Tips and guildlines for up and coming artists

The internet creates tons of new opportunities
for upcoming artists. Becoming famous was
never easier and more feasible than these
days. Even well-known label bosses claim
that there’s no need for a record label to
make it in this game. But there’s also a
downside to this: Every kid with internet can
record songs and publish them online. The
internet is literally being flooded with new
music every day. And the consumers and
fans out there are getting overwhelmed big
time. It’s self-evident that standing out
becomes more and more important. In this
article I’m going to show you 5 tips on how to
stand out as an Upcoming artist and set
yourself apart from the mediocre masses.
1) Quality IS King
Quality is probably the most important aspect
of your music. Most upcoming artists have
no idea of quality: Their rhymes are crappy,
their beats production sucks and their
overall music just doesn’t sound
professional. The easiest way to stand out
and make a serious impression is to step up
and handle your audio quality. Get yourself a
studio with a decent condenser microphone,
a better sound card and find someone who
will mix and master your songs at least semi-
professionally. If you sound professional,
people will think you are professional. This
single step will put you ahead of most other
upcoming artists in this game.
2) Create Your Personal Brand
Think about one item, symbol or idea that fits
your identity as a musician. Then implement
it into every aspect of your music and
appearance. This will help you stand out and
create a personal brand. For example: Think
of the Motherland crooner, Lagbaja and his
distinct traditional attire mask. That was his
brand. Get creative and present yourself in a
compelling, authentic way. I don’t mean you
should get crazy in the name of Branding
yourself. The simplest way to do this is by
getting yourself a professional logo.
3) Make Yourself Official
No matter how underground and unknown
you are, to really stand out you have to look
official. Make sure to get that official look of
the pros. If you look like a pro your listeners
will assume that you are a pro. It’s as simple
as that. Here are some tips on how to get a
more professional look: Contact a good
graphic designer and get a neat, authentic
and customized logo. Make sure to get an
official domain (www.yourartistname.com)
and find a professional web designer to set
up a customized, official website for you.
Always use the same logo, pictures, name,
domain and format in all your internet
appearances. If you post YouTube videos,
make sure to use the same or a similar
format for titles and descriptions every time.
This will create a corporate identity and give
you an official look. Get a good promotional
body to potray your talent for you.
4) Hop On A Track With A Well-Known Artist
Getting on a track with a well-known artist
makes you stand out like crazy. Most self-
proclaimed upcoming artists will never do
that: They are simply too afraid, don’t believe
that it’s impossible and last but not least
they don’t know how it’s done. This is a huge
opportunity for you. Nothing will boost your
credibility more than a collaboration with a
medium well-known artist. There’s no doubt
that this is one of the best ways to stand out.
5) Be All Over The Place
If someone googles your name and all that
pops up is your Facebook or Twitter profile,
that’s pretty lame. Unfortunately that’s the
reality for most hobby artists. As soon as
you’re aware of this you’ll see new
opportunities to stand out. You should be all
over the internet. If someone googles your
name your official website should pop up,
your Myspace profile, your Facebook fanpage,
some YouTube videos, various pictures and
ideally some of your Musics, interviews and
news articles on blogs.
This subcommunicates that your music is
good and serves you with a lot of social
proof. You can’t get your songs on sites and
blogs? Get a A&R, Publicist, PR etc. You
should be ready to compensate a lil. Go and
implement at least one of these tips right
now. Before I forget it: Another great way to
stand out is to get better beats. If you’re
really serious about making it in this game
and standing out as an artist, I strongly
recommend that you get some real high
quality beats. Most upcoming artists just use
free beats for their songs. Don’t make that
mistake…Get a Good Producer and a skilled
Sound Engineer.