Category: Uncategorized

Transform Your Melodic Love Into a Lucrative Occupation

Image via Freepik

The thrill of turning a lifelong passion for music into a lucrative career can be both invigorating and intimidating. Yet, specific pivotal elements deserve attention to seamlessly transition from an enthusiast to a full-time musician. This article, courtesy of New Lease Music serves as a comprehensive guide to facilitate this metamorphosis, covering essential steps that every aspiring musician should consider.

Begin With Measured Strides

While the enthusiasm to dive headfirst into a music career is understandable, it’s more beneficial to approach this transition thoughtfully. Assess your strengths and weaknesses, and gain an understanding of the particular market that aligns with your style of music. Knowing your place in the musical landscape enables you to proceed with confidence and purpose.

Devise a Purpose-Driven Strategy

Having a coherent strategy tailored to your musical endeavors is indispensable. This involves detailing your artistic ambitions, recognizing your ideal listeners, planning your musical projects, and strategizing your live shows. A well-crafted strategy not only adds structure to your passion but also aids in sidestepping potential pitfalls.

Prioritize Your Creative Space

Having a space dedicated to your musical work is not a luxury but a necessity. This is where your artistic prowess comes alive! Determine how much space you need. You might get away with setting up shop in the corner of your living room, but if you need to add an outbuilding or other space to your home, you’ll need to get a survey before doing any work.

Equip your workspace with essential tools and, if circumstances allow, invest in soundproofing. The focus should be on delivering music of exceptional quality, and a properly arranged creative space is conducive to that.

Orchestrate an Impactful Marketing Approach

The music itself, while crucial, is only part of the equation. How it reaches the ears of potential fans is equally important.

Define who your audience is, conceptualize how you wish to be perceived, and diversify your promotional activities. Utilize social media and online platforms judiciously to engage with your audience and broaden your reach.

Cultivate a Dynamic Digital Footprint

An effective online presence transcends a mere collection of social media profiles. Consider establishing a polished website to showcase your music, upcoming gigs, and other relevant content.

Regular interaction with your fan base and consistent updates about your musical journey will enrich your online presence and draw more followers. Additionally, a well-curated online platform can serve as a central hub where media, event organizers, and potential collaborators can easily access your portfolio and contact you, opening doors to invaluable opportunities along the way.

Achieve Financial Equilibrium

Translating your musical passion into a business demands an acute understanding of financial requirements. Assess what you’ll need to invest in creation, promotion, and live shows.

Also, examine various income channels like performances, digital royalties, and merchandising. Thoughtful financial planning will ensure the viability and longevity of your career.

Maintain an Artistic and Professional Symbiosis

The coexistence of artistic integrity and business savvy is perhaps one of the most complex facets of a music career. Managing a harmonious relationship between the two requires disciplined time management and setting clear boundaries.

Dedicate time to both the creative and administrative sides to ensure neither is compromised. Instituting this balanced approach not only enriches your art but also fortifies the underlying structure that supports your career, making resilience and growth achievable goals.

Wrapping Up

The journey of transitioning a heartfelt hobby into a rewarding musical career may be intricate, but it is far from insurmountable. You can set the stage for a successful and fulfilling career in music by approaching the transition cautiously, crafting a strategic plan, focusing on your creative workspace, establishing a compelling online profile, and incorporating the other strategies above. The road may be long, but a meticulous and passionate approach is your most reliable companion on this fulfilling journey.

If you enjoyed this article, you can find more music-centric content on NewLeaseMusic.com!

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Success as a Creative: Tips for Becoming Known in Your Niche

Image via Pexels

Making it as an artist or creative in the modern world can seem daunting. Let’s be honest, it can feel impossible! With so many people creating and sharing their work, how can you possibly stand out? While there’s no magic formula for success, there are plenty of tried-and-true methods for getting yourself and your work discovered. Today, New Lease Music shares some of the most effective ways to build an artistic career in today’s competitive landscape!

Online Presence Matters

The Internet has revolutionised how creatives share their work. Having an online presence is crucial when it comes to getting discovered, and that includes social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, streaming services such as SoundCloud and Spotify, and everything in between. You’ll also need to set up a website or blog that showcases your work and helps you connect with potential customers or fans.

Networking Is Key

In addition to maintaining an online presence, networking is essential for getting noticed in the creative world. Start reaching out to other creators in your field who have already achieved success, and ask them for honest advice and feedback on your work. Also, attend local events where you can network with potential collaborators or clients; you never know who might be interested in what you have to offer.

Collaborations Are Your Friend

Collaborating with other artists on projects or combining forces on larger works allows both parties involved to benefit from increased visibility and exposure. That includes people from each other’s fan base and new audiences! As a bonus, these projects often involve mutual inspiration, leading to even more creative ideas down the line!

You Need a Legal Structure

If you have a creative passion that you would like to turn into a business, you’ll need to spend some time researching the different business structures available. Each one has its own pros and cons, so you’ll need to decide which one is the best fit for your situation. You might want to get some opinions from others in your field, as well.

Contracts Are Crucial

As a creative, it’s essential to create contacts for your clients that provide protection and clarify expectations. Contracts are the foundation of any project and help to clearly define the scope of work, payment schedules, deadlines, rights, and more. There are also tools you can use to stay organised and make the process of combining PDF files much easier. Having a contract in place not only creates a professional relationship between you and your client but also provides you with legal protection should anything go wrong. It’s also a good idea to consult a lawyer before signing any documents to ensure all parties’ rights are covered.

Your Craft Is Your Greatest Asset

The quality of your work is critical to building a name for yourself. People are more likely to recommend you for jobs and other opportunities if you consistently produce top-notch, unique work.

You’ll also want to focus on creating content that resonates with your audience and makes them want to keep coming back for more. Quality content speaks volumes and helps build trust with potential clients and customers who are looking for the best of the best!

Conclusion

Getting discovered for your creative work isn’t easy, but anyone can accomplish it with enough dedication and hard work! Build an online presence, network with fellow creatives in your field, convert your art into a business, and ensure all your projects have contracts. Along the way, focus on improving your craft and maintaining the highest quality of work possible. You’ll start making strides toward your goals in no time!

New Lease Music is a great place for unsigned and independent musical artists to go and be heard! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email us at submit@newleasemusic.com.

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

How Musicians Can Monetize their Creative Work

Image via Pixabay

Given that it’s difficult for musicians to monetize their art even at the best of times, it’s necessary for performers to find creative and safe ways to earn a living. Today, New Lease Music offers a few ideas for hard-working musicians looking for new ways to earn.

Live Streaming Concerts

Even if you can’t play venues, you can still live stream performances using digital technology. For fans at home, the option to attend a live concert, even virtually, can be a fun way to escape stress and find relief in music. Don’t set your ticket fees too high, though; people are less likely to shell out for a virtual concert than for an in-person one. Try to find that sweet spot where enough people will want to hear your music at a fee that is reasonable for them and worthwhile for you.

If you plan on streaming a concert, be sure that your performance area looks the part. If you have some old furniture you plan to use to dress the set, reach out to a local reupholstery company to see about having the furniture refreshed. You can read online reviews of local companies to get a good idea of their service before choosing a company to go with. Good looking furniture makes a great small performance backdrop.

Online Music Classes

Not everyone is cut out to teach or enjoys teaching, but for those who do, online classes can be a great opportunity to make money while sharing their expertise with other music-lovers. Parents of children who are homeschooling might especially be interested in accessing high-quality music lessons for their children online. Other types of classes you could offer include music appreciation, music history, and composition.

Outdoor Performances

Talk to your local park service or cultural center to see about organizing an outdoor concert at a set venue. Find out if your area farmers market would be interested in hosting you as a performer. Ditto Music explains you could even set up in a popular public place as a street performer — though it’s important to be aware of city laws, and whether you need a license.

Outdoor performances are also a great chance for networking with other local artists. By collaborating with other local musicians, you can expand your audience and also set the stage for future collaborations and projects down the road. You’re stronger together than you are apart!

Creating Digital Products

Creating digital products is a great way for a musician to make passive income, which will allow you time to work on your art, or to pursue other money-making ventures. Besides downloadable songs or compositions you could also create soundtracks and sound effects to be purchased by video makers. You could also sell ringtones or beats. The great thing about a digital product is that once you create it and set it up for sale, your work is done — but every time anyone purchases access or use, you get paid.

If you lack certain business skills or need a website created, you can hire freelancers to fill in gaps. Don’t overlook talent from other countries since you can often hire top performers for less cost than domestic freelancers. If you go this route, it’s important to set up an account with a reliable and easy-to-use money transfer service, which is a convenient and affordable way to pay your overseas freelancers. This might even end up forming the basis of your own home business!

Last but not least, look for free online tools that can help you design cool artwork for your digital products. As an example, if you don’t yet have a logo and your budget doesn’t have any wiggle room, look into a free logo design tool that allows you to build your graphic using premade templates. This is a good way to create a logo while you’re saving up money to have a graphic designer take a wholly unique approach to your idea.

Other Ideas When You Need Extra Money

If you need alternatives for earning beyond monetizing your music, you can find additional ways to earn as a freelancer depending on your other skills or training. Start by taking advantage of free resume templates to highlight your varied skills in a professional-looking style that gives you an edge over the competition. Consider offering your services as a personal assistant, a branding coach, a copywriter, or a call center rep, to fill the gaps between creative income opportunities. You could also work as a delivery driver, or a pet sitter, if you’re interested in getting out of the house more often.

People need art and connection in their lives. Even if you aren’t able to provide in-person concerts or classes, there are more ways than ever to enjoy and share music remotely.

If you’re an independent or unsigned artist, get your music heard on New Lease Music!

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

New Lease Music’s Top Ten Music Videos of 2019

NEW LEASE MUSIC kicks off the new year with the top ten music videos of 2019! Based on both readers viewing and editor picks, a few of the videos featured were first shown on the blog in the previous year (2018) and managed to held on for a well-deserved place on this list.

Go ahead and check out the videos below! Make sure you tune in for the top ten albums of 2019 coming tomorrow….

10. Not What I Thought – Amaal

9. Rapid Fire – Santi

8. Remember Me – Raylo

7. Brown Liquor –  Ron Beatty (ft. Wade Soul)

6.  I Just Wanna – Gentry kozia

5. Not Perfect – Gena Perala

4. 2:22 – Dani Darling

3. I Will Never Know – Gena Perala

2 . Can’t Get Through To You – Nemi

1. Letter Back – K. Koke

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Will The Four Be The Next Great Indie Artist Mine?

A lot of serious music fans tend to dismiss reality competition shows. They can certainly seem very commercial, and there are indications that they’re ultimately more scripted than they look on TV. That said, the talent on display is real, and a lot of the artists who get the opportunity to perform on these shows don’t have fan bases, radio play, or studio connections to their names. The Four is the latest of these shows, and we just got word that Fox would be renewing the series after the conclusion of a successful first season. So does this mean it’s going to be the next great indie artist mine, a la American Idol or The Voice?

If you saw promos for this show and dismissed it as something less than serious, you could be forgiven. For one thing, it seemed more or less like a ripoff of The Voice at first glance. There were to be four celebrity judges, various stages of competition between contestants, and even the staging vaguely resembled that of The Voice. Naturally the competition works a little bit differently, but The Four looked like (and is) more of an imitation than an original concept. Plus, it sort of has a silly name.

You might also have thought the show looked like a sort of vanity project for P. Diddy (or Sean Combs, or Diddy, or whatever it is these days). The iconic hip-hop artist is known for tackling different pursuits and staying in the public eye. He’s guest starred with younger rappers, appeared in films, and even gained a name for himself on the poker circuit. In fact, Diddy was asked to place the first bet on brand new blackjack tables in Atlantic City once – perhaps the perfect example of how his mere presence can enhance a project. Thus, you might wonder if The Four is more or less a money-making win-win between Fox and the rapper.

I know at least that these are some of the reasons I didn’t initially take The Four seriously. But having actually tuned in to some of the later episodes, I was hit with that same realization: that as commercial and promotional as these shows can look, they still showcase some extraordinary talent. As every struggling musician well understands, there are just more artists than there are career opportunities in this business, and these shows tend to highlight that fact. Fielding competitors from countrywide auditions and competitions, they tend to find countless people who are every bit as talented as the artists topping the charts.

I’ll issue a slight spoiler alert here in case you haven’t seen the finale yet or you’re interested in watching the whole first season. But if you want an idea of the kind of performer The Four is uncovering, take a look at this piece on the finale, and the artist who won it all. Her final performance of “Ain’t No Sunshine” is about as impressive as anything you can hear on a radio these days, and it’s wonderful to see another previously unknown artist get her moment.

Here’s hoping The Four continues to be a helpful tool for discovering artists and bringing them the success they deserve.

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment