Open Letter of Advice to Emerging Artists

Dear Emerging Artists,

Hope 2013 is treating you well and your career is headed in the right direction.  Hopefully you have already made some strides in 2013.  If you haven't - and you are trying to understand why - maybe the first place you should look is in the mirror.

While I will passionately defend an artist and zealously represent them - nothing I do for an artist can replace an artist actually trying themselves.  The artist's effort doesn't stop at just making great music and releasing it to the world.  An emerging artists needs to be their own publicist, their own best marketer, own icon... If you're an artist and you are trying to build a brand, an experience, an identity that is more than just the music that comes out of your mouth or thru your hands - you need to work on that.
Too often I consult or work with artists who just expect the sun, the moon and the stars because they put out a good record.  Artists all over the world create and release good records everyday.  There are more artists and more good records than there are highly lucrative opportunities for exposure so simply having a good record isn't a license to get paid.  You have to do more.  You have to a do a lot more.

If you've got a team - they should be helping you do more, but an artist shouldn't rely solely on their team.  An artist that makes little to no money shouldn't expect that just having a good song along with a  manager or publicist is the perfect recipe for success.  You actually have to put additional effort into that recipe as the artist.   To expect someone to turn you from zero to hero and get rich quickly is pretty unrealistic.  Like finding a needle in a haystack.  And most artists will say they are that needle in a haystack...but are you?  Look in the mirror and ask yourself these questions.

Do you have a voice that is uniquely different than other talented artists?
Are you an exceptionally talented musician/instrumentalist that stands out from other instrumentalists?
Do you produce and also write?
Do you have a studio you can access for free and make high quality sound recordings?
Do you have a fan base and network already that approaches 100,000?
Are you comfortable performing on stage?
Do more than 250 people come out to see you in your hometown?
Are you drop dead gorgeous?
Are you below the age of 22?
Do you have an innate cool and swagger to you that is undeniable?

Unless the answer to all those questions is yes - you're not the needle in the haystack and my advice would be to work harder - even if you don't think that is possible.  So...good luck in 2013. 

Artists that are working hard and on their grind - contact me at brandon@supergoodmusic.com about opportunities - including performances at SXSW and recording with Jam In The Van.

Sincerely,

Brandon Dorsky