independent music budget. </p>
<p>Let’s be frank, to succeed in the music industry; you need to know a thing or two about managing your finance. Of course, you can always have someone to manage your finance, but understanding it will save you a lot of pain. </p>
<p>You will make money from being an indie artist, but you also need to know what to spend your money on. </p>
<p>In this article, we’ll focus on 10 areas that should be focused on while drawing up your independent music budget.</p>
<h4>1. Make an Official Video </h4>
<p>While everyone will be able to identify your music, they should also put a face to it. You need to apportion a segment of your budget to shoot a video. </p>
<p>There’s no better way to spend your money than this. Shoot a video and upload it on Youtube, and you may be lucky to go viral. </p>
<h4>2. Hire a Publicist </h4>
<p>This is one area mainstream artists excel in due to the available resources at major record labels. Nevertheless, as an indie artist, you can also hire a publicist you can afford. </p>
<p>With a publicist, you are guaranteed that your new music will make much impact. Ensure your publicist has a track record of success. </p>
<h4>3. Run Ads Online </h4>
<p>Everyone you are targeting spends a good part of their day online; you need to take your music to where they are. </p>
<p>One way to do this is by running ads on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and other major online outlets. Just set a budget and run the advert. </p>
<h4>4. Email Marketing </h4>
<p>Email marketing has one of the largest ROI, and you should be able to take advantage of it as an indie artist. Make it a priority on your independent music budget. </p>
<p>To leverage email marketing, you should have a mailing list. You may need to hire an expert email marketer to get good results. </p>
<h4>5. Go For a Photoshoot </h4>
<p>As an indie artist, you should wear the look in every of your picture that your fans will come in contact with. You cannot just take selfies and post on your social media pages. </p>
<p>Hire a professional photographer who takes excellent pictures of you. This will also serve as your profile picture on social media. </p>
<h4>6. Hire a Graphic Designer </h4>
<p>The graphic designer will not just be working on your album art but also create content to engage your followers on social media. </p>
<p>Of course, you may take advantage of free resources such as Canva, but a time will come when this will be grossly inadequate. To compete as an artist, you need to go beyond free resources. </p>
<h4>7. Plan a Tour </h4>
<p>Going on tour should form part of your independent music budget. If you aim to stamp your feet on the music scene as an indie artist, a tour is one of the best ways to get this done. </p>
<p>Of course, a lot of work goes into planning a tour, but you can always work out something. With a tour, you’ll secure endorsement deals, sponsorships and sell your merchandise. </p>
<h4>8. Hire an Influencer </h4>
<p>Theirs is rarely any successful artist out there today that does not engage the service of an influencer. 80% of the time, influencer marketing is considered successful. </p>
<p>The influencer is like a publicist but promotes your music on social media. The influencer leverages their followerships to spread good words about you and your music. </p>
<h4>9. Invest in PR </h4>
<p>To break into the limelight, be ready to devote a huge part of your budget to PR. Get the services of media personalities and writers to write about your music and brand. </p>
<p>It would help if you looked out for writers with affiliations with music blogs, magazines, and even podcasts. Their impact will induce word of mouth virality and help you capture your audience. </p>
<h4>10. Get Premium Music Streaming Services </h4>
<p>Suppose you want all of your efforts at music promotion to yield good results. In that case, you should invest in premium music streaming services. All of the music marketing efforts will yield results if your fans can easily locate you on the internet. </p>
<p>In addition to the music streaming service subscription, you should ensure your website is search engine optimized. As soon as your fans input your name into the search box, they should be able to find you. </p>
<h4>Final Thoughts </h4>
<p>The size of your independent music budget will not matter if you can squeeze this ten ways into it. </p>
<p>By consistently pushing with these ten ways as an indie artist, you are making the most of your budget.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64077722020-12-10T13:19:20-05:002020-12-11T11:20:21-05:0015 Ways To Promote Your Music Online <p>With so many ways to promote your music online — and only so many hours in the day — how do you decide which platforms are worth your time and energy? </p>
<p>If you try to promote your music through every channel available to you, all at the same time, you’re going to spread yourself too thin and eventually burn out. On top of that, you’ll end up frustrated that all of your hard work hasn’t actually amounted to much. </p>
<p>So rather than attempt the impossible, focus your efforts on a handful of platforms where your existing and potential fans are most likely to spend their time online. (And, you know, the platforms that you actually enjoy using — or at least don’t despise.) </p>
<h3>Here are 15 of the best ways to promote your music online. </h3>
<h4>1. Website </h4>
<p>This should be priority number one (and we’re not just saying that to toot our own horn). An official website gives your fans a place where they know they can always find you, no matter which social networks come and go. </p>
<h4>2. Email List </h4>
<p>Unlike social media platforms where algorithms determine who sees your content, your emails are guaranteed to land in your subscribers’ inboxes. A regular monthly newsletter is a great way to keep them informed about all things going on with you and your band. </p>
<h4>3. Blog </h4>
<p>If you love writing, consider starting a blog to build a deeper relationship with your fans. Your posts could include insight into your creative process, roundups of new music you’ve been loving, or personal stories about your life as a musician. </p>
<h4>4. Electronic Press Kit </h4>
<p>An electronic press kit, or EPK, is essentially a résumé for you as an artist. It should include your up-to-date bio, music, photos, videos, tour dates, press coverage, links, and contact information. It’s always a good idea to have your EPK on hand when you release new music, book shows, or connect with music industry folks. </p>
<h4>5. Facebook </h4>
<p>Facebook has long been considered essential for promoting music online, but it’s become increasingly difficult to reach fans organically over the last few years. </p>
<p>If there’s an audience you want to reach on Facebook and you have some budget to work with, you’ll need to get comfortable with Ads Manager. It’s a powerful tool for creating, managing, and measuring Facebook ad campaigns, but it definitely has a learning curve. As long as you dedicate some time to testing and optimizing, Facebook ads can be one of the most affordable ways to promote your music online. </p>
<h4>6. Twitter </h4>
<p>Twitter reigns supreme for real-time updates and quick interactions. It’s a great channel for sharing thoughts on relevant trending topics, hosting Q&A sessions with fans, posting setlists, and much more. You can also use the search function to find people who are talking about your music (or similar artists), and strike up conversations with them. </p>
<h4> 7. Instagram </h4>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/a79f7590ff5c9e98f717aa4399e93124ad046b85/original/1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram has exploded in popularity. Between your grid, Stories, IGTV, Instagram Live, and the newly announced Reels (Instagram’s take on TikTok-style videos), it’s the best place to build your visual brand as a musician. </p>
<p>If you have a little money to put towards growing your presence, you can promote Instagram posts through Facebook Ads Manager in the same way that you’d promote a Facebook post. </p>
<h4>8. Snapchat </h4>
<p>Snapchat is a fun way to connect with fans, especially if your target audience skews younger. It tends to feel more casual, in-the-moment, and personal than other social media apps, which can lead to some unique marketing opportunities that don’t necessarily feel like “marketing.” </p>
<h4>9. Streaming Services </h4>
<p>Most fans use streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora to listen to their favorite artists and discover new music, so you’ll want to make sure your releases are available on all of them. </p>
<p>Getting even one of your songs featured on a playlist can work wonders for your music career. There are millions of playlists out there for every subgenre, mood, and activity imaginable — which translates into a golden opportunity to reach the right audience at the right time. </p>
<h4>10. YouTube </h4>
<p>YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google and an enormous driver of music discovery. Besides sharing your videos on other platforms, you can help people find you by making sure that every upload has a clear and catchy title, a detailed description with keywords, and relevant tags. You’ll also want to organize similar types of videos into playlists to build watch time. </p>
<h4>11. SoundCloud </h4>
<p>SoundCloud is one of the most artist-friendly platforms out there, especially for independent musicians and niche genres. It boasts a massive community of diverse music lovers, and it’s super easy to share or embed your tracks on just about any website. You can even use it to upload demos and gather feedback before investing in professional production. </p>
<h4>12. Bandsintown </h4>
<p>Bandsintown is the largest concert discovery platform, used by over 500,000 artists and 50 million fans. Whether you’re heading out on tour, live streaming from home, or anything in between, you’ll be able to sync all of your upcoming events across your website and social media channels. </p>
<h4>13. Music Blogs </h4>
<p>Even small blog features will have a positive impact on your SEO and exposure, so seek out opportunities for album reviews, concert reviews, interviews, and guest posts. </p>
<p>Research music blogs that feature artists similar to you in terms of both genre and prominence, and make sure you take the time to craft a personalized pitch email that will catch the blogger’s attention. </p>
<h4>14. TikTok </h4>
<p>TikTok has quickly become one of the best ways to promote music online, with over 800 million monthly active users. The app is especially popular among Gen Z, but older demographics have wasted no time hopping on the bandwagon. The fine-tuned algorithm and addictive format give you a better chance of organically reaching a new audience in comparison to other social media platforms. </p>
<h4>15. Audiomack </h4>
<p>Audiomack is a music sharing and discovery website that lets you host all of your tracks for free, with no storage limits. You can submit your uploaded songs for a potential feature on the “trending” page, where millions of fans go to discover new artists. You’ll also have free access to content sharing tools and a dashboard loaded with detailed stats and engagement data.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64803152020-11-18T08:43:58-05:002020-11-18T08:43:58-05:00Wellness, Self-Care Tips For Musicians<p>As artists continue to face unusual and extreme circumstances, self-care has become more important (although not necessarily easier) than ever. Here, we look some useful and achievable ideas for taking better care of ourselves. </p>
<p>As a fully remote company made up of musicians, the topic of self-care often comes up around the virtual watercooler here at Kingston Elite. We regularly share tips on how to keep ourselves healthy, focused, and strong, both mentally and physically. </p>
<p>Now more than ever, musicians face unusual circumstances, and more creative people are contained at home. Although the journey towards self-care is an ongoing process, we thought we’d brainstorm and share a few of the things that have been collectively working for us. </p>
<h4>Exercise and fresh air </h4>
<p>Sounds obvious, but the number one suggestion from our team to help maintain a sense of self-care was exercise. This isn’t necessarily something that comes naturally to a musician with a sedentary lifestyle, but with fewer gigs, making up that physical activity can do wonders for an active mind and a healthier body. </p>
<p>As a producer and studio owner, our founder Dave emphasizes how important it is to get that outside time in, saying “it’s really easy to get insular when working as a musician / producer type, and studios are not known for things like windows and fresh air. While social distancing is a thing, even getting out to a park for an easy walk for an hour I find is critical to maintaining a clear head. Getting fresh air, practicing breathing on a casual walk clears out mental cobwebs and when I get home, I find I have more mental clarity and focus.” </p>
<p>Mix Engineer Knatural also reminds us that “getting some sun exposure and Vitamin D is key to synchronise your biorhythm, improving subjective well being significantly, and improving your sleep.” </p>
<p>Bored of going for walks? “Walking a different route than you usually do breaks up routine and invites new energy,” or try a different form of exercise that you can realistically fit in and do at home, such as a yoga practice after tucking in your kids for the night.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/40ca34665c34cd696998bb7402db1b5676d7e7d5/original/reach-falls-by-bayyina-black.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>Making small goals </h4>
<p>Making small goals each week is a good idea, as is breaking your tasks down into smaller pieces, so it’s easier to manage. </p>
<p>Maintenance manager Fitzroy does this to help find balance, saying, “my goal each week is to go to my jam space and practice music. I keep it pretty lenient on when and how long, so I don’t feel daunted by scheduling. Don’t think of what ‘other people’ are able to do, think about what you’re able to do.” </p>
<p>Even fitting in the little things might seem overwhelming, and choosing how to spend your limited energy without pressure or self-expectation may help to conserve that mental strength. </p>
<h4>Be kind to yourself </h4>
<p>The pandemic has, understandably, put a pause on so many creative endeavours – and that it’s ok not to be creative during a time of crisis. As a musician and artist, she’s been undertaking smaller processes and projects to lay the groundwork for future creativity, should it happen. </p>
<p>For musicians, she suggests “organizing your studio/jam space, learning cover songs or expanding some technique, and helping someone else with their creative project” as a way to dip your toes back into creative work. </p>
<p>Our Head of Marketing Stephen echoes this, noting that it’s important “not being too hard on yourself if you feel like your creativity is missing, or if you feel like you’re not creating your best work. Just keep the momentum in your practice.” </p>
<h4>Trying something new </h4>
<p>Many of us here at Kingston Elite rely on hobbies and have developed these for when we can’t go about our normal routines. Channeling these hobbies into a form of self-expression can be a saving grace in darker times. And giving yourself permission to not necessarily be good at said hobby is totally ok. </p>
<p>Support tech and deejay Neil says, “because I wasn’t going out to restaurants and bars, I saved some money and decided to invest in new instruments to experiment with (synths and drum machines). This made me put attention into them instead of wanting to go to a rehearsal when I can’t. It helped me stay connected with my main passion and hobby (music) even when shows and rehearsals are not allowed.” </p>
<p>Setting up 30 minutes a day to explore something new could be enough to improve, and also to notice progress (which may boost your self love). If a hobby feeds your soul and clears your mind, it’s worth trying. From gardening to beekeeping to baking, we all have pastimes that we talk about amongst the team. And of course, there is music.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/4d762afefeba9e8f68e61a7b379dcb282d61c591/original/screen-shot-2016-01-12-at-120843-pmpng1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>Connecting virtually, even if not in person </h4>
<p>Technology can be so sweet in helping us connect these days, with funny Facebook filters and Zoom chats. One way to beat the isolation blues is to make time to Facetime or otherwise call your friends, family, and loved ones. </p>
<p>Our entire remote team recently ‘met’ online via a Google meet to eat pizza and play Minecraft on a virtual server. It’s not the same as in-person time, but works to help us connect to each other across time zones and distance. </p>
<h4>Meditation as a tool for self-care </h4>
<p>Producer Riff uses meditation as a way to allow positivity to enter his mind. “You can start out with as little as five minutes a day,” he advises. “Generally, it’s better to practice for short times, many times, than for super long sessions every once in a while. So, if you can, try to get that five minutes in! And don’t worry if you don’t feel calmer right away, or if your meditation isn’t ‘perfect’. Trust that the process works and you will see positive results if you keep at it.” </p>
<h4>Things to be grateful for </h4>
<p>It can be difficult to remember what things used to be like, or to clearly see a way forward without getting lost in the now. Making time to write, and to think about the good things that exist, mindfully, can be a great spirit booster. </p>
<p>Our Founder Dave has developed a tool called Three Good Things that reminds him to record 3 things, big or small, to be grateful for each day. On a not so good day, it’s also inspiring to look back and remember those things that you felt grateful for. </p>
<h4>Spending time with animals </h4>
<p>Setting aside time to be with your furry friends can have such a positive affect on your mind and mood. A&R Micah, an avid animal lover and pet owner, recommends “spending time with pets, just playing with them, caressing them, even talking to them. Sounds silly, but they can really calm you down when feeling stressed or anxious.”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1723e203f469dbc04b42856aaf60bd51d64c3e4f/original/gettyimages-8272513341-5bbcf4c6c9e77c00268fa0c0.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We truly hope that anyone out there who is suffering knows that they are not alone. Have you adjusted or added any routines or things that have helped you adapt to the strange new normal that musicians are facing? We would love to hear what you have tried, and what’s working for you.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64722442020-11-07T12:40:23-05:002020-11-07T12:40:23-05:004 Reasons You Need To Collab With Acts That Speak Other Languages<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/2cbbd1a821fa84d277e20899c1be593d80c8434e/original/quarantine-collaboration-01.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>While a lot of music consumers and creators have historically stayed within their silos when it comes to style and genre, but with the advent of social media and cultural globalization, more artists are (and should be) considering recording with musicians from countries other than their own, and making their catalogues more multilingual. </p>
<p>For many, many years, people tended to stick to what they knew in the music world. They identified as fans of a certain genre, they loved the bands who operated in that sphere, and the masses largely didn’t explore sounds and acts who didn’t fit under the labels they’d carefully chosen for themselves. This was also true of the Billboard charts and the playlists compiled by the biggest radio stations in most Western nations, which only selected new tunes in one language and perhaps one style. </p>
<p>A number of factors, from social media to streaming platforms to general globalization, have helped all that change, and now millions of people don’t care about anything other than how good a song sounds. Descriptors that once could rule a tune out for countless listeners—genre, artist, and even language—aren’t as important as they used to be. </p>
<p>One of the longest-running No. 1 hits of all-time in the U.S., Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s “Despacito,” was performed in Spanish and English, and it ruled for months. BTS, who sing and rap and speak primarily in Korean, are perhaps the most successful band in America of the past several years, and they can’t stop accruing No. 1 albums! </p>
<p>Now that music lovers have changed their minds about what matters, this is the time for every act to explore recording with musicians from other countries and to consider making their catalog multilingual—here’s why. </p>
<h4>1. Great Art Is Great Art! </h4>
<p>Before we dive into what benefits can be gained in terms of streams, sales, followers and such, first thing’s first: the art! You should explore working with other artists and writing and recording in a language other than your own simply for the artistic merit of it all! You never know what can happen when you broaden your artistic horizons and try new things, and even by finding inspiration in just one culture, country or language other than your own, you could immediately become excited to create like never before. </p>
<p>Once you start, you may find that while there are certainly challenges associated with working with acts on the other side of the world or trying to translate what managers and producers are saying, the music that comes from all that hard work will surely be worth the effort. </p>
<p>I encourage you to start with one figure whose music you enjoy (this may mean stepping outside of what you normally listen to and discovering any number of new acts) and just one language and see how it goes. You don’t need to include every tongue in your discography, but mixing things up in almost any sense is always worth trying as an artist. </p>
<h4>2. New Fans </h4>
<p>Whenever you work with another solo musician or band and you collaboratively release something together, you are automatically introduced to those who follow that act. Some of them may already know you if you make similar music and you exist in the same world, or everyone who listens to what you two cooked up may hear your name and art for the first time. Either way, new listeners and potential fans is always a good thing, and once you’ve got them hooked with one tune, do everything you can to entice them to hear more, follow you, and become die-hard followers of yours as well. </p>
<h4>3. A New Part Of The World </h4>
<p>When it comes to partnering with a musician who performs in another language, who crafts tunes that might sound completely different from what you record and who lives in another country, the chances that you’re reaching new people who have never even heard of you is great. If your goal (one of your goals) is to go completely global with your music, collaborating with someone who already has a foothold in another market is one of the best ways to make that dream a reality. </p>
<p>If you don’t go this route, you may wind up spending years trying to get on festival bills, wasting money on advertising in other territories, or attempting to reach streaming playlists, radio DJs and the media who haven’t heard of you. It’s certainly not impossible, but it’s much, much tougher if those are your only options for global domination. </p>
<h4>4. The Potential To Tour </h4>
<p>If you spend time and write, produce, record and release a song that ends up becoming a fan favorite among your new friend’s fans, not only have you introduced yourself to them successfully, but you have opened a lot of doors. You can now consider how you can expand on your new win, possibly with more collaborations, partnerships with other acts in the same part of the world or who speak the same language, or even to tour somewhere you’ve never been before. </p>
<p>Selling tickets to any concert can be hard as an underground act just getting started, and it’s even more difficult in a market that is largely unknown to you. If you open for your new collaborator and perform your new single together, it makes the show a special event and it gives you a chance to further impress listeners who may otherwise only know you for one track. </p>
<p>And, once you’ve played even just one concert in another nation, now you may have a better shot at working with bookers and promoters to play shows, festivals or even full tours, as you’ve already got one win to your credit.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64722432020-11-07T12:32:41-05:002020-11-07T12:32:41-05:006 Ways Artists Can Prepare For The Holidays<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/6d1a716a2774be678d336b95263a65e1e3575d06/original/christmas-bulbs-on-music.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>For artists, the holiday season is an important time. With December now right around the corner, we’re looking at six strategies artists can use to make the most of the upcoming holidays! </p>
<p>The holiday season is approaching fast, and musicians all over the world are planning their holiday strategies accordingly. Want to make the most out of this holiday season? Here’s how… </p>
<h4>Promote Like Crazy </h4>
<p>The holiday season is one of the biggest times for buying music. From CD’s and vinyls to posters and merch, consumers all over the world are looking for the perfect gifts for their music lover friends and family. </p>
<p>During this time, you should be promoting whatever you have out as much as possible. But that doesn’t mean to blast the same shit on every platform. There are lots of creative ways to promote during the holidays, try things like: </p>
<ul> <li>Remind your fans of how your latest album on vinyl would make a perfect stocking stuffer. </li> <li>Post pictures of you wearing your coziest merch by the fire with a link to your merch store. </li> <li>Give a gift of your own by offering sale prices on your merch for a limited time. </li>
</ul>
<p>These are just a couple ideas to get your creative juices flowing. — Think about what you’d like to see from your favorite artist and make it your own. </p>
<h4>Brainstorm Holiday Themed Content </h4>
<p>Do you plan on releasing an entire holiday album? Or maybe you plan to release one holiday single? Whatever you decide to do, consider creating something exclusive for the holidays. Need some ideas? Try these… </p>
<ul> <li>Livestream a different holiday cover every week leading up to the holiday of your choosing. </li> <li>Create exclusive holiday merch. </li> <li>Try a themed contest on socials where the winners get exclusive access to your upcoming holiday single before anyone else. </li> <li>Do a merch giveaway. </li> <li>Do holiday themed collabs with other artists.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Create a Holiday Playlist </h4>
<p>Help get the holiday spirit started with your own holiday playlists! Personally, I am the designated playlist curator for my friends and family. No matter the occasion, they know I’ve got something cooking and can’t wait to get a taste of the vibes. — Your fans are the same. Getting personally curated playlists from you is a great way to show you’re thinking of them and give back. </p>
<p>Keep in mind, dinner party ambiance, cooking music, mellow holiday vibes, and festive holiday jams perform the best during the holiday season. Once you’ve created the perfect playlist, share the link on Instagram Stories, Twitter, Facebook groups, or really anywhere and everywhere you connect the most with your audience. </p>
<p>To step it up a notch, you could even work on a collaborative playlist with another artist and release that to expand your reach even further… </p>
<p>There are two great streaming services that offer the collaborative playlist feature, Spotify and Apple Music. <br>Both of them are the same concept and super easy to use, so feel free to use whichever one your heart desires.</p>
<h4>Go Local </h4>
<p>Depending on your state, your city might be throwing social distanced events this holiday season. Whether a venue is in need of a live performance or a just a great holiday playlist, there are many ways you can participate in your local activities. — Reach out to local bars and hit up your city’s Facebook groups to see what’s going on and how you can get involved. </p>
<h4>Be Aware of Holiday Deadlines </h4>
<p>The music industry is filled with people just like you who like to spend time with their families and get a second to sit back and drink hot chocolate by the fire. Not only that, major streaming platforms take holiday breaks, too. — Last year, iTunes was closed for the week of Thanksgiving, and again from December 22nd through January 1st. </p>
<p>Towards the end of the year, everything starts to slow down. Regardless of if you work with an independent distributor or not, never wait until the very last minute to try and release that holiday single. It never goes smoothly. </p>
<p>Be vocal with your team about what you’re planning to release and when you want it done. Just because you decide to do things last minute doesn’t mean your peers will be willing to.</p>
<h4>Get Ahead </h4>
<p>With the new year right around the corner, it’s time to start planning ahead. The end of the year is a good time to assess the past year and analyze what has worked and what hasn’t. Use this information to adapt moving forward. </p>
<p>Look into which platforms garnered the most engagement, what types of posts did the best, where your audience has expanded because of these efforts and more from tools like Google Analytics, Instagram Stories Analytics, etc. </p>
<p>Knowing where you stand and where you have room to grow is the key to excelling in this industry.</p>
<h4>In Conclusion… </h4>
<p>From November to December, industry folks tend to travel and be out of the office more frequently, the major labels’ biggest artists tend to release in the 4th quarter to take advantage of the holiday retail spike, and artists of all genres are releasing holiday music and content. </p>
<p>If you have a New Year / Christmas / Holiday song, of course now is a great time to release it. However, although the market is heavily saturated with music, there are other things you can do to keep the momentum going strong. Do your research. Be creative with your efforts, and the holiday season is sure to be a hit.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64638052020-10-26T19:21:12-04:002020-12-16T22:50:26-05:00Artists' Corporate Identity Explained <p>While many artists might blanche at the idea of having a corporate identity, the reality is that being a musician means running a small business, and while having a CI is important for branding, it hardly makes you sellout. </p>
<p> Corporate Identity sounds more complicated than it actually is. However, there are some things to keep in mind. Read On </p>
<p>Corporate Identity is not a common buzz-word in the music business. However, it is a very important step for any musicians or bands branding. </p>
<p>Hence, an important part of success. This is crazy, so many musicians think that if you work on your branding you are loosing authenticity. </p>
<p>A common mistake some artists make is to confuse authenticity with branding. </p>
<p>Here’s the kicker: your fan is, at the end of the day, the consumer of your music. And a consumer in modern-day times sees branding all the time. </p>
<p>As a matter of fact, if you lack branding it can actually have a negative impact on your overall performance. People already kind of expect it as a quality measurement. </p>
<h4>What does Corporate Identity consists of </h4>
<p>In the first place, Corporate Identity or CI is the visual statement you’re putting out there about yourself. It showcases different viewpoints. </p>
<p>For once, it highlights to others how you view yourself. Next, it shows how you wish others see you. Also, you want others to recognise and remember you instantly. </p>
<p>Even though CI comes from the business world, CI as described above is super relevant to any musician. </p>
<p>Why? Because it gives your fans something to hold onto as well as it helps them to recognise and remember you. </p>
<p>In a world where thousand of new tracks appear on Spotify, for example, branding is the currency that helps you trade your music! </p>
<p>In detail, your CI consists of your logo, your colour scheme, cover art for your releases, your merch, your tour posters and uniforms.</p>
<h4>Define your Corporate Identity as detailed as possible </h4>
<p>Let’s define CI with some examples at bit more to make it really clear: </p>
<ul> <li>
<strong>Logo</strong>: Your logo can be either a symbol or your name tag written in a cool way. Just think of Coca-Cola and you instantly know what I mean. The red is significant for Coca-Cola as well is the writing. Even if you see it from far away on a billboard, for example, you still get that it’s the Coca-Cola banner. This is what logos are mainly there to place a visual memory in the consumer’s brain</li>
</ul>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/0fbd2eca3f5bd5a0dc46018af3656fe6926e39c9/original/brand-identity-logo2-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>
<strong>Colour Scheme</strong>: The colours can already be part of your logo. Also, the colour scheme is super important for your website and social media platforms. Especially Instagram is really keen on profiles having a stringent colour scheme. Firstly, it tyes in all posts into one coherent look. Also, if you post something, your fans will immediately spot that it’s yours. Colours also transport feelings. Also, beware of prejudice that comes with certain colours. For example, if you are a heavy metal band you probably don’t want to use hot pink in your colour scheme. Unless it becomes part of your branding that you like to make fun of yourself. You see, it always depends. If you make clear and deliberate choices you can also communicate the rational to your fans. However, this being clear in the meaning of your visuals is what CI is all about! </li>
</ul>
<h4>The cover art for your releases is also part of the overall CI! </h4>
<ul> <li>
<strong>Cover Art</strong>: Since the invention of vinyl, cover art has become an elementary visual aspect of music releases. What is more, it gives you ample space to work your CI! Why? Firstly, because you can place your logo on the cover. Also, you can sport the colour scheme you’ve chosen, either for your band or just for this release. Another great point is that you can use the visual to transport the feelings you want the fan to feel. It is like a promotion billboard within the product itself.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul> <li>
<strong>Product Packaging</strong>: The way you produce your physical products is also part of the overall CI. Do you take special care to produce amazing gatefold vinyl with a professionally printed inlay? Or do you simply make jewel-case CDs? Both choices transport certain feelings. </li>
</ul>
<h4>Corporate Identity best-practise </h4>
<p><strong>Make a difference!</strong> Have a clear reason why you are making music. Your ‘Why’ is everything in branding and especially for Corporate Identity. Make an impression in order for fans to prefer you over someone else Spotify playlist or YouTube channel, for example. </p>
<p><strong>Be relevant!</strong> Connect with what your fans care about and tune in with their dreams and aspirations. In order to build up a demand for your music, you need to know what is relevant for your fans! </p>
<p><strong>Be coherent!</strong> Your Corporate Identity needs to be coherent. That is why it is so important that the pictures on all your social media platforms speak one visual language. Also, the language you use to communicate with your fans needs to be steady as well as the level of professionalism. </p>
<p><strong>Have esteem!</strong> Value both your internal and external audiences. That means that you need to be honest to yourself as well as to your fans. Building up a reputation has everything to do with having the esteem to stand behind your output. Especially in such a digital era as we live in. </p>
<hr><p>Always remember, one of the most important steps in having a Corporate Identity is to actually start thinking about it. Start to purposefully use colour and make sure your logo is unique to you. </p>
<p>Also, it could be a good idea to establish a style guide where you write down the most important aspects of your Corporate Identity. Make sure you always communicate it with everyone in your team who is responsible for social media management. </p>
<p>Also, don’t forget to style your streaming profiles at Spotify and co according to your Corporate Identity. At the end of the day, a Corporate Identity can really help you stand out in a time where unknown numbers of tracks and videos show up on the internet every day.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349672020-10-16T18:41:22-04:002020-10-16T18:44:18-04:00Growing Your Confidence As A Songwriter <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b4c09830cb42e4f0435112942d0d0839f2835f97/original/istock-807168918-1-770-514-70-s.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>While the extended period of social isolation has provided a unique opportunity for musicians to double-down on their songwriter, too much introspective time alone with one’s thoughts can also be detrimental to one’s creative confidence. Here, we explore how to build your confidence a songwriter. </p>
<p>If you’re in self-isolation right now, or trying to figure out, well, “what now?” with live performances and recording sessions all but stalled for the moment, you’re not alone. </p>
<p>Many musicians are wondering the same thing, and many have taken to going back to the somewhat ancient art of songwriting, in the hopes that one day they’ll be able to share this new material with an audience. </p>
<p>But it’s not that easy for us artists to be alone with our thoughts, our doubts, and our demons — we can often be our own harshest critic. Whether or not you’re already prone to self-doubt, this is likely to be a tough time for you with all the pressure to churn out high-quality work without the help of your band, or your co-writers, lyricists, and producers available. </p>
<p>Let’s talk about how to build your confidence in your songwriting abilities, and why it’s even something to consider in the first place. </p>
<h4>1. Confidence is inherent in creativity. </h4>
<p>You might not like to acknowledge it, but confidence is absolutely an integral part of maintaining a creative mindset. It’s embedded in the process of making new connections between ideas, solving problems, and novel thinking. Confidence is needed to hunt and gather ideas, to sift and consider which you think are interesting or useful, beautiful, or challenging, and to decide which ones to develop. </p>
<p>The word “confidence” comes from the Latin fidere, which literally means “to trust.” Having self-confidence means trusting yourself, your abilities, and choices. It’s part of defining who you are as an artist; an artist aware of what you have to offer; an artist secure in the inner knowledge that you’re capable and that your work has worth. </p>
<p>There’s a world of difference between having confidence and the over-display of it. What I’m talking about is knowing you can readily access your own songwriting zone, come up with ideas, and explore and develop them, consistently. </p>
<h4>2. Confidence helps you navigate the music industry. </h4>
<p>Whether any particular song or artist finds “success” is completely unpredictable. There’s no clear relationship between effort and reward in the industry. It doesn’t always matter how good you are, or how hard you work, how well you network or what team you have on board. </p>
<p>All the unknown variables of luck, taste cycles, and major global events like COVID-19 can influence market uptake. </p>
<p>So it’s hardly surprising that the industry can be daunting for most artists. Even if you’ve had significant success in the past, one’s confidence is often eroded at the start of the next project (i.e: can I repeat this?). There is no equality or level playing field. There is asymmetric risk — a few hits and an ocean of misses. </p>
<p>And here is where improving or attending to your confidence is critical.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349682020-10-07T00:34:23-04:002020-11-15T03:28:45-05:005 Legit Ways To Game The YouTube Algorithm For More Views<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/cb85b2d2c0c2a34aceb762e8b38949900befc137/original/1-cjmjyj4ogr0mjrkdo3-lig-1024x576.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Although an extremely valuable marketing tool, keeping up with YouTube and it’s ever-evolving inner workings can be a challenge. Still, we know enough about the algorithm to have a few ideas on how to game the system. </p>
<p>YouTube can be a confusing animal. Like most social networks, once you think you’ve gotten your arms around how it works, it changes up its algorithm and you have to rethink your strategy again. That said, the platform does openly give you some idea of how the YouTube algorithm works, and these 5 ways to beat it. Here’s what to do. </p>
<h4>1. Be Thoughtful About Your Keywords And Metadata </h4>
<p>YouTube makes it clear in their algorithm explanation that keywords, descriptions, captions, and tags that are directly relevant to the video content really matters when it comes to optimizing your videos. </p>
<p>That means you need keyword rich titles and descriptions in order to increase your chances of the algorithm feeding your video to people when they search. </p>
<h4>2. Make Sure You Optimize Your Description </h4>
<p>This is one of the keys to the YouTube algorithm. The platform really likes long descriptions that include the names of the people involved in the video as well as links to other content, social media, or your website (don’t forget to include https:// in front of the URL to make it active). 100 words or more is what you’re aiming for. </p>
<h4>3. Add A Dialog Or Lyric Transcription </h4>
<p>Many people watch videos with the sound off, so if there’s something critical that you’re trying to get across, then make sure you upload self-created subtitles. The best part is that these are also indexed for search so that they’ll help you rank higher in the search results. </p>
<h4>4. Optimize Your Video Endings </h4>
<p>While it’s easy to just have a simple ending to a video, that’s depriving you of many marketing opportunities. If you direct viewers to another video on your channel, not only will you benefit from the increased interaction, but it will also satisfy the engagement requirement for the YouTube algorithm as well. This can be done in a variety of ways, from watermarks to end screens to cards, all which can be linked to another video on your channel. </p>
<h4>5. Encourage Subscriptions </h4>
<p>Subscriptions are not only useful for engagement, but they also help your search ranking as well, since YouTube will make sure that your reach is extended as a result. Sometimes creating a channel trailer can provide an incentive for people to sign up.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349692020-10-04T12:56:11-04:002020-10-04T12:56:11-04:00Using Interviews To Promote, Maximize Your Message<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ca4d4503291475f7febc147c45a891a90b6f2c50/original/unnamed.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As an artist, every interview you do is an opportunity to get your message across, and promote you music and merchandise. That said, truly getting the most out of an interview requires some careful preparation beforehand. </p>
<p>When being interviewed, it’s important to promote your music, merch, and more while being entertaining. Follow these steps to prepare ahead of time so you can maximize your message. </p>
<p>While you’re likely using streaming services to perform and connect with fans (and using great audio and lighting techniques), another way to get in front of people and expand your fan base is by getting interviewed to get coverage on someone else’s live stream, show, podcast, or through the press and media. To make sure you maximize your exposure and make the most out of the chance to get in front of a new audience, create buzz, and make new fans, you need to prepare. </p>
<p>Whether you reach out directly to the press/media (or podcaster, YouTuber, etc.) or get contacted directly, interviews are opportunities for you to deliver your message. This means you’ll want to help the interviewer make the interview as engaging as possible, all while being able to control the message to promote your music and events. But unlike broadcasting messages on your channels (website, social media, advertisements, etc.), you don’t have a direct say in the message they ultimately write. The only thing you can control are the words you say in the interview and the material you give them before and after the interview. </p>
<p>Your goal for any interview is to give the interviewer what they’re looking for while influencing them to cover points you want to publicize about you and your music. The ability to handle interviews well takes a little time to learn because it happens in real-time, but you can prep for an interview like you practice for a show. Having a good set of talking points, sound bites, and stories at-the-ready are like having a setlist and can help you control the flow of the conversation and keep you on-message. </p>
<p>Here’s how to prepare to maximize your exposure: </p>
<h4>1. Research the journalist </h4>
<p>Knowing who’s interviewing you is the most important thing to know ahead of the interview, yet, this is the step that most musicians skip. Spend a few minutes searching the name of the journalist on the web to give you an idea of the types of stories they write, whether their work is usually negative or positive, what their interests are, who else they’ve interviewed, their style, and what they’ve been working on lately. </p>
<p>If the interviewer has a personal blog, podcast, or Twitter account, be sure to review any recent articles, episodes, or tweets to talk about things they are interested in. Doing so will help you build a closer connection. This is important since it’s their show or news segment and they’re in charge of the interview. By building rapport with the interviewer, it’ll make the interview process — and even the final story — more likely to go in your favor. </p>
<h4>2. Ask the interviewer what they want to cover </h4>
<p>Before the interview, ask the interviewer to provide the questions ahead of time, or if they don’t want to provide the exact questions, at least share which topics they want to talk about. What most interviewers want to cover is what you’re doing now — your current release or event that triggered the interview, related stories, and background on who you are and how you started with music. It may also include a performance. </p>
<p>Good interviewers will do their research and often come into an interview situation already knowing a bit about you and the angle to the story they want to capture. If it’s an interview for a written article, don’t be surprised if they’ve partially composed it already and are just fishing for original quotes, such as finding out more details about you and your music that aren’t covered in your bio, on your website, or in your press/media materials. </p>
<h4>3. Prepare talking points </h4>
<p>Talking points are at-the-ready topics, ideas, and messages you want to cover during the interview. They are your most powerful tool to influence what an interviewer covers or writes about, and you should go into every interview with them. Good talking points can often alter the interview as the interviewer might ask follow-up questions about what you want to say, which gives you more opportunities to promote your message. </p>
<p>Key talking points should be on the topics you want covered in the interview: the release of your new single, EP, or album; recent positive press you received; upcoming events; or key points from your current marketing and PR campaign. Some other talking points you should have at-the-ready are short, entertaining answers to common musician questions such as “Who are your influences?” “Where do you get your ideas?” and “How did you start?” By having pithy answers to these questions, you can help make sure the interviewer spends more time on what you want to promote and cover. </p>
<p>If you’re not on camera or sitting directly in front of the interviewer, we recommend having these talking points written out in bullet points in front of you so you don’t have to memorize them. They are also handy in case you have an inexperienced interviewer that gets off track, since you can use them to take control of the interview and start talking about the points you want to cover. </p>
<h4>4. Create sound bites </h4>
<p>The best kind of talking point is a sound bite, which is a pithy, quotable statement that’s made to get quoted in print or a snippet shown on video. These are the quotes that they use to promote the interview since it’s so punchy, entertaining, or controversial. Effective soundbites are likely to be used in the coverage as is, with minimal or no editing.</p>
<h4>5. Prepare stories </h4>
<p>You should always have stories about you, your music, your work, or live performances at-the-ready so you can launch right into them. Stories are memorable and engaging to listeners and the interviewer. When you’re able to weave in a story, it has a higher chance of being covered. Plus, a good, entertaining story can make you stand out as an interviewee. When that happens, you have a higher chance of being asked back in the future simply because the interviewer enjoyed what you brought to the interview, ultimately providing a better and more engaging show for their audience. </p>
<h4>6. Give them fact sheets and follow-ups </h4>
<p>When your interview is over, the follow-up is a critical post-interview step. Beyond thanking them for the opportunity, this follow-up gives you one more chance to influence the coverage, editing, and even the way it is marketed. Your follow-up message should thank them, provide any additional information, include links you promised during the interview, and ask if they need anything else. This allows you to reinforce your message as well as fix any potential misunderstandings. You may also want to include a bullet list or fact sheet they can use to write about you, including a short bio, your hometown, your discography, spellings of everyone’s last names, etc. This also makes it easy for them to write the descriptive text of their video or text article. </p>
<p>The more interviews you do, the more practiced you’ll become at creating engaging stories while promoting your music. But even if you get good at handling questions on the fly, there’s no reason to wing it if you can prepare ahead of time, especially since every interview and interviewer is different. A good interview depends on your personality, the chemistry you have with the interviewer, and your preparation. Since preparing is the one thing completely in your control, make sure to put these items together and make the most of your media coverage to maximize your exposure.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349702020-09-25T13:37:27-04:002021-01-02T08:13:48-05:00Guide To Partnering With Influencers To Market Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ee1a9f931f626f797959e06538762df845e48dd9/original/disen-o-sin-ti-tulo.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Influencer marketing has become a major driving force behind reaching fans, and while including influencers in your marketing strategy can be beneficial, the rules of the road for partnering with the influencers have changed a great deal since the category’s inception. </p>
<p>Over the past few years, influencer marketing has become an integral part of reaching fans directly. If you are going to incorporate influencers into your marketing plan, it’s important to recognize that the best practices have changed as the category has come to maturity. </p>
<p>Traditionally, a brand or artist would pay an individual with millions of followers to do a post that comes across as promotional. It was acceptable for these posts to be a bit ‘salesy’, as there was considerable trust between the influencer and their followers. As “influencer” grew into a career, the market for these posts became oversaturated and, as a result, their value diminished along with the trust of their followers. When you couple that reduced value with higher pricing demanded by influencers and a lack of solid analytics, influencer marketing began to feel like a short-lived bubble that was already about to burst. </p>
<p>Enter micro-influencers. These are accounts with considerable following, though not quite as large as the traditional influencer. Their content tends to be more niche and, as a result, the engagement tends to be higher. These individuals are usually more open-minded to creative partnerships and they tend to be more adamant about keeping the feel of their posts organic. </p>
<p>What does that mean? Rather than spend your entire budget on one post from a major influencer, you can incorporate several micro-influencers at smaller prices (or just for cross-promotional purposes) and get innovative about how the opportunity will unfold. </p>
<p>Here are a few ways you can work with these more modern influencers: </p>
<h4>USE YOUR SONG TO SOUNDTRACK THEIR VIDEO </h4>
<p>Does your song fit perfectly in a surf video? Reach out to influencers in that world about having your song soundtrack their next highlight reel. A lot of times song usage will be achievable in exchange for sharing and the influencer will be willing to link back to your song on Spotify, YouTube, or to one of your social media profiles. Look for these influencers on YouTube, Instagram and Tik Tok. </p>
<h4>GO LIVE TOGETHER </h4>
<p>Instagram is a great place to start for this sort of initiative. You can do a livestream together where you can collaborate on a topic (i.e. – a cooking class or recipe review with a food influencer) where you share your common interest. You can also move this to Tik Tok in an abbreviated version. In the above example, you could even tie it back to the music by playing a song acoustic while they are doing the prep work for the meal. </p>
<h4>GET CREATIVE WITH A DANCE OR RIFF RECREATION </h4>
<p>This is a great way to create a call-to-action with your following as well as that of the influencer. When you find the right influencer to partner with, create a dance around your new single or replicate a key riff from the song. When the influencer posts the initial video, make sure to encourage fans to do their own version to amplify how many people are being exposed to the song. </p>
<h4>BE A GUEST ON THEIR VLOG </h4>
<p>This is an extension of the “going live” idea. Let’s use mixed drinks as an example here. You can be a guest on a mixologist’s vlog where you talk about your love of a particular spirit and what flavors you enjoy in a mixed drink. You can then work together to create a new concoction tailored to the conversation or inspired by the subject matter of your new song or album. </p>
<h4>REACTION VIDEOS </h4>
<p>One of our favorite ways to reach new audiences through a trusted source are reaction videos. These YouTube influencers will watch a new music video or listen to a song and react in real time to what they see and hear. These genuine and often comical instant reviews can get hundreds of thousands of hits and expose your music to a ton of potential fans. </p>
<h4>POST LIVE FROM YOUR SHOW </h4>
<p>Okay, okay. So this one isn’t available as an option right now, but it will be again someday and it usually doesn’t cost you any money to get an influencer to do this. Instead, you can offer to put them on the guest list for the night and any other sort of “VIP” treatment that you can come up with based on the size of the venue. In return they can post to their Instagram story live from the show and possibly incorporate the experience (or at least the song) into another post as well.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349652020-09-23T10:00:00-04:002020-09-23T10:00:05-04:00Creative Methods Of Releasing Your Music <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/eadde63fe7b387cffca9e13654a0a29b03148d3b/original/1-cq0oelr2eqdu2unvbcn35g.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Although sometimes thought of as dirty word, marketing in the current era can not only help artists foster a fan connection, but also be a fun and interesting experience for the artist involved. Here we look at some innovative and enjoy ways to release and promote your music. </p>
<p>What do you think of when you hear the word “marketing”? </p>
<p>If you’re anything like most people, the first things that come to mind are Mad Men era suits, slicked back hair, and a whole lot of sleazy selling. </p>
<p>But times have changed and marketing now is a whole lot different than marketing in the 60s or even what it was ten years ago. In fact, when it’s done right, marketing can not only bring your fans together and create a deeper connection, but it’s actually pretty fun. </p>
<p>These are just a few ideas to get you started—don’t be afraid to use them as inspiration and then really make it your own, putting your own branded flair on it. Your fans will thank you for it! </p>
<h4>AN ONLINE SCAVENGER HUNT </h4>
<p>Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could send your fans on a scavenger hunt that took them through the collaborative pages of other artists, industry, and influencers to lead them to the ultimate prize? </p>
<p>We’re starting off the list with one that’s a little more intricate but hear me out, because this one can be a win on so many levels if you have the resources to make it happen. </p>
<p>First, here’s the idea: your fans go on a short scavenger hunt across the internet collecting clues or virtual puzzle pieces that, when finished, lead them to a prize. You can have one small prize for everyone that completes it (such as a digital download or early stream of a new song) or enter them to win a grand prize (merch pack + virtual hang with you) or both! You could also do something like a $100 Amazon Card, which is more likely to entice people who don’t know you to play along, getting you more exposure + more fans. </p>
<p>Next, you have to set it up. This is where the collaboration comes in. You partner with other bands or industry that you’re wanting to strengthen your relationship with, and ask them if they’d be down to participate, This is an awesome idea, so they’ll say yes, and all they have to do is place a clue on their website or social media that leads fans to the next clue, eventually taking them to the final clue/puzzle, which, if and when they solve, gets them entered. </p>
<p>The reason this idea is awesome: #1 it gives your fans something to do that’s totally unique and will keep their interest. #2 you’ll ask them to share each step of the way on social media for extra entries to win, so you’re getting more eyes and ears on you. and #3 you’re building relationships with the bands collaborating with you, and they’re getting more eyes on their music. Win-win. </p>
<p>This idea is SO fun, but don’t overcomplicate it. I would suggest keeping it to 3-5 clues/steps max, so the whole thing only takes them an hour or so. You don’t want them to lose interest. </p>
<p>But, you can see how this would be really awesome, right?! </p>
<h4>FAN-MADE CONTENT </h4>
<p>Speaking of fans, what better way to get them excited for a new release than by asking them to be a part of it? You can do this through asking them to submit themselves for one of your upcoming music videos, as Sunny State did in his video “Human”, or you can ask them to create their own…. </p>
<p>-fan-made video </p>
<p>-cover of one of your songs </p>
<p>-merch design for a new line of merch </p>
<p>-song title </p>
<p>The idea is to get them involved in the process. This will no doubt build the bond between you and your fans and keep them invested as they’re now part of the process (and it also makes them way more likely to share something they’ve been a part of) </p>
<h4>EMAIL MARKETING </h4>
<p>Email marketing is not just for big companies whose emails you want to ignore. When done well, it is the #1 way to drive profits. Yes, I’m serious. More than your Instagram followers, your show attendees, or anything else, if you have a healthy (IE engaged) email list, you will make more money, get more streams, and build more of a following, period. </p>
<p>If you don’t already, get yourself set up with an email provider ASAP. (I recommend MailerLite, but people like Mailchimp too). Then, get yourself on a schedule. Once a week is ideal. Then, it’s time to start brainstorming content that’s going to get fans interested and keep them engaged. We actually did a whole series on this that you can check out here. </p>
<h4>DIY HAND-NUMBERED MERCH </h4>
<p>Honestly, the more homemade something feels, the better. I would rather buy a CD that a band made on their computer and drew on in Sharpie than a polished factory made CD any day. </p>
<p>Especially in the early days, this is one of the most cost effective ways to create merch, and as it turns out, it’s also one of the best ways to make fans feel a part of something. I can tell you personally I have lost so many CDs, tshirts, and stickers that bands have given me, but the hand numbered comic book one band made as part of their release, or the poster for one band’s album that they wrote personalized notes on as they sold them, and hand numbered—that I got in 2009—I still have those things. And it’s because there was a rawness to it that I treasure. </p>
<h4>EXPERIMENT WITH TWITCH (AND OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA) </h4>
<p>I will admit I had no idea what Twitch was until The Front Bottoms started using it to do weekly broadcasts that rotated between live performances and pre-recorded behind the scenes videos. But now that I know about it, I am obsessed with bands using it for their own marketing. </p>
<p>Not only that, but there are SO many ways you can be experimenting with various forms of social media—be it TikTok, Reels, Twitch, or simply going Live, there is something for everyone and it’s just a matter of figuring out what your platform is. Wherever you feel the most natural, the most excited to go, that’s what I want you to focus on. </p>
<p>And remember, it’s all just an experiment. There is no right and wrong, it’s just a matter of trying things out and seeing what sticks. That’s all marketing really is anyway.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349622020-09-16T10:30:21-04:002020-09-16T10:30:21-04:00What Exactly Is A Record Label in 2020?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/adefa06eba1c356407e44f27a34990236723d13d/original/1-o11buslpmpofg-auvdz9va.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The role of the record label has evolved dramatically over the past couple of decades, and while it isn’t fair to say that the record label is dead, its function and purpose in the music industry sometimes needs a little defining. </p>
<p>Twenty, even ten years ago, the answer to this very basic question (“what is a record label?”) would have been a pretty straightforward one to answer. Now, it’s a philosophical quagmire, and you’re likely to get a hundred different answers if you ask a hundred different people. </p>
<p>It’s true, the role of the record label in music as a whole has changed quite a bit in recent years. The role a label may play in an individual artist’s career may even be different, but contrary to popular opinion, the record label is not dead, nor is it likely to die any time soon. </p>
<p>But we’re not going to spend fifty pages on the subtle history and nuance of record labels today, and we won’t be covering the varying opinions as to their usefulness or morality either. Instead, we’re going to stick to the basics here so you can get a fundamental understanding of what a label is, and what they might do for an artist like yourself. </p>
<p>First things first. The standard definition which you will see a thousand times if you Google “What is a record label?” is: A record label is a company that manufactures, distributes, and promotes music recordings. </p>
<h4>A Simple Proposition </h4>
<p>At its core, what a label does is simple. A record label monetizes recorded music. </p>
<p>That’s it. Record labels’ sole business mission is to find ways to make money from recordings of music. But that doesn’t mean they’re inherently evil, or ripping you off. The best labels are ones with models that allow artists greater shares of revenue, more decision-making power and independence, and who raise their rosters like a family. </p>
<p>Record labels may fund the recording process or not. They may fund the manufacturing of recorded media such as CDs, LPs, and cassettes; or they may not. They will usually fund and negotiate the distribution of recorded media, say to old fashion record stores or mailorder catalogs. And most importantly, they will often put money towards the promotion of an artist’s music. </p>
<p>If you’re an artist signed to a record label, you’re considered an independent contractor contracted with the label to make recordings. </p>
<p>Before we go any farther there is one thing to understand about a record label: A label is not a publisher. A publisher finds ways to make money from the songs themselves. This could get confusing, because many companies operate as labels and publishers, but the two are separate. </p>
<h4>Make Money, How? </h4>
<p>This is where things get more complex, as there are a variety of ways to make money with recordings. Even more complexity gets introduced into contracts, with even more confusing twists and turns added almost daily due to streaming, new internet thingamabobs, and various and sundry other craziness. We’ll keep it simple. </p>
<p>Let’s boil it down to basics again. Recorded music generally is monetized in one of these three ways: </p>
<ol> <li>Sales – Sell a CD in a store. Sell an MP3 download from your website. Sell a vinyl record on tour. This means sales to customers who then listen to the music for their own enjoyment. </li> <li>Licensing – If the producers of a TV show or movie or any other media project want to use your recording in their production, they need to negotiate and pay for a Master Use License. Remember this is separate and distinct from licensing the song itself. </li> <li>Digital Performance Royalties – Traditionally, broadcasters of recordings such as radio stations were only required to pay songwriters/publishers for “performing” their songs, not the owners of recordings. Now, however, labels can make money from performances on digital platforms such as the internet or satellite radio too. </li>
</ol>
<p>Every way of making money directly from music falls into one of those categories. But that doesn’t mean labels can’t make money in other ways. </p>
<p>A modern label might make money from merchandise like shirts or stickers, YouTube monetization (advertising), licensing the likeness or name of an artist, ticket sales from live appearances and concerts, or any number of things that are not associated with the selling of the music itself. </p>
<h4>Another Way of Thinking About It </h4>
<p>Now that we have the basic picture of what a record label is, if you’re an artist you may want to think about it another way. </p>
<p>From an artist’s perspective, you could think of a record label as a service. This service is a business structure that allows you to make money being a musician, but it’s not always a necessary one. The label provides services like recording funding (think of this as a loan you could never get elsewhere), manufacturing, graphic design, marketing and promotion, and distribution. </p>
<p>If you sign with a label rather than building that structure yourself, you will have to pay them. Luckily, you don’t pay up front. Instead, you share the revenue generated from the monetization of your music. And even better, they’ll do the accounting for you. </p>
<p>The idea is that your ability to build the structure and promote your music on your own is so minuscule compared to a big company doing it, that even though you’re sharing the revenue, it’ll help you grow faster. This was certainly true in the beginning — just to access a recording studio before the digital age was such an expensive proposition that artists had no way to make a record without a label. </p>
<p>Now of course, it’s only partially true. Not only can you make a recording on your own, you can even build a following, distribute music, promote, and create the entire business structure yourself, skipping the label entirely. Think of Chance The Rapper and you’ll see how far it’s really possible to go independently. </p>
<p>That doesn’t mean there’s no place for a company that can do all that, or even some of it, for you. The fact is, not all musicians want to become graphic designers, recording engineers, digital marketing gurus, concert promotors, and agents. Most just want to make music and leave the rest to the pros. </p>
<p>If you think of a label as an organization you’re paying to help you with your music career, a lot of what you see in the contract might make more sense. </p>
<h4>There It Is, in a Nutshell </h4>
<p>There’s lots more to learn of course — we’ve barely scratched the surface here — but we hope that understanding what a record label is and does at a basic, fundamental level will help you understand whether or not you’d like to approach one to publish your music. </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349562020-09-16T10:10:37-04:002020-09-16T11:07:15-04:00A Guide To Converting Fans Into Paying Subscribers<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/87bbecd3e3153801752b01c9556340d289737c7f/original/maxresdefault.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Amassing a following on streaming services and social media is a great first step for artists, but being able to take those fare-weather fans and convert them into paying subscribers and long-term superfans is key to the longevity of your career. </p>
<p>So your fans are streaming your music and jamming away… Great! But what if you want more? Super fans will support you through thick and thin. Fostering deeper connections with your audience is a smart way to foster a stronger fan base you can lean on throughout your career. Whether it be with a paid newsletter, exclusive merch, or a VIP subscription service, here’s how to convert casual fans into paying subscribers. </p>
<h4>Offer Something Worth Paying for </h4>
<p>You have to think about what other artists in your genre are offering. For example, lots of artists offer early access to a new song, but if the song is going live to the public a couple weeks later, it’s not necessarily worth paying for in advance. Offer something uniquely exclusive, because everyone likes to feel special. </p>
<p>For example, you could start by simply mentioning your new subscription in an Instagram story. Mention an exclusive community that gets special treatment, for example: “… And we did a private concert for five of our fans, it was amazing… We even played them one of our unreleased songs.” Or offer other things like: </p>
<ul> <li>Online concerts </li> <li>VIP virtual hangs </li> <li>Features on social media (Instagram Live, Twitter shoutouts, etc.) </li> <li>Access to unreleased music </li> <li>Behind the scenes content </li> <li>Autographed merch </li>
</ul>
<p>Exclusive shit sells. Get creative with it! Think about things you’d want from your favorite artist and go from there. </p>
<h4>Run Targeted Ads </h4>
<p>Great advertising is a magical thing. Running targeted ads towards your current fanbase is a great way to reel in those who are already the most interested in your work. Check out these resources to get started… </p>
<ul> <li>Instagram Ads for Musicians </li> <li>YouTube Ads for Musicians </li> <li>How Spotify Ad Studio Works and Why You Should Use It </li>
</ul>
<h4>Loyalty goes a long way. Give back. </h4>
<p>Being a part of a community is a feeling like no other. Feeling connected and heard by your favorite artist is worth a subscription any day. When you get a new subscriber, do something special for them to show you care. Give back by promoting your subscribers on socials. Anything to create a personalized and thoughtful experience will do. </p>
<p>You could try something on social media like, #followbackfridays, where you follow back everyone who subscribes to your service that day. (That doesn’t mean tagging everyone in one post, by the way. There’s nothing personal about that.) <br>Record personalized thank you videos for subscribers via Twitter or Instagram. <br>Invite a couple fans to join an Instagram Live with you. </p>
<p>It’s important to show your subscribers how thankful you are for their patronage and actually put in the work. Because without them, where would you be? </p>
<h4>Have a Social Media Strategy </h4>
<p>Promoting your new service on socials is the best way to stay on top of everyone’s minds. Just don’t overdo it. Don’t harass your followers with a million posts a day begging for their interest. Keep it casual but consistent. Be engaging. </p>
<p>Having a great CTA works wonders, but you don’t want to overwhelm your audience. When in doubt, a simple “here’s what I’m doing, here’s why it’s awesome, and here’s why you’ll dig it” should do the trick.. </p>
<p>Just be consistent, offer something they can’t wait to get their hands on, and always be yourself. Your fans will see your spark and naturally want a part of it. You got this.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/64349542020-09-16T10:06:05-04:002020-09-16T10:06:05-04:00American Music Industry Grows Amid Catastrophic Global Pandemic<p>Concerts and tours have obviously remained on pause while the pandemic rages on, but the music industry as a whole has continued to see some remarkable growth, particularly in the streaming department. </p>
<p>The novel coronavirus and its devastating widespread economic impact are not enough to stop the music industry’s seemingly endless growth. </p>
<p>March 2020 feels like a lifetime ago. When COVID-19 forced the immediate suspension of live music and placed millions into isolation, music industry analysts feared the worst. A lack of concerts meant a dip in revenue, and a lack of commuting said the same about streaming royalties. Thousands found themselves out of work, and many remain unemployed (at least in music) today. The idea that music would grow this year was far-fetched, to say the least. </p>
<p>A report published by the RIAA this week that was shared by Billboard with an article from author Dan Rys found good news still exists. The U.S. recorded-music business was still in an upswing in the first half of 2020, growing 5.6% at retail to $5.7 billion, up from $5.4 billion, continuing a trend of growth that extends back to the industry’s nadir in 2015.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1d86508643b240a55b788f5f65bf86828b0501ee/original/riaa-h1-2020.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><em>RIAA graph depicting change in mid-year retail revenues year over year </em></p>
<p>The less than great news is that industry-wide growth took a pandemic-related hit. The latest numbers end a streak of double-digit gains that began with a mid-year report in 2017. Such growth is hard for any industry to maintain with or without a global pandemic, but the change is happening much sooner than expected because of COVID-19. </p>
<p>As part of the total $5.7 billion in revenue, streaming accounted for $4.8 billion, or 85%, increasing its share from the 80% it held at the same point in 2019 when it totaled $4.3 billion. And within that, paid subscription revenue accounted for $3.8 billion, an increase of 14% over last year and 67% of the total revenue share overall, and 79% of streaming revenue. Additionally, paid streaming subscriptions was up 24% for the first half of the year, to 72.1 million from 58.2 million at the same point in 2019.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/8b41e88c73187d9394e93e5f3c134fb51cb3fcc3/original/screen-shot-2020-09-11-at-12-26-42-pm.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The continuing spread of the novel coronavirus has kept many physical music retailers closed for the majority of 2020. It is no surprise those closures affected physical media’s standing in the overall music ecosystem, where it now accounts for just 7% of all recorded music revenue. Digital claims the remaining 93%, which is 2% gain over 2019. </p>
<p>Something report cannot account for is how much different the data would look if the releases delayed due to COVID-19 were released. While many artists have moved forward with their original plans, countless others are holding their records until a time when touring and more traditional music promotion is possible. </p>
<p>“These are historically difficult times: the live music sector is shut down; studio recording is limited; and millions of Americans are out of work across the broader economy,” RIAA chairman/CEO Mitch Glazier said in a statement accompanying the report. “While we’re pleased that the years of hard work and resources we’ve invested in streaming are driving growth in paid subscriptions, today’s report demonstrates just how much work remains to achieve a sustainably healthy music ecosystem for both music creators and fans. We must continue working to help sustain live music and venues, support gig workers and session musicians, and ensure fair pay for music on all digital platforms. Despite all the challenges from the pandemic, one thing clearly hasn’t changed — fans still love music.”</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63900782020-07-27T12:00:00-04:002020-11-28T06:20:08-05:00Compostion: Finding Your Workflow<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/674fb2c8f365ad6e4f2811b6c6136acbdc6b5943/original/composition-book.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Creativity should not equate to chaos in practice. A well-organized plan of execution is crucial for any creative project, as well as allowing oneself the freedom to brainstorm openly. </p>
<p>But often, when composing a song or a piece, it is so easy to get stuck on insignificant, trivial details along the way, only to watch your initial inspiration die a slow death at the hands of frustration. </p>
<p>The solution is probably a bit easier said than done, but the good news is that we can totally help; and all it takes is a bit of time and a commitment on your part to design your own workflow that allows you to work through a process of tasks in a sequence of priorities. The basic idea is to get stuff done in the best way possible by allowing adequate time and energy for each task, so no one item becomes a stumbling block. </p>
<p>Let’s learn a bit more about what to consider when designing such a workflow—unique to your own preferences, skills, and goals. </p>
<h4>Firstly, what classifies a good workflow? </h4>
<p>A good workflow is classified as a consistent process that helps you to: </p>
<ul> <li>Work most optimally to get songs done within a set time </li> <li>Stay inspired and motivated throughout </li> <li>Keep frustrations and setbacks at a minimum </li>
</ul>
<p>Designing a healthy workflow means breaking the practice of songwriting into smaller sub-tasks and arranging them in a way that is manageable. The tasks should be very clear, very specific, very detailed, and logically ordered to address the fundamental parts first and the finer details later. </p>
<h4>A starting point </h4>
<p>There’s no single tried and trusted way to start a song. Many artists start by picking up an instrument and composing a chord progression, some start with coming up with a vocal melody in the shower, whereas others start with putting lyrics to paper, and so on. </p>
<p>Once you have your first seed idea defined, decide on a song goal and list your inspirations and references for the style and sound you would like to achieve; this will help you kick off in the right direction as well as help you later on in the process. And remember, if you decide to change direction somewhere during the process, that’s totally okay! </p>
<h4>Capturing your ideas </h4>
<p>Everything you need to develop and capture your ideas should be at arm’s length and ready to make magic—as soon as you start. </p>
<p>Whether it’s through your DAW or your phone’s voice memo recorder, you want to have everything technically ready and set up so you can lay down some rough recordings whenever inspiration strikes. Writing chord charts and lyric sheets also work well in this phase. </p>
<p>This is why, if you are creating your song in a DAW, you should prepare a few templates in advance that contain all your favorite instruments and processing chains. Having to first choose instruments, add effects, and tweak sounds takes a lot of time and energy, and can zap your productivity to shreds. </p>
<p>When setting up a template, pick four default MIDI instruments with a vocal audio track as your fifth channel. Consider a chordal instrument, a melodic (solo) instrument, a rhythmic instrument, and a bass instrument. Add in any EQ or reverb settings that you’d normally use with your instrument channels like acoustic guitar or piano. </p>
<p>Having everything set up in advance will help you jump into the creative process without inviting technical irritations into the mix. </p>
<h4>Freeform experimentation </h4>
<p>Now for the fun stuff! Give yourself enough time for experimentation; it is important to grow your song from a flexible stance, so try out a number of ideas for rhythm, melody, bass, chords, vocals, structure, and work out a number of variations of those ideas all in free-flowing playtime. </p>
<p>Go crazy. Really! Give yourself the freedom to try multiple things knowing that it is not the final product. Don’t get distracted by production elements during this phase. Remember, a cool synth sound does not necessarily make for a cool synth line. </p>
<p>You’ll need to stop and assess what you’ve come up with at the end of this phase—keep what works, alter what could work, and discard what doesn’t—but this initial freeform experimentation will become the foundation of your song, and a basic yet strong foundation serves as grounds for great possibilities. </p>
<h4>Building blocks </h4>
<p>Once it is time to start building your song on the foundations you’ve laid, it’s important to define exactly what those building blocks will be. This means separating the various parts of your soon-to-be song into digestible segments and allocating a task, or multiple tasks, to each. </p>
<p>And this could mean anything: separate instrumentals, rhythmic elements, compositional elements, song parts like your chorus and verses, sound design, mixing, etc. Just make sure you allocate space to deal with each block in its own time. This makes the process feel less overwhelming and more manageable. </p>
<h4>Production and mixing </h4>
<p>Focusing on production should follow once you’ve had ample time to develop your song. Only then should you start compartmentalizing tasks to “decorate” it. This is the time for choosing sounds, tweaking them, and cleaning up your mix. </p>
<p>This might also be a good time to refer back to your list of style and sound references that you initially put together. </p>
<h4>Active listening and reassessment </h4>
<p>At some point, it becomes important to take a mental break from your song and clear your head, so you can return back to it with fresh, rested ears. “Sleeping on it,” as they say, will give you just enough distance to make any tough choices without getting emotional about them. </p>
<p>Here’s where you should practice active listening. In short, active listening is attentively listening to the various elements that make up a song for the purpose of analyzing whether or not they are successful in conveying your desired message or reaching your desired goal. </p>
<p>Set up a list of questions for yourself to help bring certain elements to your attention while you listen. Those might include: </p>
<ul> <li>Does every section in the song serve a purpose? If not, should something be cut? </li> <li>Are your hooks strong enough? If not, should something be added? </li> <li>Does the song feel too busy or crowded? </li> <li>Do you need to include more instrumental breaks, such as a bridge or a solo? </li> <li>Does it feel like there's something missing in any particular frequency area (low, middle, high)? </li>
</ul>
<h4>Asking for feedback </h4>
<p>It might feel scary to expose your brand new song to criticism, but it’s important to collect the feedback of others so you can gain some new perspective on it. </p>
<p>It is up to you to decide at which phase in your flow you’d want to ask for feedback—some musicians wait until they have a near-finished product while others prefer the earlier phases to get some input before delving in too deep. When you do ask for feedback, pick your critics carefully, and remember that the critic’s word isn’t law. You are allowed to disagree with the opinions of others. It’s your song after all. </p>
<h4>Calling it “complete” </h4>
<p>It’s up to you to decide what your final phase will be. It can be a number of things, yet clearly defining it, and sticking to it, is what’s important. It’s also crucial to set a deadline. </p>
<p>I’ve heard many musicians say: “A song is never really complete…” This is just an excuse to allow the artist to carry on tinkering forever and it could lead down very unproductive paths. So pick a date and time to throw down your headphones and hit that “Export” button, and move on to the next project—you’ll be thankful you did. </p>
<h4>Patience and discipline </h4>
<p>Finding your workflow will not happen overnight. It’s a long process that requires your time and focus, as well as a commitment to documenting what works and what doesn’t. </p>
<p>Try various methods until you pinpoint a process that suits you best. While working on your music, be very conscious of where obstacles creep in, and how you can apply some of the abovementioned solutions to conquer them. Once you’ve figured out a workflow suited to your needs, stick to it. A plan of execution will serve little purpose without disciplined follow-through. </p>
<p>Working according to a carefully contemplated workflow allows you to focus on one thing at a time instead of getting overwhelmed by a thousand things at once. Songwriting will never feel like hard work again if you find a flow that works for you.</p>
<p><a contents="Read More:&nbsp;5 Songwriting Challenges To Keep You Motivated &amp; Most Importantly Creative" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kingstonelite.com/home/blog/5-songwriting-challenges-to-keep-you-motivated-most-importantly-creative" target="_blank">Read More: 5 Songwriting Challenges To Keep You Motivated & Most Importantly Creative</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63897502020-07-22T12:11:41-04:002020-11-20T01:17:25-05:00 5 Songwriting Challenges To Keep You Motivated & Most Importantly Creative<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1f375a3549a37130f21f2b7ea102dfec4ae530b9/original/ikp9hnzltd.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Honestly, even on our best days, sitting down and writing a song can feel like grunt work when you’re not inspired. </p>
<p>As a working songwriter, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked how I come up with new ideas or bring high-quality work to the table when I just wasn’t feeling it. The truth is, it is always tricky. But at the end of the day, in any other industry you’d still have to go into work even if you didn’t feel like it. And it’s wise to treat your songwriting the same way. </p>
<p>If you plan to give songwriting or music in general a full-time place in your life, demotivation is bound to happen at some point or another. You might as well start preparing now, if you haven’t already, with tactics to combat that sense of “ugggh” with fun challenges to reinvigorate your creativity. </p>
<p>So before you default to that infamous myth of “Writer’s Block” as an excuse to skip your routine writing, here are some challenges to keep you motivated to write, and help you burst through that blockade before it ever gets raised. </p>
<h4>1. The “Billboard smash challenge” </h4>
<p>This first one can be both fun and very, very weird. Head over to the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and just start scanning the titles for some intriguing words and phrases that pop out. Go ahead and pick at least five of them. For example: </p>
<p>Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé - “Savage” </p>
<p>Roddy Ricch ft. Mustard - “High Fashion” </p>
<p>Harry Styles - “Watermelon Sugar” </p>
<p>The Jonas Brothers ft. Karol G - “X” </p>
<p>Gabby Barrett - “I hope” </p>
<p>Now that you’ve got your five titles picked, start meshing them together to form new combinations. It might look something like this: </p>
<p>“Savage X” </p>
<p>“Fashion, Sugar” </p>
<p>“High Hopes” (like the Panic! At the Disco song!) </p>
<p>“Sugar High” </p>
<p>“Watermelon Fashion” </p>
<p>Of course, some (if not most) of these ideas might end up a little nonsensical. The point of the challenge is to get you thinking out of your comfort zone and letting your brain wander out of the box of common sense. Start writing out some of these songs and see if those titles provoke something special; if not, let it go! </p>
<p>Who knows? You might come up with something really bad. And if it means searching the Billboard charts for hours to pair unusual phrases together, at least you’ll be collecting new ideas subconsciously. </p>
<h4>2. The “character challenge” </h4>
<p>This challenge is one of my absolute favorites, and it’s fairly simple to do too. </p>
<p>All you have to do is pick a character you love from television, film, or a novel. That could be Eleven from “Stranger Things,” or Chuck Bass from 2007’s “Gossip Girl,” or Franny Glass from Salinger’s 1961 Franny and Zooey; the choice is yours. </p>
<p>You’re going to want to pick someone you’re fairly familiar with in order to put yourself in their shoes for a while. The object of this challenge is to get you writing from the perspective of someone other than yourself—I mean, unless you are a famously rich bad boy—but even if you are one, you should probably choose another character. </p>
<p>Using this character’s… um, characterizations, write a song in their voice and from their point of view, asking yourself key questions such as: </p>
<p>What would your character want to sing about? </p>
<p>How would they sing about it? </p>
<p>When they talk, what dialect would they use? </p>
<p>Are they sweet? </p>
<p>Or are they sassy and not afraid to show it? </p>
<p>Playing with all these new directions will help you come up with something dramatic you may have never thought you could write before, while also testing your awareness and attention to detail in your writing. Turn it into a game if you have to; your writing muscles will thank you. </p>
<h4>3. The “Tik Tok challenge” </h4>
<p>If you asked me a couple months ago (or before this pandemic started) what Tik Tok was all about, I’d tell you it was a bunch of young people doing younger people things, like dancing around in their bathrooms and referencing jokes nobody has ever heard about. </p>
<p>Well, that’s all changed now! Since almost everyone has decided to join the platform, Tik Tok has become a powerful, if not hysterical, platform that brings joy and often makes the clock tick past much quicker. Not to mention it’s where all the latest trends are happening, with new dances and popular songs shining to the top. </p>
<p>They’re usually fairly simple, and lyric oriented, so it’s a good idea to pay close attention and see what moves and lyrics young people tend to gravitate towards.This is where the fun comes in. </p>
<p>The Tik Tok songwriting challenge is all about writing a song you think would be able to start a new viral dance trend. Make it fun and exciting, dark, or... dare I say sexy? </p>
<p>Sit down and actually write a song to complete this challenge. Bonus points if you create the dance while you’re writing. Not only will you be having fun as you do it, you might actually strike gold. </p>
<h4>4. The “little birdy challenge” </h4>
<p>Here is one of the most tried and true challenges I’ve ever utilized. As a songwriter involved in sessions almost every day, it’s also an invaluable skill to learn how to wield. </p>
<p>The “little birdy challenge” comes from the phrase “A little bird told me,” in which you are writing about something you’ve heard but haven’t necessarily experienced—like news and eavesdropped gossip wrapped up together. </p>
<p>Listen to the other writers in the room, what are they talking about? Listen to the news, read a book, watch television, overhear other people’s conversations in a café. See and feel the emotions and experiences of others and what you can collect from it. And then try to write it to the best of your ability. </p>
<p>This is a handy tactic which many successful songwriters rely on; including Tim McGraw, whose “Can’t Be Really Gone,” was, according to songwriter Gary Burr, inspired by a tragic story in the newspaper. </p>
<p>This challenge may even lead to this becoming a regular part of your songwriting practice, like it has mine. </p>
<h4>5. The “30 day challenge” </h4>
<p>Every morning for 30 straight days, wake up, set a timer for two minutes, grab a journal, and write. Write about what you dreamt about, or the first thing that comes to your mind, or the last thing on your mind the night before. Whether it seems stupid or pointless, just write what’s going through your head. </p>
<p>After you’re done, read back your paragraphs and choose one thing to write a song about. Even if there’s only one interesting word out of the entire thing you write, just pick something. Then write for two more minutes on that something. Now choose anything that inspires you from those writings. </p>
<p>Once you’ve finished with that, you’re ready to write a new song. But don’t rush into it, let those words and ideas marinate in your mind a little bit, and come back to it later. </p>
<p>Challenge yourself to do this for 30 days and you’ll have a completely new perspective on creating ideas in your song’s and finding inspiration where you least expected to find it. Plus, you’ll have thirty new songs. Not bad for a month’s work, huh? </p>
<h4>Final thoughts </h4>
<p>Trying out each of these challenges to see which ones fit well with your creative muscles will no doubt give you fun and fruitful opportunities to push yourself into writing things you’d never thought you could before. </p>
<p>Not only that, but it’ll help you to continue writing, even when the pen feels like your worst enemy. </p>
<p>These challenges have all become part of my regular songwriting toolbox over time, so I can still say I use one of them almost daily—especially when I’m writing alone. I hope they’ll be able to help you too. </p>
<p>Let us know in the comments below if you try any of these challenges, and how they worked out for you! And if you have any other great challenges that we’ve missed, let us know, we’d love to hear from you!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63614292020-07-02T23:49:32-04:002020-07-02T23:51:18-04:005 Step Process To Warm Up Your Audience Before Your Next Album or EP Release<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/08bcfecdaee684ec2ae1d68e60d47814d4e8e547/original/v4-460px-find-new-music-with-spotify-step-3-version-2.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Warming up your audience before a release is crucial, especially if you haven’t been communicating with them regularly or releasing consistent content—which tends to happen during periods of intense recording or songwriting. </p>
<p>But don’t worry. You’ve got plenty of time. </p>
<p>We recommend that you start planning for your album or EP release about 12 months in advance. This gives you an ample timeline to accommodate the annoying but common delays throughout the “release runway.” Because you need to rely on outside vendors for many things along the way, delays can happen which might be out of your control. </p>
<p>Since you’ve got a full 12 months to tease the release, there is plenty of time to warm up your audience and get them involved in the process. Here’s how. </p>
<h4>1. Share your plans </h4>
<p>Let your audience in on the secret. Make your fanbase feel special, that they have exclusive knowledge that something big is coming, in exchange for having supported you along the way. </p>
<p>Once you’ve got your timeline nailed down, share a piece of it with them. Give them a heads-up about when to expect behind-the-scenes footage from the studio to build that sweet anticipation! As the project starts to take form, share bits and pieces with them such as demos of a few of the songs, cover art, etc. </p>
<p>You can even get them involved in some of these decisions. For example, you can create a poll and let your fans vote for the best cover art for each single or even let your fans vote on the final title for a song. If your audience feels personally invested in the project, they’ll be much more likely to listen, purchase, and share widely when it is released. </p>
<h4>2. Take them on the journey </h4>
<p>Since you’ve let them in on the secret, your audience should already be starting to get excited to get the first taste of the new music. Now use that to pull them in even further—take them along with you inside the studio. </p>
<p>If you’ve spent a lot of time recording in studios in the past, it may seem commonplace to you. But remember, most people have never set foot into a recording studio before. So to them, this environment is likely a bit mysterious and unique; the playground of professional musicians. </p>
<p>The problem is: too often you’re simply too busy to think of capturing studio footage while you’re actually recording. Therefore, I recommend assigning the role of “behind-the-scenes reporter” to a friend, family member or someone hanging around during the recording process. Give them access and ask them to come up with ideas for shots and video footage to capture while you’re hard at work. </p>
<p>And don’t forget to include some live video from the studio too. Not only is this great for potential future music videos, or documentary footage in the far future, videos get way better engagement on social media than anything else. </p>
<h4>3. Offer a chance to invest </h4>
<p>I often encourage artists to do some form of crowdfunding for albums or EPs. Since you’ve gathered great studio footage, you can use this in your campaign pledge video to offer potential donors tangible proof of your progress. </p>
<p>Starting a crowdfunding project after your studio sessions are over is beneficial because you can show that the album’s already underway. In other words, it’s not abstract. Your patrons will feel like they are jumping onto a moving train instead of pushing to get a motionless train started. </p>
<p>So, if you’re not raising money for the studio recordings, what can you raise money for? </p>
<p>A lot! There’s still physical album manufacturing, digital distribution, PR campaigns, Facebook ads, print marketing, release parties and potential tour costs to cover; not to mention any extra merch or experiences you can build into your campaign. </p>
<p>Even if only 20% of your audience invests in the crowdfunding campaign, the promotion has continued to warm up the rest of your audience and has built anticipation for your release. </p>
<h4>4. Release singles </h4>
<p>In the new music business, it’s relatively easy to release singles digitally. Singles can act like a trail of breadcrumbs to lead your core audience and any potential new fans toward your big release. </p>
<p>Every individual single gives you a new chance to get in front of your audience again with a new message and product. Even if you’re simply asking them to add the song to their Spotify library, each “micro-commitment” warms them up with a new touch point, and moves them further along what I call the “fan discovery journey.” </p>
<p>You can release as many or as few singles as you want before your full release; I’ve found that 3 is a magic number because it gives you enough new opportunities for promotion while preventing burnout or oversaturation. </p>
<p><a contents="Learn more:&nbsp;When Is The Best Time To Release An Album?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.kingstonelite.com/news/blog/when-is-the-best-time-to-release-an-album" target="_blank">Learn more: When Is The Best Time To Release An Album?</a> </p>
<h4>5. Share the stories behind the music </h4>
<p>This final strategy goes hand in hand with your slow release of the album’s singles. A single song gives you the opportunity and platform to dive deep and share the story behind each song, talk about collaborators who contributed, as well as focus on things like the lyrics and instrumentation. </p>
<p>There’s no limit to the kinds of content you can create around one single. Perform the song live acoustic and outdoors in a video and talk a little about the idea behind the lyrics. Create a blog post where you share your writing process. You can create lyric cards to highlight the most poignant lyrics. I have even seen some artists adopt a special hashtag and encourage their fans to use it when talking about that particular song. </p>
<p>Warming up your audience is the key to reaching your sales and streaming goals, and it’s the best way to build engagement into your release runway at every stage. The process doesn’t have to be overwhelming—intentionality and consistency are key. Planning your release 12 months out gives you the time and space you need to do it right. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63086782020-06-21T12:42:23-04:002020-06-21T12:42:23-04:0014 Killer Content Ideas For Musicians to Get More Fans on Social Media.<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ed4a31a6128918a98784189299332fef287705c2/original/social-media.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />As a modern-day musician, you’ve seen what a crucial role social media marketing plays in getting more fans for your music. But actually figuring out what kind of content to share can be confusing, especially if you’re not getting as much engagement as you’d like yet. </p>
<p>What it all boils down to is finding the right balance for the specific audience you’re trying to build. There’s no exact science to it, but it’s safe to say that for every self-promotional post you publish, you should have many more brand-building posts. </p>
<p>These posts can take on a variety of forms, but the common thread is that they get people to pay attention, become interested, trust you, and engage with you. </p>
<p>Why go through all this effort? Because if you don’t put in the time and work to build a real relationship with your followers, you can’t expect them to take action when they see you promote something. </p>
<h3>Here are 14 easy content ideas to get more fans for your music through social media. </h3>
<h4>1. Themed posts </h4>
<p>It’s easier for your content to get discovered by potential new fans when you take advantage of themes that already have popular hashtags associated with them. Start populating your band’s social media channels with relevant posts for commonly searched hashtags like #MotivationMonday, #MusicMonday, #ThrowbackThursday, and #SundayFunday. </p>
<p>Experiment with a bunch of different themes, and pay attention to the ones that do the best job of attracting new followers and resonating with your existing fans. </p>
<h4>2. Educational and thought-provoking posts </h4>
<p>There are many ways you could approach this, but the key is that you’re sharing high-quality posts that are some combination of interesting, helpful, educational, valuable, useful, relevant, and thought-provoking for the audience you want to attract. </p>
<h4>3. Throwback posts </h4>
<p>Share content that gives insight into who you are and where you’re coming from. You could make fans laugh with a funny baby picture that shows your personality from a young age, or you could post a #TBT photo of you in Rome and bond with fans over your passion for travel. </p>
<p>Whatever it is, give people a way to connect with you on a personal level, which is just as important as your music when it comes to gaining true fans. </p>
<h4>4. Behind-the-scenes posts </h4>
<p>People love seeing what artists do when they’re not onstage. Share behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and stories that illustrate your life as a musician. </p>
<p>If you’re going on the road, consider creating a tour diary in the form of a blog or vlog. If you’re in a writing session or in the studio, share photos and short clips on your Instagram Story. </p>
<h4>5. Short Facebook videos </h4>
<p>Did you know that people watch a whopping 100 million hours of video on Facebook every single day? If you’re not already regularly uploading videos to your band’s Facebook page, you’re missing out on a really effective way to get more fans for your music. </p>
<p>The key is to keep it short, yet interesting. The next time you want to announce a new single, album, tour, live-stream event, or big performance, whip up a simple one- or two-minute video and post it directly on Facebook. </p>
<h4>6. TikTok videos </h4>
<p>So far, we’ve been talking about how to get fans for your music using the platforms that most bands are already on every day, like Instagram and Facebook. But with over 800 million monthly active users and music fueling the vast majority of the content, TikTok could play a key role in your social media marketing strategy. </p>
<p>The app is known for being wildly popular among Gen Z-ers, but we’re already seeing older demographics start to embrace it as well. It’s a great place to share quick videos that are funny, authentic, or vulnerable in some way. </p>
<p>Thanks to its algorithm, format, and relative novelty on the social media scene, you’ll have a better chance of organically reaching a new audience here than on many other platforms. Check out these great tips on TikTok promotion for musicians from our friends at CD Baby. </p>
<h4>7. Inspirational and motivational posts </h4>
<p>If you’re stumped on how to fill a few gaps in your social media calendar, you really can’t go wrong with sharing an inspirational or motivational quote. These always perform well and are very shareable, which will drive more attention to your social media channels. </p>
<h4>8. Interactive posts </h4>
<p>Anything that encourages engagement and facilitates a two-way conversation can help you win over new fans. There are dozens of interactive posts you can try, but some of the most effective ones include polls, contests, giveaways, questions, fill-in-the-blank posts, and “caption this” photos. </p>
<p>Not only are they fun for your fans, but you’re also building your brand in the process! You can even use these kinds of posts to gain valuable insight, such as a poll to find out what type of band merch your diehard fans would be most excited to buy. </p>
<h4>9. Funny posts </h4>
<p>How often do you find yourself scrolling through your social media feeds simply to find something that will make you laugh or brighten your day? If people who are into your music also associate your brand with positive feelings, you can bet you’ll turn them into fans. Share a funny photo, a meme, witty commentary on a trending topic, or an article that you found hysterical and want to share. </p>
<p>Be careful not to oversaturate your feed with these kinds of posts, though. There’s a fine line between tastefully throwing them in on occasion, and posting them incessantly to gain attention. </p>
<h4>10. Supportive posts </h4>
<p>Isn’t it awesome when musicians support each other? Show some love to your friends and other artists by sharing posts of theirs that you think your fans would care about. Chances are, your musician friends will return the favor and tell their fans to check you out, too. </p>
<h4>11. Online concerts </h4>
<p>If you’re wondering how to get more fans in other cities when you’re not quite in a position to go on tour, online concerts could be the answer. There are lots of ways to go about it, ranging from a free live stream on Facebook or Instagram, to a ticketed event on Stageit or Crowdcast. You could keep it to a tight 20-minute set or take your time chatting with the audience in between songs. It’s totally up to you! </p>
<h4>12. Live Q&As </h4>
<p>Just because you’re an artist doesn’t mean you have to perform music during every live stream. Hop on a casual Instagram Live to answer fan questions that you’ve collected in advance, as they come in through the comments section, or both. </p>
<p>And if you’re not really into putting yourself on camera all the time, that’s perfectly okay. Put out a call for questions on your Instagram Story and answer them in text form, or you could easily translate this concept to a real-time Twitter Q&A, if you have an engaged following there. </p>
<h4>13. Reposts from fans </h4>
<p>User-generated content is the perfect trifecta: it’s easy (someone else already created it); it makes your fans feel seen, loved, and appreciated; and it naturally encourages them to brag to their friends that an artist they love reposted their content (hello, word-of-mouth promo!). </p>
<p>Ask your fans to tag you in photos of them wearing your merch, clips from your live show, or even fun little videos of them jamming out to your new single. </p>
<h4>14. Promotional posts </h4>
<p>You can make your promotional posts feel as authentic and genuine as the rest of your social media content – it’s all in the delivery! Make sure these posts are still in your voice and include a compelling visual. </p>
<p>Experiment with different approaches so that your feed doesn’t get repetitive. For instance, if you’re trying to get the word out about your new EP, your posts could look like this: </p>
<p>A straightforward announcement with a clear call to action <br>A positive press quote about the EP <br>A teaser clip of your strongest song <br>A fun bit of trivia about how or where it was recorded </p>
<p>You won’t know what resonates with your fans until you try it!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63083192020-06-01T08:31:02-04:002020-09-15T04:03:34-04:005 Tips For Perfecting Your Next Instagram Live<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/dbaf4df3239e6badc723302d8c6558ab7d052f19/original/instagram-live-video.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />We’re living in uncertain times, and no one knows for sure when “traditional” music venues will open back up again, let alone spaces that allow more than 5 people at a time. </p>
<p>So now more than ever, live streaming your performance on social media is the one of the best ways to get your music out there, share your story, and make new fans. </p>
<p>It’s easy to impulsively press “live” on Instagram and play a few songs from your bedroom in your sweatpants without much planning—but you may not get the results you want from that. </p>
<p>So why not plan out and intentionally strategize around your upcoming Instagram Live show, and use it to your advantage as an audience-building tool? </p>
<p>Here are five simple tips to help you perfect your next Instagram Live show. </p>
<h4>1. Get the right sound equipment </h4>
<p>The good news is we get to control our space and perform from the comfort of our home. The tricky part is finding the right equipment to make it sound as good as an intimate, in-person show. </p>
<p>Streaming live usually sounds a bit weird and compressed because, obviously, the mics in our phones aren’t as good as a real mic and sound system, so you might want to look into your options. </p>
<p>Finding the right equipment to work around this is key. iRig makes several products that connect directly to your phone for a cleaner sound. You can connect a mic, a guitar, or an interface with these products. </p>
<p>Alternatively, if you wanted to broadcast through your phone but record your set into an audio interface plugged right into your DAW of choice, you can stream first and upload a nicely produced version later! </p>
<h4>2. Promote to your Instagram stories </h4>
<p>“If you’re doing Instagram Live, promoting to your stories is crucial,”Make it fun, maybe give a hint to something you’ll be doing or post a question you’ll answer during the show—something that’s intriguing and makes people go ‘OOH!’ and want and tune in live.” </p>
<p>With Instagram, it’s easy to get lost in the content and pass through people’s stories mindlessly, so make it memorable and think outside the box. And don’t forget to repeat yourself, people may not have the sound on the first time you mention your live performance. </p>
<h4>3. Lighting is everything </h4>
<p>You might not believe it, but lighting is a huge factor in getting people to watch your shows online. Alternatively, make sure you avoid standing or sitting against a dark wall, since it soaks up the light and will make you harder to see. Ideally, you want a light-colored wall (like white, light grey, light yellow) that will reflect the light back and fill the space. </p>
<p>Make sure you’re lit up from the front, or from above at a 45 degree angle (you know, like in a club!). Play around with what works in your space. It’s good to soften the light as well; if your lights are too harsh you can always cover lamps with scarves or light blankets. </p>
<p>The more your fans feel like they’re actually in the room with you, the better received your show will be! </p>
<h4>4. Share, share, share </h4>
<p>With aggressive social algorithms and the surplus of online shows and content going on right now, it’s entirely possible that even your closest friends might miss out on your performance if you leave it to chance. So share about it enthusiastically, and often! </p>
<p>Give plenty of notice to your audience (at least one week if not two), and be sure to constantly remind them of the time and date. Don’t forget to note the time zone. Share on all your social media handles, your email list, close friends, family, and colleagues. </p>
<p>Use a high quality photo and make a digital flier with a clear date and time. Canva is a great tool for this. The better your ad artwork looks, the more you’ll tickle the intrigue of your fans. </p>
<p>And speaking of fans, leverage those close contacts and networks of yours, especially your non-music related networks, and ask others to share or post about your event. Get involved with your online community, by joining various Facebook Groups or (online) meetup groups that interest you—anything from yoga, to book clubs, to social justice, to painting, to chess… You get the idea. </p>
<p>This can open so many doors for you and get different people to discover your music—and you’ll hopefully discover other artists’ work as well! </p>
<h4>5. Engage, engage, engage </h4>
<p>Live streaming has been around for a while, but it’s a new frontier for some of us. It’s certainly awkward at first to feel like you’re on one side of the stage and can’t see your audience other than their screen names and the occasional heart that floats up your phone. </p>
<p>But once you get more comfortable with it, try to engage with everyone who enters the show, writes a comment, or has a question. The more you make your audience feel like they’re part of the experience in an active way, the more enjoyment they’ll get out of it. </p>
<p>It’s easy to simply press record, play your songs as if you’re alone, and then press stop when you’re finished. (As someone who identifies as a half-introvert, I totally get it!) But people these days are just as bored as you are in their apartments, so why not make it entertaining? </p>
<p>Plus, people watch you because they want to, and they want to get to know you! Encourage questions or song requests (if that’s your thing), and say hello to new fans or people who tune in late. We’re all in this together; your show should help remind people of that fact!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/63044712020-05-08T00:57:29-04:002020-05-08T00:57:29-04:00Building Your Confidence as a Songwriter<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/336ef72da81eaff0e8435e13cbf0d5326b76ef84/original/bzblog-confidence-songwriting.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>If you’re in self-isolation right now, or trying to figure out, well, “what now?” with live performances and recording sessions all but stalled for the moment, you’re not alone. </p>
<p>Many musicians are stuck at home these days wondering the same thing, and many have taken to going back to the somewhat ancient art of songwriting, in the hopes that one day they’ll be able to share this new material with an audience. </p>
<p>But it’s not that easy for us artists to be alone with our thoughts, our doubts, and our demons—we can often be our own harshest critic. Whether or not you’re already prone to self-doubt, this is likely to be a tough time for you with all the pressure to churn out high-quality work without the help of your band, or your co-writers, lyricists, and producers available. </p>
<p>Let’s talk about how to build your confidence in your songwriting abilities, and why it’s even something to consider in the first place. </p>
<h4>1. Confidence is inherent in creativity </h4>
<p>You might not like to acknowledge it, but confidence is absolutely an integral part of maintaining a creative mindset. It’s embedded in the process of making new connections between ideas, solving problems, and novel thinking. Confidence is needed to hunt and gather ideas, to sift and consider which you think are interesting or useful, beautiful, or challenging, and to decide which ones to develop. </p>
<p>The word confidence comes from the Latin fidere, which literally means “to trust.” Having self-confidence means trusting yourself, your abilities, and choices. It’s part of defining who you are as an artist; an artist aware of what you have to offer; an artist secure in the inner knowledge that you’re capable and that your work has worth. </p>
<p>There’s a world of difference between having confidence and the over-display of it. What I’m talking about is knowing you can readily access your own songwriting zone, come up with ideas, and explore and develop them, consistently. </p>
<h4>2. Confidence helps you navigate the music industry </h4>
<p>Whether any particular song or artist finds “success” is completely unpredictable. There’s no clear relationship between effort and reward in the industry. It doesn’t always matter how good you are, or how hard you work, how well you network or what team you have on board. </p>
<p>All the unknown variables of luck, taste cycles, and major global events like COVID-19 can influence market uptake. </p>
<p>So it’s hardly surprising that the industry can be daunting for most artists. Even if you’ve had significant success in the past, one’s confidence is often eroded at the start of the next project (i.e: can I repeat this?). There is no equality or level playing field. There is asymmetric risk—a few hits and an ocean of misses. </p>
<p>And here is where improving or attending to your confidence is critical.</p>
<p>Confidence isn't about comparison with others’ abilities or attributes, successes or failures. It means you have to measure your outcomes against yourself, rather than the rest of the loud and noisy world, and that your perception of success is intrinsic to whatever level you’re at. </p>
<h4>3. Here are some tools to help battle your lack of confidence </h4>
<p>We know that confidence can be primed, and positively. Whether you’ve recently been knocked down or rejected, or you want to try something more challenging but feel trepidatious, you can improve your confidence with just a few baby steps. </p>
<p>The following is a set of tools at your disposal to battle your lack of confidence. There is no “one size fits all” solution, but one or several of these may resonate with you in any given situation. </p>
<h4>Decisions </h4>
<p>You won’t always know the right thing to do or create but action invariably beats inaction. </p>
<p>Decide what works best for you and prepare things as such. Decide to make your process as enjoyable as possible. Decide what ideas or values are important for you and what they mean to you. Decide what choices you have now, set meaningful goals and be task ready. </p>
<p>Decide something, anything, and even if it turns out to be wrong later on, you can always go back and fix it. </p>
<h4>Competence </h4>
<p>Attend to your skillbase and become more competent in some area of your songwriting, be it lyric-writing, home-producing, guitar playing, etc. Finish the online course you bought, practice a little bit more, ask someone for help or feedback—acquiring new skills and knowledge will increase your confidence right away. </p>
<h4>Distraction control </h4>
<p>There’s a lot going on in the world right now. Not all of it is worth engaging with; filtering out the important things (values/ideas that mean something to you) from what might seem urgent but probably isn’t (Facebook notifications, more Netflix) will mean regaining control of your time and your self-confidence. </p>
<h4>Momentum </h4>
<p>Small wins add up in the long run. Can you write one song a day or two songs a week? Can you make a playlist of inspirational songwriters that primes your pump? Can you connect with your collaborators online and make a plan to finish a track by the end of the month. </p>
<p>When you plot your progress, it builds confidence. Reward yourself to cement that. </p>
<h4>Optimism </h4>
<p>You can choose your approach and perspective. Simply replace the permanent (“the virus will ruin my career”), the pervasive (“I never finish songs”), and the personal (“they don’t like my singing voice”), with the temporary (“the virus will go away soon”), the specific (“I can crack this chorus rhyme”), and external (“I wonder if another singer can turn this bridge around?”). </p>
<p>You see what I mean? </p>
<p>You can change your thinking by moving it from a pessimistic bucket to an optimistic one. Positive self-talk is a proven confidence booster; and if that’s too tough, just fake it ‘til you make it. </p>
<h4>Community </h4>
<p>Always try to mix and mingle with like-minded folks—those who expect and encourage your confidence. Currently that probably means online connections, watch parties, and live streaming. But don’t forget to meet up face-to-face every now and then if you can navigate social distancing safely. </p>
<p>We’re social animals in a social business; and right now, it’s all hands on deck.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62139972020-05-03T23:26:24-04:002020-09-11T03:58:01-04:00When Is The Best Time To Release An Album? <p>With so many moving parts in the music industry, finding the right time to release an album that works for you and your team can be a challenge. Here we breaks down some key statistics gathered during 2019 to help inform the optimal 2020 release strategy. </p>
<p>The release date. It is a constant tension between artists and labels, departments, vendors and team members. Production wants an evenly balanced schedule, press wants to release in a quiet period but not too quiet, the artists want to release yesterday and marketing wants to leverage the right cultural moment. </p>
<h4>How the heck do you choose the best release date for your album? </h4>
<p>I analyzed all the US album releases from 2019 to figure out the optimal release weeks for 2020, which can help you get an idea of how to plan your album campaigns. </p>
<p>The results were super-duper interesting. </p>
<p>In this piece you’ll find: </p>
<ol> <li>5 best and 5 worst dates to release an album </li> <li>How Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift have bigger impact than Christmas and July 4 </li> <li>Why looking at the sun isn’t as woo-woo as it sounds</li>
</ol>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/13c716772dfd214b3a7bd8a182f380cb65633c29/original/album.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>Cultural planning </h4>
<p>Knowing what’s going on is key to knowing when to release. E.g.: if you release your record smack bang in the middle of Coachella, will that have any implication for your audience or category? </p>
<p>To stay on top of that here’s two I-cannot-believe-this-is-free resources for your 2020 planning. </p>
<p>1) Key Entertainment and Sports Events Calendar by Shore Fire PR. The most comprehensive list of events, deadlines, awards and holidays impacting music and you can add it directly to iCal or Google Calendar. </p>
<p>2) Cultural Moment Encyclopedia by Brooklyn strategist, Sean Choi detailing global music, arts and etch events. He’s gone the extra mile to estimate the reach potential so you can weigh up the vale for activating at such events</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140032020-04-26T03:44:35-04:002020-04-26T03:44:35-04:00Guide To Creating An Effective Roadmap For Your Music Goals<p>As a serious artist looking to grow your listener base and sell tickets to your shows, setting goals and creating a strategy is essential. Here we break down how to build an effective roadmap for actually meeting these goals. </p>
<p>The concept is simple: if you want other people within the music industry (i.e. managers, record labels, publishers, press) and fans to take you seriously, you have to treat your music project as a business—a well-oiled machine. </p>
<p>If you’re looking to grow your listener base or want to sell records, tickets, syncs, merch, etc., it’s time to set goals and make a plan. </p>
<p>Making a plan doesn’t have to be a frightening endeavor. There’s no need to try to rocket into stardom this year. That’d be quite overwhelming and likely unsustainable. Instead, take things one step at a time. </p>
<p>Here are some simple steps for making a roadmap to achieve your ambitious-but-realistic goals this year while reducing stress and holding yourself accountable. </p>
<h4>1. Define and refine your goals </h4>
<p>It’s important for us to reflect on our achievements. Make a list of your accomplishments and notable events (successful or not) over the past year. In what ways did you surprise yourself? What relationships pulled through for you? What areas of your career did you focus on? What worked, what didn’t? What did you learn? Where, specifically, is there room for growth or improvement? </p>
<p>Now, use these events and milestones as your benchmarks. Take note (in a journal, notes app, or a google doc works) of where you stand in the areas that matter most to you. Examples include where you’ve toured, the number of shows or the size of the venues you’ve played, streaming numbers, social media metrics, records sold, number of songs written, recorded, syncs secured, press coverage obtained, etc. </p>
<p>Examine the impact these events had on your career. Which led to the most growth? What sold the most records, put the most cash in your pockets, or felt the most fulfilling? </p>
<p>I can’t tell you how to define success, that’s up to you. But know what’s been most effective in getting you to where you’re going so far. Identify three to five of those activities. If you’re just starting out, pick a few that you’ve seen other artists try or that you’ve read/heard about. Or any wild ideas that excite you. There really aren’t any rules here and you can always pivot. </p>
<p>While exploring which activities have been most impactful, think about the ways you can grow them further. Write down one to five top goals for this year. As Kevin suggested recently, aim toward a mix of realistic, achievable goals and more lofty and ambitious ones. Try to dream big while setting yourself up for success rather than disappointment. </p>
<p>Also, look at how goals can be combined. For example, if two of your goals are to a.) release a record, and b.) tour a record, combine them into one. This is a lofty-but-achievable goal (depending on your day job and where you are in your musical career) and it will probably be your only one for the year. </p>
<h4>2. Break goals down into smaller goals & actionable objectives </h4>
<p>Goals can feel overwhelming. That’s why we break them down into smaller milestones that can be accomplished in a shorter period of time. You can start with any goal but I suggest choosing the one that feels most timely or pertinent. Or the one that excites you most. </p>
<p>Let’s say you have enough demo songs recorded for an LP and a band to record the finished tracks with. You don’t yet know where you’ll record, how you’ll distribute or promote them, or what the album art will look like. For simplicity, we’ll say you’re self-releasing this record. </p>
<p>In this example, your benchmark is having an EP written, your goal is to have the songs recorded, a release date, and distribution and marketing plans in place by the end of the year. Great, what a goal! </p>
<p>List out all the steps or tasks needed to accomplish it. You can either write down all the big, main steps it’d take to reach your goal (i.e. find a producer, book a studio). These are your milestones you’ll later break into smaller sub-tasks. Or, you can list everything that needs to be done and categorize them into milestones and tasks as you go. </p>
<p>Using a hybrid example, here are what the initial action items might look like for that goal: </p>
<p>Create a budget <br>Determine royalty split among artists and collaborators <br>Decide if you want one person to engineer, mix, master, and produce the record or different people for different roles <br>Find your engineer and/or producer </p>
<p>Ask your friends who’ve they used <br>Make a list of potential engineers and producers <br>Reach out for quotes </p>
<p>Make a list of potential recording spaces <br>Book studio time far enough in advance so that you’re ready <br>Align everyone’s schedules around that deadline <br>Teach your band the songs you’ve demoed <br>Practice enough until you feel studio-ready <br>Record your record <br>Send your record to an engineer to mix and master <br>Create a concept or direction for your cover art <br>Research artists for cover art, make a shortlist, ask for quotes <br>Set a release date <br>Create a distribution plan <br>Create a marketing/PR plan and timeline <br>Make a tour plan and start booking for it </p>
<p>That’s quite a list. Take a breath, you don’t need to do all these things at once, we’re going to spread them out over several months. </p>
<p>One of your big milestones for this goal is to book studio time. Breaking that down might look something like this: </p>
<p>Goal/Milestone: Book studio time <br>Deadline: 8 months before release (July 31) <br>To-dos: </p>
<p>Find an engineer/producer </p>
<p>Ask 5 bands who they used <br>Get quotes <br>Schedule calls <br>See if they come with a studio or if a separate needs to be booked <br>Confirm their availability </p>
<p>If still in need of a studio, research 5 potential ones <br>Get band’s availability for recording <br>Take time off work / clear schedule <br>Confirm dates with studio & engineer <br>Pay deposit(s) </p>
<p>A simplified example of this might be: </p>
<p>Benchmark: I have 1,000 average monthly listeners on Spotify <br>Goal: Reach 2,000 avg. monthly listeners on Spotify by end of year <br>Milestone: Gain 150 listeners/month <br>To-dos: Add Spotify link to Instagram profile; reach out to 2 Spotify playlist curators/week </p>
<p>Now you’ll place these tasks into a timeline, each with their own (flexible) deadline. </p>
<h4>3. Create a timeline & schedule </h4>
<p>A timeline and schedule make your tasks actionable. Working backward from your final goal and deadline, start mapping out when all other major milestones need to be accomplished. Then, set deadlines for all tasks. These can be in a range, such as “the last week of March” rather than “March 27th.” </p>
<p>Put a project management system into place </p>
<p>Personally, I think it’s easiest to do this in a project management software or google spreadsheet. I like Asana because it’s free and you can create projects, tasks, and sub-tasks within sections or categories, each with its own deadline. You can also assign tasks to other people, such as band members. </p>
<p>What our studio booking tasks would look like in Asana. </p>
<p>Time block your calendar </p>
<p>I’m a big fan of flexible time-blocking. Once a week on Fridays or Sundays, I look at my list of to-dos for the coming week, organize them into categories, and block out time on my calendar for each. I typically move things around as the week progresses and meetings get scheduled, thus the flexible part. </p>
<p>Regardless, I assign certain days for certain activities. Examples include one day for writing, one for practice, one for admin/email, planning, promotions, and so on. </p>
<p>If you have a job(s) outside of your music—as most of us do—this can be especially helpful. Block off your mornings, lunch hours, or evenings to specific tasks to hold yourself accountable to them. Eventually, your body and brain will get used to the schedule. For now, put them in your calendar. </p>
<p>Don’t forget to schedule yourself some downtime or fun time as well. If you’re only working, you’ll burn out and potentially start resenting your art, and none of us want that. </p>
<h4>4. Keep track of your progress </h4>
<p>Your spreadsheet or project management tool will help you keep track of your progress as long as you’re using it. Even more effective and fun is to find an accountability buddy. This could be a friend, manager, agent,, mentor or whomever. </p>
<p>Find someone to check in with weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly to discuss what progress you have and have not made and why. This will provide you with a sounding board as well as a fresh perspective and new ideas. </p>
<p>Plus, it will keep you honest, as you’ll have to report your progress to someone else. It’s not intended to make you feel guilty when you don’t reach milestones. On the contrary, this person should provide support, even if that means encouraging you to tackle less at a time. </p>
<p>You can always pivot </p>
<p>Sure, it’s a great exercise to try to reach your goals, but it’s not worth the detriment of your physical and/or mental health. If you feel like you’ve taken on too much, scale back. This is a marathon, not a sprint. The world will be ready to embrace your art when you’re ready to share it. It’s perfectly fine to do things on your own time.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62139942020-04-17T20:48:06-04:002020-10-06T07:02:17-04:006 Marketing Strategies To Get Featured On Playlists<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b810c8aee6c4ec49b18eb0131c625690be4bade7/original/148-1487614-spotify-logo-small-spotify-logo-transparent-hd-png.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In this DSP era, getting discovered in such an insanely crowded space is the main focus for artists looking to make it big. Platforms like Spotify and Apple Music offer MILLIONS of tracks, so how is it possible to get recognized as an independent musician trying to break through the noise? </p>
<p>One good way to do it is with playlisting. </p>
<p>Spotify users spend half their time listening to playlists they’ve created themselves, that’re algorithmically generated or are curated by tastemakers. That being said, getting yourself featured on a playlist with a huge following can facilitate a whole new level of growth for you and your featured track. Sometimes, getting on one of these curated playlists can be hit or miss, but there are many things you can do to increase your chances. </p>
<h3>Here are 6 Marketing Strategies to Get You Featured on Playlists: </h3>
<h4>1. Sharpen up Socials </h4>
<p>Your audience engagement across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are very important to DSP editorial teams and third-party curators. Your social media engagement is a reflection of your fandom both online and off. But remember, social traction is relative. Getting 200 likes on a post normally isn’t that big of a deal. However, for someone with only 400 followers, that’s awesome. </p>
<p>There are many things you should be doing to keep your socials in tip top shape: </p>
<p>You should be monitoring your stats relatively often. Find out where your traffic is coming from, what fans are responding to the most and where your plays are coming from to help better craft your future posts. You can utilize platforms like SoundCloud Stats and Spotify For Artists to help you figure out exactly which parts need some extra TLC. <br>Engage with fans and other artists. Respond to messages, comment on tracks and make sure to participate in the community so your name becomes more visible. <br>Promote your content. </p>
<h4>2. Reach out to blogs and publications </h4>
<p>Reviews, interviews and blog/publication write ups that back your sound can not only help raise awareness of your existence, but also vouch for how great you and your music are. (Especially when most articles include a link to whatever you’re promoting right now.) This type of press will help you direct traffic to both your streaming and social media profiles and if people like what they hear, you’ll be sure to gain some adds on their personal playlists too. It’s a win-win. </p>
<p>Keep in mind: Make sure your music relates to whoever you are reaching out to. Do your research. Writers all have different tastes, and not every song is suitable for every blog or publication. Be respectful with your outreach to avoid wasting both your time and theirs. </p>
<h4>3. Get the most out of your streaming profiles </h4>
<p>To catch the attention of playlist curators, the key is to be consistently active on your streaming profiles to show you’re committed to your craft and ready to collaborate. Make sure your streaming profiles are up to date with the most current info about new songs, upcoming shows, etc. </p>
<p>If you haven’t already, there are some things you should take care of first: </p>
<p>Get Verified // Being verified on your socials is an extremely important part of establishing your artist presence on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. (If you’re not verified yet, here’s how.) <br>Get more followers // Growing your followers on social media is important, but so is growing your followers on your streaming profiles. Ask the followers you have on your socials to follow your artist profile on Spotify/Apple Music. These streaming services put a lot of focus on follower counts since it’s a direct way to gain new listeners to their service. <br>Spread the love. Show your support for these platforms by making sure your website/socials all point back to your content on these DSP’s. <br>Make your own playlists // To help showcase your music taste, create a few playlists of your own! This shows the DSP’s that you’re committed to curating content on their platforms, provides your fans with shareable content and introduces your music to new listeners via genre-based playlists. </p>
<h4>4. Help algorithmic playlists find you </h4>
<p>Algorithmic playlists are auto-generated based on things like listening history, trends, and most-shared music. Spotify’s algorithm is also taking note every time people save your music to their queue, library or their own playlist and takes into consideration the number of followers you have. All these factors can help you land a spot on one of these playlists. </p>
<h4>5. Help user-curated playlists find you </h4>
<p>If you didn’t know, there are tastemakers who aren’t among a DSP’s in-house playlisting team who create curated playlists. These are the people out there making playlists independently, who have a lot of followers and who the DSP’s trust as a respectable source for new music. </p>
<p>The first thing you should do is reach out to them via following them on Spotify. Then, you can go ahead and share your track with them. Include a note asking them to consider adding your song to one of their playlists. Whether or not they decide to add your track is largely influenced by your social presence. If you’ve got a lot of followers, this could be the thing that convinces them to give you a shot and close the deal. </p>
<h4>6. Have a great pitch </h4>
<p>When you’re going about pitching your track to be included on a playlist, make sure you include any and all relevant information you’ve got, like specific details about the song/genre, your vision going forward and the story behind the song itself. You want to include anything that’ll catch the curator’s attention and help you stand out among the crowd. </p>
<p>This is also where you get to throw in all those important marketing drivers. DSP’s take everything into account. They look at past streaming numbers, off-platform promotional plans, social stats, etc. Be as thorough as you can when explaining your overall campaign around the release. </p>
<p>You really want to make it easy for these curators to decipher where your track will fit in among their playlists. To do this, you need to describe your sound as accurately and specifically as possible. Come up with some tags that describe the mood and genre your song fits within. All of this will help them place you on a playlist that’s perfect for you and perfect for the playlist. </p>
<p>The most universal way to catch the interest of an influential curator is to simply have great music. </p>
<p>If your listeners are loving your song and you’re getting a lot of organic traction before it’s even been playlisted yet, you’re already on the right track. If your listeners see how great it is, whoever you pitch the track to will see it too. All in all, DSP’s want to see the story behind your tracks. Each song on their playlists tells a larger narrative, and your marketing efforts on social media, blogs, publications, etc. are what’ll illustrate your story to curators. </p>
<p>Ultimately, there’s no perfect method or process to get you on these coveted playlists. But with a little luck and a great strategy, all your hard work will definitely pay off.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140082020-04-13T09:43:10-04:002020-04-13T09:43:10-04:00What Does A Music Publicist Do?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/292004391f95fa6644ebb7b179c92b48b585d6d0/original/become-a-publicist-2316059-final-ca19d414caa6440a87b1804e9e0afe22.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" />In this piece, we breaks down the role of a music publicist in relation to a band or musician and the important role they play in a developing an artist’s career. </p>
<p>The number of times the job of a publicist gets confused with that of a manager, marketer, or booking agent is ridiculous. </p>
<p>There’s not a lot of information out there about what it is a publicist actually does, and depending on what industry you’re in and how big of an artist you’re working with, your responsibilities can vary to a pretty large degree. </p>
<p>For this article, we’re going to be focusing primarily on publicists for indie artists, but know that much of the duties are the same, just a little more flexibility and fluidity when a publicist is working with an indie artist (ain’t that always the truth!) vs a major label artist. </p>
<p>So first, here’s what a publicist doesn’t do… </p>
<p>They don’t book your shows. </p>
<p>They don’t manage your career. </p>
<p>They don’t run Facebook ads. </p>
<p>They don’t increase your Instagram followers. </p>
<p>They don’t work miracles. </p>
<p>I know, it’s a lot of stuff. But here’s the deal: a publicist’s job, in a nutshell, is to tell your story in a way that makes people want to listen and to do that through the press. </p>
<p>The reason we get confused with marketing so often is that people seem to think PR and marketing are the same. While they’re similar, and in an ideal world, the two campaigns would work in unison, marketing is more about numbers and sales, whereas PR is about showing the world who you really are and why that should matter. PR is what gets people ready for marketing, and marketing is what gets people to buy. Make sense? </p>
<p>Also, publicist don’t work miracles. Just because you pay them doesn’t mean they can get your brand new band into Billboard. </p>
<p>Here’s what a publicist actually does: </p>
<h4>Build your brand. </h4>
<p>This is trickier than you think—but a publicist will work with you to really hone in on what your brand is, and how you can convey that through all channels—your social media, your press interviews, and even into your live shows, tours, and the opportunities you secure. The clearer you are on your brand, the more features your publicist is able to secure. Which means, we want to help you get crystal clear.</p>
<h4>Shape your story. </h4>
<p>It’s not enough to simply have great music—you also need a great story, and your publicist will help shape that. Sometimes it’s something obvious—if your album has a strong theme of falling in and out of love, we’ll find the unique spots within that and play that theme up. </p>
<p>But if your song or albums are feeling too broad, we might dig deeper into the song and the process to tap into a more interesting, workable angle. I’ve worked campaigns with themes on everything as universal as love to as niched down as bringing awareness to climate change. </p>
<p>There’s a place for everything, it’s just a matter of finding yours. </p>
<h4>Features in press outlets. </h4>
<p>This is the most obvious thing we do—we secure you features in different outlets (usually blogs, but sometimes others—more on that in a minute). We do this to get your music out there and to spread that message and brand we’ve just worked so hard to create. This is where your reviews, interviews, and guest blogs come in. </p>
<h4>Sometimes, they do Spotify too. </h4>
<p>your publicist should know how much you want to land on a popular Spotify playlist. But listen, it’s not easy. Those gatekeepers are tucked away pretty tightly and getting in is no easy task, even for your most seasoned publicist. Still, if a blog or industry influencer has a playlist, we’ll try to get you on it. It may not be the Spotify official, but those streams add up. </p>
<h4>And sometimes they also do print + TV (but not everyone does). </h4>
<p>Most publicists do print, radio, and TV features for their music clients as well as digital outlets. Some PR firms do this, some don’t—but we’ve noticed it does tend to vary a lot on where you are. So, if print/TV is something you’re interested in, don’t forget to ask your publicist if they do that. </p>
<p>As a publicist, the job isn’t always easy—there are a lot of unexpected hurdles that can come our way, and it can be a lot of pressure to try to make our clients happy—and it’s what we want more than anything, to make them happy. To help them succeed. To tell their story and spread the message of their music and help everyone else see them as the amazing artist we do. So yeah, it’s a lot of work. But it’s totally worth it because they have the coolest job in the world. Working with you the artist.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140022020-04-05T12:27:50-04:002020-12-08T09:57:05-05:00Why Artists Should Forget The Numbers, Focus On Making Great Music In 2020<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/be6b0980c4529c8886e0ddf1b468fba440cdf331/original/bob-marley-1977-billboard-1548.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As the music economy has continued to grow and change over the last decade, artists have more access than ever to metrics and numbers through which they can calculate their success. While this kind of data can certainly be useful, it can also have an impact on the creative process. Here we explore why artists in 2020 should ignore the numbers and instead focus on making great music. </p>
<p>Even before music started transitioning to digital listening formats, numbers have always been a big part of gauging the value of singles and albums through radio charts, record sales, and the number of fans piling in to venues to see their favorite artists. But in 2020, the numbers associated with music are constantly around us. </p>
<p>From the amount of streams a single gets to social media likes and follows to the view-counts music videos rack up on YouTube and Vimeo, music fans are constantly barraged with data designed to measure musical traction, as are musicians. While it’s natural to want your music to succeed and to pay close, constant attention to the numbers to see whether it does or not, letting the statistics associated with your music impact your confidence or creativity is one of the worst things you can do in your music career. </p>
<h4>Why Numbers Can’t Reflect Your Value as an Artist </h4>
<p>Listeners often look to the numbers to choose which music to listen to and to measure an artist’s success. “If a song has a lot of streams, it must be good”, conventional thinking says. But when musicians put too much stock into the numbers associated with their own music, it can limit their creativity, usher negativity into their careers, and distract from their music. </p>
<p>Because numbers in music can easily be interpreted as indicators of status, many musicians get wrapped up in endless quests to boost their streaming and social media standings. This is where an earnest desire to share music with people can morph into an unsatisfying game of points where the definition of creative success is narrowed down to whether your numbers go up or not. It’s the opposite of creating authentic, meaningful music, which is what your focus should be as an artist. </p>
<p>Streams, album sales, and Instagram likes can’t tell you your value and potential as a musician, (or a person in general for that matter). You absolutely should strive to reach as many people as you can through your music if that’s your goal as a musician. But believing a song has value because it’s streamed a lot (or that another has less because it isn’t) misses the point. Myriad human-related factors like your unique fanbase and the way you promote your music as well as things out of your control like algorithms and trends typically determine whether audiences latch on to new music or not. </p>
<p>You could do everything right in music and still not succeed in terms of generating data that shows large numbers of people interacting with your music. If you release music and not many people end up listening to it, then you’re in the category that most musicians fall into. A recent single you’ve released could be the best song you’ve ever created whether it’s listened to by millions of people or a couple of friends in your hometown. Conventional success in music is fine to strive for, but measuring it purely with numbers will leave you and your music worse off. </p>
<h4>Let Your Creative Decisions Shape Your Music More Than the Numbers </h4>
<p>In a music career, there’s the act of making music, and then there’s everything else. Paying attention to music-related statistics is unavoidable in 2020, but the absolute best thing artists can do for their careers is to shift their obsessions with their musical numbers to focusing on creating the best music they can. By letting your creativity, talent, and tenacity shape your music more than the pressure to be successful, you’ll have the best chance at making music that authentically connects with people. Fully scrubbing your music-making process of superficial expectations and baggage isn’t something you’ll ever be completely able to do, but bringing your focus back to the creative merits of your work over and over again will help bring you back to a healthy, genuine place. </p>
<p>Music is more competitive now than it’s ever been, which means that artists who are able to produce something genuinely interesting and unique are able to best connect with audiences. Making great music isn’t easy, and most of us will need to devote all the time and creative energy we can to come up with engaging ideas. </p>
<p>Lamenting over low streaming counts or trying to shape your new music around old songs that performed well will make your creative life much harder as a musician. </p>
<p>The balance between wanting to be conventionally successful and creatively focused is something tough to find, and it’s going to look different for all of us. But the first step towards figuring it out is by questioning where the creative choices you make in your songwriting practice come from. If you’re more motivated by making music that gets your numbers up than the desire to create great music, it’s time to rethink your priorities.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140102020-03-20T15:02:17-04:002020-03-20T15:02:17-04:00Making Your Own Name In The Music Industry<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d787070fb91413eaa0206c789504240b0079eb52/original/img-20200127-wa0022.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Making your name in the music industry can be something that is difficult to do. In the music industry, there is always a lot of competition going on. Here are some tips and tricks that you can use to help you reach success in the music industry. </p>
<h4>Steps to Make Your Own Name in the Music Industry: </h4>
<p>1.) The first tip to help you make your own name in the music industry is to make sure that all of your performances are creative and unique. Being a good musician is not easy, and coming up with your performances is not easy either, but with hard work and a lot of thinking you can make it work. One of the best times that you can express and connect with your audience is through your live performances because this is when you will be able to show your audience what your music is all about. </p>
<p>As someone in the music industry, your job is to entertain your audience and to maintain them engaged through the entire performance. You do not want them to get bored and to leave halfway through your performance. This is why making sure that you are being creative with your music and your dance is so important. It is advised that you practice on stage before your actual performance so that you can make sure that you know the steps and the right beats to your performance. </p>
<p>2.) Another important thing to keep in mind when you’re trying to make your own name in the music industry is to make sure that everything that comes from you is coming from your heart. It is very important that your audience gets to know you for who you are. Your music and your performances need to let the audience know what type of person you are and this is what is going to differentiate you from the other musicians. </p>
<p>It is also very important for you to have your own logo so that people can know who you are what represents you. A good logo design is something that is very much necessary if you are trying to make it in the music industry. Once you design your logo, it is important for you to start getting it out there so that more and more people can see it. The more that people see it, the more people will get to know you and your music. </p>
<p>3.) Collaborating with other musicians and asking them for help will be another great way for you to be able to get out there and succeed, Do not be afraid or intimidated to ask for help. Asking for help will open many doors for you, and will be able to help shape you into the musician that you wish to be. Collaborating with other artists is the perfect way to get known by more pole as well.Telling your story to others or through your songs will help the audience connect to you in a stronger way. This is what the audience likes the most from music artists. </p>
<h4>Conclusion </h4>
<p>Overall, it is very important to make sure that you are being authentic and that you are giving it your best. Making your own name in the music industry will not be easy and nothing will be handed to you, but asking for help when needed and making friends with other artists will help you reach success in the music industry that much faster and efficiently.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62408352020-03-07T12:22:01-05:002020-03-07T12:22:01-05:00Songwriting: 6 ways to jump start your creativity <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/9b987ce168996976f4908cc87d2d2a204c4e7bfa/original/kelissa.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When my son was five years old, he rocked the following outfit: swim trunks, sneakers, a belt made out of nylon rope, and a homemade wooden sword. </p>
<p>As a child with an exploratory imagination, clothes were never just clothes; they were part of what was needed in case he met a pirate, encountered a dragon, or was to have to fend off a sabre tooth tiger during his day. </p>
<p>I often wonder why I don’t dress like that anymore. Sadly, like most adults, my creativity for fashion sort of trailed off and went mute somewhere down the road. But as a songwriter, I need all the creativity I can get. </p>
<p>Retaining ready access to your playful side—your ability to make fresh connections, see things differently, or to simply ask “why”—is essential for writing great songs. But this wellspring of new ideas and associations needs regular priming, and in the busy-ness of music business, we sometimes forget to “play” music. </p>
<p>So here are my six quick exercises for jumpstarting your creativity. Or, if your creative block is particularly dire, here are six ways to break it. </p>
<h4>1. A picture is worth 1000 words </h4>
<p>This exercise is a byproduct of many songwriters’ favorite accidental pastimes: people watching. If you’re looking to improve your character description and development, this will help you focus in on those attributes for your lyrics. </p>
<p>Cut out at least three characters from a magazine, in colour and full body if you can, and set them on the table in front of you as if they’re dolls or part of a storyboard. Then on a separate piece of paper, write out who they are; their names, their backstories, and their connections to each other. Start asking questions like: </p>
<p>How did they meet? <br>Who broke whose heart? <br>Who is waiting to meet them yet? <br>Who’s telling the story in the song? <br>Who’s song is it anyway? </p>
<h4>2. Modes of transportation </h4>
<p>Next, find six pictures of modes of transportation; like a skateboard, a Hummer, a cruise ship, a rocket, a rickshaw, and a hot air balloon. Cut them out and put them all in front of you on your table. </p>
<p>Now create a disaster. Did the cruise ship get hijacked? Has the hot air balloon fallen from the sky? Have you bumped into someone on your skateboard? Tell us what happened. </p>
<p>This exercise focuses on coming up with sequential events that help you into a compelling or exciting narrative. Perhaps on your skateboard, you knocked out the future love of your life, causing them to miss their cruise ship that eventually went on to be hijacked. Who knows? Only you can unlock that narrative. </p>
<p>The point is that you engage your listener in a clearly defined location quickly. </p>
<h4>3. Body parts </h4>
<p>This one is a title provocation. Write out twenty body parts—the sublime to the less obvious—and then generate ten possible song titles that use these terms. </p>
<p>The real trick is to start with a one word title like “Hair,” and then move on to two-word titles (i.e: “Your Arms”), and on to three-word titles (i.e: “In Your Arms”) and four-word titles (“Baby’s Got Blue Eyes”), and so on as far as you can go. </p>
<h4>4. Junk mail salad </h4>
<p>Collect any junk mail that’s been delivered to do your door or simply use a real newspaper. Cut out one noun, one verb, and one adjective from three separate hunks of junk. On a large piece of paper, make three columns for the different types of words and glue them in the correct column. Then go find five more random options for each word, but stick to the categories. </p>
<p>Say you found the words black, strolling, and house. Mixing up the different options you found in your junk mail creates word clusters that can lead to interesting imagery you can incorporate lyrically.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/be61e9e575814834cec4c225fc77fa48563622f7/original/chart-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Now mix and match. You might use “cold talking town” in a line, or a “cold dancing woman” in a lyric. Maybe even a “light talking woman” or a “red running car.” Unexpected imagery and spontaneous connections are unearthed and all because of a glue stick! </p>
<h4>5. The land of alternatives </h4>
<p>Part of re-jigging creativity is coming into contact with something novel. It’s easy to slip into comfortable routines, like familiar patterns on a fretboard or melodies in the same vocal range. This “alternatives” exercise pushes you out of the same old stuff and into the realm of the new. </p>
<p>There are a myriad of approaches to use, but here’s a list of alternative starters. Scan the list until you find something you don’t regularly do. Don’t think too hard, just grab and run. </p>
<h4>ROUND 1 </h4>
<p>Structure: write a song featuring the chorus first (CVCVCBC). <br>Trigger: write a song starting with the melody (a capella if you can). <br>Chord: write a song that uses an augmented chord. <br>Interval: write a song where the melody uses an ascending major sixth. <br>Scheme: write a song where the verse has an ABBA rhyme scheme. </p>
<h4>ROUND 2 </h4>
<p>Structure: write a song with no bridge and a one-line refrain repeated twice in the chorus. <br>Trigger: write a song using a minor chord progression. <br>Chord: write a song that uses a suspended chord: sus2 or sus4. <br>Interval: write a song where the melody uses a descending minor third. <br>Scheme: write a song where the chorus has an AAABBB rhyme scheme. </p>
<p>Generic creativity boosters to slot in here too that rely on novelty (and risk!) include working with a co-writer or a collaborator, using a different instrument, learning a new one, writing lyrics or translating them into a different language, and coming to grips with new plugins.</p>
<h4>6. Wheel of emotions </h4>
<p>Songs make people feel strong emotions and while there are a handful of obvious ones (like sadness, anger, disgust, happiness, fear, surprise), there are a ton of subcategories of emotional nuance in human behavior with recent guesstimates rising up to 3,400. </p>
<p>Psychologist Robert Plutchik first represented this graphically as a wheel of circles within circles and it’s been co-opted and modified by English teacher Kaitlin Robb as a device to settle on emotional tone in creative writing. It can help you focus in on what exact feeling you’re trying to create with your song. Plus, you can use it to shift your emotional gears quickly. </p>
<p>So, let’s play spin the Wheel of Emotions!</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/892eb233d933698ed5bcbb881fddd4be0cf223ea/original/wheelofemotions-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Print this, cut it out, and literally spin it round with your eyes closed. Then stab, and where your dagger lands, there’s your emotional tone for today’s song. Free-write on that feeling without stopping for five minutes and see where it leads you. To some interesting emotional shadows I’d assume! </p>
<p>In her article on creativity and mental health, neuroscientist Dr. Nancy Andreasen quoted one of her research subjects, who told her: </p>
<p>“Everybody has crazy things they want to try...Part of creativity is picking the little bubbles that come up to your conscious mind, and picking which one to let grow and which one to give access to more of your mind, and then have that translate into action.” </p>
<p>I hope that these songwriting tips can help you grow your own little bubbles!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140312020-02-28T10:18:32-05:002020-02-28T10:18:32-05:00How to have a good relationship with your artist manager<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/50ebad538f4f13f24a5e6a316e622d9a7ffc9806/original/ep-312299971-jpg-maxh-332-maxw-504.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Artists and managers have very different roles to play in the great music industry machine, but both are generally committed to the same goal. That said, maintaining a positive relationship between the two can be difficult at times. Here, we outline how to have the best relationship possible with your artist manager. </p>
<p>The roles of artists and managers are very different. Artists are motivated by creativity and fueled by a love for the craft. Managers are business-driven, goal-oriented and networking masters, committed to finding the best opportunities for their artists and handling all the business aspects that come with it. </p>
<p>Without the right balance, there can be a disconnect between intention and execution for managers and artists. Artists want to stay true to their creative and artistic ideals, and managers try to influence them to do what’s going to help them reach their goals in the long run. (Well, that’s what they SHOULD do anyway…) In this post, we’ll discuss what a manager should be doing, so you know what to expect from your own. Additionally, we’ll offer some tips for working synergistically to ensure the relationship is working for you, and not the other way around. </p>
<h4>What Should Your Manager be Doing for You? </h4>
<p>Like many jobs in the industry, the work of an artist manager can be extremely competitive and exceptionally stressful. Great managers do everything they can to secure the best opportunities for their artists, and sometimes this requires playing many different roles. </p>
<p><strong>Your manager should: </strong></p>
<p>be a liaison between you and the rest of your team <br>develop itineraries and manage calendars <br>give you advice on whatever you may need, personal and professional <br>understand artist rights and how royalties work <br>negotiate contracts and fees <br>guide you through the ins and outs of the industry <br>analyze data, set goals, and track and measure results </p>
<p>Depending on a manager’s skill set, they might even help with production or assist with creative direction. It’s a manager’s responsibility to utilize every tool and skill at hand, so if your manager has a background in production or design – utilize it! All of these things should be factored into the decision-making process when choosing a manager. </p>
<p><strong>Remember</strong> – A manager should be your most loyal fan, your voice of reason, and your biggest advocate. If they aren’t, they may not be the manager for you.</p>
<p><strong>Learn more:</strong></p>
<p><a contents="7 ways to find an artist manager" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/7-ways-to-find-an-artist-manager" target="_blank">7 ways to find an artist manager</a></p>
<h4>Guidance For Managers </h4>
<p>The key to successful communication with your artist(s) lies within being able to understand and acknowledge their wants/needs/priorities while still respectfully explaining your own point of view. Artists are passionate about their craft. So, if whatever you’re offering doesn’t align with their vision, it will be hard to convince them otherwise without an established trust in the relationship and a feeling of mutual respect.</p>
<p><strong>The guidelines include:</strong> </p>
<p>Protect and promote the interest of their clients to the highest possible standard. <br>Devote sufficient time so as to properly fulfill the requirements of good management in the interest of their clients. <br>Conduct all of their affairs with their clients in a transparent manner. <br>Ensure that no conflict of interest shall interfere with the discharge of their duties towards their clients… etc. </p>
<h4>Some helpful tips: </h4>
<p><strong>Be patient. </strong><br>Know when to stop pushing. If the artist doesn’t want to do what you’re offering, adapt. Find another opportunity better suited for them. <br>Listen to and acknowledge their concerns before explaining your side. <br>If an artist doesn’t agree or understand something, don’t raise your voice or get frustrated — Be empathetic and learn to compromise. </p>
<h4>Guidance for Artists </h4>
<p>Remind yourself why you do what you do and why you got a manager in the first place. I know it seems unnatural to make decisions based on anything other than a love for the craft and a gut feeling and compromising can feel like selling out. However, I assure you everything your manager offers you is to help you become the best you can be. </p>
<p>Their ultimate goal is to provide you with opportunities that will help your career and make it possible for you to do bigger and better things. To make sure your efforts and intentions are aligned, honest communication is key. </p>
<p>The perfect artist/manager relationship can be a tricky balance to find. Don’t let a simple miscommunication be detrimental to an otherwise perfect relationship. Remember, you’re in this together. Support each other through the ups and the downs and give each other space and trust to do what’s right for your overall success. </p>
<p>Win or lose, it’s a team effort. By uniting your creativity as an artist and the business know-how of a great manager, you’ll reach new heights through your partnership together than either of you would have alone.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62272112020-02-25T13:30:01-05:002020-10-21T02:04:32-04:00How to generate an organic buzz as an artist<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/957d42e85f24dfd9a6fe718f5c89ee4b8c977711/original/bujutrinidad.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Organic buzz is the kind of hype that leads to an explosion in a artist’s popularity. It gets music fans talking and forces people in the music industry to pay attention. </p>
<p>Generating organic buzz is important because it helps reveal a fanbase and demonstrates a demand for your music, which will catch the attention of record labels and artist management. </p>
<p>The industry is always on the lookout for new talent, but nobody likes taking risks with money and resources on the line, so labels and managers want to be as certain as possible before taking on a band. </p>
<p>If you have the talent, artistic originality, and desire to succeed, then it’s time you start strategizing as to how to generate organic buzz for your band and build your fanbase as quickly as possible. </p>
<h4>First and foremost, build your foundations correctly </h4>
<p>Marketing savvy aside, you and your music have to be worth talking about. Music fans are quick to judge new music, but remarkable talent and creativity will win them over. </p>
<p>To understand how artists generate organic buzz, let’s reverse-engineer the process. Listeners might share a song on social media, or spread the word in some form about an exciting new musical act because they feel compelled to do so; what is that spark? Or that bit of magic that draws people in? Is it a great song, an innovative sound, captivating lyrics, impeccable studio takes, or a photogenic image? </p>
<p>The answer is, <strong>it’s all of the above, and more. </strong></p>
<p>You will have to put in the work behind the scenes to ensure you are an outstanding cohesive product, and one that ticks all of the boxes. No amount of touring, press, or investment can bring you success if you haven’t got what it takes to begin with. </p>
<h4>Produce exceptional visual content </h4>
<p>Focusing on creating engaging visual content to accompany your music will maximize its potential for online success. </p>
<p>Simply put, today it’s just harder to capture people’s attention and imagination due to the ever-increasing volume of content out there, and the growth of video platforms that promote shorter lengths of content such as Instagram and TikTok. </p>
<p>If you have some great visual content, but lack a large fanbase, you can pitch your video content to a media partner or promotional YouTube channel in order to achieve substantial views and reach new fans. There are countless dedicated music YouTube channels that accept submissions from bands within their genre or niche. </p>
<p>Achieving high streaming statistics and view counts are bound to catch the attention of the industry, and they are key metric indicators of substantial growth. Video can help you get there, so spend time figuring out how you can make more of it. </p>
<h4>Pull off a killer live show </h4>
<p>Organic hype doesn’t necessarily depend on achieving viral online success. Delivering an outstanding and entertaining live show will get music fans talking in no time. </p>
<p>People love to talk about music, and there is something intrinsically validating about discovering the next big thing at a concert—and usually that happens for support artists opening for big headliners on arena tours. Word of mouth spreads, and it is possible to work your way up to that level playing increasingly larger shows over time. </p>
<p>That said however, this doesn’t mean it’s worthwhile to perform at every single show that comes your way. Discriminate (in a good way), and choose to perform at select shows that you can be sure will generate a good turnout or offer you some other value. The last thing you want to do is saturate your performances—choose quality over quantity when it comes to playing shows. </p>
<h4>Attract new fans and keep them excited </h4>
<p>As an artist you want to stay on people’s radar, without appearing desperate. Ultimately, people want what they can’t have, or what’s just out of reach. So to create buzz you’re going to have to find ways to engage with your fans whilst keeping them on their toes, always wanting more. </p>
<p>People want something fresh and exciting. There is nothing exciting about generic online statements such as “check out our music here…” on social media, or the usual “thank you so much, this next song is…” at your show. </p>
<p>There are so many more engaging and thoughtful ways of promoting your music online. I have seen many artists offer cryptic clues and Easter eggs that offer fans a sneak peek at new music. These can range from solving a puzzle or guessing a password, to finding hidden text in images, and these teasers truly get people talking. </p>
<p>Music fans also want to be a part of a community that feels exclusive. Utilizing mailing lists as a method of keeping fans in the loop with exclusive content, or rewarding your following or gig attendees with early access to new music or limited edition merchandise can make a huge difference. </p>
<h4>Increase your artist’s perception </h4>
<p>It might seem like a catch-22, but you’ve got to have fans to build fans. In a sense this is somewhat true, as music fans always want to jump on board the hype train, and everyone’s got a case of FOMO these days… Use it to your advantage! </p>
<p>Faking it till you make it does work when applied correctly—it’s about creating the illusion that your bigger than it really is. And there are numerous creative and intelligent ways you can help to do this. You wouldn’t want to shout from the rooftops that you performed to an empty room the other night, or that you failed to sell any merchandise. </p>
<p>Instead, think about how you can create an alluring charm around your brand that highlights the positives. </p>
<p>It’s important to mention that you should never create a fake fanbase by buying social media followers or video views. Everyone can see through this and it looks foolish on your part. It becomes clear and obvious if you have 100,000 views on a music video with virtually no comments or likes. Besides, it’ll be even more obvious when nobody comes to your show. </p>
<p>If you get an opportunity to support a popular artist for a sold out show, make sure to hire a filmmaker to capture the footage and use it for a music video for an upcoming release. Give the impression that this massive audience is here for you. </p>
<p>Lastly, offer some guest vocal spots on your next album to singers and soloists that have greater visibility. This sort of “name drop” can often make a difference. </p>
<h4>Final thoughts </h4>
<p>Music fans want to listen to exciting new artists, and there is a strong feeling of validation that comes with knowing they hopped on the right bandwagon—to be able to say they “saw that band back when nobody knew who they were!” </p>
<p>Generating organic buzz is all about being hot and on-trend, and in order to do this, you have got to convince people you could definitely be the next big thing. </p>
<p>It’s one thing to get your music heard by new audiences, it takes more work to mobilize them to support you. Are you ready to do that work?</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62140302020-02-21T14:06:24-05:002021-08-22T00:33:03-04:00Adding lyrics to your Facebook, Instagram: Users Guide<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/e318303e61a311e8f470e66c1b072f2373fae0d3/original/musixmatch-songs-with-lyrics-768x432.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As you may already know, both Facebook and Instagram have integrated a feature where users can add lyrics to their Stories on both platforms, something which could give some artists, particularly those more lyrically inclined, a leg up in promoting their material. </p>
<p>If you’re not already aware, both Facebook and Instagram offer the ability for users to add your song lyrics to their Facebook and Instagram Stories. While I’ve never considered that essential for music exposure (especially for an artist that isn’t adept at lyric writing yet), it can help in many cases so the feature shouldn’t be overlooked. </p>
<p>This ability isn’t actually a direct function of Facebook or Instagram, but a collaboration with a third party. That would be Musixmatch, which is the largest online catalog of music lyrics and translations. In order to have the words to your songs placed on those two popular platforms, do the following: </p>
<p>1. Make sure you sign up to become a verified artist on Musixmatch. </p>
<p>2. Fill out a New Release Form that will make sure that your lyrics are available when you song is released. </p>
<p>3. Then download the Musixmatch desktop app and sign in. </p>
<p>4. Connect your streaming service. </p>
<p>5. Play your song. You can play it from Spotify, iTunes or Windows Media Player. Musixmatch will determine the lyrics automatically. </p>
<p>6. If you want to add the lyrics manually, simply click “Add lyrics” and type them in. </p>
<p>7. Review and edit your lyrics to make sure everything is perfect. </p>
<p>The whole key here is to do this at least 2 weeks before your release to be sure that your lyrics are available on release day. In fact, that’s a good idea for any platform, but it’s especially critical for Spotify verified artists in that this provides a chance to get on your fan’s personal playlists as the algorithm has some time to to do its thing. </p>
<p>That said, if the words to your songs are important to you and your fans (or you want to make sure that they’re not being misinterpreted), then you’ll want to take advantage of this feature on Facebook and Instagram via Musixmatch.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/62139912020-02-13T11:04:55-05:002020-02-21T14:05:33-05:00Guide to marketing your music video<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/80eb5e31367e11d0df6022584cc48a67f769c96d/original/180619-beyonce-jay-z-mn-0830-7ddb58da47e861fa332e1bb6bea27832-fit-760w-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Particularly if you’re a new artist working to establish your self, developing a well-thought out strategy before dropping your next music video is key to its success. In this piece, we look at five key things to keep in mind once your video is finally released to the world. </p>
<p>From the earliest phases to the time you stop promoting it, a music video campaign can take weeks, maybe even months, depending on how far ahead you’re planning. A lot of younger, amateur artists will shoot something, release it, and move on to the next. That’s feasible if you’re a large, well-known artist, and promotion isn’t really something you need to worry about, but that can’t be said for most musicians reading this. </p>
<p>You need to have a plan in place that can help you rack up views and keep the conversation going for weeks once the video is out. If you haven’t thought that far ahead, it’s not the time to launch your newest visual. </p>
<p>Below are five music video promotion tactics to keep in mind after your music video has been released. </p>
<h4>1. Develop a Plan </h4>
<p>You worked so hard to make everything just right for the video shoot itself. You spent a lot of time creating a plan and shooting the content for the big day of the premiere. But that doesn’t mean it’s over! You want to get everything you can out of your treatment, as also poured budget into it, and chances are you won’t be shooting one of these for every song you release. </p>
<p>Throughout the creation process, you should be making content that can be shared for days, weeks, or maybe even months after the video has been rolled out. You can post pictures, GIFs, clips, and so on, and while you might not be in a place where you want to upload something from a weeks-old video every day (which is understandable), you do need to keep promoting. </p>
<p>Remember, no matter how much you blast it out in the hours after it is first viewable, there are bound to be fans who miss those posts and emails, so the reminders are necessary. </p>
<h4>2. Talk To Your Audience About It </h4>
<p>Part of what makes social media so great is that it’s not about talking at others, it’s about talking with them. </p>
<p>Social posting should be a conversation, not a one-way street. Ask your followers what they love about the clip, what they didn’t like, or what they’d be interested in seeing next time around. Maybe they have thoughts about how to continue a storyline in another music video, or perhaps they really want to see something you happened to shoot behind-the-scenes, but never released. </p>
<p>You never know until you engage them! </p>
<h4>3. Take Them Behind-The-Scenes </h4>
<p>Speaking of behind-the-scenes, this is an entire category of content that seems to be forgotten all the time, and that’s a shame! </p>
<p>Of course your fans want to see beautifully-shot photos of the band and have fun with GIFs created from the actual video, but they are always looking for more, especially anything they haven’t already seen. </p>
<p>People enjoy watching those they like—friends, family, and even celebrities—when they’re not “on,” because it humanizes them. Going this route will only make your followers stan you harder, and it’s some of the easiest content to create! </p>
<h4>4. Follow-Up With Media </h4>
<p>If you worked with a PR firm to promote your music video (and hopefully grab some media attention), you need to make sure they are following up with outlets to see if they will cover the release in some way. Typically, if they don’t get to it in the first day or so, it’s a pass, but you need to ensure whoever you hired is doing their due diligence so you don’t miss any opportunities. </p>
<p>If you’re in charge of this huge task all on your own, this is up to you. It sounds easy to hit send on a few messages, but keeping track of everything and catching up with all the publications and writers you spoke with is time-consuming, so make sure you pad in some time to do this right. </p>
<h4>5. Plan The Next One </h4>
<p>That’s right! Once you’ve created a concept, shot a video, crafted an incredible amount of social media content, shared the clip and promoted the hell out of it, it’s time to start again. Welcome to being a recording artist in today’s musical landscape! </p>
<p>Before you go head-first into another music video, stop and reflect on what you worked on: </p>
<p>What was the most complicated part, and can it be made easier? </p>
<p>Where could you have saved some cash? </p>
<p>Where should you have spent more? </p>
<p>Do you need more time as you go again, or perhaps less? </p>
<p>Every time you embark on one of these journeys, you should learn and improve for the next go-around.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/60970202020-01-13T18:45:52-05:002020-01-13T18:45:53-05:00Be good today so you can be great forever<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/25bd301686ee5c07a0672e6717e887d3127a82a0/original/chrisruisi-greatness062019-624x312.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>So you want to be great, huh? Yeah, me too. </p>
<p>I want to be a great songwriter, producer, and musician. Am I currently great? No, but I’m moving that way. </p>
<p>And you can move toward greatness too. That’s what this post is all about. </p>
<h4>What is greatness? </h4>
<p>We all want to be great at what we do. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this article. So what is greatness? How do you get there? </p>
<p>I’m not the first to say this, but greatness (or success) is subjective. What you define as being great may not match someone else’s definition. </p>
<p>So to achieve greatness, you have to first admit that you are not great already, even if some people say you are. Because really, your view of greatness will always move. You get better, people call you great, but you still have this hum within you that says you’re not yet great. </p>
<p>It’s a never-ending struggle. It’s like trying to hold smoke in your hand. </p>
<p>So if this is the life you’re ready to live -- always pining for greatness but never actually reaching it, at least in your own mind -- then read on. </p>
<p>As the title of this post says, being great is all about being good consistently. </p>
<h4>Compare yourself to yourself </h4>
<p>Before we jump into the “how” of being great, I want to point out that being great or successful isn’t a competition. It’s not about being better than someone else. </p>
<p>It’s about being better than yourself. </p>
<p>Because your bar for greatness will always be getting higher, you should compare yourself to yourself. To really see how you’ve been moving toward your goal of “great,” look at where you were last year, three years ago, 10 years ago. </p>
<p>How have you gotten better at your craft? What have you accomplished? What are you proud of? </p>
<p>Comparing yourself to a previous version of yourself not only keeps you encouraged, it helps you avoid jealousy and envy -- two things that will kill your music career if you don’t keep them in check. </p>
<p>This is super important, because staying consistent is hard enough on its own. </p>
<h4>The difficulty of consistency </h4>
<p>You’ve probably heard the phrase, “How you do anything is how you do everything.” The origin is unclear, but it’s most likely a saying from Zen Buddhism. </p>
<p>Wherever it came from, it’s a powerful idea. You could even make that your life motto. </p>
<p>How do you create music? With meaning, care, and a mind open to feedback? Are you consistent? </p>
<p>How you create music today will mark your music career in the big picture. </p>
<p>Instead of focusing on doing grand, great things, why not focus on doing the small thing in front of you the best way you know how? Then do it again tomorrow. Then the next day. </p>
<p>That’s easy to say, but it’s difficult to do this day in and day out (or night in and night out). If you have a day job, your brain and body are probably exhausted by the evening. So it can be hard to drag yourself to your craft when you have nothing left. </p>
<p>But I’m an advocate of baby steps. If you’ve seen the movie What About Bob?, you know what I’m talking about. If not, here’s the basic idea: take a lot of little steps each day and you’ll soon find yourself miles away from where you started. </p>
<p>Spend 15 minutes working on a song before you go to work. Schedule social media posts over lunch. Knock one thing off your to-do list before you go to bed. </p>
<p>Little movements. This is the journey toward greatness, toward your success. </p>
<p>Pour yourself into your daily work -- even if it’s just for 15 minutes -- and it will translate into a lifetime of great work. </p>
<h4>Volume over intensity </h4>
<p>And that brings us to the gym. Stick with me here. </p>
<p>In some niches of the fitness world, there’s this ideology of “volume over intensity.” This means by doing smaller exercises, you can end up with a larger volume of workouts than if you were to do fewer, more intense workouts. </p>
<p>For example, if you do seven push-ups every hour over a period of eight hours, you’ll have done 56 pushups that day. On the other hand, if you do three sets of 30 push-ups during one designated “workout time,” you’ll end up doing 90 push-ups for the day. </p>
<p>The latter option seems more effective, right? More push-ups equals bigger muscles. </p>
<p>Well, no. Not according to this “volume over intensity” idea. </p>
<p>You see, if you do 90 push-ups in a single workout, it’s more likely your muscles need a day off to recuperate and repair themselves (which is where the strengthening actually happens). So you’d do 90 push-ups every other day. </p>
<p>But if you’ve done just 56 push-ups spread out over an entire day -- instead of all at once -- you can do the same thing the next day. Your body doesn’t need a whole day to recover. </p>
<p>So if you do 56 push-ups every day of the week, you will have done 392 push-ups that week. If you do 90 push-ups in a single workout every other day, you will have done 360 push-ups that week. </p>
<p>It doesn’t seem like much of a difference, but just multiply that out for every week of the year. If you do 32 more push-ups with the “volume” method instead of the “intensity” method, you’ll end up doing 1,664 more push-ups in a year. </p>
<p>A little bit every day can lead to a greater volume of work. And the more time you spend on your craft, the better you’ll get over time. </p>
<h4>Give yourself the gift of done </h4>
<p>Eventually -- after all these little movements over time -- you’ll end up with some music you can share. That is, if you don’t let perfectionism get in the way. </p>
<p>We all have a bit of perfectionism in us, some more than others. And it’s very useful. It’s the thing that keeps us moving toward greatness. </p>
<p>But, perfectionism, at some point, has a diminishing ROI. If it gets out of hand, it can actually hinder your next step toward greatness. </p>
<p>“Give yourself the gift of done.” In other words, don’t let perfectionism keep you from making or sharing your music. </p>
<p>It’s like a snake shedding its skin. That layer of skin was useful, but now it’s time to drop it and continue slithering along. We’re all just slithering toward greatness. </p>
<p>You have to leave behind your perfectionism after it’s served its purpose. You’ve got to allow yourself to be done with a project. </p>
<p>Instead of shooting for the impossibility of perfection, be good today and tomorrow and the next day. Pretty soon, you’ll look back and see you’ve done some great things.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/59490772019-11-04T12:25:03-05:002019-11-04T12:25:32-05:007 things to do once you get booked for a show<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/989fe693f734d197b2768ed081369314e4466154/original/000504159.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Congratulations! You just secured a date from a top promoter. You locked it in. Negotiated, signed, sealed and delivered. \However, your work has only just begun. Once the show is booked, here are 11 things that you should do right away to make sure you are set up for success and that nothing slips through the cracks. </p>
<h4>1. Create SmartURL Links </h4>
<p>Once you have the ticket link and Facebook event links, create trackable, smartURL links so you can see how your promo efforts are going. </p>
<h4>2. Add the Show to Your Tour Calendar </h4>
<p>You can embed a Bandsintown or Songkick calendar to your website. Even if you don’t, you need to add your shows to these sites. Bandsintown and Songkick have each built up communities of active users, over 10 million members each, who use the apps to track artists and get notified when they come to town (via push notifications and customized emails). </p>
<p>If you’re routing a tour, you can schedule the shows to go public at a certain time. Triple-check the ticket link and don’t publish the show until you have the ticket link included (because if fans get a notification about your show and click through but find no link to the tickets, they won’t be able to buy and may forget about the show). </p>
<p>Songkick and Bandsintown have partnered with many digital platforms like Spotify and Shazam. If you’re wondering why your concerts aren’t being listed on various platforms online, it’s most likely because they aren’t on Songkick or Bandsintown. </p>
<h4>3. Create a Show/Tour Video </h4>
<p>Make a long one for YouTube, IGTV and Facebook, and make shorter ones to roll out on Instagram and Twitter. </p>
<h4>4. Send an Email Blast </h4>
<p>Include the ticket link and show promo video. </p>
<h4>5. Write a Press Release </h4>
<h4>6. Restock Your Merch </h4>
<h4>7. Split Up Promotional Duties </h4>
<p>Work with the other artists on the bill to figure out a cohesive promo plan and delegate jobs to your street team members.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/59490732019-11-04T12:13:42-05:002019-12-04T20:29:32-05:007 ways to find an artist manager<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/79b67a24239cac0ab85c87f22333d96c22527560/original/romeich-major.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />The manager is the most important person in your operation. Your manager is your teammate. Your partner. Your friend. The two of you are in it together. Us versus the world. </p>
<p>The manager is the liaison between the artist and everybody else. The manager oversees everything from the recording process to the album release campaign to the tour routing, booking and performing to the social media management to the artist’s divorce. </p>
<p>The manager handles the business, first and foremost. The best managers handle the business with creative finesse. To navigate the constantly evolving musical landscape, managers need truly creative minds. You don’t want a manager who is operating the same way this year as she was last year. Every day is new. Every day is different. </p>
<p>Finding a manager is about timing, being in the right place at the right time and, really, making it seem like you don’t need a manager. No one wants to work with an artist that seems to be struggling, but everyone wants to hop on a speeding train. </p>
<p>That being said, music is magic. Managers believe this. It’s why they chose such an unstable career path. If a manager happens to hear something so special that it moves them on a deep, spiritual level, they may decide to take you on no matter what the stage of your career. </p>
<p>But this is rare. Most managers want to see you are doing well on your own before they will even give you a second glance. They want to know that if they decide to work with you that you will put in the effort needed to maintain a modern music career. Managers know that it’s not just about the music. They want artists who will work hard, just like them. </p>
<p>And remember, this is a business. Most managers take 15-20% of your career. If your career is not bringing enough money where 20% of that could sustain another person’s salary (or ⅕ of their salary - if they have 4 other clients), they may just not have the bandwidth to take you on - even if they love you. They have to eat too ya know! </p>
<p>If you think you're ready for a manager, and your business merits it ($$), there are a few concrete steps you can take, when you’re ready to get your music in front of managers. </p>
<p>But just remember, you don’t need a manager to be successful.Linking up with a manager should always be looked at as a partnership - not a crutch. </p>
<h4>1. Get Included on Spotify Playlists </h4>
<p>Spotify has become the new discovery mechanism for music industry professionals. Five years ago it was mostly blogs. There are many playlist plugging services out there you can hire to pitch you to popular, user-generated playlists, and your distributor may be able to help you get into official Spotify playlists. </p>
<p>You should also submit all of your new releases directly to Spotify via the submission portal in Spotify for Artists. The more playlists you get added to, the better chance your music will show up on managers’ Discover Weekly. </p>
<h4>2. Reviews </h4>
<p>In addition to the blogs, there are still a few publications that will review songs and albums. The biggest are obviously Billboard, Pitchfork and Rolling Stone, but industry publications like Music Connection magazine regularly review new and unsigned artists and many in the industry subscribe to these magazines. Most sites have specific instructions and guidelines on how to submit. </p>
<h4>3. A Lawyer </h4>
<p>A more traditional way to get in with Well-Connected Managers (WCMs) is from referrals from respected entertainment attorneys. </p>
<h4>4. Direct Submission </h4>
<p>If you’ve done your homework, you can email a manager directly with links to your material. Begin the email to a WCM with compliments about them and express why you think you would be a good fit together; there’s a chance the manager may dig in. </p>
<p>Remember, you are bringing value to them. Respect their expertise and experience, but understand that you have something they don’t—amazing music. </p>
<h4>5. Showcases </h4>
<p>Many public radio stations, blogs, magazines and music conferences will hold showcases where they will invite managers out. Be careful, though; there are shady promoters and “talent buyers” who will try to get you to pay to play their “showcases,” which are nothing more than regular club shows where you have to buy advance tickets to sell to your friends and fans. Do not take the bait. </p>
<p>With legitimate showcases, you have to be invited to play. Many will have a submission process. Most won’t pay, but they won’t make you pay either. If you have to pay, make absolutely certain you know the names of the people who will be there. “A&R” and “music managers” is not good enough. </p>
<h4>6. Public Radio </h4>
<p>It’s nearly impossible to get played on Top 40 radio or other Clear Channel–owned stations without a big-time radio promoter. But NPR affiliate stations will regularly play local, indie and unsigned artists. </p>
<p>Start with the stations in your town or the closest city to where you live that has a public radio station that plays music. Managers definitely tune in to discover new talent. One of the biggest music-based public radio stations is Los Angeles’s KCRW, which gets over 550,000 listeners each week. They play pretty much every kind of music except mainstream pop. Study the music played by each DJ. DJs at KCRW (and most other public radio stations) have the autonomy to play whatever they want. </p>
<p>So instead of submitting through the front door, go directly to the DJs who are playing music like yours. Be smart about this and do your research. Some DJs only play 1970s funk/soul, so don’t submit your latest trap song to them. </p>
<h4>7. Business Schools </h4>
<p>If you’re near a business school, target your promotional efforts to these students. Promote your shows on campus and in the business school building. The business students who are interested in music management may come out to your show and offer to manage you.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/59375392019-10-24T12:26:10-04:002019-10-24T14:10:12-04:0017 Ways Artists Can Make Money in 2020<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7181e2e36f54e19701f3ee26c649e895d39a415a/original/untitled-article-1466168927.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Artists have more control over their careers than ever before. But one of the biggest challenges facing artists is making money. </p>
<p>According to the MIDiA report Independent Artists: The Age of Empowerment: </p>
<p>Artists’ income vary widely. Streaming income, along with earnings from live performances, make up the majority of artist revenues today. For independent artists, streaming is now their primary source of income at 30%." </p>
<p>Streaming continues to take up a larger percentage of an artist’s revenues. Given that streaming music payouts are measured in fractions of pennies, it’s more important than ever to find other sources of income to help you build a sustainable career. </p>
<h4>How artists make money </h4>
<p>Some of the revenue streams outlined below might be obvious, while others might be new to you. But hopefully this list of twenty-six revenue streams for artists will spark some ideas for generating more income for your music career. </p>
<h4>1. CDs </h4>
<p>Wait, aren't CDs dead? While CD sales continue to drop, they remain a revenue generator for artists in many genres. </p>
<p>If you’re going to be playing live shows, having CDs at your merch table is still a good idea. They’re cheap to produce, and you can easily sign them for your fans. </p>
<p><strong>Resources to sell CDs </strong></p>
<p>Get CDs made: <a contents="Disc2Disc Duplication" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://disc2disconline.com/" target="_blank">Disc2Disc Duplication</a></p>
<h4>2. Vinyl </h4>
<p>Vinyl sales continue to surge in the digital music age. Part of this is because many fans still want a physical souvenir of your music. Just be sure to factor in the cost of producing and shipping vinyl, which can be significant. </p>
<p><strong>Resources to sell Vinyl </strong></p>
<p>Tuff Gong </p>
<h4>3. Digital downloads </h4>
<p>Digital downloads are experiencing a similar fate as CDs. Sales are now decreasing with the popularity of streaming music platforms. Yet just like CDs, digital downloads remain a source of revenue for many independent artists. </p>
<p>When selling digital downloads, be sure to sell direct to fans through your website. Not only will you make more money, but you'll also collect valuable email addresses. This way you can let your fans know about new releases, upcoming shows, and more. </p>
<h4>4. Streaming revenue </h4>
<p>Streaming music can be a sensitive topic for some artists and songwriters. While payouts from streaming music tend to be small, they can add up to become a significant revenue source over time for some artists. </p>
<p>In addition to streaming music being an income generator, it’s also about music discovery. Streaming platforms provide actionable data that you can use to help with marketing your music, and booking gigs. </p>
<p><strong>Resources for streaming services</strong></p>
<p><a contents="Hapilos&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.hapilos.com/" target="_blank">Hapilos </a></p>
<p><a contents="Zojak&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.zojakworldwide.com/" target="_blank">Zojak </a></p>
<p><a contents="Johnny Wonder" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://jwonder21.com/" target="_blank">Johnny Wonder</a> </p>
<h4>5. Live shows </h4>
<p>Performing live is still one of the best ways to make money as a musician, generating nearly a quarter of the overall income for independent artists.There are many venues available to perform your original music. These include traditional music venues, bars, clubs, coffeehouses, colleges & universities, and music festivals. </p>
<p>Performing live is also one of the best ways to sell merch. If you’re going to be playing a lot of live shows, be sure to stock your merch table.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/3f5178c7e27cc0637090c8343dfce0283e678b57/original/bzblog-26-ways-musicians-make-money-graph.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>6. Physical merch </h4>
<p>Selling physical merch can create a nice additional income stream, especially at your live shows. If you play live often or go out on tour, always have plenty of merch in stock. </p>
<p>T-shirts, CDs, and smaller items like buttons and stickers are usually good sellers. Be sure to also have all of your merch items available for fans to buy directly through your website</p>
<p><strong>Resources for physical merch</strong></p>
<p><a contents="Irie Prints" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/Arttshirtandprinting" target="_blank">Irie Prints</a></p>
<h4>7. VIP fan experiences </h4>
<p>In the age of digital music, scarcity is valuable. You should include VIP fan experiences, for any show that you perform, try offering your superfans a little something extra. A meet and greet after the show. VIP seating with drinks included. Maybe even a pre-show dinner with the artist.</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>8. Public performance royalties </h4>
<p>If you’re a songwriter, it’s important that you sign up with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO). A PRO collects royalties on behalf of songwriters and publishers to ensure that they get paid for the use of their music. </p>
<p>PROs collect public performance royalties. When a song is played on the radio, on TV, in music venues, restaurants, sports arenas, shopping malls, or any other public place, they must pay for the use of it. The PRO collects those payments and distributes the money to the rights holders.</p>
<h4>9. Digital royalties </h4>
<p>When your music gets played on non-Interactive streaming music services, they must pay royalties. This includes SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Pandora, webcasters, and cable TV music channels. Make sure to collect your non-interactive digital royalties by signing up with SoundExchange.</p>
<p> </p>
<h4>10. Mechanical royalties </h4>
<p>Mechanical royalties get paid to songwriters or rights holders for purchased music. This includes CDs, vinyl, downloads, and streams. </p>
<p>In the US, retailers include these royalties with payments to digital distributors. But outside of the US, these payments get sent to royalty collection societies. These societies then distribute the royalties to music publishers. </p>
<p>To collect those royalties outside of the US, you would need to register with each royalty collection society. Instead of doing that, you can sign up with a publishing administrator which will collect those royalties on your behalf.</p>
<p><strong>Resources to collect mechanical royalties</strong></p>
<p><a contents="JACAP" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.jacapjamaica.com/" target="_blank">JACAP</a></p>
<p><a contents="BMI" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.bmi.com/" target="_blank">BMI</a></p>
<h4>11. Master Use / Sync Licensing Fees </h4>
<p>“Getting songs placed on TV shows and in movies is a highly sought after part of the music industry. Some artists make their entire income off of it.” Ari Herstand </p>
<p>If you get your song placed in a film, commercial, or TV show, they need to pay a licensing fee. In fact, they need to pay two licensing fees. </p>
<p>One is a “Master Use” licensing fee for the use of the recording. The other is a “Synchronization” or “Sync” licensing fee for the songwriter(s) & publisher(s). </p>
<p>These fees can vary. It will depend on the budget for the project, and how much they want to use your song. </p>
<p><strong>Resources for getting song placements</strong></p>
<p><a contents="TAXI" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.taxi.com/" target="_blank">TAXI</a></p>
<h4>12. Facebook and Instagram video monetization </h4>
<p>Did you know that you can earn money when your songs are used in Facebook videos or in Instagram Stories? If people upload videos that use your music, even if it’s just playing in the background, you can get paid for that.</p>
<h4>13. YouTube </h4>
<p>When music is used in a YouTube video that is running ads, YouTube pays part of that ad money to the rights holder of the song. This includes videos on your own YouTube channel, as well as videos using your music that are not on your channel. </p>
<p>Digital distributors can collect that money from YouTube on your behalf. They’ll search YouTube for any uses of your music, and you might collect money from videos that you didn’t even know about.</p>
<h4>14. Sponsorships </h4>
<p>If you’ve built up a fanbase, local businesses, music companies, and even major brands could sponsor you to reach those fans. You can offer visibility with your live shows, on social media, your YouTube channel, and more. </p>
<p>Sponsorships are sometimes paid in cash, but at first, it's likely that it would be in the form of free products, services, or gear.</p>
<h4>15. Session Work </h4>
<p>Another way to make some extra money as a singer or instrumentalist is by doing session work in studio for other projects. If you have a flexible schedule, you can also look to get hired to go on tour with other artists.</p>
<h4>16. Songwriting/Composing </h4>
<p>If you’re a songwriter you could look to write songs for other musicians, or co-write songs with other artists. </p>
<p>You could also compose music for film and television. This type of work can generate significant revenues in licensing fees and royalties.</p>
<h4>17. Music Lessons </h4>
<p>Another way to generate revenue for your career is to teach your instrument to others. It’s a great way to supplement your income, and allows you to hone your craft at the same time. </p>
<p>You could offer music lessons in-person, or online, and even sell video lessons through your website.</p>
<p>Hopefully this post has sparked some ideas on how to make money with your music. Remember, great songs and a great live show come first. Once you’ve honed your craft, you can use some of these tactics to increase your income as an artist.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/59103272019-09-30T13:15:22-04:002019-10-08T11:57:09-04:00How to make your music stand out<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/0003806f3d57d1925826a0c048e023a66a2533b3/original/31d90fbbe50c97171129723a852deac6-1000x1000x1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>With so many artists releasing music and taking to the online world, is there any room left for up and comers to grab the attention of an audience? </p>
<p>Today, we know that people divide their time between a variety of interests and activities. While music may be a favorite pastime or passion for some, for many it’s essentially the soundtrack of life occurring in the background. </p>
<p>Can you still create a strong connection with an audience and cut through the noise? Yes. But it’s going to take some work. Let’s look at how to make your music stand out in a sea of self-promotion. </p>
<h4>Make great music </h4>
<p>Today, it’s unlikely that subpar music recorded in your friend’s bedroom is going to captivate an audience (unless, of course, your friend is an incredible producer-engineer). More than ever, people expect quality music that appeals directly to their tastes and senses. </p>
<p>But this doesn’t mean that spending lots of money to record in a well-known studio with a great sound is automatically going to help you gain traction in your career either. Today, quality music is just the baseline requirement. </p>
<p>Outside of the Hot 100 world it’s the age of novelty, and music that features unusual instrument combinations, instruments played in unusual ways, and familiar songs played with new arrangements are all the rage. </p>
<p>You don’t necessarily need to record covers. That’s not the point. The point is, how can you make your music stand out from others in your niche, even if it’s just in a small way? If you can answer that question, you’ll have moved a step closer to separating yourself from the crowd. </p>
<p>It all starts with the music, because if you can’t stand behind your project and give it your all, you can’t expect anyone else to. No A&R rep is going to come looking for you, and no promoter is going to take you on just for kicks. </p>
<h4>Build a stronger relationship with your audience </h4>
<p>Who is your target audience and what do they want? Social media comments, surveys and questionnaires don’t always answer this question in full. You must dig deeper. </p>
<p>When fans and prospective fans follow you on social media, do you send them content welcoming them to your page? Can they expect regular updates from you that are relevant to what they’re interested in? </p>
<p>Some of this can be automated. Some of it is a grind, plain and simple. And, welcoming every followers with a video is not scalable long-term. But it can give you an upper hand in creating a stronger bond with your fans, making them more likely to stick with you over the long haul. </p>
<p>Naturally, building a stronger relationship with your audience extends into live performances too. So, what are you doing at your shows to keep your fans engaged? Are you saving the front row for VIPs? Are you organizing CD signings? Could you involve your audience during your shows? </p>
<p>Once you’ve done something special for your fans and a personal connection has been established, your fans will remember you for years to come. So, give them something to talk about. You can’t underestimate the impact of small gestures, such as remembering people’s names and sending “thank you” notes. </p>
<h4>Explore new marketing channels </h4>
<p>There are different ways of getting in front of your audience. If you’re finding that platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube are already saturated with content like yours, then shouting from the rooftops is akin to joining a chorus of indistinguishable shouting. Nobody can hear you through all the noise! </p>
<p>If your following is small, and you can’t compete on ad spend, trying to get noticed on the big platforms is going to prove an uphill battle. </p>
<p>Fortunately, there are new platforms emerging all the time. TikTok, for instance, is popular with audiences under the age of 30. If your music appeals to a younger audience, it may be worth exploring the possibilities. </p>
<p>This isn’t to say you must rely on the latest tactics. There are plenty of traditional tactics that still work but are relatively underutilized among musicians, such as direct mail. Sure, it costs quite a bit, but your return on investment is also going to be much clearer than with a social media post. </p>
<p>Sending an envelope with a bright bold headline like “FREE Music Inside” can’t help but draw a few eyeballs and get your direct mail piece opened by prospective fans. </p>
<p>So, do your homework. Learn about various marketing channels and see if you can incorporate them into your marketing mix. There could be some opportunities staring back at you.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/58803532019-09-04T12:01:12-04:002019-09-04T12:01:12-04:00Kingston Elite Music<p><a contents="" data-link-label="Music" data-link-type="page" href="/music" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/daeff9af2091a12634d6568afbcf1483def65ba6/original/paint-jamaica-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">For the latest dancehall music from the streets of Kingston, Jamaica. Stream & Download here: <a contents="www.kingstonelite.com/music" data-link-label="Music" data-link-type="page" href="/music" target="_blank">www.kingstonelite.com/music</a>
</h4>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/58500352019-08-07T04:49:15-04:002019-08-23T09:33:41-04:00Kash releases new single "Outside"<p style="text-align: center;">Unuh Réady⁉?We Outside! Look out for this single on all digital platforms. Cover Art by Oneil Designs produced by Kingston Elite. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/kash-outside" width="853"></iframe>"</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/58397162019-07-28T20:35:53-04:002019-07-28T20:35:53-04:0010 Jobs for Songwriters<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/cefa264918792acf1c08e1d0265cb8de06090697/original/88a9d1fa-0558-11e8-8438-c4a230225b03-1020x775.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Songwriters have a special place in our culture. If you’re a songwriter, you’re not simply playing music, you’re imbuing our lives with a soundtrack that is evocative, thought provoking, and deeply meaningful. </p>
<p>Most artists have a songwriter, or several, and most songwriters have been in a band before. But being a songwriter can be a more feasible career choice in the long run. </p>
<p>Here’s a look at some of the different types of job opportunities that are available to songwriters. </p>
<h4>1. Performing songwriter </h4>
<p>This is someone who writes and performs their own music. Although it’s one of the easiest ways to start playing music, it can be difficult to monetize. Everyone wants to know: How do I make money with my music? </p>
<p>People need to be passionate about your music and be willing to spend money on you. You need to build a following that is excited and invested in what you’re doing. This is easier said than done. </p>
<p>Having robust Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts is a good start. Have people sign up for a mailing list at your shows. It may seem old school, but the people who sign up are taking a deliberate action to be a part of what you’re doing. </p>
<p>Touring can be a great way to grow your following. It’s tough, but there are a lot of good resources online to help you. There are DIY Facebook groups for just about every major US city teeming with helpful people. </p>
<h4>2. Songwriter in a band </h4>
<p>This is very similar to being a performing songwriter, except you’re working within a band. In addition to working out creative roles in the band, you’ll need to work out how you’re splitting up the publishing credits and royalties. </p>
<p>A clear, sober conversation should take place early on so no one gets confused. Just because you bring in a skeleton of a song, doesn’t mean you own all of the fleshed out final product. </p>
<h4>3. Songwriter for other artists </h4>
<p>This is a more reliable way of making money as a songwriter, because often you’re working with an artist who already has an audience. You’ll be writing with someone else in mind which can be difficult at first, but many of music's greatest success stories are between a pop star and a songwriter. </p>
<p>Max Martin has written dozens of number one hits from The Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, to contemporary hits such as “Can’t Feel My Face” by The Weeknd and “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift. Songwriters don’t always enjoy the same level of fame as stars, but often have more longevity in the music industry. </p>
<h4>4. Freelance songwriter/work-for-hire contracts </h4>
<p>This is very similar to being a basic songwriter, but you’re often working on a one-off basis. In this case, instead of being paid in publishing and royalties, you’ll get paid an hourly rate or a flat fee. There are many online resources that you can use, such as <a contents="Upwork" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.upwork.com/" target="_blank">Upwork</a>, that will let you find one-off songwriting jobs. </p>
<h4>5. Staff writer </h4>
<p>Staff Writer is a bit of a misnomer. A staff-writer is neither an employee nor a staff member of a publishing company, but a songwriter who has entered into a legal agreement to publish all of his or her songs exclusively with one music publisher. This can help you gain financial stability, but you also potentially lose some freedom with these agreements. </p>
<h4>6. Lyricist </h4>
<p>This is similar to being a songwriter, except you’re working exclusively on lyrics. This is a great fit for someone who was really into writing poetry, but needed help putting those words to music. </p>
<h4>7. Composer for film/TV </h4>
<p>To be a composer, you’ll need a fairly solid knowledge of music theory and composition. Composing for film and television involves weaving emotion into the narrative, and that can be difficult to do well. Interning or apprenticing with someone who is already working as a composer in the industry is a good place to get your foot in the door. </p>
<h4>8. Jingle writer </h4>
<p>Do you think you can write a catchy, memorable song that’s only 12 seconds long? Jingle writers need to be adept at using melody in short catchy spurts. This means creating a memorable song with only three or four notes sometimes! </p>
<p>You’ll need to work closely with the creative team behind the ad campaign to write something that creates instant, memorable awareness around a product or brand. </p>
<h4>9. Children’s songwriter </h4>
<p>You might think that a children’s songwriter would operate much like a typical singer songwriter, but that’s not the case. Children’s songwriters can have a much more steady income because they’re often playing in front of large groups of potential clients who will hire them to play birthday parties, holiday events, etc. </p>
<p>You’ll need to know your audience as well. What works for a four or five year old, won't necessarily work for a group of six or seven year olds. Most people don’t dream of being a children’s songwriter, but it can be a great way to supplement your income. </p>
<h4>10. Musical writer </h4>
<p>If you’re already inclined to work in theater, working as the musical director and composer for a musical or opera can be very rewarding. You’ll need to have good interpersonal skills, because you’ll be working consistently with the director and other creatives to bring the musical to fruition. </p>
<p>Despite what your parents might say, being a songwriter can be a viable career. Some songwriting jobs have a high barrier to entry, such as being a composer for movies, and some aren’t what everyone pictures, like being jingle writer or a children’s performer. But thousands of people make money by writing and sharing their music with the world every day. </p>
<h4>Songwriter Resources </h4>
<p><a contents="Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/" target="_blank">Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI)</a>: The largest not for profit songwriters trade association. </p>
<p><a contents="Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.songwriters.ca/" target="_blank">Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC)</a>: A community of Canadian songwriters who support and advise each other. SAC also advocates on behalf of songwriters to protect the value of their work. </p>
<p><a contents="Songsalive!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.songsalive.org/" target="_blank">Songsalive!</a>: They provide a membership organization offering social community, connection, support, opportunities, and education for songwriters and composers. </p>
<p><a contents="West Coast Songwriters (WCS)" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/home" target="_blank">West Coast Songwriters (WCS)</a>: WCS provides a space for members to establish important relationships, both professionally and personally, that enhance and accelerate their development. </p>
<p><a contents="SongwriterLink" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://songwriterlink.com/" target="_blank">SongwriterLink</a>: Works similarly to dating websites, but it's strictly for songwriting collaboration. </p>
<p><a contents="TAXI" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.taxi.com/" target="_blank">TAXI</a>: An online marketplace for songwriters to find employers who need music written for a wide variety of projects.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/58281312019-07-17T22:54:43-04:002019-07-18T16:15:46-04:00Studio UPT Dubs & Jingles<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/4d84a4803f59b02830139111af92b3ba0afc168d/original/gradient-shape-banner-template-cover.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>Artists that are currently available. Our years of experience working in Kingston with the top names in Dancehall and Reggae allow us to quickly produce dubplates with the highest quality sound in all formats. If the artist that you are looking for is not on the site, don't worry, send us a message, and we can see if we can still voice the Artist for you! <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/a804b32d528b4575f053f64c0e5bd83f4050331b/original/ching.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/fcedb80e640df6c3804a91ecfa03379a6bcc8b98/original/gage.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/bad9f3c891da91b0ce2c48577de016035d53f43b/original/realrich.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/a89294054445bc497562eee19515077cc3a2f5a2/original/tommy.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7334969e850bc399174fa2522e0a90881027da5d/original/supa.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h4>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/58044762019-06-26T06:56:22-04:002019-07-07T01:43:51-04:00Riddim Special Offer: Summer Flash Sale<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f7f81ffb4a1ef12f447a7122904757142974c480/original/img-20190706-205101.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Riddim Special Offer!!! Starting July 1st until the end of Summer, We are offering 50% OFF on Exclusive Licenses for all of our riddims. Use coupon code SUMMER at checkout and receive 50% discount on your order.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/57977822019-06-20T04:44:14-04:002019-06-20T04:44:14-04:00Why Dancehall Isn't Mainstream in the U.S<p>In the first week of May, the American music industry commenced a semi-annual tradition: singling out a lone piece of Jamaican music and sending it up the charts. Last year's lucky winner was “Walking Trophy,” a confidence-boosting single by Hoodcelebrityy, a Jamaican-born, New York City-based singer. By early July, two months after appearing on the mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop airplay chart, “Walking Trophy” was reaching an audience of around eight million listeners a week. </p>
<p>“There’s one Jamaican record every two to three years,” explains the producer Jaxx (Kranium, Jada Kingdom). “The last big record was Konshens [‘Bruk Off Yuh Back,’ 2017]; before that it was Kranium [‘Nobody Has to Know,’ 2015]; before that it was Gyptian [‘Hold Yuh,’ 2010]; before that it was Serani [‘No Games,’ 2009].”</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/640823e042908551f0533f22622bde920d8510d1/original/hood.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Singles like these often become popular when the weather begins to warm in the Northeast U.S., but when fall approaches, American gatekeepers promptly abandon Jamaican music. “We’ve always been trying to figure that out: Why are we only subjected to the summertime?” asks Ricky Blaze, an artist-producer who crafted the beat for Gyptian’s “Hold Yuh.” “We make cool music all year long.” Maybe conditions are finally in place for Jamaican artists to break the de facto seasonal embargo. Streaming has helped multiple global genres of music achieve prominence; Thanks to huge YouTube numbers and beefed-up Spotify playlists. </p>
<p>Even the most casual American listeners know the reggae template. Dancehall is effectively a sleeker, rowdier descendant, with electronic programming in place of reggae’s live instrumentation and a more declarative vocal style relative to reggae’s laidback, melodic singing. Together, the two forms have shaped wide swathes of modern pop, starting with hip-hop – reggae helped popularize “toasting” over a rhythm-heavy backing track – but extending far beyond. Several of the biggest Top 40 hits of the last five years have a Jamaican foundation, including Justin Bieber’s “Sorry,” Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” and Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You.” </p>
<p>“Dancehall is the son of reggae, but the father of several genres,” says Sean Paul, likely dancehall’s biggest crossover superstar. “The influence dancehall has brought to the table is evident right now in Afrobeats,” he adds, citing the popular Nigerian sound that has in turn inspired hits by Drake and others. The speedy strain of dance music known as drum and bass and the English hip-hop subgenre grime also owe much to Jamaican templates.</p>
<p>Most important for American listeners, dancehall played a key role in the creation of reggaeton, a collision of Jamaican rhythms and Spanish-language hip-hop. Without the distinctive drum programming invented by Jamaican producers – the reggaeton beat is still known as dembow, named after a 1991 song by Jamaican singer Shabba Ranks – and the forceful bass patterns borrowed from dancehall, you don’t get crossover hits like N.O.R.E.’s “Oye Mi Canto,” Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” or, more recently, Ozuna and Natti Natasha’s “Criminal.” </p>
<p>But when it comes to dancehall itself, “people are afraid to give it a chance,” the singer Kranium says. Then he reconsiders. “They kill it even before they give it a chance.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ee5d13e97113d248f4a43866a9086cd5e6f13329/original/kranium-1-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Let’s tally the challenges facing a dancehall singer hoping to reach the American market. “The first and biggest is the way we speak,” Paul says. “Most of us sing in patois, which evolves every year, so you can’t write it down in a textbook, you can’t teach it to someone unless they live it.” </p>
<p>The Jamaican market’s lack of robust infrastructure for international distribution. In America, there are major labels that you can bring your artist to and then you have a platform. No parallel institution exists in the Caribbean: as Ricky Blaze laments, “we don’t have a Def Jam Jamaica.” “It’s very hard for a record to make it far outside of Jamaica without a mainstream label behind it,” adds Linton “TJ Records” White, who produced “No Games” for Serani. </p>
<p>There are also often constraints on the travel of dancehall artists themselves, who may face complicated border control measures when attempting to enter the U.S. Stephen “Di Genius” McGregor, who has produced for Sean Paul and Vybz Kartel, points to the crackdown that occurred in 2010, when U.S. Homeland Security revoked the visas of five dancehall singers simultaneously during a battle with the Jamaican government over the extradition of Christopher “Dudus” Coke, now serving time for drug trafficking. “Most of the frontrunners [in dancehall] had those issues in recent years, which strained the entire industry,” McGregor says. </p>
<p>Paul notes that reggaeton artists have not faced the same visa problems for one obvious reason: “If you look at where reggaeton broke from, it’s a U.S. territory,” he says. “It’s Puerto Rico.” </p>
<p>Some dancehall producers point elsewhere, suggesting that the music has been aesthetically stagnant recently, limiting its ability to hook new listeners. “I think there’s a lack of creativity on our part,” says the producer Tyshane “Beam” Thompson, son of well-known Jamaican singer Papa San. “If I put two Jamaican beats from this year or last year together, they all sound the same.” Both Thompson and Jaxx pin this effect to now-imprisoned star Vybz Kartel’s mid-2000s rise. “Anything Vybz went on became a big song, so it made the market lazy,” Jaxx says. “People were just throwing stuff out there, and if he jumped on it, they wouldn’t even mix the track, they’d just put it out. Vybz is super talented. Other artists were trying to keep up with him, but didn’t have the same ability to create several hit songs at a time. It caused a drop in quality.” </p>
<p>The dancehall singles that make it past these obstacles in the U.S. generally start on New York’s Hot 97 radio — “the biggest supporter of Caribbean music in America,” explains Julian Jones-Griffith, a veteran dancehall manager who now works with Charly Black and Jada Kingdom. After that, songs spread to Hartford, Boston, and other East Coast cities with a notable Caribbean presence. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/0743e279d373ea6013ee31077cdb36df35d63b6d/original/sean-paul-hero-835575078.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Reaching the rest of the country is harder, in part because of the strict formats imposed by terrestrial radio stations. You’re most likely to hear a dancehall record on an “urban” station, slotted next to rap and R&B tracks. But if a key station in a given market is “rhythmic” – i.e., it plays a mixture of rap, R&B, dance music and high-energy pop – dancehall records often hit a wall. “Walking Trophy,” for example, was played 3,838 times on urban stations in the second week of July, according to Mediabase, but just 722 times in the rhythmic format. </p>
<p>The climate for dancehall at rhythmic radio is actually relatively hospitable compared to pop stations, which have barely played “Walking Trophy” at all. Pop radio largely plays white performers; even non-white rappers who reach Number One on the Hot 100 struggle to achieve a major hit on the pop airwaves. This means dancehall records almost never get the kind of cross-format push that leads to a genuine hit in the U.S.</p>
<p>“It could be a massive record in New York, like Hoodcelebrityy,” Jones-Griffith says. “But to translate it to Kansas or the West Coast? That’s like the holy grail for us – we never get L.A.” </p>
<p>Even making it to a major label – like Hoodcelebrityy, who’s signed to Epic Records – is no guarantee of success. “Walking Trophy” is slowly sputtering out, with a 7 percent week-over-week drop in spins the last week of July. “Most labels don’t understand how to market the Caribbean culture,” McGregor says. Promotion staffs are mostly still split by race; the pop department takes care of acts that are predominantly white, and the urban department works with acts that are predominantly black. Dancehall singers will be thrown under the urban umbrella, but the same strategies that work for hip-hop and R&B acts may not work when applied to dancehall.“Some labels don’t want to go 100 percent all-out as they should,” adds Charly Black, whose “Gyal You A Party Animal” and its remix have upwards of 300 million Spotify spins combined. (Black is on the Universal imprint Aftercluv and clarifies that he’s happy with his treatment there.) “Your manager has to have some direction over and control of how you’re marketed,” stresses Bobby Konders, who helms the show On Da Reggae Tip for Hot 97. </p>
<p>But in the end, a sparse handful of major-label dancehall acts are stuck competing with rappers and R&B singers for one, at most two, slots on a radio playlist while the weight of an entire genre rests on their shoulders. Jones-Griffith asks, “If Sony puts 600 grand into [Hoodcelebrityy] but they take a big hit on it, you think they’re gonna look to sign another dancehall artist?” </p>
<p>Streaming seems tailor-made to mitigate many of these problems. Services like Spotify and Apple Music have a proven record of sidestepping the language barrier when it comes to Spanish and Korean-language songs, and they enable artists to do an end-run around the conservative gatekeepers of terrestrial radio. But streaming – or more accurately, the absence thereof – may actually be hurting dancehall rather than helping it. “It used to be hard for us at radio, I think it’s even worse now with streaming,” Jones-Griffith says.</p>
<p>That’s because Spotify and Apple Music are not available in Jamaica or in parts of Africa where dancehall is immensely popular, meaning that hardcore fans can’t signal the music’s popularity in the streaming economy. “You can’t just go up to Hot 97 and give them a record,” the reggae singer Protoje explains. “You have to create this buzz so they can look at their Shazams. It’s very number-driven: Is it already popular?“</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/dd5a4909f43a73b2d18199971a5605417d6c34c9/original/f55cb501-1508-489e-92db-898f59d0cb72-1510531200.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>YouTube is available in Jamaica, and that’s one platform where dancehall thrives. But here, geopolitical realities play an important role: Compared to the Latin market, which encompasses over 400 million Spanish-speakers worldwide, Jamaica is a small country. A big hit for the Puerto Rican singer Ozuna easily reaches a billion views on YouTube worldwide in less than a year. Kranium’s biggest hit, “Nobody Has to Know,” has around 90 million views across the videos for the original single, the remix and a special dance clip over multiple years. </p>
<p>The stark difference in numbers helps explain why streaming services seem reluctant to engage fully with Jamaican music. “It’s tougher for us to get Spotify to pay attention, or even properly tag records within the genre so that they’re really feeding people who are listening and giving them good recommendations,” says Lem Oppenheimer, C.E.O. of the reggae label Easy Star Records. Other genres have an individual programmer – or several – assigned to them; in contrast, Oppenheimer says, “it’s usually someone who handles jazz that will handle reggae: ‘Here, you look at it.'” According to some Jamaican artists, Spotify recently created an African & African Diaspora Music Editor position that will now include some Jamaican music playlists. Spotify did not respond to requests for comment for this story. </p>
<p>“Spotify’s playlist for dancehall is OK,” the producer Beam says. “But I go to a lot of dancehall clubs. Those songs that they play, like ‘Genna Bounce,’ those aren’t in the Spotify playlists. Whoever’s doing that [programming], it’s either they don’t like what’s going on right now, or they don’t know.”</p>
<p>A few factors might scramble the status quo. </p>
<p>There’s always the possibility of an assist from a mainstream star: Latin pop songs were already reaching America in unprecedented numbers in 2017, but Justin Bieber’s feature on Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s “Despacito” helped push Spanish-language hits further into pop’s center. </p>
<p>But when a Jamaican singer manages to score a hit, it does not seem to yield much benefit for his peers, or even for that artist’s subsequent releases. Kranium, Konshens, Gyptian and Serani have each scored a minor hit since their initial breakthroughs, but not a string of hits.</p>
<p>Adding to that, the American mainstream has partially erased the important contributions of several Jamaican musicians in recent years. An initial version of Drake’s “Controlla” that leaked online featured the Jamaican singer Popcaan, but when the album Views arrived, he had been excised. More brazenly, Agent Sasco, formerly known as Assassin, provided key contributions on Kendrick Lamar’s “The Blacker the Berry,” but he wasn’t credited as a featured vocalist on the album, unlike the many other background vocalists and chorus singers identified as featured performers on Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. (Lamar’s label, TDE, did not respond to requests for comment.) </p>
<p>“I’m grateful for the opportunity, because they could have not put the verse on there,” Agent Sasco says. “But if they are going to use it, then let it be used in a way that more access is granted and more opportunities can be granted. We need access, and we need proper leverage.” </p>
<p>It’s also possible that, in their never-ending quest for market share, Spotify or Apple Music may set up shop in the Caribbean. This, too, seems unlikely, at least in the near future. “I pleaded with [Spotify]: Why are you not available in the Caribbean?” Jones-Griffith says. “They said it was some licensing issue.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/a3557307727635744c98770cafa2869e2b4af9ff/original/d5jbygbwkaaeh2r.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The best way for Jamaican artists to reach U.S. listeners, counterintuitively, may be turning their eyes elsewhere – towards South and Central America. There are two advantages to this tactic. First, reggaeton has maintained a close relationship with its Jamaican forebears – listen to Farruko’s “Inolvidable,” in which someone yells, “it’s a dancehall ting!” before Farruko raps the rest of the song in Spanish; or the Jamaican singer Popcaan’s “Wine for Me,” which is textbook reggaeton. Second, Latin American listeners have proved they have the streaming power to launch songs not only around the world but even into the narrow-minded U.S. market.</p>
<p>Adding to that, the American mainstream has partially erased the important contributions of several Jamaican musicians in recent years. An initial version of Drake’s “Controlla” that leaked online featured the Jamaican singer Popcaan, but when the album Views arrived, he had been excised. More brazenly, Agent Sasco, formerly known as Assassin, provided key contributions on Kendrick Lamar’s “The Blacker the Berry,” but he wasn’t credited as a featured vocalist on the album, unlike the many other background vocalists and chorus singers identified as featured performers on Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. (Lamar’s label, TDE, did not respond to requests for comment.) </p>
<p>“I’m grateful for the opportunity, because they could have not put the verse on there,” Agent Sasco says. “But if they are going to use it, then let it be used in a way that more access is granted and more opportunities can be granted. We need access, and we need proper leverage.” </p>
<p>It’s also possible that, in their never-ending quest for market share, Spotify or Apple Music may set up shop in the Caribbean. This, too, seems unlikely, at least in the near future. “I pleaded with [Spotify]: Why are you not available in the Caribbean?” Jones-Griffith says. “They said it was some licensing issue.” </p>
<p>Aftercluv is already pursuing this strategy. “It’s a much more democratic world out there,” says Pedro Guzman, the club-music imprint’s SVP. “You don’t have to count on major markets like the U.S. and the U.K. to make a song go global.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/2b21a9b295c600212e193c2bebbbed50e793eaaf/original/charly-black-1-768x1024.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>He points to Charly Black’s “Gyal You a Party Animal,” which Aftercluv licensed. “Panama and Costa Rica are huge dancehall markets,” Guzman explains. “‘Party Animal’ started growing there, then went to Colombia, then Peru and Chile. We started working it in Europe, and it caught on. Then we did a remix with Daddy Yankee that also became huge.” Eventually the song made its way into America, reaching Number 18 on the club chart. </p>
<p>Jones-Griffith calls the success of Black’s single “a moment.” He also finds hope in Natti Natasha and Ozuna’s “Criminal.” “A lot of people in America don’t know that record,” the veteran manager says. “That’s got a billion views [on YouTube]. You can do a massive record, get major money and major touring without America even knowing about it.” </p>
<p>Granted, “Gyal You a Party Animal” needed a feature from a well-known Latin act to go the extra distance. But the lesson remains. “I’ve been trying to run down America all these years, but there’s a massive market that already loves our music and their arms are wide open to us – that’s Latin America, Central America and Spain,” Jones-Griffith says. Ironically, no longer looking for mainstream U.S. acceptance may be the best way for dancehall to get it.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/57604432019-05-24T13:45:17-04:002019-05-24T13:45:17-04:00How to create a context for your music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/99f86d8108aad89587ca29ed5eece3df7277a1a0/original/koffee-orange.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Online audiences are a powerful engine. When people listen online, they can easily share your music far and wide. Getting discovered is not dependent on someone walking into a record store, and it’s easy to find out who’s listening and where they’re from so you can maximize your impact. But too often, a song alone is not enough to tell your full story. </p>
<p>Getting added to a popular Spotify playlist is great, but it fragments a listener’s experience of your brand, your personality, your narrative, etc. You need to be able to take the story further. As you plan your digital promotion strategy, one thing to think about is whether contextual content can play a part in connecting audiences closer to your music. Via your own social channels, you can create a content universe — articles, videos, social posts, and other interactive elements — to drive an emotional connection between your songwriting and your listeners. But, like, how do you do that? </p>
<p>Here are a few tips for crafting compelling stories to accompany and provide context for your music, online or otherwise. </p>
<h4>Be relatable. </h4>
<p>You want people to relate to, understand, and become invested emotionally in what you’re communicating. Art is such a highly personal expression, and it can sometimes alienate those who haven’t had the same experiences as us — but we can always work to connect the dots for them. Using contextual content to tell a story that allows someone to relate our music to their own experience is a good way to do this. </p>
<p>Identify the essence of what it is you’re trying to say — pinpointing the “shareable meaning,” if you will — and then find ways to bring that narrative into everything you create: be they truths about love, grief, ambition, embarrassing moments… the list goes on. </p>
<p>You want someone to read or watch what you’ve made and say, “Oh, wow, yep… that’s me.” </p>
<h4>Join existing conversations. </h4>
<p>Do your research. If you wrote a song about a bad breakup, get on Twitter and search keywords to see how people are talking about bad breakups right now. They’re pretty common, you guys! Show people how your song is about them, too. Here’s a few random ideas off the top of my head: </p>
<ul> <li>You could deconstruct the lyrics of your song and write an article about a toxic relationship. Then, embed your song at the end of the story (like this!). </li> <li>You could create some memey content for your Instagram, like a “Bad Breakup Starter Kit” that uses your song as a soundtrack. </li> <li>Can you pair up with a filmmaker to tell a short visual story that integrates your music? </li> <li>Get creative and think beyond just sharing updates and official music videos. Can your online presence become a work of art itself? </li>
</ul>
<p>Stay up to date across all the social media platforms you’re running, and find the conversations that people are having about particular topics so you can integrate yourself into them. Try to examine how these conversations differ across each platform — and then find ways to insert yourself into those conversations. </p>
<h4>Be ready to answer why somebody could connect with what you’re making. </h4>
<p>Whether you’re responding to interview questions or pitching a video concept, you should be able to answer the question of why someone would share the content. How does one see themselves in your art? </p>
<p>Is it because they’ve just learned something new about you? Did you stir up some kind of emotional reaction? If your approach is reactive, and momentary, and doesn’t take into account the totality of your oeuvre, that’s okay, but it might not contribute to a lasting engagement and investment from your fanbase. To create a longer lasting relationship with your audience, ask yourself honestly if what you’re trying to communicate is clearly coming across. </p>
<p>If you can think of one person out there who would relate to what you’re doing, that’s good and that’s enough. If there’s one, there will be more. </p>
<h4>Be authentic. </h4>
<p>Make sure what you’re creating is still true to your own values, experiences, and identity as an artist. If you’re trying to speak to a specific identity or group that you have no idea how to relate to, seek the help of other creators who know how to reach them. People can sense fakeness, and on the internet nobody is letting you get away with anything! </p>
<h4>Test, learn, repeat. </h4>
<p>Look at the data. Pay attention to the things you’re posting and see what people are responding to, and how. If a particular format or tone seems to be resonating, do more of that again. Push the boundaries. Read the comments people leave (if you can bear it) and use those to inform future decisions. </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/57665582019-05-24T08:49:35-04:002019-08-23T09:35:58-04:00KuRt d fLuRt releases his sophomore single "Never Have It"<p>KuRt d fLuRt releases his sophomore single "Never Have It" which was recorded and produced at Kingston Elite Studio. The term "Never Have It" simply means not being financially privileged and Kurt does a good job as he reflects on pass and present situations throughout the song which is quiet relatable to the average listener. The song has an afrobeat dancehall fusion vibe that keeps the listener's head bopping from start to finish while he displays his singing and lyrical ability throughout the song. The song was premiered on Zip 103 FM by ZJ Rush and is definitely a potential hit. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/kurtdflurtneverhave" width="853"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/57083372019-04-05T09:18:21-04:002020-11-14T04:11:56-05:00Songwriting: How to stay in love with the craft <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/2c406ae9cdfb387d27e26d5f9f30f3fb652db92c/original/songwriting.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We hate songwriting when things aren’t flowing. </p>
<p>Okay, that’s not totally true. I always love the craft of songwriting, but I get super frustrated when nothing is showing up even though I am. When I’ve been working on a song for months or even years and it’s not finished, I feel like giving up. </p>
<p>So to help you (and me) stay in love with the craft of songwriting, here are some things you can do. </p>
<h4>Read books about other songwriters </h4>
<p>If the term “garbage in, garbage out” is true, then so is “gold in, gold out.” And one way to consume gold is to listen to artists who make gold. </p>
<p>The first book I’d recommend is Songwriters On Songwriting by Paul Zollo. It’s packed with fascinating interviews Zollo has done over the years with some of the best songwriters. </p>
<h4>“What songwriters?” you ask. </h4>
<p>Well, here are just a few of them: Paul Simon, Pete Seeger, Brian Wilson, Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty...oh, and frickin’ Bob Dylan too. </p>
<p>It’s so inspiring to read about these songwriters, their processes, how they approach songwriting, and which of their songs they like and don’t like. I seriously think this book should be on every single songwriter’s bookshelf. </p>
<p>And if you want even more songwriting gold, there’s a sequel book, More Songwriters On Songwriting. It includes interviews with James Taylor, Elvis Costello, Stephen Stills, and a bunch of others. </p>
<p>So if you want to re-fall in love with songwriting, I highly suggest checking out those books. </p>
<h4>Rewrite someone else’s song </h4>
<p>One way to really appreciate a song is to rewrite it. When you do this, you start to understand the (often simple) chord progressions, the imagery a songwriter uses, and the creative melodies they chose. </p>
<p>So try this: take a song from your favorite artists and rewrite it, line by line. Say the thing in your own words, then make your own chord progression and melody based on the original. </p>
<p>This is mainly an exercise to help your creative juices flow, but if you end up with a killer song of your own, then great! Either way, this should help reinvigorate your love for the craft. </p>
<h4>Try a new songwriting method </h4>
<p>Sometimes it can feel like songwriting becomes the same old thing every time. You may feel like “your well is drying up” and you’re losing that creative bug. </p>
<p>But I don’t believe that’s usually the case. </p>
<p>If you start to get tired of the way you write songs, try using a different songwriting method. Here’s a list of ideas to get you started: </p>
<ul> <li>Make the music first, record it, then come up with a melody and lyrics over top of it. Paul Simon did this for his album Graceland. </li> <li>Just write poetry: start with only words, no music. Don’t even touch your instrument. Start out by writing a poem and see where it gets you. </li> <li>Stream of consciousness writing: this is where you just write whatever the heck is in your brain, no filtering. I prefer to do this at my computer because I can type faster than I can write by hand. Just sit there and don’t let your fingers stop -- a lot of what you write won’t make sense, but that’s okay. Somewhere in the gibberish you may find a song title. </li> <li>Play multiple songs at once: Tom Waits did this. He would turn on five radios at once, each on a different channel, and listen for interesting overlaps. Sounds crazy, but it just might spark something in you. </li> <li>Stop talking (and listen more): in Songwriters On Songwriting, Bob Dylan said, “poets do a lot of listening.” And I think that’s wise -- we could all learn to listen more. So try to not talk for an entire day. Or, if that’s not possible because of your job or something, don’t talk for just a few hours. Focus on listening. You never know what you might hear that could end up being a new song. </li> <li>Set a timer, especially if you’re a part-time musician who’s strapped for time. It will push you to create quickly and filter less. </li> <li>Make some random MIDI notes: pull up a virtual instrument in your DAW of choice and just start placing MIDI notes randomly. Just go crazy and don’t think about what you’re doing. Then play it back -- it will sound terrible, but there could be a melody in there that jumps out to you. </li> <li>Cut up your lyrics and put them back together in a different order: this idea is attributed to author William S. Burroughs, but David Bowie loved using this technique. You can even use this with chords to create a chord progression or with a bunch of song titles. </li>
</ul>
<p>Sometimes, your songwriting just needs a dose of something different in order for you to realize how much you love doing it. </p>
<h4>Change instruments </h4>
<p>Another way to get unstuck from discouragement is to try a new instrument. If you always write on guitar, switch to piano or bass. If you normally write on ukulele, pick up an electric guitar and turn up the distortion. </p>
<p>A chord progression you play on the piano can sound very different on the guitar. It can give it a totally different feel. </p>
<p>Bonus: try changing the key too. “Changing keys influences the writing of the song,” Dylan told Zollo. “...For me, that works.” </p>
<h4>Look how far you’ve come </h4>
<p>It’s important to remember where you started. That way, you can see how far you’ve come -- how much you’ve improved as a songwriter. </p>
<p>I tend to compare myself to other songwriters, and that’s when I get super discouraged and want to give up on the whole songwriting thing. </p>
<p>But what if I started comparing myself to...myself? </p>
<p>What if I went back and listened to my old songs, thought about the structures, lyrics, metaphors, and chord progressions, then compared them to my new songs? </p>
<p>I think this can be one of the best ways to encourage yourself as a songwriter. Just look at how far you’ve come and that will help you keep going.</p>
<h4>Read more</h4>
<p><a contents="Songwriting: How to write a Hit Song" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/songwriting-how-to-write-a-hit-song" style="" target="_blank">Songwriting: How to write a Hit Song</a></p>
<p><a contents="Songwriting: 5 Ways to Increase your Productivity" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/songwriting-5-ways-to-increase-your-productivity" style="" target="_blank">Songwriting: 5 Ways to Increase your Productivity</a></p>
<p><a contents="Songwriting: What to Write About?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/song-writing-what-to-write-about" style="" target="_blank">Songwriting: What to Write About?</a></p>
<p><a contents="Recording: Songwriting Tips &amp; Inspiration" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/recording-songwriting-tips-inspiration" target="_blank">Recording: Songwriting Tips & Inspiration</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/57069872019-04-04T11:23:45-04:002019-04-04T11:26:15-04:00Jamaica Carnival 2019<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.airbnb.com/users/69587930/listings?user_id=69587930&s=50" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/e4f6ac0154fb326a05bea6221895b516924cb437/original/airbnb-logo-detail.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a>Its Carnival Time Again !!! Escape to beautiful Jamaica between now and April 31st? Book with us now for an amazing deal, 10% Discount on weekly stay. 25% Discount on monthly stay. Breakfast included. Dont wait another second book now!!!</p>
<p><a contents="https://www.airbnb.com/users/69587930/listings?user_id=69587930&amp;s=50" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.airbnb.com/users/69587930/listings?user_id=69587930&amp;s=50" style="" target="_blank">https://www.airbnb.com/users/69587930/listings?user_id=69587930&s=50</a> </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56997202019-03-29T14:24:15-04:002019-03-29T14:24:15-04:0012 Simple Ways to Be a Happier and More Productive Artist<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b3610fe45596a1a72c3233dabc30b706f56f1104/original/og-ba910-201712-gr-20171229145046.gif/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Pursuing a career in the music business isn't easy, nor is it for the thin-skinned. In fact, with all the challenges one has to face to get noticed, it can actually be pretty darn depressing. Here are 12 quick, simple tips that can help keep your spirits high and your focus bright! </p>
<ol> <li>Keep feeding your brain with knowledge and bettering yourself every day. It gives a feeling of growth and potential. </li> <li>Give knowledge back by volunteering, teaching, and helping others. It gives a feeling of purpose. </li> <li>Stay away from negativity (i.e., people who are unhappy with their lives, have a false sense of entitlement, envy, or try to manipulate and control). Negativity is an extremely infectious disease. </li> <li>Know how to party and when enough is enough (which could mean not at all). Restraint is power! </li> <li>Exercise and eat healthy. Your health is a gift, and the way you feel directly affects your mood. Try yoga – it's a great tool for relaxation. </li> <li>Keep your finances, bills, and receipts in order. Try not to owe anyone anything – just the idea of debt can hang over you like a black cloud – and make sure you save something. </li> <li>Keep your house clean and in order. Do your laundry, wash your dishes, and light nice candles. Peaceful surroundings make peaceful people. </li> <li>Enjoy time with old friends and close family. Hang with those who have no judgment or agenda for knowing you. There's nothing more empowering than unconditional love. </li> <li>Be in the wilderness. Go to the beach or hike in the mountains. Somehow, it makes you appreciate the very fact that the world – and you, yourself – are miracles. </li> <li>Create a career and goal agenda. Don't wait for anyone or anything. If you want something done, then get it done now. Be proactive. </li> <li>Always maintain an element of independence in your work. Always ask, "Could I deal without this job? Do I have something else lined up?" Doing this brings a feeling of strength and control over your life. </li> <li>Don't be afraid to be by yourself. Go to a movie, take yourself out to dinner, or treat yourself to a massage. Remember that if there's one person you can always count on for company, it's you. So be good to that person. You deserve it.</li>
</ol>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56914112019-03-24T14:35:16-04:002019-03-24T14:35:16-04:00Songwriting: How to write a Hit Song<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/63b5cb24628dbb7f1e72a5064915c4480ce5100f/original/12885768-f520.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>How do they do it? Why does a Bob Marley or a Sean Paul song capture a listener’s attention the way they do? What is their secret, what’s the formula? If all of us songwriters had the answers to these questions, we would all be a lot richer. </p>
<p>While there’s no real “formula” to crafting a potential hit, there are methodologies to it. As anyone who has spent time listening to the radio can tell hit songs come in a few well- defined forms. This is no accident. These writers, producers and singers on the radio all know how to put together a song that will probably be a smash. So how do you think the pros do it? They listen to hits of the past and they use them as resources for their ideas. That’s one of the less well-kept secrets of pop songwriting. The way they make it their own is by using some of the skills I’ll mention below to make variations. </p>
<p>The structure of a song will determine what kind of effect it will have on the listener, whether it will be a hit or not. One of the most common and possibly the most effective forms of a hit to write is the verse/chorus. This song form goes hand in hand with the dynamics of the audience: </p>
<p>The audience usually listens to the story the verses are telling <br>And then the chorus will come around, summarizing the story as the audience sings along </p>
<p>Lyrically speaking, the chorus is going to summarize the main idea of the lyric and is going to be the emotional high point – the highest intensity section – of your song. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to include song title in there too. You want people to know what your song is called, right? Now how do you want the music to feel? Want something happy and upbeat? Make your chorus major key with a high tempo and maybe use eighth notes. Want something a bit funkier and maybe a bit more intimate? Slow the tempo down and use a mixolydian mode instead. </p>
<p>Once the general feel of the chorus in place, we can start to think about emphasis. If you’re featuring your title in the chorus then the cadence is going to be your friend. By having the title “straddle” the cadence – starting at the beginning and then ending on the I chord – you’re guaranteed to have it planted in the listener’s head. Let’s not forget the melodic tools we still have at our disposal. Long notes will make any lyric, especially the title, far more dramatic. Ending on the downbeat, on the first beat of the measure, is a subtle but very common way to bring out the title too. What do “Message in a Bottle,” “No Woman No Cry” and “Born in the USA” all have in common? They were all massive hits and they all used these melodic tools I just mentioned. So how many ways can we use these tools? </p>
<p>So the chorus alone could have whole lessons written about it. But it’s not the only part of the songs. Any hit needs to be greater than the sum of its parts and the section that is going to make up most of those parts are the verses. As the verse is a supporting idea, many successful tracks will have verses that remain melodically, harmonically, and lyrically static. This ensures that your verses not pull the power away from other sections. For example, the same way that we use cadences to ramp up the chorus, we shouldn’t be using cadences in the verses. Instead, you could resolve to have your verses end on chords that aren’t the tonic. </p>
<p>I mentioned before that you’re going to be telling the story in the verses. If you want to build a conversational vibe in the verses, make use of short notes, a limited pitch range, and having the melody in the low to middle register. All of this doesn’t mean that the lyrics have to be boring. The audience is going to be listening during the verses. That means that the verses can make be the perfect time to bring in some complex, sophisticated melodic ideas. </p>
<p>But in the verse/chorus form we need two more sections to act as connective tissue for the verses and the chorus, the bridge and the prechorus. These sections function in similar ways: they connect and contrast with the material that comes before and after and they both build intensity into the next section. </p>
<p>Lyrically speaking, our bridge will contrast in content with the verse and the chorus. This can be as simple as changing the tense, by generalizing if the lyrics prior were specific, or by focusing on a new emotion. Musically speaking, you can make the bridge “move” with a different chord progression then the verses or chorus (and again, avoiding a cadence) or by having the bridge modulate away and back to the key of the song. Making the bridge a bar longer or shorter than the other sections is a great way of building tension. </p>
<p>The prechorus will also contrast with the chorus and verse melodically, harmonically, and formally. However, a prechorus will also break down the intensity at the beginning of the section only to ratchet it back up toward the end into the coming chorus. Slowing things down, lower notes and longer phrases will break the intensity down. To build the prechorus back up near the end, an ascending melodic shape and losing some of the space between the words will get the audience ready for the chorus. </p>
<p>Within a single type of song form, the verse/chorus, there are endless possibilities and countless variations to be made. But there are other forms and variations to explore. As you continue to hone your craft and create new material with some of the tools I’ve shared here, you might just come up with a smash hit or your own. When that happens would you mind crediting Kingston Elite as a co-writer? lol </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56789472019-03-15T08:00:00-04:002019-03-15T08:00:36-04:00Songwriting: 5 Ways to Increase your Productivity <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/8d4d1761f2aefaa711f949ae61bbb2bf1a75d56c/original/productivity.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>There are many ways to increase your productivity, not only as a songwriter, but with life in general. There are several websites, books and blogs dedicated to this topic but here are just a few ideas to point you in the right direction if the clock seems to be against you. </p>
<h4>Have a Sunday</h4>
<p>The key to productivity is having a plan and sticking to it. One great way to make this happen is set aside 30 minutes each Sunday evening before you go to bed to write out what you’d like to accomplish the following week. If you don’t have a plan, you will usually go through the week with aimless ambition always scrambling to catch up on what you would like to get done. </p>
<h4>5 Things </h4>
<p>Along those same lines, each night before you go to bed, take 10 minutes to review what you got done that day and write down the top 5 things you’d like to accomplish the next day. This will keep you focused on what’s most important. </p>
<h4>Be Specific </h4>
<p>‘Write one new song’ is too general for your mind to do anything with. When you draft your plan, give yourself something detailed to work towards. Example: Complete first verse and hook to new song about old girlfriend who broke my heart at a Burger King’s with a tune similar to ‘I’m a Lil Tea pot’. This gives your mind a direction even if you don’t stick to it completely in the writing phase. </p>
<h4>Practice? Practice! </h4>
<p>You can’t be a writer if you’re not writing. Make it a habit to write every day. Some ideas are to write a poem, write a short story, describe a photo, write out your feelings/viewpoints, write a love letter and the most obvious….write lyrics. Writing daily helps to develop your imagination as well as your skill with the way words flow naturally. The more you practice, the better and faster you’ll get, which will save you time in the long run. </p>
<h4>Just do it!</h4>
<p>Once you have a written plan, take action!! If the task at hand isn’t moving you closer to your goal, stop and re-evaluate. Either find a better way, or delegate it to someone else if possible.</p>
<p><a contents="Songwriting: What to Write About?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/song-writing-what-to-write-about" style="">Songwriting: What to Write About?</a></p>
<p><a contents="Recording: Songwriting Tips &amp; Inspiration" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/recording-songwriting-tips-inspiration">Recording: Songwriting Tips & Inspiration</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56650862019-03-01T11:32:54-05:002019-03-01T11:44:31-05:00Artist – Act Like a Business? <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/3834fe00d9f5d4ff8b8be40cc3da9e9ca4a7da1a/original/48808e128cefc059fe416d32c06387e3.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />Artist – Act Like a Business? </p>
<p>We’ve all heard it before. An artist must “act like a business” or risk an impoverished existence. I appreciate the thought: Without ceaseless attention to things like planning, budgeting, organizing and marketing a music career will more often sway off course, and be thrown onto the rocks of good intentions. </p>
<p>But “act like a business?” </p>
<p>Why aim so low? </p>
<p>The metaphors we live by are very important along the road to success. </p>
<p>Businesses aren’t exactly models of success. Most new businesses (7 out of 10) fail within seven years. The majority of businesses are poorly run with “management incompetence” being the primary reason for all those failures. It doesn’t take much insight to see that most businesses practice mediocrity rather than greatness. “Business” also tends to have its own set of values – values a business owner/family member would never practice at home. </p>
<p>So telling artists to act like a business is like telling them to lower their standards or to “aim low”. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/69468abb3aba000772c1529c0a5e1da98ba73931/original/document-3268750-640.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />We propose a different metaphor: </p>
<p>Artists should see themselves as expressive Energy Grids. </p>
<p>Think about it: </p>
<p>Grids generate energy: Artists generate energy through relationship-building, practicing their craft, and expressing their art; </p>
<p>Grids transform energy: Artists transform their energy through sharing their talent with audiences; and then multiplying that talent through collaborative projects.</p>
<p>Grids distribute energy: artists distribute their energy in multiple directions through multiple mediums and creative activities. </p>
<p>And in order for an energy grid to do its work it must be grounded – that is, connected to the dirt, rocks, water, etc. of earth. Optimal health of your brand comes from a practiced awareness of our inter-connection with the environment you inhabit. </p>
<p>We refer to managing one’s business as “conducting energy”. Conducting. Conduction. Electricity. Energy. See the relationship? </p>
<p>Business is just one component of the multi-dimensional artist. Business can provide tools and strategies for organizing and expanding our creative work. But artists (really, all creative workers) shouldn’t just act like a business. That’s way too low of a target. Artists are expressive grids of energy – generating, transforming and distributing continually. </p>
<p>Your thoughts?</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56532422019-02-22T10:00:00-05:002019-02-22T10:00:59-05:00Singers: Everything You Need to Know About Taking Care of Your Voice<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/c9dcf5757c98abdbf4a0c20caaa3543c135c2ab2/original/singing-teacher.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Take care of your instrument, people. We can’t stress that enough. You already know the importance of cultivating the vocal instrument through breathing and proper technique. Today we’re going to talk maintenance. </p>
<p>If you think of breathing and vocal technique as the cornerstones of the voice factory, vocal maintenance is the practice that keeps operations running smoothly. This is especially important, because unlike other instruments, your voice is in use around the clock, minus time for sleeping – which I imagine are some pretty odd hours if you're out there chasing the dream. There’s no fancy, velvet-lined case in which to send it off to bed between shows. You can’t easily change out the strings, reed, or mouthpiece. So, how do you take care of your voice? </p>
<h4>1. Work out every day </h4>
<p>The voice is a muscle that needs maintenance, just as your abs need maintenance for the upcoming beach season. Set aside time each day (at least a half hour) to run through some vocal warm-ups and songs. If you’re pressed for time, the shower works great. There’s no room in the house with better acoustics, so let it rip. </p>
<h4>2. Get steamy </h4>
<p>Like any muscle in your body, the voice needs to recover after being worked out – especially if you’ve just performed at a venue with an extremely loud PA system. Every singer’s best friend should be the Vick’s Personal Steam Inhaler. No, we don’t get anything if you purchase one, If you’re a little more DIY, boil a pot of water on the stove, then remove from heat and drape a towel over your head and breath in that glorious steam. You will sweat it out like an old fat man in the sauna, but your voice will reward you with quick recovery. </p>
<h4>3. Lozenges </h4>
<p>Okay, the jury is still out on these. Some vocal coaches push Ricola like it’s going out of style. Others treat them like you’re swallowing razor blades – okay, that’s a bit dramatic. Here’s our take: I’m all for lozenges to soothe your throat. If you’re feeling especially tired or sore, there’s nothing better to breathe some coolness than a nice, herb-packed Ricola. The trick is to avoid having one right before singing – especially if it contains menthol, like Halls. They all help to soothe, but some may actually dry you out. Not fun to sing with cotton mouth. </p>
<h4>4. Avoid milk </h4>
<p>It's a common knowledge that milk increases the production of mucus. drinking milk before a show is akin to voical suicide, and I’ll tell you why. Besides being moo juice from an entirely other species – I’ll get off my vegan rant – milk can work to thicken saliva or existing mucus, and that junk will take a front-row seam on your cords. So unless you plan on yodeling throughout your performance, pass on the milk mustache and grab some water instead. </p>
<h4>5. Drink tea </h4>
<p>Tea is liquid magic for soothing and hydrating your vocal cords, drink tea after your performance, and your voice will be singing your praises. </p>
<h4>6. Just a bag full of apples </h4>
<p>Many fruits, such as citrus, have high acidic content, which is a no-no for your vocalcords before a performance. Apples are different. They have low acidic content, but just enough to be helpful to your voice! In fact, it’s an old opera trick to keep a bag of cubed Granny Smiths backstage. If you feel mucus creeping in, just pop a couple cubes. The slight acidic content works to burn the excess mucus off your cords. </p>
<h4>7. Vocal rest </h4>
<p>This term has become so cliché lately that I almost hate mentioning it. Everyone gets tired. Singers are often overworked. The voice isn’t delicate, especially as you continue to work out the muscles involved in vocal production, but it needs to be nurtured. If you’re feeling especially tired, take a break. Don’t sing, don’t talk, just be. If the problem persists, don’t mess around or try to sing through it. See a doctor </p>
<p>With daily maintenance and a little TLC, you’ll keep your voice flowing strong for decades to come. Do you have any pre-show vocal rituals, or home remedies? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56529152019-02-21T10:55:53-05:002020-11-11T04:50:40-05:00Zanni: Lifestyle Party<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1adb55f68b167d5f33fd6f82efba56158b6a8bde/original/am25842.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Suzanne "Zanni" Parkins grew up taking in the sounds from her parents favourite musicians and with the same appreciation. She adapted her mother's love for the story telling styles of Country and Western and her father's addiction to the soul of the 60's, 70's and 80's. Overtime, along with her own musical influences, she developed such a passion that it became the driving force for her determination. </p>
<p>Through her early childhood years Zanni was noticeably shy but as she grew, so did her confidence. She started to participate more in school activities that showcased her talents and gave her a platform to entertain her family and friends. Her mother, who noticed her love for the arts, would lobby to enroll her in different programs one of which was a summer programme at Edna Manley's School of Drama which she attended for (2) consecutive years and possessed lead roles in both productions. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, Zanni's passion for music never wavered. Through her teenage years as she indulged in the music of the 90's and 2000's, while admiring performers like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera, she began to envision the possibilty of one day performing her own songs. That vision never left the forefront of her mind and it was during those years Zanni developed an interest in song writing and began to hone her writing skills. <br>Even though Zanni wanted to start a music career right after high school her mother had other plans. Zanni's mother insisted that she finished school first, so she did. She attended The University of Technology where she earned a Bsc. in Hospitality and Tourism Management and after just two years in the working world she began her pursuit of a career in music. </p>
<p>This eclectic artiste, mixes the sounds of R&B, Dancehall, Soul and Reggae to create what she calls ‘ Dancehall Fusion’ . Her first break was with D.A.M Rude Records in 2011, where she was able to release her first single “ How I like it” ft. Blaze. The song made it to the radio airwaves and led to performances at The Jonkoonu Lounge and Spring Break Negril 2011 as well as aided a feature in Yush Magazine of that year. "Just Wanna Party" with Caspa Productions soon followed then "Radar" produced by D.A.M Rude Records. The follow up track with D.A.M Rude Records got rave reviews especially with the release of Zanni's first official music video, promoting the track, making it's way onto the Hype TV Video Countdown. <br>In 2017, Zanni released "Own It" produced by Sidney Thorpe unbehalf of Zzaneye Music. The songs release led to features in Teen Vybe Magazine and The Jamaica Gleaner Youthlink Magazine as well as received airplay in the UK and garnered the attention of DJ's in Germany. </p>
<p>Zanni's latest single "Lifestyle Party" produced by Kingston Elite Studios and Zzaneye Music is an upbeat dancehall and R&B infused track about the party life through the eyes of a true island girl. </p>
<p> <br><iframe height="853" src="https://smarturl.it/zanni-lifestyleparty" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55824032019-02-15T10:00:00-05:002019-02-15T10:00:45-05:00Songwriting: What to Write About?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/22d5b0a6eeb42d3290219def892ed8c603ea4e0a/original/3-ways-blow-up-songwriting-process.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>People often ask us how we come up with new ideas and decide what to write about in a new song. This is something we’ve researched over the years, so in this blog post we will share a few tricks and tips. </p>
<p>Try taking a piece of paper and a pen – as usual. But instead of trying to write a lyric straight away, write a page or two of whatever comes into your mind. Don’t think about what you’re writing or read it back until you’ve finished, try and switch off while writing if you can. This is a good way of tapping into your unconscious thoughts. When you read it back you might just find a thought that can be the basis for a new lyric. Some writers swear by this exercise and do it every day. </p>
<p>Cut up words from newspaper articles, spread them out and try to create a lyric. This is quite a fun challenge. We’ve never ended up with a lyric we are completely happy with after doing this exercise but you can use it as a foundation to edit later. You could also cut up one of your existing lyrics. It’s interesting how you can create an idea so different from the original lyric using the same words. Again, what you come up with will probably need editing later but it’s a fun exercise to transport you from the stress of not knowing what to write about. </p>
<p>Some people say they always end up writing about the same event from their past and want to write about something different but worry when writing about a situation they haven’t experienced themselves. We find reading novels are great for this. If you can understand how the character feels, you can write about it, whether you’ve experienced a similar situation or not. Films also, but books are better. </p>
<p>Furthermore, we write about the same situations over and over, it’s like therapy for us. By taking and exaggerating a different angle every time, your listeners won’t feel like you’re writing about the same topic constantly. You don’t have to talk about everything that happened in a given situation and everything you felt in one lyric. By spreading it out you can create several great lyrics from that one event. </p>
<p>People watching! This is a great one. Also very fun. There are lots of places where you will accidentally overhear conversations; waiting rooms, buses... If you hear anything interesting, write it down. Or if like many of our friends you like to people watch deliberately, try a café or any crowded place where you can sit anonymously. If you don’t like listening to conversations/can’t quite catch what they’re saying, try making up a life story for someone just by looking at them. What’s their name? What was their childhood like? Where do they work? And so forth. </p>
<p>Finally, I would strongly recommend writing lyrics as much as you can. Always re-read and never throw away lyrics you’re not happy with. There might be a great line in there that could be used as a foundation for a brand new and brilliant song.</p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="Recording: Songwriting Tips &amp; Inspiration" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/recording-songwriting-tips-inspiration" target="_blank">Recording: Songwriting Tips & Inspiration</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55823552019-02-08T10:00:00-05:002020-10-05T01:45:20-04:006 Signs You Will Be Successful in Music<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/4825588ec9f72f4b87c0b9af4b0df316b9668235/original/coach-business-success-empowerment-coaching-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Navigating the music machine is no easy feat. It’s wracked with riddles, potholes and — a plethora of snake-charmers and charlatans along the way. Be wary of people who claim too much — do your research and be sure to work with credible, established people, not newbies who are unproven, or wolves in sheep’s clothing. Once you get in the mix with people who are credible, the snake-charmers become quite obvious ;). </p>
<p>It’s a new time in music and you truly can be successful. Never before has the music industry been so open to artists who work hard, have something exceptional to offer, and know the business. Every single day we mentor artists who as a result, experience massive growth and success on a regular, consistent basis. </p>
<p>Here’s our list of 6 signs that you will be successful in this crazy little business of music. </p>
<h4>1. You’re not afraid to dream big </h4>
<p>You can’t get to the big stage without imagining it first. If ya don’t see yourself there, you’re probably not gonna get there. You got to have the guts to dream it to be it — and it starts with thinking big no matter how many people believe you can do it. All you need is to know you can — and you will. </p>
<h4>2. You have good taste </h4>
<p>You’ve got a great ear, good taste and high musical standards. And no matter how far you are on your musical journey, whether you’re selling out Madison Square Garden, on your way there or playing locally, you know the difference between good and great and you’re willing to take a stand for creating exceptional work. </p>
<h4>3. You care less about the destination and more about the journey </h4>
<p>It’s not about the fame for you (though some money and what that brings would be nice.) Fact is, you can’t help yourself – music is not a hobby, it’s a calling. As long as you can remember, you’ve been obsessed and can’t do anything else. You’d rather sit in your room and write a song, than go to a party. You prefer the recording studio, to a club. You stay up all night just to finish that song — not because you want to — because you have to. </p>
<h4>4. You’ve got something to say </h4>
<p>You know that music helps people (and you) relate to their emotions, gives them a place to be comfortable, to heal, to find themselves. Plus, you have a lot you need to say. You’ve had a lot of hurt, a lot of joy, and a lot of in between — and you want to express it, get it out and make sense out of this crazy existence. </p>
<h4>5. You’re a goal setter </h4>
<p>It’s a proven fact that people that regularly set goals achieve more. So if you’re gonna make something of yourself in music, you’re pretty driven by your goals. No one can set them for you – you do it by yourself – naturally. Not because you’re a taskmaster, but because you must. You aim for the moon and land somewhere in the stars. You are, a star. </p>
<h4>6. You’re an extroverted introvert or an introverted extrovert </h4>
<p>To be an artist, a musician and/or a songwriter, you’ve got to be at least a 49% introvert. No one sits in their room day after day, year after year practicing an instrument unless they do. But, with an equal or almost equal balance of extroversion — you’ve got the perfect temperament for a successful artist. </p>
<p>Because you know careers aren’t created in a vacuum (even though you’re a self starter), and so you don’t isolate too much. You get help, take lessons, have mentors — you never stop growing and most importantly, you reach out when you need help, cause you know you’ll get there faster and wiser. </p>
<p>Check, check, check, check, check and check. </p>
<p>Don’t stay stuck — keep moving — like a snake, and outfox those snake charmers!!!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55823222019-02-01T10:00:00-05:002019-02-01T10:00:50-05:00The Benefits of Releasing Music Often vs Rarely<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/468a424898ce9f0deddd64f5c4ef3a1690a6cf03/original/0012426474-10.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When you become a full-time musician, there is a lot to consider. What kind of artist do you want to be? Are you going to be elusive and never publish a true photo of yourself? Are you going to be the kind that inundates your fans on social media every day? Will you constantly surprise fans with music they weren’t expecting? Are you going to lead with streaming, or attempt to sell music in a time when that’s becoming less and less likely? </p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="Modern Marketing Essentials for Aspiring Artists&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/marketing-essentials-for-aspiring-artistes" target="_blank">Modern Marketing Essentials for Aspiring Artists </a></p>
<p>One of the most important decisions you need to make is how often you’ll release new music. Some artists seem to always have something you haven’t heard before, while others space out their collections, with years passing before any new material emerges. This isn’t always a decision you can make, and at times, fate and circumstances decide. Other times, you’re in power, and it’s up to you. So, what’s a working musician to do? </p>
<p>There are upsides to both options, and you should carefully weigh the two before choosing one to stick with for a while. </p>
<h4>Often </h4>
<p>Releasing music nonstop can be tiring, but there are plenty of benefits that you’ll want to consider if you’re going to attempt to go this route, if even for a period of time. </p>
<p>If you continuously release new music, with only very short breaks in between new singles and albums, you’re likely going to earn more money. Simply put, if you have more products, your fans will buy more. Once somebody has ordered a song or album, they are essentially out until the next album cycle, at least in terms of purchasing music. They won’t hand over more cash for downloads or physical copies of your tunes until there is something new out there. </p>
<p>Constantly delivering new work also gives you an excellent opportunity to tour over and over again. If you haven’t released anything for a long time, some of your fans will still buy a ticket when you come to town, but if your show is simply you playing the same songs over and over, it won’t take long for people to decide they can wait until the next batch of tracks is shared…if they’re still interested at that point. </p>
<p>New music is also always a wonderful way to drum up excitement when it comes to the media. Similar to how your fans purchase music, once a blogger has written about your new song, getting them to cover the same piece of music in a slightly different way is almost impossible. Blogs and magazines need new material almost as badly as your fans do. If you can continuously send the outlets that have supported you in the past solid, just-released art, there is a pretty good chance they will cover you in many different ways, and that will help your name get out there. The more often music lovers (and industry insiders, including other writers) are seeing your moniker pop up, the more likely they are to become interested and give you a listen as well. It’s a cycle that repeats and grows larger every time it comes around. </p>
<h4>Rarely </h4>
<p>On the flip side of that argument, some artists only share new music every so often, and in some ways, that’s benefited their careers immensely. </p>
<p>If you’re the type of artist that spaces out album campaigns by a few years, you are less likely to experience burnout, which is a serious issue with musicians. Instead of touring all the time and constantly having to come up with new, catchy tunes, you as an artist can take your time and truly create the best work possible. That might not necessarily sound appealing in the beginning, but many artists slow down as their career progresses, simply out of necessity. If you start down that road in the beginning, your fans will know what to expect, and they won’t notice (or be disappointed) if you spend a little extra time on that next album. </p>
<p>There is also a perception (that is typically incorrect, but that’s not what’s being debated here) that if an artist releases new singles and albums all the time, they are somewhat less-than. While one artist may spend as many hours on a song as the next, if the first releases a track every week, the work can appear to be…cheapened in a way. It’s not necessarily fair, but that’s the perception. Consumers are more likely to spend money on things they consider to be valuable and worth their investment, and if your excelent work is something they have to wait patiently for and they are excited for it, there is probably a subset of them that group that won’t bat an eye at opening their wallet for something that seems to happen rarely, if it’s for a good reason. </p>
<p>Giving your music time to breathe and really get out to the world properly highlights the fact that while you’re selling music as a product, it is also ART, and it should be treated and valued as such. </p>
<h4>In The Middle </h4>
<p>Of course, there is always a middle ground, which is where most artists reside. Many working artists drop new collections every two years or so (or slightly more often) and tour and promote those for a long time, taking only a short break in between one cycle and the next. That is typically how the music industry has conducted business for the past few decades, and it has worked fine for a long time. Sure, things are changing, but most working acts are still able to pay the bills with that type of plan, though it’s not for everybody.</p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="How To Promote Yourself As An Artist in 2018" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/how-to-promote-yourself-as-an-artiste-in-2018" style="" target="_blank">How To Promote Yourself As An Artist </a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56212902019-01-31T09:54:19-05:002019-01-31T10:07:05-05:00Meek Mill to sign new Jamaican Artist Vynn XL<p>North Philadelphia’s Robert Rihmeek Williams, better known as Meek Mill, is no stranger to adversity and triumph. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “one of rap’s few voices for the everyman,” He is without question one of the most electrifying hip-hop talents in recent memory. Meek Mill first garnered attention and made waves by chronicling his hard-knock life on a series of stunning mixtapes before releasing his debut album, DREAMS & NIGHTMARES, in October 2012. The project instantly catapulted him into rap superstardom, thanks to his ability to create both high-energy street anthems and soul-bearing, emotionally relatable stories of overcoming struggle and adversity. That same year, Mill announced the launch of his own label imprint, Dream Chasers, named after his mixtape series. In addition to serving as the CEO of Dream Chasers, Mill is also an advocate for criminal justice reform in the United States with a focus on creating stronger prison rehabilitation programs, improving the bail system, shortening probationary periods.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BtTWnq9nd1c/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; overflow-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">American rapper & activist @meekmill to sign new Jamaican artist @vynn_xl Kingston Elite Music. #newmusic #music #recording #mix #master #recordingstudio #recordingartist #musicproduction #studiolife #producer #singer #musician #studiotime #rapper #dancehall #reggae #hiphop #trap #edm #miami #nyc #la #atl #toronto #london #paris #jamaica</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wearekingstonelite/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> KINGSTON ELITE</a> (@wearekingstonelite) on <time datetime="2019-01-31T14:33:23+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jan 31, 2019 at 6:33am PST</time></p>
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<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/56178382019-01-29T09:44:13-05:002019-08-23T09:40:28-04:00Sikka Rymes & Thugz Bunny: Rollin <p style="text-align: center;">The Vice President of the Gaza Nation, Sikka Rymes & Thugz Bunny release their official video for Rollin directed by Heavy Films.</p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/sikkarollin" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55822892019-01-25T10:00:00-05:002019-01-25T10:00:43-05:00Recording: Songwriting Tips & Inspiration <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b7471381754018666a277e043de9633238eebd01/original/riri-studio-3.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Today we want to dive into writing your own songs. If you ask 10 different artists about their process, you will likely get 10 very different answers. We like to think of these tips as tools in your toolbox. Everyone is going to find different inspiration to get words and music onto a page, but having a wide selection of tools to facilitate your songwriting is a big help. </p>
<p>Our personal approach to songwriting has always revolved around concepts. With that in mind, these are some of the tips we found especially helpful in realizing a song. </p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="Songwriting: What to Write About?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/song-writing-what-to-write-about" target="_blank">Songwriting: What to Write About?</a></p>
<h4>Write every day </h4>
<p>Whether you have a song in mind or not, sit down in front of your computer, notepad, or piano, and write something every day. Being disciplined and setting aside an hour or two exclusively for writing will help you get songs out. </p>
<p>Even if you only write down one word during your session, getting into a habit of scheduling this time and using it will help you produce material in the long run. You are training your brain to treat your songwriting like a job (which it is!), and you will be amazed at how much writing you start to accomplish if you stick to your schedule. </p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="Creativity 101" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/creativity-101" style="" target="_blank">Creativity 101</a></p>
<h4>Reserve judgement for later versions of your work </h4>
<p>It’s easy to get bogged down in early drafts of your songs, and throw something in the trash before it’s complete. Turn off those judgemental voices while you’re working out new songs, and leave the critiques and edits for later. Focus on pushing out your words and melody for now - you might be pleasantly surprised with the end result, even if you dislike what you’re writing at the beginning. </p>
<h4>Don’t toss out a song at the beginning just because it sounds like another song </h4>
<p>This happens to us pretty frequently. We’ve got a couple lines of a song down that we're thrilled with, and suddenly realize the melody sounds like another song. </p>
<p>Sometimes we are tempted to trash the melody at this point, but I’ve realized it’s important to keep working on the song, and see where the melody and chords end up. Often by the time we’ve finished the piece, it doesn’t sound anything like the song we thought of previously. </p>
<h4>Write on location </h4>
<p>Bringing a notebook out on field trips can can be very helpful by immersing yourself in a concept, this can be very inspiring. Getting out of the house and giving your eyes something new to look at can really get your ideas flowing, especially if you find yourself experiencing writers block. </p>
<h4>Use songs you love as a jumping off point </h4>
<p>Take a look at some of the songs you love most - how the verses are put together, where rhyme is used, and where the chords change. Seeing the way these songs have been created can give you a blueprint for your own work, and kickstart those songwriting gears. </p>
<p>And again, don’t be afraid at first if your song sounds a little too much like its inspiration - as it evolves and takes on its own life, you may be surprised at how different it ends up being. </p>
<h4>Change up the instrument you’re writing on </h4>
<p>Chances are you tend to use your main instrument when you’re writing a song, whether that’s your voice, your guitar, your piano, or whatever other instrument you play the most. If you’re able to play any other instruments, try switching it up sometimes when you’re writing a song. </p>
<p>We mostly sing and play the keyboard, but can also play chords on the guitar. Sometimes even just hearing chords on those two different instruments helps keep our writing moving, and can sometimes produce a different result than if we had stuck to our usual process. </p>
<p>These are just a few ideas to help facilitate and inspire your songwriting. There are entire books written on the subject, but we hope these tips have helped fill up your toolbox a bit more!</p>
<p>Learn More: <a contents="Recording: How to make the most of your studio time" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/recording-how-to-make-the-most-of-your-studio-time" target="_blank">Recording: How to make the most of your studio time</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55822842019-01-18T10:00:00-05:002019-01-18T14:03:37-05:00Recording: How to make the most of your studio time<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f77f56facb574a02dbc93d51eec5fb2686812cbf/original/chronixx.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>You’ve decided the time is right to record a song, an EP or an album. You have your songs written, you’ve chosen your team and a studio to record in. Now is when the real magic happens - it’s time to head to the studio! Studio time is precious, and today we want to give you some tips for making the most out of your time in the studio, through the recording, mixing, and mastering process. </p>
<h4>Gear </h4>
<p>There’s nothing quite like the feeling of stepping into a studio full of gleaming equipment, massive studio speakers, and a console full of exciting switches and buttons. Coming from a humble background, we found the prospect of all this gear both thrilling and overwhelming. </p>
<p>Before you start recording, make sure to sit down with your producer/engineer and decide what gear you want incorporate into your music. Are there certain mics you prefer over others? Do you have any instruments that are tricky to record that you want to use? These are all good conversations to have with your producer. If you do have a strong idea about what you want make your opinion known - it’s your studio time, after all! </p>
<h4>Takes </h4>
<p>Once you’re tracking parts, chances are you’re going to do more than one take of each song. We are a big fan of tackling entire songs per take. Whether doing separate instruments, or recording live off the floor, we like having the flow of an entire song tracked, as opposed to little parts. Generally, if you have two or three really good takes of the entire song, the recording engineer should be able to work with them. If after two or three takes, the same section isn’t good every time, then it might be good to consider just recording that part separately to nail it. </p>
<p>How do you know if a take is good? Some of that is just a matter of opinion - the producer may be looking for a certain sound, and won’t be happy until they hear it (and the same goes for you too). You may hear a take and realize you want a lyric changed, or a section of melody. And obviously, any straight up mistakes like missed notes will need to be resolved. </p>
<p>With that said, there will come a time when you have to accept that a take is good enough. Since time equals money in the studio, eventually you may have to manage your producer/engineer and sessions players’ expectations and move on. It’s ok to gently say something is good enough if someone on your team gets hung up and is insisting on recording take after take. You can always offer to circle back to it at the end of the session if there is time. </p>
<h4>Mixing </h4>
<p>Once principal recording is complete, you’ll move on to the mixing process. Depending on your producer or mix engineer's approach, you may or may not be directly in on the mixing sessions. Some producers/engineers prefer to work on the mixes on their own and send you tracks as they work on them, and others don’t mind if you sit in and give your input as they work. </p>
<p>Keep your budget and time constraints in mind during this process - it’s easy to get wrapped up in small details that may not have a meaningful impact on the final product. Just like with recording takes, know when to move on and decide a track is ready.</p>
<p>With that said, once your producer/engineer sends you mixes to review, make sure to listen to them carefully and discuss any changes you want made. Now is the time to make your voice heard and ensure that you’re happy with the tracks. </p>
<p>Consider that the mixes need to be final before they head to mastering. Once you’re into the mastering process, you’re going to end up wasting quite a bit of time and money if you decide you don’t like something in the mix and have to go back and adjust it. </p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="Mixing &amp; Mastering: What it is, and Why it’s Important" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/mixing-mastering-what-it-is-and-why-it-s-important" target="_blank">Mixing & Mastering: What it is, and Why it’s Important</a></p>
<h4>Mastering </h4>
<p>Once you have the final mixes in your hand, it’s time to move on to the mastering stage. Depending on your situation, your producer/engineer may offer to master your songs for you, or suggest that you bring the mixes to a separate studio. </p>
<p>When it comes to choosing a studio for mastering, take a look at a catalogue of past projects the studio/engineer has produced. This should give you a good idea of the kind of polish they will add to your song/album, and if their style of mastering suits what you’re looking for. </p>
<p>Finally, if your budget is tight, consider using our service, <a contents="Industry Standard Mastering" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/268955" style="" target="_blank">Industry Standard Mastering</a>. We offer online mastering for quite a bit less than traditional studio mastering, and our platform is quite streamlined and easy to use. </p>
<h4>Final Words of Wisdom </h4>
<p>If we can leave you with a final tip for making the most of your studio time, it would be to have fun! Artistes dream of getting to record their work in a professional studio, and it truly is special to have the opportunity to do so. So savour every step, get excited and <a contents="book a session" data-link-label="Book Studio Time " data-link-type="page" href="/book-studio-time" target="_blank">book a session</a> with us today. </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="Book Studio Time " data-link-type="page" href="/book-studio-time" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7bd1069ff20eeff9483c81c17643316cca151b6b/original/front.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55821052019-01-11T10:00:00-05:002019-01-11T10:00:41-05:0015 Ways to Get More Music Fans<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/42b528f1088d12d3fe59945b91ef706d41b5dabd/original/instagram-likes-01.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>They say you need a thousand true fans to build a sustainable music career. But getting those first few diehard fans who play such a crucial role in building momentum can feel almost impossible when you’re just starting out. </p>
<p>There are dozens and dozens of ways to get more fans for your music, but it’s ultimately going to come down to your level of commitment and finding the right balance of tactics that works best for your personal music career strategy. </p>
<p>The list below isn’t exhaustive, of course, but if you nail these 15 essentials, you’ll be well on your way to getting more music fans. </p>
<h4>1. Know your brand </h4>
<p>Before you do anything else, you absolutely must know your brand. Your brand encompasses and is impacted by everything you do, from how you present yourself (both in person and online), to how you communicate with your fans. </p>
<p>Take the time to discover what’s truly unique about you, your artistry, and your story, and build out your brand identity from there. </p>
<h4>2. Engage your fans </h4>
<p>There’s no way around it – you have to engage your fans as much as possible if you want to maintain and grow your band’s following. It’ll require consistent effort on your part to keep them aware of you, deepen the relationships, and ultimately create superfans who will help promote you and support your career in the long run. </p>
<h4>3. Be consistent </h4>
<p>In order to break through the noise and hold the attention of the music fans you’re targeting, you have to be consistent across all of your communication channels. Whether it’s your email newsletter, social media pages, or new music releases, you have to give your fans something to expect and look forward to on a regular basis. </p>
<h4>4. Use hashtags </h4>
<p>Hashtags are a great tool to make it easier for music fans to discover you. Search trending hashtags on Instagram and Twitter, and use them to connect with niche audiences and topics of conversation that are relevant to you. </p>
<h4>5. Do a giveaway </h4>
<p>Everyone loves getting free stuff! Offer a download of an exclusive track in exchange for an email address, or run a merch giveaway on social media. If you can incentivize your existing fans to share the giveaway with their friends, you’re likely to earn new fans of your music in the process. </p>
<h4>6. Get on music discovery websites </h4>
<p>Music fans and industry influencers alike scour music discovery websites like NoiseTrade and Hype Machine regularly. Even a little bit of traction on websites like those will help tons of passionate music fans find you. </p>
<h4>7. Embrace streaming and playlisting </h4>
<p>Getting your song featured on a popular Spotify playlist can be even more effective at creating buzz for your band than getting covered by a blog. Curated streaming playlists are how most fans discover new music nowadays. With the right pitch and timing, you can strike gold with a playlist feature. </p>
<h4>8. Post YouTube covers </h4>
<p>When music fans are trying to find a specific song, YouTube is usually the first place they search. Along with uploading your original music to your official channel, posting cover videos will improve your chances of appearing higher in search results, and will make you more accessible to new fans. </p>
<h4>9. Perform at charity events </h4>
<p>Performing at charity events is always a win-win – you get to give back to your community and support a cause you care about, while also giving you positive exposure to a new audience. An ideal partnership provides valuable cross-promotion for both parties, while raising awareness for an important issue. </p>
<h4>10. Perform at private events </h4>
<p>Private events are a great way to get more music fans. Start with your own network – surely someone you know has an upcoming wedding, party, or corporate event that could be made better with live music! </p>
<h4>11. Partner with local artists and brands </h4>
<p>Just like with playing charity events, partnering with local companies and fellow musicians allows you to leverage each other’s audiences. You could trade support slots on upcoming shows with an artist that’s similar to you, or collaborate on a song. You can also try reaching out to local visual artists to create cool, unique band merch items, and in return, you can help promote their work at your shows and in your online merch store. </p>
<h4>12. Build relationships with influencers </h4>
<p>This is easier said than done, of course, but as you already know, relationships are everything in the music industry. One post from an influencer with a big following could be a game changer for your music career. </p>
<p>If you’re brand new to the music business and you have zero contacts, try going out to networking events, conferences, or local industry meetups. There are also plenty of online communities and Facebook groups you can join to build up your network, as well as websites like Fluence that give you access to people who can help promote your music to a bigger audience. </p>
<h4>13. Experiment with Facebook ads </h4>
<p>With a little bit of experimentation and the right audience targeting, you can run Facebook ads that reach new music fans very inexpensively and effectively. </p>
<h4>14. Run a press campaign for your new album or tour </h4>
<p>At first, you’ll probably want to start small and do it yourself. Even if you only get a couple of features on indie blogs, that’s enough to put you in a better position to score even bigger coverage the next time you have something newsworthy to announce. </p>
<p>Once you starting gaining significant traction, though, you’ll want to consider hiring a professional music publicist to manage your campaigns for you. </p>
<h4>15. Release great music! </h4>
<p>When it comes down to it, if your music and shows are anything less than remarkable, you’re going to have a really hard time gaining true fans. Focus relentlessly on building up your songwriting and performance chops. If what you’re doing is really unique and amazing to your target audience, you’ll turn them into superfans who will gladly promote you to their friends and followers.</p>
<p>Learn more: <a contents="11 Awesome Content Ideas for Artists to Get More Fans on Social Media" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/home/blog/11-awesome-content-ideas-for-musicians-to-get-more-fans-on-social-media" target="_blank">11 Awesome Content Ideas for Artists to Get More Fans on Social Media</a></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55795222019-01-04T10:00:00-05:002019-01-04T10:00:38-05:0011 Awesome Content Ideas for Artists to Get More Fans on Social Media<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/347641e33f16f1239d92359ca31c923b1e45503d/original/get-more-fans-of-your-music.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As an artist, you surely understand what a crucial role social media marketing plays in getting more fans for your music, but actually figuring out the kind of content you need to post can sometimes be a little confusing. What it all boils down to is finding the right balance for the specific audience you’re trying to build. </p>
<p>There’s no exact science to it, but it’s safe to say that for every self-promotional post you publish, you should have many more brand-building posts. These posts can take on a variety of forms, but the common thread is that they all get fans to pay attention, become interested, trust you, engage with you, and only then will they take action when they see a self-promotional post. </p>
<p>Check out these 11 awesome content ideas to get more fans for your music through social media, and let us know in the comments below if you’ve seen success with any of them! </p>
<h4>1. Themed posts </h4>
<p>It’s easier for your content to get discovered by potential new fans when you take advantage of themes that already have popular hashtags associated with them. Start populating your band’s social media channels with relevant posts for commonly searched hashtags like #MotivationMonday, #MusicMonday, #ThrowbackThursday, and #SundayFunday. </p>
<p>Experiment with a bunch of different themes and pay attention to the ones that do the best job of attracting new followers and resonating with your existing fans. </p>
<h4>2. Educational and thought-provoking posts </h4>
<p>There are many ways you could approach this, but the key is that you’re sharing high-quality posts that are some combination of interesting, helpful, educational, valuable, useful, relevant, and thought-provoking for the audience you want to attract. </p>
<p>For instance, if a big aspect of your branding involves representing yourself as dancehall or trap artist, you may want to share an insightful post on recent events. </p>
<h4>3. Throwback posts </h4>
<p>Share content that gives insight into who you are and where you’re coming from. You could make fans laugh with a funny baby picture that shows your personality from a young age, or you could post a #TBT photo of you in Rome and bond with fans over your passion for travel. </p>
<p>Whatever it is, give people a way to connect with you on a personal level, which is just as important as your music when it comes to gaining true fans. </p>
<h4>4. Behind-the-scenes posts </h4>
<p>People love seeing what artists do when they’re not performing. Share behind-the-scenes photos, videos, and stories that illustrate your life as a artist. If you’re going on the road, consider creating a tour diary in the form of a blog or vlog. If you’re in a writing session or in the studio, share pictures and short clips on Snapchat or Instagram Stories. </p>
<h4>5. Short videos </h4>
<p>Did you know that Facebook users watch a whopping 100 million hours of video every single day? If you’re not already regularly uploading videos to your Artists Facebook page, you’re missing out on a really effective way to get more fans for your music. </p>
<p>The key is to keep it short, yet interesting. The next time you want to announce a new single, album, tour, live-stream event, or big performance, whip up a simple one- or two-minute video and post it directly on Facebook. </p>
<h4>6. Inspirational and motivational posts </h4>
<p>If you’re stumped on how to fill a few gaps in your social media calendar, you really can’t go wrong with sharing an inspirational or motivational quote. These always perform well and are very shareable, which will drive more attention to your social media channels. </p>
<h4>7. Interactive posts </h4>
<p>Anything that encourages engagement and facilitates a two-way conversation can help you win over new fans for your band. There are dozens of interactive posts you can try, but some of the most effective ones include polls, contests, giveaways, questions, fill-in-the-blank posts, and “caption this” photos. Not only are they fun for your fans, but you’re also building your brand in the process! </p>
<h4>8. Funny posts </h4>
<p>How often do you find yourself scrolling through your social media feeds simply to find something that will make you laugh or brighten your day? If people who are into your music also associate your brand with positive feelings, you can bet you’ll turn them into fans. Share a photo, a meme, witty commentary on a trending topic, or simply an article that you found hysterical and want to share. </p>
<p>Be careful not to oversaturate your feed with these kinds of posts, though. There’s a fine line between tastefully throwing them in on occasion, and posting them incessantly to gain attention. </p>
<h4>9. Supportive posts </h4>
<p>Isn’t it awesome when artists support each other? Show some love to your fellow artists and share posts of theirs that you think your fans would care about. Chances are, your artist friends will return the favor and tell their fans to check you out, too. </p>
<h4>10. Live streams </h4>
<p>Live streaming has blown up this past year, and it’s only going to get bigger. Whether you’re streaming a performance from your hometown or you’re hosting a fan Q&A, this is a huge opportunity to build your fanbase. </p>
<p>Facebook Live and YouTube Live are two easy, popular options.</p>
<h4>11. Promotional posts </h4>
<p>You can make your promotional posts feel as authentic and genuine as the rest of your social media content – it’s all in the delivery! Make sure these posts are still in your voice and include a compelling visual. </p>
<p>Experiment with different approaches so that your feed doesn’t get repetitive. For instance, if you’re trying to get the word out about your new EP, your posts could look like this: </p>
<p>Straightforward announcement with a clear call to action </p>
<p>A positive press quote about your music </p>
<p>A fun bit of trivia about how or where it was recorded </p>
<p>You won’t know what resonates with your fans until you try it!</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55714202018-12-27T19:03:10-05:002018-12-28T14:19:45-05:0017 Ways Artists Can Make Money in 2019<h4><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7101f8794ae359c427180d264dd7d7752de2840f/original/why-artists-dont-make-money-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h4>
<h4>1. CD Sales:</h4>
<p>Yeah we know CDs are a bit old but If you’re going to be performing at live shows, having CDs on hand is still a good idea. They make great takeaway souvenirs that can easily be signed by you. </p>
<h4>2. Vinyl Sales:</h4>
<p>Vinyl sales reached 14.32 million in 2017, a record-high number since Nielsen started tracking the sales in 1991. This is the 12th year in a row vinyl sales have increased, jumping 9 percent from 2016. Again, if you’ll be performing at live shows, printing a small batch to have at your merch table can help generate extra income. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/6ce5b2c4525ba893e7625c505b170b78d0a44cd9/original/chartoftheday-7699-lp-sales-in-the-united-states-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>3. Digital Sales:</h4>
<p>You should be selling digital music through your own website to make the most money, but also through online retailers. Keep in mind that online retailers take a percentage of sales (ex. iTunes takes 30%, Bandcamp takes 15%). Some digital distributors that place your music in stores like iTunes and Amazon will take a cut on top of that.</p>
<h4>4. Streaming:</h4>
<p>2018 has been the biggest year for music streaming yet as people all around the world sign up for limitless listening. Although per-stream payouts from streaming services tend to be small, they can add up over time. Keep in mind that these services also help new fans discover your music, and shouldn't be seen solely as an income generator. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/152a859a5eaf59cd83064da6937922ea04144803/original/midia-mid-year-2018-subscriber-mareket-shares-1024x576.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/692e65c2c5feaf879d4fbb94987deb67d468e893/original/screenshot-2018-12-27-18-50-44.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<h4>5. Live Shows:</h4>
<p>Money made from live shows can vary greatly, but it’s still one of the best ways to earn income. Not only can you make money from selling tickets, but it’s also one of the best ways to sell merch. </p>
<h4>6. Physical Merch:</h4>
<p>Income from physical merch can depend heavily on the amount of live shows you play. If you go out on tour, be sure that you have some t-shirts, as well as smaller items like buttons and stickers that you can sell to fans after the show. </p>
<h4>7. Digital Merch:</h4>
<p>You can also sell digital merch items like PDFs, videos, and images to your fans. Things like lyric books, live concerts, sheet music, exclusive photos, artwork and more. </p>
<h4>8. Crowdfunding:</h4>
<p>Crowdfunding can be a great way to generate income for your music career. A well-executed crowdfunding campaign can help you raise enough money to offset the cost of producing and marketing your album. </p>
<h4>9. Publishing Royalties:</h4>
<p>You should be signed up to a performing rights organization so you can collect royalties on your music. This includes public performance royalties (radio, TV, live venues), mechanical royalties (sales through retailers, streaming, etc.), and sync royalties (commercials, film, TV). </p>
<h4>10. Digital Royalties:</h4>
<p>Whenever your music is played on services like SiriusXM radio, Pandora, and webcasters, they must pay royalties. </p>
<h4>11. Live Performance Royalties:</h4>
<p>When performing original material, you can earn royalties from live performances. Whether you perform at a bar, restaurant, club, or other music venue, Performance Rights Organizations (PROs) will pay royalties from those live performances. </p>
<h4>12. Licensing:</h4>
<p>If you get your song placed in a film, commercial, or TV show, chances are they’re going to pay you a licensing fee. These fees vary greatly, depending on the budget for the project, and how badly they want your particular song. </p>
<h4>13. YouTube:</h4>
<p>On YouTube, whenever your music is used in videos that are running ads, YouTube pays a portion of that advertising money to the rights holders of the song. Digital distributors like TuneCore and CD Baby can help you collect that money, as well as Hapilos. </p>
<h4>14. Sponsorships:</h4>
<p>If you’ve built up a fan base, some companies are willing to sponsor arists to reach those fans. Sponsorships can range from cash, to free products, services, and gear. </p>
<h4>15. Session Work:</h4>
<p>Another way to make some extra money is to put yourself out there as a session musician. As a singer or instrumentalist, you could do session work for other musical projects, or even in advertising. </p>
<h4>16. Songwriting/Composing:</h4>
<p>If you’re a songwriter, you could write songs for other artists, or compose music specifically for film and television. </p>
<h4>17. Cover Gigs:</h4>
<p>Playing cover gigs at bars, restaurants, weddings, and other private events is frowned upon by some artists. But those shows can pay really well, and allow you to get paid to play your instrument. There’s no shame in that. </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53283002018-12-27T14:49:27-05:002020-10-19T03:04:04-04:00What Is the Artist’s Role in Society?<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/db21b7f922bb98a63598a03776144506e40e02e1/original/bob-marley.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We asked artists around the island: “What is your role as an artist in society, your local community, and the world at large?” </p>
<p>Every artist plays a different and necessary part in contributing to the overall health, development, and well-being of our society. </p>
<p>Creative artists provide their communities with joy, interaction, and inspiration, but they also give thoughtful critique to our political, economic and social systems — pushing communities to engage thoughtfully and make steps toward social progress. From documenting human history to expressing collective emotions, Artists from around Jamaica tell us how they view their role as a creative contributor.</p>
<h3>Artists are a vehicle for expressing universal emotion </h3>
<p>Music is about connecting with people’s emotions. It’s personal and at the same time, universal. </p>
<p>It’s a human urge to express emotion through the medium of music. We all carry with us memories of our past experiences. </p>
<p>An artist has the ability to ‘feel strongly’ to be ‘sensitive’ to things and express this in lyric and melody. The artist ‘absorbs’ the atmosphere of a place or the memory of a feeling. Sometimes, it’s a burden for the artist to carry all this emotion – to be so sensitive. </p>
<p>Most folks block out emotion. Then, suddenly, a song ‘speaks’ to them. At that point, the artist has done their job.It is wonderful to connect with people through music — when people respond to a song and really ‘feel’. </p>
<p>Music is mainly about ones self-expression communicated through songs, but really we think it is everyone’s expression — Artists are a vehicle. </p>
<p>Everybody hurts. Everybody loves. Everybody hopes. And, everybody dies. Mainly, music is about our own sense of mortality.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Artists are responsible for unearthing the truth </h3>
<p>We believe that the artist's role, above all things, is to be as true to themselves as they can — within society, the community and the world at large. This sounds like a cliche but is in itself much harder than it seems. </p>
<p>Being an artist involves wearing all sorts of hats, just like any other job, but the difference is we have the lingering responsibility to unearth the truth of things. Sometimes we will seem vulnerable, sometimes we will make mistakes. But the main thing is not to give up. This resonates with people on a personal and global level, because it is not only empowering but starts from inside ourselves.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Artists work to illuminate the margins and make societal changes </h3>
<p>Rather than the word "role", we prefer "commitment". Over many years as a music production company, we have helped people and communities find their voices and express their concerns through individual and collaborative music projects. Our own work is rooted in nationalism – where expressing our emotions, goals, and ideas, in the realm of the personal, social and political, is an exercise in communicating our collective experiences. Working with artists and producers has resulted in a beautiful exchanges of ideas –which creates artistic growth, empathy, and new understandings. </p>
<p>All of these acts can illuminate what lies hidden or repressed in the margins or shadows. New ideas can be brought to life. These ideas can lead to small or large changes in attitudes and even society</p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>They tell stories and pass on traditions </h3>
<p>Jamaica is a developing country in the Caribbean. Our history is filled with stories of conquest, slavery and piracy honoured by our writers, poets, musicians and painters. Jamaica's original inhabitants the Arawaks, also called Tainos, named the island Xaymaca, which translates "land of wood and water". </p>
<p>Folk is the earliest music form in Jamaica and remains one of the most influential aspects of our heritage. Its beat, heavy with the substance of African rhythms and collective experiences shakes social barriers and unifies our nation with its intensity and ingenuity. Its power to heal, change, inspire and incite makes it an essential part of the Jamaican identity.</p>
<p>Awaiting our Independence during the 1960's, we became saturated with optimism. Filled with high hopes and huge dreams, Ska’s buoyant jazz rhythms, though influenced by American Rhythm and Blues, became Jamaican naturalized. Everywhere you went it was ska, ska, ska! When the sound hit abroad, it spread like wild fire through London’s underground scene, scoring ‘big time’ with Millie Small’s ‘My Boy Lollipop’. </p>
<p>In the 1970’s, the beat slowed and a heavy bass emerged . Social messages were turned into songs, dance moves became languid and ‘rude boys’ found kinship with the new sound that epitomized the times. This was Rock Steady but this epoch was transitory, for it had to make way for the inevitable scorching, rebel music – Reggae!</p>
<h3>Artists connect with and inspire people globally </h3>
<p>As we live in a global village, we are somehow all connected via some form of social media. Artists are no longer introverts and we are all "out there [in the world]". I hope my role as an artist is to inspire, connect, and collaborate!</p>
<p>Reggae remains popular on the international scene from roots rock to dancehall. It has gained success abroad and has been credited for the birth of the popular American genre, ‘Hip-Hop’. Modern artists continue to fuse the reggae rhythms with other music forms to create new sounds, infusing their messages and spreading cool island vibes.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Artists record and preserve our human history </h3>
<p>We live in an ever more intricate society where every individual regardless of its specific role plays an important part in the social biodiversity of the world. Artists have been crucial from the very beginning of our existence and has contributed to expanding human evolution from many different perspectives. </p>
<p>This expansion, much like the universe, is still going on and artists still play an important role. We see ourselves as part of a community whose work as a global force contributes to this human growth. There is a crescent complexity in the way the music world evolves and the myriad of people who orbit around it are intimately interlaced with artists and their production. Although artists typically work alone in their studios, they are part of a much larger community and they play a much larger role than one might anticipate.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Artists offer messages of hope </h3>
<p>We take our role as an artist very seriously, although we still have tons of fun and experience great joy in our studio. We try to be very thoughtful, socially and politically aware of our surroundings. Whenever we experience feelings of discomfort in my life, we need to find an answer by transforming those feelings through our music. </p>
<p>An artist's role is almost that of an Alchemist — capable of transforming a few humble materials into objects which are imbued with spiritual and aesthetic value and then possibly also material value. </p>
<p>We prefer to be a bearer of good news and hope, in this increasingly broken world of ours and we find that images have immense power to restore collective emotional pain and lift the spirit. </p>
<p>Because we transform our own anguish concerning the present and also the future into something tangible which is simple, hopeful and beautiful, our role is to offer through our music and without being superficial, a message of hope to society, our community and the world at large.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>They are ambassadors of the natural world </h3>
<p>We live in Jamaica and feel our role as an artist is to be an ambassador for the natural beauty and way of life that is found here. We write songs out-of-doors as often as we can to get the clearest vision we can of our surroundings. This helps us capture it the most the highest level of truth. </p>
<p>We make our music to capture the parts of our culture that we cherish and find beautiful. In doing so, we are preserving views that may disappear without notice. We put our music out into the world so that people who will never get a chance to come here might still be moved by the views of this place.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Artists create a sense of community </h3>
<p>There are many roles that an artist fills. But, in smaller cities, having local artists brings a sense of pride to the community. It also sets examples for young people who might be considering careers in the performing arts. Artists support their communities by teaching their music and craft. </p>
<p>Also, in most communities, there are events that benefit local causes and charities, and donations made by local artists. </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53075502018-12-27T14:46:36-05:002018-12-27T14:55:13-05:00The Importance of Cover Art<h4><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/77b0e22da177235fb8ee2009fe316873601d2273/original/4f83e09ba9b565a25ca72921811b9d2e.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h4>
<h4>
<span class="font_large">Considering the relationship between art and music in a digital age.</span> </h4>
<p>As the laws of physics suggest, you’ll see things before you hear them. That’s no different when it comes to listening to an album or song, as more often than not, before you press play, the first thing that will catch your attention, is the accompanying cover art. In this article, I’ll explore the relationship between music and artwork, detailing its importance in heightening the listener’s experience, but also, how artwork has changed and will continue to change in the digital age. </p>
<h4><span class="font_large">Relationship between Artwork and Music </span></h4>
<p>Whilst it may appear that an album is centred around the music alone, the artwork adorning its sleeve is essentially the equivalent to a book’s front cover. As a result, artwork and music go hand in hand. The artwork serves as a portal into what the listener can expect from an album, and even what kind of musician lies behind the creativity. Strong album covers make a statement, because after all, this imagery is an opportunity to make the right first impression. </p>
<p>Take the George Condo painted artwork for Kanye West’s magnum opus, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, which depicts the rapper, nude, straddled by an also naked winged creature. In an interview with The New Yorker, the artist claimed that the cover was in fact designed to create controversy and that West wanted “something that will be banned”. That’s exactly what happened, because the album’s striking cover was banned in the US. Despite its outlandish look, there’s more to the artwork that meets the eye. The lurid scene (coupled with the album’s title) toys with the concept of fame - a recurring theme on the album in which West explores its darker side. </p>
<p>Furthermore, the use of a single colour, can be enough to trigger a certain feeling or emotion. Nowadays, with such leaps in technology record manufacturers are able to produce a kaleidoscope of vinyls of all colours and patterns. Thus, the physical vinyl itself, becomes part of the artwork and in turn, part of the collective musical experience. </p>
<h4><strong><span class="font_large">Evolution of Artwork </span></strong></h4>
<p>Before the Internet, music could only be purchased on a physical format, and therefore, packaging and the presentation of an album was paramount in ensuring its commercial success. Artists had a 12 by 12 inch cardboard canvas or a 4 by 4 inch plastic jewel case to embellish albums with artwork that would entice listeners to pull off a shelf to admire and ultimately buy. Nowadays, album and single covers appear as tiny squares on our music libraries and streaming sites. Yet, despite this miniaturisation, these visual aids still hold a relevance. </p>
<p> </p>
<h4>
<span class="font_large">Do We Still Need Album Art?</span> </h4>
<p>As we have suggested, music is not just an auditory experience. It’s a multi-sensory affair which triggers all kinds of feelings and emotions. When listening to music, we want to feel a certain way, to be transported to an entirely different place, and an album’s sleeve, can help to do that. </p>
<p>The sensation of touch is also something that enhances the listening experience. Despite the recent surge in music streaming sites, vinyl sales have continued to rise over the past five years or so, which has given artists the freedom to work on a larger canvas. Regardless, there’s something special and deeply personal about placing a 12” onto a turntable and listening to an album whilst having the sleeve at hand. </p>
<p>On most deluxe releases, artists tend to include accompanying artwork, photographs, lyrics booklets, all of which are designed for interaction. Even though album artwork is now (mostly) reduced to a tiny tile on our screens, it’s still such an important aspect of the creative process of creating a world for a particular album. So, in order to answer the question of whether we still need album art, I’ll leave you with a thought: imagine what it would be like, if all of the CD’s, Vinyls, digital albums you own, didn’t have any artwork on them. </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/55005282018-11-05T17:05:10-05:002020-07-25T06:41:54-04:00Black Friday Countdown <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d3add6720cc66f5d512d455c6492003661ac932f/original/black-friday-sale-flyer.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Are you ready? Starting now through Black Friday, We are offering 50% OFF on Exclusive licenses for all of our riddims. Use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout and receive 50% discount on your order. </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/54302712018-09-15T18:30:38-04:002019-08-23T09:39:47-04:00Savage releases animated video for Gypsy Whine.<p>The “Culu Culu” don has released an amazing animated video for his hot whining song, Gypsy Whine via his Vevo channel. Animation done by Zeej Sterling. The first single from his highly anticipated album produced by Savage Entertainment & Kingston Elite, will definitely keep the ladies gyrating all year long. "Dancers look out for the "Gypsy Whine Challenge" coming to your social media platforms very soon".</p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/savage.gypsywhine" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53283762018-08-31T01:31:38-04:002018-08-31T01:50:21-04:00Pre Release Checklist<h2><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f340b0e5b94d9df30c8cdb490bd3389acb32b09c/original/marketing-checklist-e1527468260656.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h2>
<h2>Where Artistes Are Going Wrong – They Don’t Have a Plan </h2>
<p>It is completely baffling that an artiste would work so hard on their music, dedicating hours and hours practicing, writing songs, not to mention spending large sums of money recording, mixing and mastering, creating visuals, and album artwork only to rush the release with no plan in place.</p>
<p>We know once the music is finished a deep sense of urgency rushes in, screaming – “release release!” </p>
<p>Be patient. Yes, part of the benefit of singles is that they’re low pressure and you can drop them quickly. But don’t be in TOO much of a rush. Plan ahead. Do it right. You won’t be able to launch this song again. </p>
<p>Depending on the scope of your campaign, you might even need three months of preparation.</p>
<p>Here are the basic components of a pre-release to show you the key elements you need to consider before you get too far ahead of yourself. </p>
<p>Even if your release is not new, it’s important to backtrack and reset the stage. </p>
<h2>Pre-release Warm Up</h2>
<p><strong>Step 1.</strong> Take your best piece of content and shove it down the throats of a targeted cold audience. Yes, I had to say it like that because we are on a pursuit to acquire as many “potential fans” as we possibly can. If you take it too lightly, you won’t get the same results. You must be relentless in your pursuit to acquire new fans, and if that means bombarding them with music video after music video; so be it. </p>
<p><strong>Step 2.</strong> You should have a warm audience now, and this phase is designed to take your warm audience and turn them into a hot audience. We’re simply going to release a new single off your next project, and run an ad to them. You should have one goal in mind with this phase, and that goal is to blow their mind! As I’ve stated previously, and I’ll say it a million more times; make sure your music and content is top notch. People perceive individuals with higher quality content with a greater respect, and if they really enjoy it; this is where the true fan conversion happens.During this phase, it’s a lot more likely that people will begin following you and liking your page on Facebook. It’s also likely you’ll start receiving more likes and comments. </p>
<p><strong>Step 3.</strong> You now have a lot of new followers, and people are really enjoying your content. Our next step is to hype them up, let them know that something big is on the brink of dropping. They don’t know it’s your next project, but subtly hint towards it, give a new single preview if you have to. Just hype them up, and make sure whatever you do, say, or show; is truly “hype-worthy”. </p>
<p><strong><em>Now is the time to strike, check off your pre-release checklist, set a release date and plan your post release!!!!</em></strong></p>
<h2>Pre-release Checklist</h2>
<p>To maximise the exposure and success of your new music fully takes some serious planning. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 essential steps every artiste should fit into their pre-release plan. Make sure you’ve checked these off your list. </p>
<h3>1. MAKE A RELEASE TIMELINE </h3>
<p>Organization is key. There are a million things for you to keep track of. Before you start, begin by making an easy-to-follow timeline. This will be your guide during your entire release process, highlighting all important milestones and dates. Organize your timeline into 3 major phases — pre-release, release date, and post release. </p>
<p>There’s no point in sharing a picture of your cover artwork a month before the single is available if no one can click to access, save, buy, or share the tune. Before you go crazy trying to create anticipation, set up your pre-saves or pre-orders! Get the link, then share that link when you post updates about the release ahead of its drop date.</p>
<h3>2. THINK SOCIAL INFLUENCERS </h3>
<p>Influencer marketing has become a big part of music marketing and you should include it in your pre-release plan too. Who has a large and relevant following and will be likely to share your music and news with their audience? Consider press, industry contacts, bloggers, Youtubers but also peers, fans, and any partners. It’s best to approach them in advance so you can think creatively how to collaborate to spread the word and so they can fit you in their content calendar. </p>
<h3>3. ORGANIZE YOUR CREATIVE ASSETS </h3>
<p>A professionally mixed and mastered song and visuals are everything. You need to make sure you’ve got creative assets that are compelling and really grab attention. Prepare your photo and video content well before your release date. Create a downloadable folder with promo images, gifs, music, videos, etc, so it’s easily accessible by industry contacts, your publicist, bloggers and anyone who can help lock in any premieres, shows, or partnerships. </p>
<h3>4. PARTNER WITH A MUSIC DISTRIBUTOR </h3>
<p>How are you getting your music out there on all major digital music services? That’s obviously the most important part. There are tons of music distributors out there that will take that burden off your shoulders and can really maximize your exposure. For example, Hapilos or Zojak distributes to different stores and services covering 190 territories across the world such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and, YouTube Red, and also has some pretty awesome relationships with major DSPs to help artistes get on more of the hottest playlists, more frequently. Check out their successes. </p>
<h3>5. UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE </h3>
<p>Your website is your central hub online. It’s where many of your existing and prospective fans will be looking for any new releases and updates. So before a new release, make sure your website is looking its best. Make it easy for people to learn more about you and ensure your fans can get the key info in one place, including: tour dates, store, contacts, bio, social and listening links. News about your upcoming release should be front and centre, with pre-order call to actions taking precedence. Also think about matching the aesthetics of your website to that of your upcoming release. It’s a good idea to update hero visuals with the artwork and information about your new music... Read this artiste website checklist. </p>
<h3>6. UPDATE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES </h3>
<p>Your website isn’t the only digital real estate you want to update in advance of your release. Consider updating your social media headers, and profile images with release information, pre and post launch. Additionally, fine-tune your biography, and contact information to work in the date of your release. Maintenance is only half the battle though. Be active! Think about creating a content plan and teaser campaigns. It’s a great way to build hype around a release. Create a content plan, and release images from the studio, promo shots, video clips, tracklists, GIFs, etc throughout your release cycle. Tag partners and the people involved on social media. </p>
<h3>7. WORK ON YOUR MAILING LIST </h3>
<p>Owning your audience is extremely important to stay in control of your fans relationship. Put some effort into growing your list; you want to make it as easy as possible for anyone to sign up. Put email captures on all your digital real estate like your website and social pages. You can even have a physical mailing list at shows for people to sign up. A good strategy when you’re starting out is to give a track away in return for an email address. Then create a flow of communications to send to your list that will keep them in the know about any important details. Email is a bit more invasive as a means of communication, so be cautious about the frequency and think twice whether your fans will like and engage with your content. You don’t want them to unsubscribe! </p>
<h3>8. PREP WITH DIGITAL SERVICES </h3>
<p>Just like with your website and social pages, your streaming profiles should reflect and champion your new music. You absolutely want to prepare your Spotify and Apple Music profiles. Make sure all your hero and profile images are updated to reflect your artwork, update your bio with release info, and make sure you’re posting content on your Apple Music Connect profile about the news with teaser media. </p>
<h3>9. CREATE CUSTOM MERCHANDISE </h3>
<p>Who doesn’t love fresh clothes or accessories? Selling merch is a great way to generate some extra buzz (and money!) around your release. Think hats, shirts, backpacks — whatever seems reasonable within your budget. Regardless of what you end up going with, make sure it accentuates the aesthetic of your new release and connects with your fans. It’s important to plan out how you’re going to sell everything to your fans. An easy solution is to use Music Glue, a specialist e-commerce platform for artistes, where you can create a free website and store to sell merchandise, experiences, tickets, music and more direct to fans. If your budget is limited, the Print on Demand t-shirt feature is an easy way to stock your store for free with fulfilment also taken care of; just money in your pocket when you make a sale. </p>
<h3>10. PLAN SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR RELEASE DAY </h3>
<p>Think of release day like your birthday. If you want it to be a success — you’ve got to go big. There are tons of fun ways for you to capture as much attention as possible around your release during the big day, so get creative!</p>
<p> </p>
<h3> </h3>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53285992018-08-31T01:15:47-04:002019-01-05T13:48:51-05:00Artist Production Deal <h2>Our artist production deal is all an artiste needs to get their song recorded, mixed, mastered and distributed.</h2>
<h3><span class="font_regular"><strong><a contents="Recording Time" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/book-studio-time" style="" target="_blank">Studio Time</a> </strong></span></h3>
<p>(4) Hours to professional track your vocals.</p>
<p><em><strong>Value $12,000</strong></em></p>
<h3>
<a contents="Custom Made Instrumental" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/268974" style="" target="_blank">Custom Made Instrumental</a> </h3>
<p>Sometimes the right song doesn’t exist yet. Our in-house production team, can create custom tracks from any of your ideas.</p>
<p>Original music written especially for you.</p>
<p><strong><em>Value $66,500</em></strong></p>
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<a contents="Mixing &amp; Mastering" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/268954" style="" target="_blank">Mixing & Mastering</a> </h3>
<p>The Elite Mix & Master package provides everything you need to distribute your songs publicly. This package provides maximum quality using the best analog equipment and digital high end plugins.</p>
<p><em><strong>Value $26,600</strong></em></p>
<h3><a contents="Basic Cover Art &amp; Lyric Video" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.coverartexpress.com" style="" target="_blank">Basic Cover Art & Lyric Video</a></h3>
<p>Cover art and lyric video expertly designed by our partners at Cover Art Express and Visy Studios.</p>
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<h3>
<a contents="Distribution" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hapilos21.com/" style="" target="_blank">Distribution</a> </h3>
<p>Distribution provided by Hapilos 21st Digital with over 300 digital platforms in over 190 countries.</p>
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<p> </p>
<h2>Total cost of package $125,100, your price today $75,000, that's a savings of 40%</h2>
<p> </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/274029" style="" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d2d5b40aaac089567e2e7da4a1af89b96b831fe6/original/31033915-173415056566812-4652743204242718720-n.jpg" class="size_orig justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53284382018-08-31T01:07:42-04:002020-07-05T07:56:52-04:00Creativity 101<h2><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/73f1ddbcf9671e8dd8d9b2cf3abecdcf8183ab28/original/creativity-cover.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h2>
<h2>What is Creativity?</h2>
<p>Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others. </p>
<p><strong>Three reasons why people are motivated to be creative: </strong></p>
<p>need for new, varied, and complex stimulation <br>need to communicate ideas and values <br>need to solve problems </p>
<p>In order to be creative, you need to be able to view things in new ways or from a different perspective. Among other things, you need to be able to generate new possibilities or new alternatives. Tests of creativity measure not only the number of alternatives that people can generate but the uniqueness of those alternatives. The ability to generate alternatives or to see things uniquely does not occur by change; it is linked to other, more fundamental qualities of thinking, such as flexibility, tolerance of ambiguity or unpredictability, and the enjoyment of things heretofore unknown.</p>
<h2><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/07be77e77ee5ba459e8444463e0ae147ca7b6529/original/creativity-line-breaker.gif/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h2>
<h2>Types of Creativity</h2>
<p>To better foster creativity in the studio, it's important to understand the different types of creativity. So, let's take a look!</p>
<h3>Deliberate & Cognitive </h3>
<p>Creative types who are deliberate and cognitively-based are purposeful. They possess a lot of knowledge about a particular subject and combine that with their skills and abilities to put a plan into action. People with this type of creativity are usually adept at research, experimentation and problem-solving. This type of creativity lies in the brain's prefrontal cortex toward the front of the brain.</p>
<h3>Deliberate & Emotional </h3>
<p>Creative people who are classified as deliberate and emotional, let their work be influenced by their emotions. These are frequently more sensitive and feeling individuals who might prefer lots of quiet time for personal reflection or writing in a diary. But, they are also equally logical and rational, marrying deliberate actions with emotional creativity. This type of creativity lies in the brain's amygdala, responsible for human emotion, and cingulate cortex, which combines learning and information processing. </p>
<h3>Spontaneous & Cognitive</h3>
<p>Have you ever been working on a problem or idea that you can’t seem to solve. Maybe you have been writing and song and the lyrics just not flowing right. Then you go to lunch, and on your way back you get a flash of insight about how to staff the project. This is an example of spontaneous and cognitive creativity. </p>
<p>Spontaneous and cognitive creativity involves the basal ganglia of the brain. This is where dopamine is stored, and it is a part of the brain that operates outside of your conscious awareness. During spontaneous, cognitive creativity, the conscious brain stops working on the problem, and this gives the unconscious part of the brain a chance to work on it instead. If a problem requires “out of the box” thinking then you need to remove it temporarily from conscious awareness. By doing a different, unrelated activity, the brain is able to connect information in new ways via your unconscious mental processing.</p>
<h3>Spontaneous & Emotional</h3>
<p>“Epiphanies” — Spontaneous and emotional creativity comes from the amygdala. The amygdala is where basic emotions are processed. When the conscious brain and the prefrontal cortex are resting, then it is possible for spontaneous ideas and creations to emerge. This is the kind of creativity that you think of when you think about great artists and musicians. Often these kind of spontaneous and emotional creative moments are quite powerful, such as an epiphany, or a religious experience. There is not specific knowledge necessary (it’s not cognitive) for this type of creativity, but there is often skill (writing, artistic, musical) needed to create something from the spontaneous and emotional creative idea. </p>
<h3><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ef700d37fd9071c9f73af78986e232ead7685e98/original/o-creative-facebook.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h3>
<h3>Summary: </h3>
<p>Deliberate and cognitive creativity requires a high degree of knowledge and lots of time. <br>Deliberate and emotional creativity requires quiet time. <br>Spontaneous and cognitive creativity requires stopping work on the problem and getting away.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53536932018-07-19T14:35:32-04:002018-07-19T14:48:19-04:00Introducing the Summer 18 Freestyle Contestants<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="v641hoVJRQ4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/v641hoVJRQ4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v641hoVJRQ4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="516" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Our Summer 18 Freestyle Contest is officially underway! </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">The top 3 contestants have been highlighted in gold. The contestants are vying for their chance to WIN our <a contents="New Artiste Production Deal" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/274028" target="_blank">New Artiste Production Deal</a> and a spot on our dancehall juggling, the <a contents="Playstation&nbsp;riddim" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/track/1506198/playstation-riddim" target="_blank">Playstation riddim</a>, releasing this August. Distributed by <a contents="Hapilos 21st Digital" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hapilos21.com/" target="_blank">Hapilos 21st Digital</a>. A value of over $1000 US Dollars, FREE.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">You can check out the contestants <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/summer-18-contestants" target="_self">here</a>. </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52675372018-07-15T14:06:08-04:002018-09-15T18:24:03-04:00Savage releases Gypsy Whine <p style="text-align: center;"><br><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="uqGVPQTsB_o" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/uqGVPQTsB_o/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uqGVPQTsB_o?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>The “Culu Culu” deejay released another hot whining song called Gypsy Whine via his Vevo channel, the first single from his highly anticipated album produced by Savage Entertainment & Kingston Elite, will definitely keep the ladies gyrating all year long. </p>
<p>"Dancers look out for the "Gypsy Whine Challenge" coming to your social media platforms very soon". </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/65cb56b4b405a428ac77f6a677d72d607fb77aeb/original/30076633-200494740554135-5472297262958772224-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Savage aka Savo, born Simon Alex Daley had musical experiences at the juvenescent age of 11 years old and was a notable member of the choir at Hollivet Seventh Day Adventist Church which he attended with his Mom. A past student of the St. Andrew Technical High School, Savage aka Savo aspired to pursue a career as a Medical Doctor however music was to be his Deft and Mastery. </p>
<p>Savo became a member of Mavado’s Gully Squad in 2009 and met his role model, mentor and musical stalwart in the Dancehall arena Bounty Killer, a link made by (Recording Artiste) Flexx. His breakthrough came in October 2009 with the release of “Gully Christmas” a single by Mavado featuring Flexx and Savage on the Christmas Riddim produced by Stephen Di Genius of Big Ship Records. </p>
<p>In April 2011, Savage made the most pronounced move of his Career when he signed to Jah Snowcone Entertainment which is headed by Rohan Fuller, who is regarded as one of Jamaica’s most talented producers. Under Jah Snowcone’s guise and direction Savo infiltrated the Jamaican music scene with ‘Mi Nah’ on the Ital Stew Riddim, “Mi Nah” has been one of his biggest hit to date. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/357e716d78f7c471fa6fed18b2227abbe7ef996b/original/28436532-2026758180698128-1747715191669260288-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Savage with his varied styles and versatility as well as exceptional and prodigious writing skills has been making tremendous headways in the industry his positive energy and upbeat personality has poised him into becoming a formidable artiste, writer and performer. </p>
<p>And with his new works, with collaborations with Artistes such as Spragga Benz, Vegas, Beenie Man and Chris Martin, to name a few will see him catapulting his way onto every Reggae chart and into the hearts of reggae Music lovers. Since parting ways with Snowcone Entertainment, Savage has gone on to work with Chimney Records, DJ Frass, Big Ship, Don Corleon, So Unique Records and Kingston Elite. He has been working his way up the ladder since 2009 and, in 2015, released Culu Culu, a track which dominated the dancehall space that year. He followed up in 2016 with Clean Skin, Tip Pon Toe, Yes Mama and Jiggle Likkle. </p>
<p>In March 2018, Savo released ‘Whining Work’ and its accompanying video the artiste explained that the video takes inspiration from Lovindeer's Wild Gilbert video. </p>
<p>"The idea for the video was my idea and the director went along with it. The Gilbert storm did destroy a lot of people houses and left a lot of people devastated, and Lovindeer song and video did come and tell the whole thing like a story," he explained. " My story is not about devastation in the sense of people losing property ... but it's about a musical devastation because this song is going to be one people won't forget, just like Gilbert. It definitely a go create a storm." </p>
<p>However, unlike Gilbert, he anticipates the 'whining storm' "ago affect the whole Caribbean, USA, Europe, the whole world."</p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/06685911659d753678bb864d4dc077cbcbc1c74a/original/32361676-1727702840644408-5121556644290887680-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Savage is confident that his latest projects will follow his other videos <a contents="Culu Culu" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/40T6o7ztYzQ" target="_blank">Culu Culu</a>, <a contents="Jiggle Likkle" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/tgSI6njZHDM" target="_blank">Jiggle Likkle</a>, <a contents="Yes Mama" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/2X2arzFVh3M" target="_blank">Yes Mama</a>, <a contents="Whine Mama" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/qX0GoFsz6Z8" target="_blank">Whine Mama</a> and <a contents="Whining Work" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/2LrttX89phQ" target="_blank">Whining Work</a> which have amassed more than 11 million views collectively. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Music is sound but it's also about visuals. If your video complements your song in a new, exciting way it will be a hit. You have to give people something that will stay in their minds. I'm setting a platform for people who do not want to see the typical stuff, they want to be surprised and captivated."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53291572018-07-03T02:55:53-04:002018-07-15T20:44:55-04:00Kingston Elite Launches Summer 18 Freestyle Competition <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="qYPcRgwCID4" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/qYPcRgwCID4/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qYPcRgwCID4?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">New and aspiring artistes, get your lyrics and melodies ready for <span class="font_regular">our</span><span class="font_large"> Summer 18 Freestyle Competition</span>. New talent from all over Jamaica and the World will have the opportunity to <span class="font_large">WIN</span> our <a contents="New Artiste Production Deal" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/274028" target="_blank">New Artiste Production Deal</a> and a spot on our dancehall juggling, the <a contents="Playstation" data-link-label="" data-link-type="track" href="/track/1506198/playstation-riddim" target="_self">Playstation</a> riddim, releasing this August.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Distributed by <a contents="Hapilos 21st Digital" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://hapilos21.com/" target="_blank">Hapilos 21st Digital</a>. A value of over $1000 US Dollars,<span class="font_large"> FREE</span>. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Join our Summer 18 Freestyle Competition. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a contents="Sign Up Now !!!" data-link-label="Freestyle ?" data-link-type="page" href="/freestyle" target="_blank"><span class="font_large">Sign Up Now</span> <span class="font_large">!!!</span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53083552018-06-21T03:38:54-04:002019-01-05T13:58:42-05:00How To Promote Yourself As An Artist <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7242745e3c1443ba14642f0dbe5221f4685ebe2d/original/552194-1vkdyb1502701311.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Everyday, we have artists booking recording sessions, with excellent songs, outstanding lyrics, a lot of potential, yet they have no clue on what to do to hit the next level. Production and distributing is generally not the problem. If it is, I recommend you to take the time to actually make great songs and work on your craft before doing anything. By the way, it may seem crazy to say that but do you know how many artist say to me like: “How do I make money with my music?” </p>
<h3>Are You Self Branding? </h3>
<p>When we talk about "self branding" we are referring to establishing and promoting what you stand for. Your personal brand is the unique combination of skills and experiences that make you you. Effective self branding will differentiate you from other professionals in your field. In my opinion that is where 80% of the game is at: Self branding, to sum up, is the art of creating a brand that is based of your name, you as an artist. For example, Bob Marley is a brand. His foundation has self branded his name and is applying it to his own merchandise “House of Marley & Marley Natural”. </p>
<p>So it starts by the very principles of traditional business: </p>
<p><span class="font_regular">Do you have a catchy name? <br>Do you have a visual concept (logo)? <br>Did you identify your style properly?</span><strong><span class="font_regular"> </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font_regular"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/8a99855561b7624787d5b86725a1bb1dc2bff523/original/personal-brand.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></span></strong></p>
<h3><span class="font_regular">Are You Self Aware? </span></h3>
<p><span class="font_regular">Self awareness by </span>definition places more emphasis on the ability to monitor our inner world, our thoughts and emotions as they arise. In my view, it is important to recognise that self-awareness is not only about what we notice about ourselves but also how we notice and monitor our inner world. The non-judgmental quality is an essential component to self-awareness. As we notice what’s happening inside us, we acknowledge and accept them as the inevitable part of being human, rather than giving ourselves a hard time about it (hint: if you have ever said to yourself “I should/shouldn’t have done it”, then you know what I mean). </p>
<p>Furthermore, self-awareness goes beyond merely accumulating knowledge about ourselves. It is also about paying attention to our inner state with a beginner’s mind and an open heart. Our mind is extremely skilful at storing information about how we react to a certain event to form a blueprint of our emotional life.Being self aware is, in my opinion, a key ingredient to your recipe. Unfortunately, a lot of artist have zero self awareness. Self awareness is all about knowing your strengths and your weaknesses. Sort of like SWOT Analysis in a business and or personal context.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/cb375ba8294bb7673e15de9fb04bcb2e483316ef/original/4-facets-of-self-awareness-lead4-success-book-infographic-1024x538.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3>Discover New Opportunities, Manage and Eliminate Threats </h3>
<p>SWOT Analysis is a useful technique for understanding your Strengths and Weaknesses, and for identifying both the Opportunities open to you and the Threats you face. Used in a business context, it helps you to carve a sustainable niche in your market. Used in a personal context , it helps you to develop your career in a way that takes best advantage of your talents, abilities and opportunities. I keep on hammering this into my clients’ heads because it is a very simple exercise that often leads them to conceptualize their brand better and manage their career more effectively. A simple pen and paper and list what you are good at and what your not so good at. Are you good at composing songs? Great! Could you use some help writing lyrics? Learn how or team up on that point. You need to evaluate what would make you stand out because it is in your DNA. </p>
<h3> </h3>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/e4ad5348c74a73520d457d47e1f308eebb1edd12/original/brand-awareness.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3>Are You on the Right Social Media? </h3>
<p>I am astonished by the number of artists that stay in music groups on social media for feedback from other artist and don’t use any other platforms, to promote their music. There is nothing special in looking for the perfect song. Perfecting your craft endlessly is a waste of time. You need to go up there and start self branding on social media. All social media are relevant if you know how to tell a story on it. An image on Instagram will not work on Facebook. And a video on Youtube will not work on Instagram. A snap will not have the same effect on Twitter either. Every platform has its own way of telling a story. If we were to pick up one, I’d focus 100% on Instagram. The attention is crazy on Instagram, there are millions of people on it, whatever the niche, and the accessibility is perfect. </p>
<h3>Brand Awareness </h3>
<p>No matter the quality of your production, no matter how much you spend on advertising, and no matter how much you post to social media, your music isn’t likely to get very far if it doesn’t have a brand. Your brand packages up your artists name, logo, music, and video content into an experience for your audience and customers. It is an aspect of the entertainment business consumers have come to trust, placing artists ahead of the competion. </p>
<p>Yet simply having a brand is not enough. It’s important to be consistently building that brand and strengthening its associations in the minds of your target audience. Brand awareness is an ongoing effort for all artists major and independent. Brand awareness is essential because it helps artists stand out, build an audience more effectively, and generate more income. A higher levels of brand awareness typically equates to higher sales.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Here is a Quick Blueprint: </h3>
<ol> <li>Make a few songs and music videos. </li> <li>Put them on iTunes, Spotify, Youtube as many ditigal outlets as possible.</li> <li>Offer them to streamers, video makers and vlogers for free. Ask for a tag in the description in exchange</li> <li>Greet every follower you have with free “music” </li>
</ol>
<p>This will bring the maximum awareness possible to your music and brand. Don’t hesitate to collab with other artist and songwriters to build a stronger and more diverse fanbase. </p>
<p>Do you have other ideas? Have you tried things in the past that have worked particularly well? Please share by leaving a comment.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53073542018-06-20T17:50:00-04:002018-06-22T09:05:19-04:00How To Map Your Target Audience? <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/300850e51653acfe67618fc61965a9ee632f7166/original/map-your-target-audience-blog-1080x675-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" />When I was in college I earned straight As in music appreciation class. I was even a student tutor of music history, all the while I wondered why some artistes made it and some did not. </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>It’s simple</strong></span><strong>.</strong> Artistes are celebrated through out history because there is a market for their music. That means that at some point each significant artiste delivered a unique value proposition that served a target market or audience. </p>
<h2>How do you define a target audience for your music? </h2>
<p>We’ve cracked the code. You just need to follow a four-part formula by answering these questions. Is it easy to answer these questions? </p>
<p>No. It demands emotional intelligence and deep honesty, your soul’s truth. Is it worth it? Yes. It’s transforming. </p>
<p><strong>Why?</strong> What is your creative purpose? Why are you here? Hint. It’s not about your music. <br><strong>What?</strong> What problem do you believe is really worth solving? What are you doing about your why? Hint. It’s not about your music.<br><strong>How?</strong> How are you solving that problem? What is your unique value proposition? Unique value proposition is a clear statement that describes the benefit of your music, how you solve your customer's needs and more importantly what seperates you from the competition.<br><strong>Who</strong>? Who does your unique value proposition serve, who is your target audience? Who is not? </p>
<p> </p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>Successful artists know their creative purpose. </strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font_large"><strong>They know why they are here and what they are here to do. </strong></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Successful artists dedicate their lives to a mission, to a problem that is really worth solving. They are aiming so much higher than just making music. </p>
<p>How are these artists fulfilling their mission, solving that problem? By creating value above and beyond their music. </p>
<p>Here’s what they are not doing. They are not just making “music for music’s sake.” </p>
<p>Whatever that means. I’ve never really understood what making “music for music’s sake” meant or had much respect for the notion. </p>
<p>It sounds like a personal hobby. Not that there is anything wrong with a hobby. It’s just that no one’s going to pay you just to entertain yourself. Your music will only sell if it adds value to the marketplace. </p>
<p><span class="font_regular"><strong>Successful artists are also abundantly clear about who has the problem that they are solving, and who doesn’t. </strong></span></p>
<p>They know their tribe, they share the same culture, ceremonies, and values. Artists celebrate their tribe and their tribe celebrates them by buying their music, merchandise and attending their events. </p>
<p>You might be thinking. Great. That’s nice. I haven’t a clue what my creative purpose is. You can and you must learn. Bob Marley and Vybz Kartel provide us with excellent examples of artists with distinct target audiences.</p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts. </strong>How can an artist discover their target market? They must first discover themselves. What is your Why? What? How? And Who?</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/500e1c6ec83bb0a4b7950b21da4ac42c3e57c03b/original/incredible-design-ideas-photo-de-couverture-texte-citation-avec-lex-luthor-injustice-quote-fond-d-cran-illustration-monochrome-affiche-idees-et-jpg-con-image-pour-couverture-facebook-journal-swag-e-in-1024x.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/53071442018-06-20T16:03:40-04:002019-01-05T13:55:34-05:00Modern Marketing Essentials for Aspiring Artists <h2> </h2>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/167beb43076c0a60c4f5551cc109d9ed77d3f60f/original/omnichannel-customer-experience-feature.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_left border_" />The mobile age has only made the music production industry a much more promising land for music enthusiasts, with <a contents="IBISWorld’s&nbsp;Independent Label Music Production report&nbsp;" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.ibisworld.com/industry/default.aspx?indid=1251" target="_blank">IBISWorld’s Independent Label Music Production report </a>pointing to a monumental industry revenue of $456 million between 2008 and 2018. Unfortunately, not every music lover has what it takes to make it as an artist. As with the rest of the entertainment industry, music production is, by nature, a cutthroat endeavor. Only the most passionate, most talented, most clever and most willing to sacrifice are able to make it big. But if you do make a name for yourself, the payoff could be incredible, both in terms of finances and personal satisfaction. A successful launch is an absolute necessity, so make the appropriate music production investments and networking decisions before you venture into this competitive arena. </p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Invest In Quality Music Production </h3>
<p>While it’s true that the artists holds far more responsibility for delivering catchy tracks than the studio equipment, a poorly recorded song mixed with the wrong set of plugins will prevent an otherwise amazing single from reaching its true potential. Ideally, investing in quality music production from <a contents="Kingston Elite " data-link-label="Services" data-link-type="page" href="/services" target="_blank">Kingston Elite </a>will make your life as an artist less challenging— and will also dramatically improve the quality of your final product. </p>
<p><br><a contents="" data-link-label="Services" data-link-type="page" href="/services" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/40e90e6ff7a2e7a77cb4889e4126da39713e4dd3/original/c1zn57gfdb0-jonathan-velasquez-900x600.jpg/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsImxhcmdlIl1d.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>Be Consistent with your Release Schedule. </h3>
<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/322e97c453968b749de3c0e1529e49c0b55d3461/original/new-releases1.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>As the laws of physics suggest, you’ll see things before you hear them. That’s no different when it comes to listening to an album or a song, as more often than not, before you press play, the first thing that will catch your attention, is the accompanying <a contents="cover art" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.coverartexpress.com" target="_blank">cover art</a>. The artwork serves as a portal into what the listener can expect from an album or single, and even what kind of musician lies behind the creativity. Strong album covers make a statement, because after all, this imagery is an opportunity to make the right first impression.</p>
<h4>1. Release a video single </h4>
<p>With this approach, you would post your song first to YouTube, perhaps first as an album art track and then followed up later with an official music video (and then even later with live videos or lyric videos), and use YouTube cards to drive engagement. Be sure to link your fans via cards, end screens, annotations, or in the video description to a place where they can purchase the download. Video, of course, is one of the most sharable forms of online content, so if both the song and video are great, releasing the music this way can be a smart move </p>
<h4>2. Release a radio single </h4>
<p>Effective radio promotion can be pretty expensive nowadays, but if the song is right and the producer has a record of success, it might be worth the cost. When you release a radio single (think “hit song” usually between 2.5 — 4 minutes long), the idea is to create sustained exposure to the song over a short period of time. That’s what it takes to get a critical mass of people to take notice — repeated listens. Even if it’s a great song. </p>
<p>Is the radio route sounding like a fairytale? If so, concentrate on getting your single added to as many Spotify playlists as possible. The biggest indicator of a song’s success on Spotify is the number of times it’s been added to playlists on the platform. In some cases, a song placement on a prominent Spotify playlist can net you more listeners than a whole radio promotion campaign </p>
<h4>4. Release your single as the instant-gratification track on iTunes </h4>
<p>Did you know you can run an iTunes pre-sale for a month before your album comes out? One of the features of the pre-sale on iTunes is that they allow customers to download one track right away (and then they get the full album download on the day of release). So think about what song will be most enticing. The radio single? The street single? Something else? </p>
<h4>5. Release your new song on a compilation </h4>
<p>If the song only comes out on a compilation, I suppose it’s not technically a single — BUT it might be a smart way to put a new track to work for you. You’ll benefit from the song being featured alongside tunes by a bunch of other artists, and you can always use it again later on your own album. </p>
<h4>6. Release a remix </h4>
<p>Remixes let you breathe new life into a song whose energy might be waning, collaborate with artists who might work in another genre, and benefit from all the cross-promotion that ensues. </p>
<h4>7. Release a series of singles to build an album </h4>
<p>One practice that’s become common for an artist to set a release schedule, for instance: putting out one new song a month for a year, and then letting your fans decide what songs to include on the next album. This is a great strategy for staying motivated, stirring fan anticipation, and giving yourself multiple chances to connect with a new audience throughout the year. </p>
<p> </p>
<h3>Networking Is Fundamental <img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/af2cd1a434fd05e8c59a874a9dcb89f6de64d9b1/original/1-d0i5kc9n3apukfnmxg2rga.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_right border_" />
</h3>
<p>As in pretty much any entertainment-related line of work, the cliché “it’s not what you know, but who you know” definitely applies to being an artist. You can learn a lot by searching on Google, but it’s not until you get to hang out with the pros that you’ll really understand the ins and outs of this competitive industry. Much of the value in enrolling in a school for music production comes from your ability to connect with other producers, not to mention musicians with whom you can collaborate with musically and help perfect your respective crafts. </p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3>Market Yourself with a Professional Website </h3>
<p>LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all great additions to any music producer networking initiative, but in the end, a personal website will cement the vast majority of your professional leads. No producer, record label or agent will view you as a serious artist until you’ve shown off your skills through your own professional website. If creating a site is beyond your expertise, consider investing in assistance from a professional. Keep in mind that launching your personal website serves as only the first step in the never-ending process of internet marketing. Once your website’s up, you’ll need to keep it updated with your latest shows, contact details and other important developments. Experts also recommend keeping the site reflective of your target market. </p>
<p> </p>
<h3><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d481904c0d4f9f9f403587f50a810056f4760f08/original/images.png/!!/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_left border_" /></h3>
<h3>Target Markets </h3>
<p>An artist's target market is the group of people it targets with advertising. These people are the consumers who are most likely to like the artist’s music and products. Marketers use different variables when determining their target markets, including demographics, personal interests and the times in which consumers shop. Target markets can vary by size. But an artiste's target market generally must be large enough to earn a profit. </p>
<p><a contents="How To Map Your Target Audience?" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/news/blog/how-can-an-artist-define-a-target-market-for-their-music" target="_blank">How To Map Your Target Audience?</a> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52775102018-06-05T17:39:59-04:002020-10-12T05:53:34-04:00Mixing & Mastering: What it is, and Why it’s Important <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/8ec4e4dfd32045050cef7f139fe045328456331c/original/screenshot-2018-04-13-10-39-47.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>When I was a kid, I started playing keyboard, and along with playing keyboard inevitably came a love for music production. As an aspiring producer, I began devouring publications on playing keyboard and writing music, delving into interviews with famous artists who talked about their songwriting and recording process. One day I was watching an interview with Shaggy, who mentioned the name of the person who mixed his album. </p>
<p>Mixed? What did that mean, I wondered? So I asked the nearest person to me at the time, which happened to be my mom. “Mixing is when they take the recordings of each instrument and adjust the volumes to make the sound you hear in the recording,” she explained to me. </p>
<p>“Wait,” I asked, “you mean they record everything <em>separately</em>?” </p>
<p>This was my introduction to mixing, starting with the revelation that songs weren’t just recorded live in a studio by a whole band standing around a few microphones (at least not anymore–my mental picture of recording may have been shaped by years listening to reggae recordings which did involve much more “live” instrumentation). After all my years of listening to music, I had never known. With that revelation in mind, I knew from then on what “mixing” meant. Well, sort of. </p>
<p><strong><span class="font_large">There was much more to it than I thought </span></strong></p>
<p>For the next several years, I thought mixing was simply a search for the right volume levels. While that’s not completely untrue, it was still a very incomplete picture. It wasn’t until I started interacting directly with professional mix engineers that I finally began to fully understand how important–and complex–mixing really was. </p>
<p>I tell this story because I think it’s pretty common for musicians–and very common for non-musicians–to underestimate the power and importance of mixing and mastering in the world of music. It just so happens that it’s an aspect of recording that, when done right, most people don’t even notice. However, just because it’s an unsung hero of the recording process doesn’t mean it’s not extremely important. But to really understand how important it is, you need to know what it is in the first place. </p>
<p>Mixing is more than just adjusting the volume levels of individual instrument and vocal tracks. Of course, that is a big part of mixing, but it’s by no means the whole story. Mixing also involves: </p>
<h3><strong><span class="font_large">Panning </span></strong></h3>
<p>In addition to volume levels, mix engineers decide where in the stereo spectrum to place each instrument. Music is recorded and played back in a stereo field, meaning there are left and right speakers and sounds can be placed accordingly. It is imperative for all instruments to be panned to a proper place in order to get a clean mix. Not only does that help individual parts stand out and be heard clearly without infringing on another song element, but it allows for the mix to sound balanced between the left and right channels. </p>
<h3><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f942726e88f4436c32e805c4084a3751ed0c5b23/original/panman-pan-hopper.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></h3>
<h3> </h3>
<h3><span class="font_large"><strong>EQ </strong></span></h3>
<p>When you layer multiple instruments on top of each other, you start getting a “muddy” sound as they take up the same audio frequencies. A good mix engineer knows how to EQ highs, mids, lows, and everything in between so that a mix will sound “clean” and each instrument takes up only its intended place in the song. It takes a trained ear to recognize when certain frequencies should be cut or boosted for particular tracks. </p>
<p><br><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/834e4b195b899a509e3c49566de34435709ee263/original/fabfilter-pro-q-2-equalizer-plug-in-tutorial.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3><span class="font_large">Effects </span></h3>
<p>Musicians sometimes record with effects, but the vast majority of effects processing goes on during the mixing process. Things like compression, reverb, delay, and many other effects are chosen and tweaked by the mixing engineer, who helps make what might otherwise be a dull or lifeless recording into something full and lush. Engineers must have a slew of professional quality effects processors and plug-ins at their disposal to ensure a great mix. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/ed1164f509edcc8b02315058698a741883e40c0d/original/fig-1.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3><span class="font_large">Automation </span></h3>
<p>It would be nice if mixing was as simple as setting the volume faders in one place and letting the song finish, but unfortunately it’s a lot harder than that. Because different tracks need to be at the forefront of the song at different times–lead vocals here, guitar solo there, etc.–things like volume levels, panning, and effects need to be automated. Automation is what the mixing engineer does to program certain fades and pans into different parts of the song, so that each time it plays, that cool keyboard phrase in measure ten will come up to the exact same level every time the mix is played back. This can be a very specific and complicated process, so it’s best left in the hands of a professional! </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/0a77dc03f406641ccd0fc392c65e5cba91114d29/original/cropped.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<h3><span class="font_large">Mastering </span></h3>
<p>The process of mastering a song is becoming rapidly abused as home studios and YouTube musicians become more popular. Sometimes they create something that sounds great on computer speakers, but if it ever gets played through a home stereo, you might notice that it doesn't sound as polished. Mastering is the link between the pro audio industry and the hi-fi industry. The idea behind this is to take something that sounds good on professional grade studio monitors, and make it sound equally as good on a home system. Especially with the changing trends in the music industry, having your songs and album mastered can be the difference in getting noticed instead of getting brushed under the rug with other amateurs. The goal of mastering is to balance issues and enhance audio characteristics of your music - it's like putting the icing on the cake. This is the final step before your song or album goes to be distributed to consumers. Mastering takes time and precision to ensure that your tracks are consistent and properly compressed so all of them sound the same when they are playing back-to-back on an album. Equalized levels need to be even on each track before they can be compressed into audio files, or they won't sound consistent. <em>Can you imagine having to adjust the volume every time a new song starts to play? </em></p>
<p><em><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/59fdda34b1debd1f54a6d3f41e886a213adcc747/original/album-mastering-pro-tools-session-edit-window.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></em></p>
<p>No, we can't either. That is why having your music professionally mix and mastered is so important to the quality of your music. It is better for the listener's experience, which is who you want to impress! </p>
<p>We hope this post has shed some light on what may have been a slightly mysterious step of the recording process to many musicians. As you’ve probably gathered, mixing and mastering is an extremely crucial part of producing a great recording and should be done professionally for the sake of your song’s future, you know the importance of quality. <a contents="Order our Elite Mix &amp; Master package today to get our award-winning engineer to make your song sound top notch!" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://kingstonelite.com/product/268954" target="_blank">Order our Elite Mix & Master package today to get our award-winning engineer to make your song sound top notch and ready for all digital platforms! </a></p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/3ce21c7eb808c10f4694b68105f754c3a3d49613/original/176625546bae804926.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52675352018-06-04T10:09:12-04:002021-02-08T06:15:54-05:00Quanno : Intoxicated<p> </p>
<p>Quanno, a dynamic artist born in the heart of St. Ann Jamaica, Kevin Stephenson a product of the cool cool hills of Bamboo St. Ann. A parish that is the birth place of greats such as Robert Nesta Marley and Marcus Garvey who have made their mark worldwide; is now offering us a piece of his world by showing us his flare to hip hop, dancehall and R&B fusion of music. The artist and song writer now displays himself in his melodies, fashion and persona to embrace his love for music, from singing in church to singing and entertaining friends and family; Quanno is truly an artist you can say has music in his blood. </p>
<p>His debut single, ‘Intoxicated’ displays his talent from the chill, cool and genuine sound. His tone sets the pace for a slow jam with a Jamaican sexy swag, the sound that will not just be accepted nationwide but also internationally. The intoxicated singer, being one of few artist that fuse dancehall, hip hop and R&B music most definitely stands out therefore becoming one to keep an eye on; so tell me are you ready to dive in the trap - dancehall era the Quanno way?</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/34c3d38496bcfe0370770f31af937dadc0a46911/original/mg-7239-1.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Q. What does your name mean? </strong></p>
<p>A. My stage name came from a name my mother gave me as a child (Quwayne/ Quwayno). However my grandmother was the one that had the real impact when it comes on to my name, she thought that the name Quwayne was too complicated for her so she gave her own interpretation and started to call me Quaney; so I then combined both nomes being that those two strong women are responsible for the man I am today and the most important in my life. Quwayno + Quaney = Quanno. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Where did you grow up? </strong> </p>
<p>A. There were many different places that Impacted my growth, I migrated with my dad to England at the age of three and because of complications in regards to my dad with the law I had to move back to my home town Bamboo located in the garden parish of St. Ann, but it was my home town that played a significant part in my development. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What was your household like, growing up?</strong> </p>
<p>A. I grew up in an extended family household with my Great-Grandmother, Grandmother, Aunts and Cousins. There is no where like home. I am from a family where everyone in the family could do something weather it be acting, singing, poetry, dance or dub. In the evening after school I would rush home because I knew that there would be a gathering in the living room waiting for me to come start the entertainment, as I was that one who could was involved in anything because I was good at everything in the arts; we would make up songs and clear the living room of furniture just to have our “living room musical” as we name it. We would dance, sing make up skits just for the sake of fun,I had the best childhood and would not take back one day, one minute nor second. </p>
<p><strong>Q. How else did growing up in Jamaica shape you as an artist? </strong></p>
<p>A. I’m a perfectionist, as human beings we were born imperfect but I try to do everything to best of my ability. Jamaicans are naturally talented so the competition is very much evident in our music as you always see Jamaican artist clashing. I’m very competitive myself and enjoy being different and standing out. I’m very observant so I observe and take the best aspects from each artist and include it in my music, I don’t however loose my style or way of doing music what I do is intertwine different flows and styles of delivery helping me to become an artist one should pay close attention to. Therefore one of the biggest contributions Jamaica has offered to me is, it has helped me to improve my craft because of the constant reminder from the many talented musicians here; they show me that to be great u have to be able to contend with the best or be the best! So I work every day to improve my talent because no one is too polished for improvement. </p>
<p><strong>Q. When and how did you first become interested in music? </strong></p>
<p>A. My musical journey begun when I was just 5 years old, I was living in England and my Aunt was a dancer at the time and would make routines to perform them at her high school events, she would always use music videos for her inspiration to make her routines; there and then I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was always in my Aunt’s room watching the music videos, I knew the exact time she came from school each day and would be in her room even before she came. I became so fascinated with the melodies and artistry of different recording artist and would soon start creating melodies of my own. </p>
<p><strong>Q. When you were 5 what artiste did you want to be? </strong></p>
<p>A. I wanted to be anyone that was at the top of their game. At five I was more versed in music than any body else my age. I looked up to people like Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beenie Man, Brian McKnight, Usher; they were excellent and passionate about what they did and would go the extra mile to please and perform for their audience and that in so many ways is me. I cannot name one artist when I was five I wanted to be like because their were so many, there are so many other names that should have been called!!! </p>
<p><strong>Q. When did you start making music?</strong> </p>
<p>A. I started to write music from the age of 13 when I just start to high school however I started to record music when I was 16. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What are your musical influences? </strong></p>
<p>A. Music is my first love so it does not matter the type of music, I will listen so I would say my musical influences is good inspirational music and life events. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Does anyone in your family play music?</strong> </p>
<p>A. Growing up I was always surrounded by music; coming from a family of dancers, singers and musicians. My family on my dads side comprise of mostly dancers and musicians while on the other hand my family on my moms side was filled with singers. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Was it difficult to explain your career to your parents? </strong></p>
<p>A. I didn’t find it difficult because my parents saw from an early age what I was interested in, when I told them I wanted to take my music to the next level they supported me however my dad ensured that I had everything straight when it came to my education. He adviced me that I should do what I love but still don’t neglect my education. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What would be your dream event to perform at?</strong> </p>
<p>A. My dream event to perform at the Grammys as it is one of the biggest awards show in music. </p>
<p><strong>Q</strong>. What else do you like to do when your not making music? </p>
<p>A. When I’m not making music I like to dance, spend time with friends and loved ones and read. </p>
<p><strong>Q</strong>. If you didn't become an artiste what would you be doing right now? </p>
<p>A. If I didn’t choose the path I’m on now I would have chosen artist management. </p>
<p><strong>Q</strong>. Do you feel like you have something to prove? </p>
<p>A. I think this answer for me would be a yes! I want to show the world that Jamaicans rule the world; we are so talented and creative we need to start seeing more Jamaican acts on the main stage, collecting awards and breaking barriers. We have had a lot of good achievements yes but I want to be an artist that is consistent in achieving and breaking barriers. The world already knows that Jamaica a the real music capital, were most artist run to for inspiration on a lot of occasions but we need to be on that main stage internationally, performing and not just a featured act in a performance. </p>
<p><strong>Q</strong>. In terms of your development as a person—as a human being—what has been going on with you over the last couple of years, as you gain fans and attention? </p>
<p>A. Over the years I have dedicated my life to be the best artist I can be, always working on my craft, always working out the next move I should take. As a developing artist going mainstream has always been my goal so what I’ve done over the years is take the time out the find my sound; something I feel is real important because all artist have someone who has inspire them in some way or the other and that is good but I think sometimes persons can get a little caught up in trying to sound like someone else and loose their authenticity. Everyone is unique in their own way and should strive to be better at being themselves than try to be an imitation. Every artist that I know and look up to has been inspired by someone but the attribute I admire in all of them is that they are uniquely themselves! So I spent my time over the years finding my voice, and writing music. </p>
<p><strong>Q</strong>. Do you feel we’re living through a pivotal moment in Jamaican music right now? </p>
<p>A. Yes I do feel like we are living through a pivotal time in Jamaican music because doors are being opened for Jamaican artist like never before, doors were always opened yes but it is evident in today’s media were we see more Jamaican artist reaching for greatness and making moves. More over our artist are starting to realizing that there is a whole world out there waiting for us to show them our greatness, henceforth becoming very popular to see Jamaican artist lifting barriers, making moves, and trying to be the best they can be. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/7506ecfd49d999ba0f10f08f3de36a5a6a1e306b/original/mg-7263.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Q. If you could date any other artiste or celebrity who would it be and why?</strong></p>
<p>A. I would have to choose Shenseea because she knows what she wants and is moving towards that each and every day. I also like the fact that she is consistent and is an amazing mother. You can’t deny her talent because at the end of the day many or talent but few make moves. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What are your immediate music career goals? (Next 1 to 3 years.) </strong></p>
<p>A. In the next three years my album should be the number album all around the world. Quanno is going to be an household name. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What are your long-term career goals? </strong></p>
<p>A. I most definitely want to be someone to contend with in the music industry, I also want to start my own label and management company. </p>
<p><strong>Q. How would you define the word “success”? </strong></p>
<p>A. Success for me is becoming the best I can be. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Are you looking for an independent label deal or a major label deal? (Why?) </strong></p>
<p>A. With social media and the world we are living in today u can dominate without being signed to a label but I think one should strive to be signed at the beginning of their career seeing that the label has certain resources to ensure your music reaches a wider audience and what is a musician without listeners/fan base. I however also think that as an artist you should not strive to be with a label for the rest of your career I think one should use that time to learn and make good relationships. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Do you have a favorite musical project that you've worked on? </strong></p>
<p>A. My favorite musical project is my first single released this is because it has taught me so much and I have used my disappointments and downfalls to become a better artist. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What can we expect from you in 2018? </strong></p>
<p>A. You can expect from Quanno for the rest of this year a lot of new and exciting music and music videos. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Do you have advice for young people who want to become artiste? </strong></p>
<p>A. My advice to young people wanting to become artist? I would have to advice them to take constructive criticism, I think all artist should surround themselves with a team that will stay true to the dream, will be honest and one should also establish a support system because independent recording artist can become frustrated because of the exhaustion of money. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?</strong></p>
<p>A. I have never really gotten into any big trouble. The most trouble I got into however is in high school when someone way older than me tried to bully me and trust me I beat the life out of him and I was held by the police and could have been locked up for days but the officer saw that I was going out of my way to avoid the confrontation but he kept on coming at me so I stood up for myself. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What are the five things you can’t live without? </strong></p>
<p>I definitely can’t live without music, food, my family, </p>
<p><strong>Q. In a perfect world, what do you want to be able to say that you’ve accomplished when it’s all said and done?</strong></p>
<p>A. I want to say I lived, I lived my dreams, I want people to look at me and be inspired. I want people to respect the name “Quanno” </p>
<p><strong>Q. A lot of distractions come with celebrity. What’s your plan for staying focused?</strong></p>
<p>A. Yes there is a lot of pressure when the spot light is on you however the thing that will keep me grounded is the fact that I don’t like to see people unhappy, I find joy in someone else’s smile, I’m truly a caring and loyal person; I’m also not a person that likes to be surrounded by drama I like a positive atmosphere filled with good music, family and friends, So basically my conscience will keep me grounded. </p>
<p><strong>Q. How did you begin to make the song? Why did you write that song? Is title of this song is based on a real event? Tell us about it. What does the title mean to you? </strong></p>
<p>A. Intoxicated was a song I wrote when I was in college. At that time the relationship I was in was going south and I took to the spirits to take things off my mind, I can also thoroughly recall saying to myself “I’m drinking to damn much” and from there it was history I wrote intoxicated. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Have you always been interested in processing life through music and art? </strong></p>
<p>A. Yes for me music should be real. My listeners should be able to feel the energy of my music when it is played. I want them to feel exactly what I feel. It can also be good by helping others who is going through similar situations, I try to put my life in my music, I like my music to be relateble to others Furthermore it’s good when people see that they are not alone in living, and that everyone at some point in living has to deal with life and the different obstacles life throws you. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Your song is about a relationship. Do you think of yourself as a relationship philosopher? Who are the people you want to reach with your art? </strong></p>
<p>A. Yes I am a relationship philosopher because many times we think relationships are suppose to be perfect. What I want people to look at is the problems that come along with the territory many feel as if a relationship should be perfect, well that is not a view I share. I want to show people it is ok to be in a relationship and disagree, it’s how you work it out that will determine who stays and goes. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What’s your songwriting process like? What do you want your own music to inform people about? </strong></p>
<p>A. As soon as I hear a track my brain starts writing, sometimes even unknowingly, my music talks about relationships, life, love, family and fun. I get inspired through life events so I travel with my music book everyday. </p>
<p><strong>Q. How has the feedback been from your fans so far? I have been getting good reviews. </strong></p>
<p>Everyone so far has been reacting in a positive way. I have seen where my song started to play and persons where asking who the artist is and go straight to downloading. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Is there a music video for your song as yet? </strong></p>
<p>A. No but you can listen to the track free on YouTube.</p>
<p><strong>Q. What makes this genre of music "good" to you?</strong></p>
<p>A. It is important to me because art is a creative expression by an artist whether it be painting, dancing, or music. I believe that music should be true and should be an extension of the artist. I however see this music as “good to me” because I use real life situations for my writing hence will help others to see that they are not the only ones going through the motion picture called life, and sometimes that is all someone needs. </p>
<p><strong>Q. Which artiste(s) would you like to collaborate with in the future ? </strong></p>
<p>Here are just a few of the people I would like to collaborate with; Kranium, Kartel, Agent Sasco, Beenie Man, Shenseea, Spice, Chris Brown, John legend, Konshens, Wiz Kid, Tiwa Savage, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj, Jay Z, Junior gong. There is a lot more but let me leave at that for now. </p>
<p><strong>Q. What do you find distinctive about a Kingston Elite production?</strong> </p>
<p>A. I’m glad I got the chance to be apart of the Kingston Elite family; I have learnt so much about life and music. Kingston Elite is no longer a place that I go to record it feels more like home now. Kingston Elite is for me one of the best studios in Jamaica because they don’t only produce they also teach, I have grown so much as an artist and it’s all because of everything Kingston Elite contributed to my music without even realizing.</p>
<p><strong>Q. What other producers, songwriters and/or artists do you see as your primary inspirations?</strong> </p>
<p>A. I respect Russian and his journey. I respect that he is really talented and he took his talent outside of Jamaica so the world can get a taste of his greatness. I respect his growth and his hunger for success </p>
<p><strong>Q. How do we get in contact with you regarding bookings? </strong></p>
<p>You can contact me via Instagram @quanno_music </p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="g7vuKZdny-c" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/g7vuKZdny-c/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g7vuKZdny-c?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52679332018-05-31T13:52:44-04:002018-06-03T15:29:53-04:00Mink Jo : JP St Mary’s new brand ambassador<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/d1da6f0924b98abc6e2ad05bfc3b5ead5e8357dc/original/34065844-10155650366812709-7441790083163750400-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>"<a contents="No Friend Zone" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/HfYgB2ZCrOA" target="_blank">No Friend Zone</a>" singer Mink Jo is now the newest brand ambassador for household brand JP St Mary’s! At the brand’s Pack Refresh Launch on last Wednesday, Mink Jo graced the stage to officially launch the brand’s 'Think Fresh, Think JP St Mary’s' campaign jingle. </p>
<p>“I’ve loved JP St Mary’s banana chips since I was a child. So I am very honoured to be representing their brand. A healthy lifestyle is very important to me, and the fact that JP St Mary’s is gluten free with no preservatives makes them the perfect choice,” said Mink Jo. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/52bafd38df966e9b678d33e136d0011093390cc5/original/mink-jo-dancehall-reggae.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Surrounded by JP St Mary’s supporters and foodies, the new packaging for all JP St Mary’s snacks was revealed, along with opportunities to sample them alone or incorporated in an exciting dish. This diverse lineage includes banana chips, plantain chips, breadfruit chips and cassava chips, in a wide range of flavours and sizes. </p>
<p>"When we conceptualised the 'Think Fresh, Think JP St. Mary's' campaign for our package refresh, we wanted a brand ambassador who was young, fresh, and just had the right energy. We wanted someone who was on the cusp of stardom and could resonate with our consumers," said Tara Goulbourne, commercial manager, JP Tropical Foods. </p>
<p>"When we met and spoke with Mink Jo, we immediately knew she was the right fit for our brand. Then, when we heard the jingle she wrote, it sealed the deal. Mink Jo is a bright, rising star and with JP St Mary's being a global brand, we thought it was a perfect fit."</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjpstmarystropicalfoods%2Fvideos%2F10155602417097709%2F&show_text=0&width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="560"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52573172018-05-25T14:18:36-04:002019-08-23T09:41:12-04:00Jah Vinci releases Satidra <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/c6c28d2c66ed6ec34475b32f202095b41f5c3b8b/original/30087689-163361594360546-2225379807695208448-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Ambitious, smart and knows how to treat a lady. Concepts this young and talented Jamaican, Andre Rhoden aka Jah Vinci knows all too well. Unique, powerful, riveting, are just a few ways to describe his latest release dubbed Satidra. The OCM Ceo has an amazing gift of capturing the beautiful exotic island rhythms and cultural music of Jamaica. His velvet sounds will undoubtedly withstand the wear and tear of the brutal sands of time that has ravaged so many artiste. The song is about an assertive, kind and warm hearted woman who is family oriented and driven by success. It was written by Paul Novak and recorded at Kingston Elite Studios.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Andre chose the stage name Jah Vinci because it was reflective of his divine gift of song and his creative genius that reveals itself in his lyrics. Jah Vinci was born in August Town, Kingston, Jamaica. He grew up in a musical family of six. Music was always a part of his life as both parents were singers. Jah Vinci grew up in church and it was here that his talent was discovered. He used the church as his training ground for writing songs and performing at large church events. Jah Vinci’s life was touched by tragedy when he lost a brother to a violent crime in 2005. He has used this tragedy as motivation to creating a better life for him and his family through his music. </p>
<p><iframe height="853" src="https://smarturl.it/jahvinci-satidra" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p>For many years Andre struggled to launch his music career, with no success and then met Adija Palmer aka Vybz Kartel, one of Jamaica's most prolific artiste, who invested in his talent and provided the financial support he needed to launch his career. Jah Vinci's hits include: "<a contents="Watch You Friends" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/oogn0vMGaFc" target="_blank">Watch You Friends</a>", "<a contents="In My Life" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/ihCpgSxI8S8" target="_blank">In My Life</a>", "<a contents="Mama Love" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/-VCxhBIfxZI" style="" target="_blank">Mama Love</a>" and "<a contents="Remedy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/PiHTYk5ZAHA" style="" target="_blank">Remedy</a>". He has also collaborated with several artists and top producers. Despite launching a successful career Jah Vinci wasn’t satisfied with the direction his career was taking. He wanted to make music that not only made his fans feel good but positively inspire, uplift and motivate them. He therefore, separated himself from the World Boss and Gaza Empire and went on to start his own brand, Out Clear Movements (OCM). He has since embarked on being an ambassador for positive change within the inner cities of Jamaica and by extension the entire world by way of his music. Vinci has also been nominated for multiple awards within the Reggae and Dancehall genres.</p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/32f3c480d6fa619ac206f95e2fd15dcec93e3725/original/30855921-619479571733695-8115135792902307840-n.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>In March, he released a new collaboration with former Gaza member Popcaan the "Unruly boss" titled "<a contents="Steamy" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/pPjxy8QlaPE" target="_blank">Steamy</a>" has been growing in popularity since its release. The single, which signalled a reunion of sorts between both entertainers, has amassed over two million views on YouTube to date returning Jah to the forefront of dancehall music. Currently, he has a brand new and vibrant management team. He also works with a number of young artists as he intends to give others the opportunity that he was given. Jah Vinci is very pleased with the direction in which his life is going and is of the view that he is really living his dream.</p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52361202018-05-15T17:37:32-04:002019-08-23T09:44:39-04:00Lincoln 3Dot : Cranks Up with Powaful<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/3c13b3ceaec40f4ba4f69da1c65f459ce7fece7a/original/lincoln3dot.jpeg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Lincoln 3Dot, who is known for his charismatic personality and razor sharp lyrics, grew up in August Town, Kingston. He migrated to New York a decade ago, his musical style is influenced by dancehall, hip hop and trap music. </p>
<p>"Mi basically a change mi style and flow cause me is somebody weh about lyrics and mi used to lack melody, so now mi a focus more pan melody but still weave in some lyrics inna it cause melody a sell now," he said. <strong><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/67e0d95d53ca4f844fb2dd19ee16606c1b09f7d2/original/lincoln.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The “<a contents="Crank Up" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://youtu.be/8zw4K0hdsuo" target="_blank">Crank Up</a>" singer has amassed a sizable social media following due to his online-released singles. Lincoln has garnered more than 30,000 followers on his Instagram account, where he often posts music updates, live videos and photos detailing his personal life. </p>
<p>The “Every Gyal Man” slogan, along with his image and his charming personality is definitely a hit with ladies. <br>“The female audience is my audience, the ladies them love me. I always have to extend love to my ladies because they are my biggest support. Lincoln love uno!!!” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/1746469a0d2e6df810982c3fc357b9022be9eea5/original/lincoln-2.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>3Dot has released a potent product available on his website. <a contents=" Powaful Sex Pills" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.powaful.com" target="_self">Powaful Sex Pills</a>, "The people dem love it!! 100% natural his and hers herbal capsules, will enhance your bedroom experience if it is good right now, it will be great after and if it is excellent be prepared for it to be explosive, you want listen the theme song "Crank Up" featuring Pops 3Dot produced by <strong>Kingston Elit</strong>e and music video captured by <strong>300</strong>”,said the Legend.</p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/crankup" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<center> </center>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52357822018-05-15T15:33:39-04:002020-07-07T07:53:24-04:00Raddy Rich: Dancer now Artist<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/52b92fbb30a641fe5a3919e9b483b812d2a891c8/original/rrich0942.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Extremely talented, award winner Dancer Raddy Rich, releases his debut single entitled “Bounce” produced by Kingston Elite and Soo Rich Productions. The track explores a new age dancehall sound paired with a new dance move created by the King of the Dancehall star himself. “The song is extremely catchy and the riddim is just bursting with creativity, I am just very happy with how the final product turned out," Nuff respect to Kurt d Flurt and Cover Art Express, he explained. Currently on tour in Europe, Raddy is creating quite a stir, preparing for a busy summer season. "I can’t start to explain how much this trip means to me. I’m taking dancing and Jamaican culture to the world”, his self-titled dance move has his private classes bouncing euphorically. “There vibe is amazing and the way they embrace our culture is unbelievable" The Soo Rich Production’s CEO continues to write and record various songs, and is currently in studio, working on shaping his sound. Look out for the single and music video dropping this Summer.</p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/raddyrich-bounce" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52352882018-05-15T11:09:49-04:002018-05-15T18:26:42-04:00Jah Vinci drops Whine Up Yuh Body <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/98ec66b0a17d3bf080da7ced9fe7916caadb6e0c/original/jahvinci20150209c.jpg/!!/b:W10=.jpg" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Multi-talented recording artiste Jah Vinci is promoting a new single called 'Whine Up Yuh Body'. </p>
<p>"The song is for the dancers' dem, the dancehall queens," Jah Vinci shared. This high-energy single was produced by Kingston Elite and was released in January. </p>
<p>"Whine Up Yuh Bodyhas been getting a lot of attention, from Uptown Mondays to All Star Thursdays, not to mention the videos on social media. </p>
<p>"The feedback is great!" Jah Vinci said. "The love I have been receiving for this single has extended far beyond Jamaica; my overseas fans have been reaching out to me and has been giving me a lot of positive vibe." </p>
<p>Jah Vinci is currently working on his EP, for which a name has not been decided on as yet. The EP is produced under a French label Flash Hit Records, and is set for release late this year. </p>
<p>He will also be releasing his new mix CD, titled The New Catalogue, at the end of this month. The CD is hosted by Triple-Threat Sound and should showcase some of Jah Vinci latest songs. </p>
<p>"I am very pleased with all the work that is being put in and appreciate the feedback from fans so far. I just want to thank them for always encouraging me to keep up the good work and keep putting out good tunes," said the artiste.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="ufetUEkPTrM" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/ufetUEkPTrM/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ufetUEkPTrM?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52352652018-05-15T10:47:00-04:002018-05-15T11:11:54-04:00Jah Vinci working on Satidra<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/99d83980056391c98cf62e257c2c2674f730e5a9/original/screen-shot-2018-05-15-at-10-10-04-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Behind The Scenes with Jamaican Recording Artist Jah Vinci working on his new single, "Satidra". LuLu Beatz, from Portland, OR, will be adding vocals for the duet version as well as recording her solo version of "Satidra" in English, Spanish and Italian.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="8lCVLd_72mI" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/8lCVLd_72mI/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8lCVLd_72mI?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52351522018-05-15T09:29:06-04:002018-05-15T10:07:18-04:00Tony Matterhorn Premier Tommy Lee Sparta "Dead Bwoy Jahmiel" LIVE<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/f75c30e18aa5107deade785837e97ce6f3ab2c03/original/screen-shot-2018-05-15-at-8-11-58-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>Tony Matterhorn Premier Kingston Elites Tommy Lee Sparta "Dead Bwoy Jahmiel" on his Instagram LIVE.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="Z2BqbnbFyoE" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z2BqbnbFyoE/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z2BqbnbFyoE?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52336152018-05-14T14:52:23-04:002019-08-23T09:46:17-04:00Tommy Lee Sparta - Dead Bwoy Jahmiel <p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/b251ac57375b35e89c6be2424cfbca0c3f18b154/original/tommy-in-studio-2000.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p><strong>Tommy Lee Sparta</strong> is back at it again in his latest diss track entitled “Dead Bwoy Jahmiel” which is in direct response to <strong>Jahmiel </strong>and <strong>Tru Ambassador's</strong> single released last week Friday. </p>
<p>The beef between Tommy Lee Sparta and the <strong>MVP</strong> clique has roared its way back into the dancehall spotlight. Last year <strong>Alkaline</strong> took a few jabs at the former Gaza deejay and now Jahmiel has taken on the feud head on. Both Tommy Lee and Jahmiel have released two diss songs each. The Sparta deejay "Bait" and "Dismiss", meanwhile, the Patriot "Blue Face" and "Dead Bwoy Leroy". Today the Guzu Music boss has up the ante once again with a brand new war song called “Dead Bwoy Jahmiel.” </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/24b9d4d6374de70f7055997f9519eca216235830/original/tommy-x-kurt-2000.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>The gritty single is produced by<strong> Kingston Elite</strong> and features Uncle Demon explicitly detailing his plans for his three dancehall adversaries. Of course, he means musically and not literally... “catch the dread bwoy dem locks pon fire,” Tommy Lee deejay. </p>
<p>Some personalities in dancehall such as Foota Hype has been calling on Jahmiel to leave the war alone but we’re told by sources close to him that he has no intentions of backing down and believes that he is winning so far and is more than capable enough to come out on top.</p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/deadbwoy-jahmiel" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p> </p>Kingston Elitetag:kingstonelite.com,2005:Post/52335162018-05-14T14:28:28-04:002022-07-29T10:44:57-04:00KuRt d fLuRt : Drama Free & Single<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/256335/c40f0fdbdd08d93daad5a3b1be4288a030d5f1c0/original/screen-shot-2018-05-15-at-10-30-26-am.png/!!/b:W10=.png" class="size_l justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>As a musician, singer, songwriter, producer, and teacher, Kurt turns his frustrations with his ex-girlfriend and social media into a Afrocentric song entitled Drama. </p>
<p>On a weekday night at Kingston Elite, Kurt caps off a recording session with a well known dancehall artiste. After a few minutes of unwinding, listening to some music on YouTube, he quickly hops back in the lab, turns on the keyboard and starts laying down an infectious drum and bass pattern sprinkled with some authentic West African percussion. Next Kurt attacked the melody line, piano and guitar phrases to compliment, voila 30 minutes later he's in the booth tracking his lead vocals. </p>
<p>Drama speaks to Kurt’s desire to make noise that is practical, addressing how technology has compounded the issues of jealousy, insecurity and infidelity. </p>
<p>Born in the small town of Mahoney, St. Andrew, Kurt grew up around gospel music; he played the keyboard at church. He later joined Mystikal Revolution who's debut album Divide & Rule featured artistes like Queen Ifrica, Sizzla, and Tarrus Riley. When playing keyboard wasn't cutting it, he sought out other avenues, music production was the next step. </p>
<p><iframe height="1400" src="https://smarturl.it/kurtdflurtdrama" width="853"></iframe></p>
<p>Q. When and how did you first become interested in music? </p>
<p>Kurt: I became interested in music at an early age. I grew up in a musically inclined family and I started to play the piano at the age of 8. </p>
<p>Q. How long have you been playing music? </p>
<p>Kurt: 20 years. </p>
<p>Q. What are your musical influences? </p>
<p>Kurt: Kanye West and Vybz Kartel </p>
<p>Q. Does anyone in your family play music? </p>
<p>Kurt: Yes. My younger brother plays the drum set, my uncle plays the guitar and I have a cousin who plays the keyboard too. </p>
<p>Q. What kinds of times and places have you played music in your life? </p>
<p>Kurt: I have only done solo performance since I've been a recording artiste. I performed at a Curry Festival here in Jamaica last year. </p>
<p>Q. What else do you do besides play music? </p>
<p>Kurt: I enjoy sight seeing and attending parties. </p>
<p>Q. Why did you write or decide to play that song? </p>
<p>Kurt: I wrote Drama based off the realities of life and relationships. I was at the studio and the song just came to me. I built the beat then voiced it right away. </p>
<p>Q. What do you think that song is about? </p>
<p>Kurt:The song is about me cant dealing with the drama that some girls come with when they get caught up in their feelings. </p>
<p>Q. What is the feedback from the listeners so far? </p>
<p>Kurt: Well, the feedback has been great so far. There are fans that have told me they have the song on repeat and they find it therapeutic. </p>
<p>Q. Is there a music video for your single Drama as yet? </p>
<p>Kurt: Not as yet. A video is definitely in the pipeline though. </p>
<p>Q. What is special about that song? </p>
<p>Kurt: The fact that alot of people can relate to it makes it special to me. </p>
<p>Q. Do you have a favorite musical project that you've worked on? </p>
<p>Kurt: I honestly love all my productions equally. However I leave it to the fans and the music community to decide what they like. </p>
<p>Q. What can we expect from you in 2018? </p>
<p>Kurt: I'm currently working on my EP and I'll be releasing it in a few months time. Apart from that, we here at Kingston Elite will be dropping songs left, right and centre from different artistes such as Tommy Lee Sparta, Jah Vinci, Dexta Daps, Laden just to name a few...</p>Kingston Elite