Build content first, package second.

“2face isn’t famous just because he is just ‘humble’ and his name is ‘innocent’. He is famous because he has proven to be an ace musician. He is an ace musician because he is hardworking, consistent and persistent. He is constantly working on improving his music, especially his content and delivery”

Seeking fame before building your music content is like putting the cart before the horse. And with this kind of arrangement, there is no progress. The horse will pull the cart backwards. Your early search for fame will pull your career backwards. So, learn to put first things first.

Fame will find you…..

…but first you need to understand that you are in the entertainment business. You are into music so as to entertain or at least you are giving your gift of –singing, rapping- to people. Hence you are giving first, and if they like what they hear and see, they’ll pay you attention. It’s not magic – it’s reciprocity.

You can try to force your way to the forefront with aggressive publicity but you might probably not last long because your offering does not hold water.

You have to pay attention to details especially in your days of small beginning when you are not much known. You’ve got to have something to offer. Something different and unique or something better than what existing music acts are currently offering.

As an upcoming act, you should really care about your sound, your music, before any other. You should always be thinking and working on ways to make better music, how to serve it to your fans, and how to communicate YOU (your image).

If you must publicize, it has to be something that corresponds with the growth of your career. It must flow with the plan on ground. You don’t have to be on every kind of ‘show’ trying to make yourself visible especially when you don’t have your music out there. Of course, except you are at this place hustling for sponsors that will help push your career forward and not for the VIP section trying hard to rub shoulders with readymade celebs.
Build Content First

Ask:

What’ new? What’s hot? How can I make what’s hot, hotter?

Listen to your tracks. Would you dance to your songs if you weren’t the one who did them? Would you buy them?

What’s your message?

What’s your sound?

Ask: What do I want to be known for?

Try to find a producer you are comfortable with and work with him/her. And if you have your music ready, do all you can afford to get your music out there. Make it available to the music loving public.
Package Second

Package is like what clothing does for the body-the body being YOU and your music. YOU as a music brand have to come in a wrapper- in an attractive wrapper that will get to your target listeners if you have identified yours. You can be deliberate about your packaging or you could just work on being presentable and acceptable. Note that the Nigerian music industry is becoming more sophisticated than ever so you had better start planning how you want to present ‘you’ to the general public. Packaging isn’t just about how you look but also about how you present YOU and your music.

Package is second because just like you need to wrap the wrapper round a gift, you need to package your gift of ‘new music’ to us.

 

For those upcoming acts who are always striving to be around celebrities especially just to feel among or to be recognized by them. You need to answer these questions:

Are you in the music business just to tag along celebs?
Who would buy your music? Follow you on twitter? Celebs or fans?

You should be gathering fans and not celebrity friends just yet. You should be building ‘you’ a fanbase. You know what? Celebs will appreciate you more when they see or hear about your works- your good music. They’ll ask of you, come for you and want you to hang out with them. They would even do music with you.

So set your priorities right.

If you were more business like, you should even have it at the back of your mind that they are your competitors. Your aim is to get to the top. Your being at the top might have to mean taking the spot of an existing music celeb who isn’t serving it anymore (like we’ve never seen that happen). So stop tagging unnecessarily the poor celebs that are on the internet to push their music too. Stop following them around in the club or at shows with your demo CDs (of course, unless he is recruiting) later to claim he /she stole your song/lyric/line or whatever.

Lastly, don’t forget that your music can put your name on every lip. Your music could start ‘you’ fame. Meanwhile, your consistent and excellent delivery could make it a lasting one.

You, just know what you are doing.

You will succeed.

Cheers,
Esther.

Esther Fabunmi is the head of Entertainment Ideaz ( an entertainment social enterprise), and bank manager of Talentz Bank (www.talentzbank..com), a music business resource and networking platform dedicated to help entertainers ‘turn from talent to cash’. Facebook/Talentz Bank, Twitter: @talentzbank. talentzbank@yahoo.com.


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