(Advice and practical steps on doing music full time and gaining sustainable income)
Apart from making money from shows or from music streaming royalties, If you want to survive in the music industry as singer or rapper you need to acquire a skill in the music industry to be able to stay in the industry.
A lot of upcoming artists and independent artists only know how to sing or rap which is not fetching money these days unless you are a well established artist.
Some upcoming artists/independent artists think it is only through shows or sales/royalties from digital music platforms that they can make money.
The music industry has evolved so must you as an upcoming artist or independent artist.
If you're passionate about doing music and using the music to sustain yourself, feed yourself and run your life then you need to acquire one or two important and key skills in the music industry that automatically generates money, whether the music sells or not.
The skills that you need to acquire alongside your singing and rapping career to make money as a musician are:
1. Beat Making And Selling of Beats Or Learn Music Production On A Whole.
You can start with FL Studio(beat making and music production software)
Just imagine the money you've been paying to studio engineers. What about becoming a music producer yourself and producing yourself and other upcoming artists and using the money you earn to invest in your singing or rapping career
2. Graphic Design/Music Cover Art Design
This skill is also an essential skill to the backbone of the music industry. You can't release a song without a cover art. The quicker you start learning this skill needed to design cover arts the better your chances of surviving and sustaining yourself in the music industry.
4. Online Music Journalism.
Online music journalism popularly known as music blogging or digital music promotion.
It can be blogging about artists and their music, music news and music marketing and promotion.
You better start that music hype blog now if you have good writing skills and good promotion skills.
6. Learn Music Video Making.
A lot of upcoming artists need music videos for their music. You can make tons of money if you know music video directing and editing. You can leverage on this skill and make money. You can enrol in a media school or learn this skill online.
Music video is a significant to the thriving of the music industry. Knowing how to direct and edit music videos is a plus to making money in the music industry.
8. Artist Management/Record Label
A lot of upcoming artists need management. If you've been in the industry for a long time and has a lot of experience in the music scene you can start a small record label or artist management entity. Make sure to sign only dope artists and artist will talent and lot of potential.
You can use Audiomack and SoundCloud to scout artists or visit local music events to spot artists that will be fit for your label.
9. Use Your Popularity As A Musician To Start A Merch Business.
You can start a t-shirt merchandise or cap or hoodies merchandise business by capitalizing on your popularity as a musician. Use that popularity to promote and sell your merchandise.
It just like starting a clothing brand for your music brand. You can use print on demand services online. You only print the merchandise when someone makes an order.
You market and sell the merchandise on your online store, social media page or at your music shows or local clothing stores.
10. Bonus Advice:
You can also become music event organiser or promoter. You can start by organizing music shows or talent shows and make money from sponsors or ticket sales.
There you have it. To be able to do music and linger in the industry you need the skills I've mentioned and talked about. They are practical ways of earning realistic and sustainable money as an upcoming artist who is looking forward to doing music business full time as shows money and music streaming royalties don't come everyday and are not consistent.
Written by:
The Manager (RapBoysDistro)
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