Learn to build your own stage for your music!
Today I want to encourage you to stop looking so far ahead that you don’t make good use of what you have today. What do I mean? Let me tell you a story.
I have a friend who is a singer but he isn’t the greatest singer you ever heard but he isn’t the worst. He spends long days and nights searching for venues to gig at, contests to enter in, groups he can connect with and be the lead in, and also makes his far-fetched dream more of a reality than what his reality is. Now you may think that this like most of us but in reality we have to become progressive and not just look for one gig to replace another, or search for another opening when we already have one. The point I am trying to make is THINK PROGRESSIVELY!
By thinking progressively you will begin to look at life, your career, your music as an staircase, but most of the decisions we make are like a hall way. See a hallway as many doors or opportunities but they are all on the SAME LEVEL, a staircase will take you to your destinations and goals but it causes you to be progressive.
I have come to the conclusion that we all should create our own platform. BUILD YOUR OWN STAGE! I watched a video the other day and it was a music producer having a conversation with a A&R rep. The A&R Rep said that they don’t even consider signing you if you do not already have a “following,” meaning a stage for yourself. If you do not that have the material (albums, mixtapes, singles, beats etc..), the social network following, or a name for yourself then they wouldn’t consider looking at you.
Now let pause for a second because this doesn’t mean that this still couldn’t be you, lets just focus on building the stage for ourselves first.
Ryan Leslie went independent and now makes more money right now then he ever would if he had signed with a label. He created his own stage by making youtube videos and showing the process of hime in the studio. Bill Gates built a stage for himself by offering computers at time when nobody new what a computer was. That was just one music example and one world-changing example of two people who took the time to build their own stage and made a great career by doing so.
My call-to action is THIS WEEK work on your engagement with everyone on your social networks. Take time to practice your craft whether its singing, rapping, producing, cleaning, whatever it is. Think of yourself as a brand or a company. Learn who your audience is and keep them involved with everything you do day to day. BUILD YOUR STAGE SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND YOU…..DON’T FIND THE PEOPLE.