Common challenge independent musicians face
‘It would be a big mistake to go into the music industry assuming that you know everything’ - Zingo Lingo.
The music industry like any other industry also has setbacks, breaking into the mainstream is a mission on its own and the most vulnerable musicians are those without record deals or the finances to back their career.
The common challenges that artists echoed include airplay, equipment, lack of information and finances but despite the challenges the grind continues.
Over the years the industry has mainly favoured artists that are signed to big record labels with the potential to push artists to the mainstream but in recent years it saw a rise of independent artists gaining traction on the internet.
Soweto Urban News reporter spoke to various local upcoming artists that seek to make a leaving from their talents.
Record producer and hip Hop artist Zingo Lingo shared his experience since he started music eight years ago.
He said the main challenge in the early days of his career had been capital to finance his career as everything requires money in the ‘game’.
He said he did not go to his matric dance but rather used the money to invest in equipment and later got a job to upgrade the studio, he added.
The most painful thing as an artist when you are starting out is that you may love music, write songs and make beats the problem is first equipment and it requires money and it gets to a point where you have to get a job.
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“It becomes a challenge as well when you get a permanent or temporary job because the time spent at work could be used to improve your music and that is why we take long to reach where we are going,” he continued.
“For example as an independent artist, sometimes you have to meet with people like producers, PR or sound engineers and have a physical interaction with them, for you to reach all those people on time you need money and at times you only have money to get you to only one person,” said Zingo.
Hip hop artist M PaQ shared the same sentiment, he said funds are a huge challenge, as a result, he focuses on networking and building working relationships that will benefit both parties. M PaQ added that promoters do not respect upcoming artists.
“I’ve been doing free shows to promote myself and my brand and yeah I had challenges with promoters they do not respect our time and our brands even if they inconvenience you they act as if it notion,” said M PaQ.
Artist manager GeeStar Naninina said the problem with most artists is that they become ignorant they think success comes easy because they just see the final product they do not know the hustle and sweat behind.
“It would be a big mistake to go into the music industry assuming that you know everything, you need to connect and create a network because you need to accumulate as much information as you can,” he continued.
“I hear people say it is not about what you know it is about who you know but sometimes what you know can make you know somebody so you don’t have to be ignorant and some people are lazy to work and do research,” he added.
Geestar concluded by emphasising that money is very important because everything needs money when it comes to music, from the marketing strategies, studio time, registering the music, networking and mobility because you need to attend shows and interviews.
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