INDIE INDEPENDENT

Not every female artist is cut out to be independent or as I refer to them: Indie Independent. Which means you are beholding to no one except yourself and your music.  I believe in today's Music World 2.0, Indie Independent is THE route for 90+% of all artist.  But, before you decide Indie Independent is for you, ask and answer these questions extremely honestly:

1. Have you done everything you can to be as good as possible?
2. Can you trade dreams of being a star for the reality of making a living from your music?
3. Are you willing to bend with suggestions from others?
4. How much time are you willing to devote to your music, including touring?
5. Can you commit you life to your career and to no one else, except God?
6. Can you be a Team Builder?
7. Will you commit to doing everything yourself (in the beginning), and not assuming someone else will do things for you?
8. Will you accept and commit to your True Blue Fans, knowing without them, you are nothing in terms of becoming a successful live music/recording/touring artist?

The most important thing you can do for your music career is to hone your craft.  Be the absolute best you can be each day....tomorrow be better than you were today and today be better than you were yesterday.  Don't waste your valuable time on anything that doesn't improve your craft and where you want to go.  

Play LIVE at every opportunity, even if it means playing for tips and merchandise sales only.  If you can't cut it live, success may not be in your future. 

One of the most important things for an artist to become, in addition to having a great voice and great songs, is to become a great communicator.  Can you, with comfort, look at your audience and make them feel 'special'.  It takes practice and spontaneity to make your fans feel they are connected not only to your music, but, to you as well.  Never be in such a hurry as to leave your fans wanting to be part of your career.  

If your songs cause fans to sing along, dance, or for the very personal songs, that causes them to 'stop' in their tracks and listen, then, you are most likely on your way. 

STARTING A FIRE

The story begins online, just like it used to begin in clubs.  Sure, you need music.  But that's just the kindling to start a fire online.

Have you ever built a fire?  If you load up the big logs first, it doesn't take.  You've got to start with very small twigs.  You've got to nurture the flame, blowing air on it or gently using bellows.  Then you lay on increasingly large pieces, not getting to logs until you're just shy of a conflagration.  That's how you build careers today.

1. Focus on the music.  You need at most four songs.  Any more and you confuse the audience.  Less is okay, but you want to encourage a story, you don't want to appear a one hit wonder.

2. As you gain traction, you put out more music.  You don't worry about selling the original music to everybody on the planet, at this point you only focus on your core.

3. You make the music available.  Don't try to monetize it at first, that just slows down the process of building your career.  People can hear it streamed online, and they can download it and trade it.

4. Interact online, and don't talk down to your fans.  Don't tell them you're the next big star.  Hip-hop bluster is passe.  Be thrilled that they're interested in you and your music.  Tell them everything they want to know, and more.  Put up pictures of your girl or boyfriend.  Tell them what you do every day.  If you've got a family, don't hide it, reveal it.  Your goal is to humanize yourself.  Artifice is so seventies.  The Net community is about sussing out the truth.  Give them the truth and your honesty will endear you to them.

5. Don't ask your fans to spread the word.  Don't ask them to be street-teamers.  Don't have a street team!  If they like your music and you treat them well, they will spread the word just like a kid tells his mother about his new best friend.   They won't be able to hold back.  There's no money in it for the fan.  So let him retain his dignity.  Let him believe he's your best friend.

6. Don't alert the mainstream media.  That comes last.  Once you've built something, once you've got a story.  Kind of like Dispatch playing Madison Square Garden.  If your story is not interesting to those who don't care, don't tell it or sell it.  Like I said, I'm not interested in vampire books, but the phenomenon intrigued me.

This is ass-backwards to the way it's been.  In recent scenarios, music has come last.  It's been about image.  It's been about marketing.  So there's no traction, no connection with the consumer/fan.  With looks being everything, "artists" have become models.  Pretty faces with no depth.  And you wonder why the "Hills" stars are more famous than most musicians...  Because musicians don't have that something extra, the music that sets them apart!

You're building a fan club.  You don't want to let everyone in, you don't want everyone to come.  When the nerds are partying, they don't want the athletes crashing, with their beer and belligerence.  You're building a community of nerds.  Nerds will build your band.  If you're not interested in nerds, you'd better be Christina Aguilera, with a big voice and Top Forty airplay.  Nerds need music to get by.  They don't have enough of a social life.  Their life is online.  Nerds come first, then the popular kids, then the general public.  You want people with plenty of time, to sit online and spread the word.  Kids who know the ins and outs of the Web.  This is your audience.  Don't play to the last row, don't play to people who don't care.  Chances are you're a nerd too, if you'd only admit it to yourself...  You're playing music because you have trouble talking, meeting the opposite sex.  Your online nerd-base wants to embrace you...  LET THEM!

And if you're good, the casual user will find out about you and your music in the long run.  Because mainstream media NEEDS a story, and you will have one.  But since the publicity does not come overnight...  Since you drove across the country, stopping in shopping malls and bars before you rocketed to the moon, your original fans will not abandon you, because they've invested time, they've got knowledge no casual fan can have.  They're bonded, they're dedicated.  They will keep you alive after your mainstream fame has dried up.  But they won't stay with you if you switch allegiance, to all those people the nerds decry, in quick order.

But it all comes down to creating something people like.  And what people like most is not slick, not glossy, over-produced songs written by guns-for-hire, but straight from the heart original numbers.  You don't have to create a new genre.  But you do have to be good.  Pick up on a tried and true genre and give it your own twist.  A brother and sister can be the new Carpenters.  Scruffy kids can be the new Beatles.  Don't reinvent the wheel unless you have that ability.  

Clive Davis is right in one regard, you've got to have your hit.  A hit is something that is irresistible, not a track that is driven to the top of the chart by big company money.  Create your hit, and you'll get a fan base.  But, from there, know that you're the leader of the gang.  But the gang is more like a Boy Scout troop or a group of Brownies.  But, Boy Scouts and Brownies desire to break through into adulthood.  You're going to help them, by giving them the tools to show the rest of the world that not only do they matter, they're aligned with the best stuff out there, and they've been dedicated from the very beginning!

Everybody Doesn't Have To Like You

 

Yes, rejection sucks, but it's all part of the music process. The process of becoming a good or great artist/entertainer.  Or, worse case, part of the reality of knowing you don't have a future as a self supporting artist/entertainer.  Maybe you were meant to be a great writer, producer, road manager, etc.

Becoming a successful INDIE ARTIST entails so many areas, even having a 'little luck' along your journey.  Success, in this blog, is defined as earning a living that pays all your bills without having to work a second job. Yes, music success is a real business that must have your attention 24/7.  I know many artist who believe music success is nothing more than being able to play, sing, and entertain people and fans regardless of income earned for total support. 

Rejection impacts artist in many different ways.  Everything from anger, to hate, to depression, to developing a very thick skin, that propels most to work harder each day to gain more acceptance and fan support.  Which means less negative emotional attitude.  Learning to handle all the downs is but part of this process to reach the next higher level of your music career.  All valleys have hills, sometimes mountains; all valleys change directions many times.  A music career is a job, albeit a demanding and difficult one. But it can become a fulfilling and fun one provided artist remained focused on continuous incremental daily improvements.  Most all artist start with high expectations only to find the road is not always paved and straight.  Realizing all the family and Opry support was great, but, not extremely relevant in the real world of music.  Rather, it more like pushing a heavy rock up to the mountain's top, before you can push it over to a more successful career.  It's been labeled: PAYING YOUR DUES!  In sales and marketing I call rejection a positive opportunity to develop and overcome adversities.  Rejection must be allowed to roll off your shoulders, thereby, making you stronger, more determined, while keeping you moving forward.

Reviews that don't show you the love you expected are nothing more than learning experiences.  I can assure you there will be many more to come.  An artist grows and matures once they realize this is nothing more than a part of the music process.  Today's critics can become tomorrow's biggest supporters or are dismissed by your fans and friends as totally non-credible because their opinions are just that....Their Opinions. 

But, if the criticism is constructive, get over your bruised ego and make changes you think will work.  Most of all, remember you are in the early part of your career and are after fans that support you.  Those True Blue Fans will generate more positive support than any critic or disgruntle fan. Plus, you are looking for the first 100; then the first 1,000; then the first 5,000; then the first 10,000 fans, etc.  If you must have an ego (most all artist and musicians do) try to develop an ego-free filter that processes only what is relevant while disregarding all the other garbage. 

Make an "ANGER" file that will become your best listener with no criticism.  Put one on your laptop or make one where you write with 'bottom' line clarity what you are really feeling....put these writings in your "ANGER" file and move on.  This way you can move forward without the possibility of someone your trusted spreading rumors.  You may even want to name the file: OPPORTUNITIES.  Who knows, somewhere down the road you may write a great song from your ANGER/OPPORTUNITY file.  Great songs do tell stories about real people's real feelings/experiences.

Rejections or being turned down are all part of the music business and part of life.  If you believe in God, as I hope all artist do, mostly likely being rejected or turn down was not part of HIS plan for you.  God always has a "HIGHER CALLING" for all of us...have faith in HIM to lead you in the right direction. He loves you and will never lead you down the wrong path.  No one can ever take away from you what HE has for you.  Sometimes not getting what you wanted, will save you from larger disappointments.  Continue to work harder towards moving forward while pushing that rock up the proverbial mountain.  Make personal time for yourself and look up....today the mountain top is closer than it was yesterday and have faith it will be closer tomorrow.  Thank God for all your successes along this journey and ask HIM to continue with his daily guidance.

Final thought.....It's impossible to please everyone....so be like a duck that repels water regardless of how hard it's raining.  You belief in your music will become the energy to discover those that feel the same. 

---KleerStreem Entertainment
    Female Artist Development

CMA Voting Process

If you're like me, you probably wonder sometimes where the CMA gets its nominees. Many times your favorite artists aren't nominated, and it can be very frustrating to hear that once again they've been left off the list.

I've written the procedures the CMA Membership goes through in order to create the list of nominees, and then how the winners are chosen each year.

Who are the CMA Members?
The CMA membership consists of over 6,000 music industry professionals from 43 countries around the world. CMA membership is available to anyone working in the Country Music industry. There are many categories of membership for anyone from behind-the-scenes engineers to front-of-the-camera artists.

The CMA Award winners are voted on by industry professionals of the Country Music Association. Thus, the winners are chosen by their peers. The CMA staff doesn't participate in the voting process.

Eligibility period:
Using 2004 as an example, the eligibility period runs from July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2004. Singles, albums, music videos, and qualifying products for the vocal event must have been first released during the eligibility period. The election is conducted in three rounds.

Round 1:
In the first ballot, the CMA members may nominate one act in each category. Any eligible act receiving a minimum of 10 or more eligible votes will become an official nominee, and will then be submitted to the entire CMA membership for the voting on in the second ballot.

Round 2:
On the second ballot, the CMA members must vote for five nominees in each category. These results are then tabulated and the five nominees in each category receiving the most votes will become the CMA finalists, and move on to the third ballot.

Round 3:
On the third ballot, the entire CMA membership then votes for one nominee in each category to determine the winners. The entire balloting process is conducted and certified by the international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. The final results are broadcast on the CMA Awards show telecast in November each year.

I've listed below the criteria which must be met to be eligible for each category of CMA Award.

Entertainer of the Year:

This award is for the act displaying the greatest competence in all aspects of the entertainment field. Voter should give consideration not only to recorded performance, but also to the in-person performance, staging, public acceptance, attitude, leadership, and overall contribution to the Country Music image. Award to artist.

Male Vocalist of the Year:

This award is based on individual musical performance on records or in person. Award to artist.

Female Vocalist of the Year:

This award is based on individual musical performance on records or in person. Award to artist.

Vocal Group of the Year:

A group is defined as an act, composed of three (3) or more people, all of whom normally perform together and none of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This award is based on the musical performance of the group as a unit, either on records or in person. Award to group.

Vocal Duo of the Year:

A duo is defined as an act composed of two people, both of whom normally perform together and neither of whom is known primarily as an individual performing artist. This award is based on the musical performance of the duo as a unit, either on records or in person. Award to duo.

Album of the Year:

This award is for an album as a whole unit. The album should be judged on all aspects including, but not limited to, artist's performance, musical background, engineering, packaging, design, art, layout, and liner notes. At least 60% of the product in the album must have been first mastered or released domestically during the eligibility period. Award to artist and producer(s).

Song of the Year:

This award is for the songwriter(s). Any Country Music song with original words and music is eligible based upon the song's Country singles chart activity during the eligibility period. Award to songwriter(s) and primary publisher(s).

Single of the Year:

This award is for single records only. The single must have been released domestically for the first time during the eligibility period. Tracks from albums are not eligible unless released as a single during the eligibility period. Award to artist and producer(s).

Vocal Event of the Year:

An event is defined as a collaboration of two or more people either or all of whom are known primarily as individual artists. They must have performed together, as a unit, on a musical recording released domestically within the eligibility period with each artist prominently featured and duly authorized to receive billing on the event. Award to each artist.

Musician of the Year:

This award is for a musician known primarily as an instrumental performer. In order to qualify, a musician must have played on at least one album or single which has appeared in the top ten of the County album or singles charts from BILLBOARD, THE GAVIN REPORT or RADIO & RECORDS during the eligibility period. Award to musician.

Horizon Award:

This award is to the artist, whether individual or a group of two or more, who has for the first time demonstrated in the field of Country Music the most significant creative growth and development in overall chart and sales activity, live performance professionalism, and critical media recognition. Any artist is ineligible for nomination who has previously won a CMA Award (except Song Of The Year, Vocal Event of the Year and Video of the Year) or who has twice been a final nominee for the Horizon Award. Award to artist.

Music Video of the Year:

This award is for an original music video not more than ten (10) minutes in length featuring the performance of not more than one (1) song or medley. The video must have been first released domestically for exhibition or broadcast during the eligibility period. The video should be judged on all audio and video elements including, but not limited to, the artist's performance, video concept and production. Award to artist and director.