Strategies Upcoming Artists Can Deploy In Their Music Career For Successful Growth to Stardom

The music industry obeys the law of natural selection. In simple terms, it's an open field for competition, where only the fittest survive. Every day the music industry experiences new integrations and methods in the music business because it's ever-changing and evolving, especially in this tech age.

For artists under a record label, it's less strenuous to get feasibility. The reasons are not far-fetched. The record labels handle the music marketing strategies and digital marketing activities in general for the artists signed. However, not every artist has the opportunity to be signed under a standard record label; hence it's crucial, if not necessary, that artists (especially independent musicians) learn the strategies to effect positive changes in their music careers.



1. Don't Kickstart Your Music Career With A Solo Project.

Recently, the music scene has been filled with artists churning out solo EPs without an attempt to have any of their fellow artists feature on any of the tracks on their projects. While this is understandable because it worked for Fireboy DML, albeit his project was an album (Laughter, Tears & Goosebumps) and some other artists, we wouldn't turn a blind eye to the influence of his record label on the project. For an upcoming artist, especially independent, it's not advisable to move in that sonic direction.

Featuring other artists on your projects opens up the opportunity for diversity and saves the project from a creative slump because the guest acts give it his vibes. It also gives the project enough feasibility & makes it possible for your output to be heard since the fans of the guest acts will listen to not only the song of their favourite artists alone but also the entire songs on the project.

2. Get A Source Of Income To Fund Your Music Career.

When Fireboy sang "Grace na Koko, talent na Jara" he was already a superstar selling out shows. He was not an upcoming artist. The biggest and most successful artists in the world are irreligious, and they don't rely on "Grace". They made the coolest art, worked their hardest, and leveraged inventive strategy and financial resources. No doubt, Grace exists, but It is not a currency in the music industry. The space is optimized to kill your Grace. Grace did not give us Afrobeats to the world.



People with access and better pipelines just started paying attention to us and investing in global marketing. The budgets became bigger, the reach longer. It's not Grace. It's a scientific pursuit and scramble for attention.

Outside the Nigerian music industry, in other markets, blowing is scientific. They just find new ways to work on their craft and improve distribution pipelines. They leave nothing to the supernatural, spending heavily and building systems for marketing. All these will cost you money, don't quit your job and focus on Music until you blow. Learn the different cash flows and opportunities involved in Music. The main ones are live performance / touring, selling merch and Music licensing.

3. Build A Loyal Fan Base

In the business of Music, the methods and aims of marketing your Music aren't all that different from those of traditional marketing. In real business terms, the Music is the product, and the fans are the consumers.

You are not creating for yourself alone, nor are you creating the Music for your family. Unless you're only doing it for fun and not making a living from it, you need people (read as fans) that will be loyal to consume your product (Music) whenever you drop it. They will always stand to support you throughout your career. Just like consumers in other industries, it's the same in the music industry because fans don't just purchase the music product or service. They also help to publicize it through reviews, opinions and shares on their social media like Twitter, IG, TikTok, Facebook and others.



4. Indulge In Different Promotional Channels.

Making quality music is one; marketing it through various channels is another thing. A good sample is Burna Boy. He was dropping quality songs before the success of his album "African Giant", but the promotions weren't helping his Music, so he had to dump the Nigerian influencers he was using then to hire PR managers in the US. Why? Promoting the Music is arguably as important as making quality music itself.

We're already in that period where gaining the attention of fans on social media is a Herculean task, and so most label managers and artists try to implement giveaways to get people to give them attention and notice their Music. This is why as an upcoming artist, while your priority is to make quality music, marketing it through various channels is second.

You can start by creating a Facebook page, IG Page, & Twitter page for personal and fan base accounts to drive conversations and engagements by sending your loyal fans mail and posting the behind-the-scenes of your recordings and your lifestyles outside your music career. 5. Work On Creating Quality Music.



If there's anything that should be your number one objective, then it's to create quality music. Don't just create "anyhow" kind of Music, especially if you're still trying to find your ground and your style. Nothing turns off a potential new fan more than listening to a new song that isn't produced right. You tune into some songs and what you hear is either an imbalance with the production, mixing problems sometimes, or you feel the artist is missing the point with the words and lyrics. There's something wrong with the songwriting.

The only way to stand out in an overcrowded, noisy world is to make Music that makes people's heads turn. Classy Music can stand the test of time.

Music that makes other people want to listen to you over and over again without getting bored of it. A kind of Music that your loyal fans will be eager to brag about and willing to share with their friends and say, "Bro, This is fire!".

In conclusion, it's important to note that the strategies didn't stop with the above-listed points; they are just some of the crucial and must strategies to deploy in your music career to combat the oversaturation of content and competitive climate for attention.

In all, your success in the music business starts with the quality of your Music. A well-produced song can help you to start your music career. However, you would always need to keep pushing out Music to stay relevant and consistent in the game to build off that momentum. And with time, the results will come in handy.

What other strategies do you think artists can use to have a successful music career? Let's know your opinions in the comment section.