TIPS FOR POTENTIAL NAIJA MUSIC STARS

Firstly, I would like to state here that the term “upcoming artiste” is somehow degrading to young acts who hustle day and night to put out good music, with little or no resources and hype. Sometimes these young acts even put out better materials than the A list artistes out now. The only difference between them and the A list artistes out now is the fame and the recognition. So I would like to address them as “potential star artistes”
Below are some basic and vital tips for potential stars who aspire to make it big in the Music industry.

It should be noted that they are my own personal views/opinions; they shouldn’t be taken as facts or otherwise.

1. As a potential hit maker, your name matters a lot. Before picking a stage name, endeavour to check around the existing “Already made” artistes, so that you don’t end up picking an already existing stage name. Make sure your stage name means something intelligent, especially if it’s not a shortened version of your real names.

2. Learn and master at least one music instrument, it makes you understand the basics of music.

3. As a potential music star in Nigeria, we all know times are hard. . Learning how to produce will go a very long way in your career, so u can save more money from paying producers who ironically are upstarts like you.

4. Social media is a very important tool to your success, but unfortunately many of the potential stars don’t know how to utilize the medium to its fullest. when you register on any social media, be sure that your username is strictly your “STAGE NAME” and also, make sure your bio explains who you are, what you do, what kind of music you do and most especially a LINK TO YOUR MUSIC. Any potential artiste who doesn’t do that is unserious to me and doesn’t take his/her career serious. As a potential artiste, your bio shouldn’t be reading stuffs like “team follow back, team arsenal, team big boobs, team bla bla bla” . . Leave all that for kids who are online to have fun. You are online for business!

Also make sure you make friends with people that matter online, don’t go about following people who will not add anything to your career. Follow bloggers, follow producers, follow critics, follow bigger artistes (Famzing is allowed). Follow dj’s, follow OAP’s . . just make sure You are in contact with people who are music inclined. Forget about the girls for now, when you blow, they will beg you with everything to be friends with you.
As a potential superstar, criticising already made artistes to the point where u get noticed and picked as someone who hates is bad for your career. Always try as much as possible to pick out the good in them and talk about it, till u get noticed.

Learn to put your songs online via your twitter or facebook accounts, that’s the major reason why you signed up for them. Let your friends listen and broadcast. And learn to take to corrections from listeners. Na naija we dey, no be everybody be objective listener so don’t be discouraged by some negative comments. We get hate for our blood as Nigerians naturally.
As a potential music star, you really have no business planning for an album yet. Focus on a mixtape or something, Drop your stuff on popular hit instrumentals of the moment, and make sure you drop your best on them. People tend to listen more to remixes of already made hits, than songs with new beats. It is your content that will get you record labes.
Participate in online competitions by bigger artistes/producers or blogs. You never can tell e fit be there your luck go shine and people go sabi you.

Nothing stops you from having your own personal blog or reverb page. Post your songs there, post lyrics, short interviews, pictures etc. and spread them on the internet.

5. Getting your songs posted on entertainment sites.
Many at times I just shake my head when I get some mails from potential stars, they often lack professionalism. Never you; send a mail with your stage name, you don’t have to wait till you get signed, before you have a label name. Form a label of your own, just for the name. Get an e-mail address with the name of the label and make sure all mails from you to any promotional entertainment site is VIA that e-mail address.
A standard e-mail to a site MUST have the following. . .
• A graphic art for the content u want posted on the site
• A short Bio about yourself
• An attached Mp3 format of your song, or a link to DL the song
• And an appreciation in advance for the posting.
When your contents get posted, always endeavour to say thanks. That’s the least you can do to show appreciation.

Don’t kill yourself on a particular site; spread your songs to all entertainment blogs you have access to. The more the merrier.
Never you send an average song to any site, always send out your best. Na wetin people hear na em dem go use take judge you. And we all know say Naija fans no too dey give second chance, we’re very impatient.

6. Your musical content.
Your content as a potential star tends to be scrutinised more by the public, especially for rappers. In as much as the average naija fan wants to dance and party, they also want something new, fresh and real from you guys.

Who says you can’t do a party song that has good content? It all balls down to the skill and talent of the artiste. Don’t just go into a booth and sing crap on a good beat and expect to blow. Try and make sense!

Once in a while, drop conscious songs. . Songs that would make listeners think about life, songs that make people go “this is so so true”. Sing about the ills of the society, sing about love, just make sure it’s a conscious topic. No be everytime we go dey ginger ginger, we av to take it slow sometimes. The standard of music has increased, you either meet up or be left out.

As for rappers, no be everything be punchline punchline o, Puchlines with no story line, leaves the listener with nothing to remember your song for. Always try to tell a story!

7. On air promo
Before you pay that dj that will not play you’re your song on radio, have you thought of other means to get your songs on the streets?

• Burn your songs on CD’s, give to people you know that have cars, give to bar owners in your neighbourhood, give to Dj’s at your local parties, give to Dj’s at clubs etc.
• I am of the opinion that money cannot sell a bad song; a good song will sell itself. E fit take time o, but one day hustle go pay!
• As per videos, if u re sure that it will get played on Tv, go ahead and lobby with whoever you can.

8. I think that’s all I can remember for now, am sure it will go a long way in helping out. It should be noted that God is the koko of everything, never you leave him out of your hustle.

Tosinadeda
2012