Avoiding Unsung Artistry

Dreams Do Come True

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:18:00 +0000

I promised myself that I would be sure to do "big things" this year. By the grace of God, I have been able to accomplish just that. While going through my search for the right grad school to attend, I was looking for something that would assist me and push me into those dreams of success and being an impact on the entertainment industry, that I have always had. I quickly learned that Full Sail University was the one. During and after completing the Entertainment Business Master of Science Program, I was forced to finally stop dreaming, wake up, and make it happen.

I am so happy to have finally launched the new company, GPhLAT Entertainment. While it may just sound like a play on music terms (G Flat), it is quite intentional. One of my dreams has always been to own a company named after my family, operated by my family, in the industry that matters most to me.

GPhLAT stands for: Gary, Phyllis, Loren, Ashley, Tyler (My parents, myself, and my younger sisters.)
My sisters partnered with me to help make my dream a reality. I have the greatest team of people working with me that I could ever ask for.

As it applies in my life, the same can be for you and whatever your aspirations are. I had to learn that its wonderful to dream of success and being successful, but at some point, the dream has to end and you wake up to make it happen.

My friend posted today and said, "Hey, remember that guy that quit and gave up on his goals?? Neither does anyone else...so keep going!!"

Be Intentional!

Good Friday

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:07:00 +0000

Wow! What can I say?! I can't believe it's finally the end. I know on
the calendar, we celebrated Good Friday yesterday. I must say,
yesterday was indeed a Good Friday that I will never forget. Graduating from
Full Sail University with my Master of Science degree has changed my life
completely.

I began the Entertainment Business Master of Science program in
January 2012. When I started, I had only dreams of being an
entrepreneur. This program forced me to stop dreaming, wake up and
make it happen. I learned so much from each and every class. From
operating in different styles of leadership, to creating a financial
pro forma for a business. I learned the details of a business plan,
how to write one and even how to properly gather a three year projected
financial proposal. I am so grateful that I learned the ins and outs of product and artist management. That is the segment of the industry that I have chosen to work in. The class and the assignments have me a heads up on what I should expect.

I cannot begin to explain my gratitude of every instructor, classmate,
advisor and tech support agent. Attending Full Sail University has
pushed me into an endless pool of networking opportunities. This non
traditional, real world school has prepared me for embarking in the
industry far more than I could have ever imagined or ever done on my
own.

As a result of this program, I am now preparing for the official launch of my artist & musician entertainment company. This would all still be a dream if it wasn't for Full Sail University.

Now... It's "Go Time"

Business Plans

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 04:53:00 +0000

What’s the use of having a Business Plan?

This is a question that I asked myself, prior to beginning the Entertainment Business Master of Science Program at Full Sail University. In the detail of the degree, I knew that I would get the answer that I had been seeking. Throughout my time in the program, I have gathered great insight and help on the necessity of business plans, how to create them, and how to make them effective.

I have learned that a business plan is not only useful in finding ways to obtain lenders for the business, but also for serving as a blueprint for the company leads. In my own experience, the creation of my business plan has allowed me to see the big picture of the company. It gives me no choice but to see the reality of each element of the business. From researching experts and their take on business plans, I have learned that, like many things in life, “all things never go as planned especially in show business.” That is a quote from Carl Schramm during his Straight Talk on Entrepreneurship. It is definitely good to have an outline, and an initial plan; however, one should be able to move with time. Carl also said “If you live by your business plan, you may not only hurt your business but your ego.”

I feel that with this reasoning, in an effort to have a completed business plan, it is necessary to cover all elements, even if they seem redundant; however, I find it necessary to really focus on those elements that may be the most important to the investor reading the plan. To me, those elements are the Target Market, Competition, Marketing Plan and Financials. I see these elements as the ones that really make you aware of the actual need or success of the business.

Managers: How Many of Us Have Them?

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:09:00 +0000

In a world where times and traditions are ever changing, there are some things that yet remain the same. Over the past few years, we have watched society move itself into such a “Do-It-Yourself” way of living; not just with cute arts and crafts or home remodeling, but even with the way businesses are ran.

One thing that I have noticed in this change lies within the industry that I am a pursuant of, Artist Management. There was a time where Artist Managers had similar duties and recruiting methods, as A & R reps. This included spending several nights at local clubs and concerts, listening to new artists and networking from there. Nowadays, it is as simple as visiting various artist platform websites, i.e. Reverbnation or YouTube, and scoping new talent. Here locally, I have noticed that many bands choose to put all of there managerial and business needs in either a member of the band, or a friend who didn’t quite make the cut to be in the band. Others just simply don’t know if one is “needed” or when it’s the right time to get one.

Now understand, I am, in no way, opposed to the various changes that have taken place, based on every day living. I am grateful for the various artist internet platforms, etc. I believe that this gives artist managers, such as myself, a great portal to find some artist that may not even have the opportunity to make it to the local club at the moment.

While it is important for managers to access portals like this, I believe that it is equally important for artist to access portals or info sites on various management companies. It is not uncommon for artists to live in different cities/states than there managers. However, some artist may feel that living in the same place is a necessity. I came across a portal of this type. ArtistManagementOnline gives a list and websites of several artist management companies in various areas, like NY, CA and GA.

Marc Oswald: Being A Manager

Manufacturing and Distribution

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:02:00 +0000

Manufacturing and Distribution: Before and After

Certainly every singer, songwriter and or producer, has the wish to one day walk into their local Walmart, BestBuy, FYE, etc., and see their work on sale, ready to share with the world. While this would be a dream for all, there is a lot of work that goes into making this dream come true. To set it all off, there has to be a Manufacturing and Distribution Deal made. This is usually made between the distributor and the record label.

Most times, the distributor will pay for all of the manufacturing involved in getting the product ready to sale. The product will then be distributed to all affiliates of the distributor. This is where those local stores come into play. In return, they will receive 100% of the profit until the manufacturing costs have been repaid. While there may be some distributors who do not require 100% from the start, this is quite common.

While it may take quite some time to be offered a manufacturing and distribution deal, there are several platforms that allow artists to share their music with the world. It is not uncommon for artists to use such platforms as iTunes, CDBaby, ReverbNation, etc. to make their music available digitally. These are platforms that can be set up and used by the artist directly. As a new artist, I would suggest utilizing these tools. When the opportunity arises, and a distribution deals is afforded to you, it will simply add on to the established fan base you have already generated.

http://musicians.about.com/od/glossary/g/Distribution.htm

http://www.reverbnation.com/band-promotion/how-to-sell-music-on-itunes

It's Beyond the Copyright

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 01:45:00 +0000

It’s beyond the copyright

After long sleepless nights and your mind going 100 miles per minute at times, you have finally finished writing a new song, or creating a new piece of work. First order of business, suggested to you by any and everyone is to make sure that you copyright your new piece of work. Now, obviously the copyright is important, simply to make sure that no one else can steal you work, or duplicate it and claim it as their own. The only issue is, no money is generated from copyrights.

This is where publishing comes into play. To receive the appropriate payouts/royalties for your new piece of work, it is imperative that you register it with a publishing company. It is quite common for new artists to register themselves with their own publishing company. It can be nice to eliminate the extra and make sure your royalties come directly to you, through your company. But where do you go and who do you talk to, to register your publishing company?

Three of the major industry leaders in music rights management and providing royalties for publishers, composers, and authors, are American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), and EMI Music

Through each of these companies, a new artist, publisher or author, can register themselves as such, and begin to receive all of the performance rights and royalties that are due them. When deciding which company is best for you to join, do your research on each one. It is imperative to find out which performing rights company caters mainly to your genre of music or works. The companies may even differ in the schedule they use to do royalty payouts, i.e. yearly, quarterly, etc.

There are several factors that will go into choosing the best performance rights company for you. Best thing to do it, make sure you choose one and begin registering yourself and your work, immediately.

Change of Plans

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 02:51:00 +0000

Change of Plans

When I sat down to write this week’s blog, it took me the longest time trying to decide what to write about. I sorted through so much artist’s news and new entertainment industry happenings. I had finally thought that I had finally come up with the perfect topic, regarding the death of legendary Hip-Hop manager, Chris Lightly. As I began to write, a Time Warner Cable commercial came on the television. I realized that it was the commercial with young man being accepted to college. Every time this commercial comes on, I find myself stopping all that I am doing, to sing the commercial song. I finally decided that I had to find out who sings it and where I can buy it.

After many Google searches, I finally found my answer. The writer of this amazing sounding song is Chris Merritt. After coming across the link to his website, I learned that this Time Warner spot is a song that he still has not finished. While I was looking at his website, I came across so many people leaving him feedback on how much they enjoy that song and begging him to complete it and put it on an album. I was amazed to find that he has several mp3 available for download on his website, but yet the majority of his recognition came straight from this commercial spot. That is indeed a major plug for new music and artistry. I am not certain how he was afforded the opportunity to land a spot for such a major company, so definitely kudos to whomever made it possible.

This concept reminded me of another indie artist that began by commercial spots. I first heard of Priscilla Renae on a McDonalds commercial. Just like with Chris, I searched all over trying to find out who the artist was and where I could find the song.

I searched all over the Internet for the commercial so that I could share it with you. Unfortunately the song was only written for the commercial, and it, including the video of the commercial is unavailable to the public.

First Things First

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 03:18:00 +0000

Wow! I have thoroughly enjoyed my class this month. My Advanced Entertainment Law class has truly taught me so much over the past four (4) weeks. I am quite excited about finished this Masters Program and launching my new business. Because my business will focus mainly on artists and musician management, I want to be sure that all of my artists’ relations be dealt with in a proper manor. Before taking this class, I knew that it would be necessary for me to acquire an Entertainment Lawyer.

I have been afforded the opportunity to learn so much from Attorney McCallum, even before an interview. While I could have focused on advice for starting my business, I decided to focus on advice that would be useful, as it relates to artist management. Because artist and musician management encompasses so much, it is recommended that I began with only management. In my original business plan, I looked to begin with management, marketing, and merchandising. I realize that because I will be new to the industry, I do not want to bite off more than I can chew. I want to make sure that whichever platform I choose to stand on holds very sturdy, as opposed to having multiple platforms with less foundation.

As it relates to artists management, it is imperative that I first build a relationship with the artist. While it is the thought to maintain a business relationship, when it comes to management, the manager must know their artist and have their best interests at heart. When that working relationship is established and continually built upon, it makes way for more trust to be built between the two parties. Trust is definitely a major issue when it comes to managers and their artists. It makes communication so much easier, especially conversations in contracts, etc. I have also learned that it is imperative to thoroughly dissect every contract, whether it’s a contract I am issuing, or one that is issued to us. Many times, individuals will try to pull quick tricks in the form of contracts. It is easy to avoid these tricks if one makes sure to really understand the components of the contract, and also have a prior knowledge of contracts that are similar. This will help us to easily recognize a component of a contract that is not “realistic.”

Where Do We Go From Here?

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:14:00 +0000

Where Do We Go From Here?

As I was reading up on some recent news in the entertainment industry, I learned that famous rocker, Stephen Tyler, has decided to bow out of his position/role on American Idol. According to recent reports, Tyler stated, “I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back… I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress ‘American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit.” With the exit of Stephen Tyler, also came the exit of host, Jennifer Lopez. Yes, Tyler’s exit is understandable, focusing more on Aerosmith, as the continue to tour and release their latest album, after 8 years of silence; however, I wonder if that was the only factor for him leaving, Jennifer also. I thought to look into more the show itself.

This past season, viewings only came in at roughly 21 million on the season finale. This is extremely low compared to how many viewings that would come in over years past. The wall street journal reported that “Fox has already had to agree to reductions of about 20% on the price of ad packages for top sponsors such as AT&T Co. and Coca-Cola Co. whose contracts range from about $25 million to $35 million and include ad time, product placement and other cross-promotions…” American Idol’s audience hit its all time high in 2006, it has had a consistent decrease since then.

I truly believe that FOX has done a great job with this show. Not only have they opened the eyes to the U.S. to so many talented singers, but they also created the platform for shows such as GLEE, The Voice, etc.

CD or EP... What say ye?

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:40:00 +0000

CD or EP... What say ye?

Recently, I was sitting at Waffle House having a conversation with a group of friends. For sake of this post, I will give their respectful titles, an artist, an artist manager, a producer/musician, and myself, a musician as well. We were discussing the music business, as it relates to product. More directly, we focused on such this like, a live recording versus a studio recording, or a live studio recording. We also focused on creating product such as singles, full compact discs (CD’s), or Extended Play Records (EP’s).

As we progressed in conversation, it triggered a thought. “When did Extended Play Records become so popular?” The idea of an EP is not anything new to the music industry; in fact, it was made quite common during the time of the vinyl record. While many are no longer playing vinyl’s, except for me because I prefer them over CD’s J, the fact still remains that is simply the median between a single and a full album. According to Heather McDonald, “Musicians release EPs for a lot of reasons, but perhaps most importantly, they are frequently used as a promotional tool. EPs are used to introduce new bands, keep interest in an artist alive between full length release, to help promote a tour and more.” It makes perfect sense.

I remember when bands and artists were only releasing singles, most times, depending on the genre, it had two to three versions of the single on the CD. That quickly got old. Now, it is not uncommon to see groups, especially new artists, put out an EP, and letting that serve as their “full album.” I personally believe that, while it is a means to promote a tour or an upcoming album, it is simply a means to make a presence in the industry. Just looking through iTunes, I have seen more and more artists release EP’s. From new artists quickly gaining distribution via iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, etc., to already known artists making sure their name is not lost in the wind. There are many music services that are available for artists to use, in an effort to get distribution through such portals. Just to name a couple, CD Baby and ReverbNation.

I must say, I am definitely a fan of Extended Play Records, especially for new artists.

Let's Go Eat!

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 01:56:00 +0000

Separating the People from the Problem

For this week’s blog, I chose to interview Dakota Hilliard, one of the artist managers for Sivart Productions. For this interview, I decided to focus on the method, separating the people from the problem. During our interview, she shared with me that it is imperative to use this concept. There are many areas of negotiation where one can easily get consumed with talking to the issue and not talking to the person. According to Dakota, “Nothing is personal. The person that you are talking to is not the problem.” She shared that many times, a company standard is taken as a personal blow, when in all actuality, it is strictly company policy, “It’s not personal, and it’s business.” I asked how this concept affected her personal and working relationship with one of her current artist. Dakota shared that, “you have to know how to put on and remove both hats.” She shared that at the end of the negotiation, afterwards, you should be able to take the business hat off and say, ok, “where are we going for dinner?” I enjoyed how she used the movie Lean on Me as a reference of this concept, taken from the scene where the principal and the superintendent got into a fight and then at the end of the argument, they were able to go eat as friends.

So in essence, the ability to compartmentalize is imperative to the success of a working, productive and functional relationship. This stands true for colleagues, as well as newly found clientele. I asked Dakota what would be her number one word of advice for someone entering the business, either as an artist manager, or an artist. The answer she gave was “Do your own research, don’t solely rely on anyone else’s opinions or past experiences.”

Create an Additional Flow of Income Early

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:20:00 +0000

Create an Additional Flow of Income Early

When I initially decided to begin my own business, the focus was on artist management and artist marketing. As time goes on, I notice a significant trend in artist’s revenue. Over the last few years, record sales have declined significantly. This is why there are so many artists who look to other streams of income. We have seen artists establish themselves in the television/movie, fashion, cosmetics and healthy living industries. Recognizing this trend early is imperative for any new artist looking to be successful in their industry. With this principle in mind, I wanted to look at what types other streams of income, with the focus of merchandising, more successful.

It is not uncommon to see artists promote themselves and their brands through apparel such as T-Shirts and headgear. However, if this is the only type of merchandising that the artist uses, they are limiting themselves. Artists should take time to look into every area of merchandising that’s available. A good example of this would be the Hip-Hop Artist 50 Cent. He positioned himself to be successful as a rapper, as well as an actor. He also tapped into the healthy living industry by creating Vitamin Water. 50 Cent has recently tapped into another merchandising venue, as he is now promoting his new headphones, known as SYNC.

It is important for new artists to see that merchandising is not limited to selling items that show their name or brand, but rather an item that they have created and made popular. A great example of this would be Katy Perry and her heart sunglasses.

A great way to ensure that your merchandise is available and noticed, is by first making it visible. This may come easier for an artist who is already somewhat established; however, even with a new artist, anytime they do a show or an interview, they should wear or show their merchandised item. Katy Perry’s heart sunglasses became popular because she wore them all of the time. This then lead to the knowledge of her full line of eyeglasses.

This is a great way to follow rule number one in Kiyosaki’s “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” The Rich Don’t Work for Money. A major step in becoming rich, is understanding how money works. One must find a way to make money; that way, when they are not working, they are still making money.

References:

Kiyosaki, R. T. (2011). Rich dad poor dad, what the rich teach their kids about money that the poor and middle class do not!. (1st ed.). Scottsdale: Plata Publishing.

Where Is Your Focus?

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Sun, 06 May 2012 20:34:00 +0000

Where is your focus?

One of my favorite blog authors is Seth Godin. One of his latest blog posts was about people strategy. He talked about how the focus of any business should be reaching the “people.” When talking about marketing, much emphasis is placed on methods of marketing, and even more so, what different avenues are available for marketing. Seth brought out the point that behind all of these marketing strategies and marketing avenues remained only one thing, and that is “people.” Companies should make an effort to realign their focus on actually reaching and captivating the people, and not just being only visible, but tangible as well.

In my research on various ways of being sure to truly reach people through marketing, I came across an article that gave 5 ways to use social media to reach people who don’t use social media. The 5 steps are:

1) Develop Relationships with People Who Bridge The Gap Inside Other Organizations

Using vendors such as twellow.com, friendfeed.com, and RSS feeds allow one to be able to find general areas of interest within their niche or community, and reach the necessary individuals as such.

2) Use Web 2.0 Tools to Learn About Real Life Public Events

Subscribing to a RSS feed reader that list relevant events allows one to come in contact with individuals that attend different events that are not usually advertised on main platforms such as Facebook or Twitter.

3) Make Your Blog an Email Newsletter and Promote it Elsewhere

While there are many people who do not take the time to subscribe and/or read blogs, there is a platform entitled FeedBurner.com that allows one to submit their blog posts to reach non-bloggers via email blasts.

4) Look Harder, Your Audience Probably is Using Social Media That You Aren't Aware Of

Marshall Kirkpatrick made a great reference to LinkedIn.com. Just like LinkedIn.com, there are many other social media platforms that various individuals use on a daily basis, that are not as widely known as others. Kirkpatrick provided a website where one can see where their company or their industry is being discussed: Kingsley Joseph’s Social Media Firehose.

5) Use the Internet to Make Yourself Smarter In Real Life

A Simple Discussion That Changed An Elaborate Outlook

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:42:00 +0000

“Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” This has to be the most profound statement that Brene’ Brown made during her TED session “Listening to shame.”

In this session, Brown begins by captivating the audience with a personal story, an instance in which she found herself at her most vulnerable state. Brown polled the audience to see if the majority of them had the same initial perception of vulnerability: weakness. The results were just as expected; many people only relate vulnerability to a state of weakness. This is how the above-mentioned quote was birthed. “Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” Vulnerability occurs when someone is positioned in a way to receive emotional or physical harm. Brown breaks down this often feared word as, “to be vulnerable, to let ourselves be seen, to be honest.” Understanding this take on vulnerability clearly shows where courage is moved to the forefront. Brown explained to her listeners that she “did not learn about vulnerability and courage and creativity and innovation from studying vulnerability. [She] learned about these things from studying shame.” She further explained that there is a very significant difference in “shame” and “guilt.” My favorite example she gave is “Guilt: I’m sorry. I made a mistake. Shame: I’m sorry. I am a mistake.”

I loved Brown’s approach in this session because she began with a personal experience. It was an experience that was directly related to the audience she was addressing, therefore, they were able to immediately connect with what she was revisiting. Brown also incorporated several sly instances of humor during this session. I kept the tone of the session light and easy to follow. Another thing I liked about Brown’s presentation was the she made everything easily flow together. Her story of vulnerability created a great transition into what vulnerability is, and then further into how it relates to shame.

Now, not only did I like Brown’s TED session because of her presentation, but I also enjoyed it because I found it very helpful. After listening to her speech, I am able to incorporate what she expressed, into my every day thinking. Prior to watching this TED session, I was one of those who only associated vulnerability with a weakness, and did not bother to understand a difference between guilt and shame. This session has helped me tremendously.

Who Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Who Are You?

It seems as though now a days, more and more people are becoming “managers” for different artists. However, I wonder how many of those “managers” really understand their role in the artist’s career. It is almost like it is becoming a fad. While this can seem okay and not harmful in the beginning, as time goes on, that may change. The same way artist’s talk to each other to gain knowledge and learn what works and what doesn’t, new artist managers need to do the same.

Talent Managers Association is a great resource for this very need. The Talent Managers Association consists of entertainment managers all over the world. This is a resource that the managers use to network with other managers, as well as gain access to many other resources that Talent Managers use all of the time. The Talent Managers Association hosts various events throughout the year, in an effort to create a physical gathering for all of the members to meet and network even more. This association is known for its major focus on ethical behavior towards artists from their manager. In order to become a member of the Talent Managers Association, the interested individual must first agree to abide by the Code of Ethics that has been established with the association. By agreeing to do so, and joining this association, this brings a great amount of credibility to the talent manager.

Throughout my journey of entrepreneurship, one of my major focuses is on artist and musician management. I do not want to be just another manager lost in manager heaven; I desire for my management company to stand out amongst the others. I know that becoming a member of the Talent Managers Association will do one part of making this happen. The ample amount of members who have already joined this association will serve as great networks to help me execute my goals.

iTunes vs. Spotify

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:50:00 +0000

iTunes vs. Spotify

Today I ran across an article regarding the new music streaming service, Spotify. The article was discussing the assumption that Spotify will overtake iTunes within two years. If you were to ask me to describe/explain Spotify, I would say that it is a mix between iTunes, Naptser, and Pandora. Now, I am not sure if I agree with the prediction that Spotify will overtake iTunes, however, I would not doubt if it came close. I had to look at this from a personal standpoint first. Over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed that I hardly ever open my iTunes anymore; I am always using Spotify. What drew me to this new application was the Pandora-type feature. I do feel that Spotify can easily overtake Pandora within the next two years. At the same time, there are some individuals who genuinely love the idea that they can search an artist name and create a station of all similarities. I on the other hand love the fact that I can use Spotify to search an artist name and pull up all of their music.

Because my entertainment industry of interest is artist management, I believe that this new application will cause a bit of up rise within music artists, if it hasn’t already done so. After downloading Spotify, I learned that one is able to search an artists’ name, create a playlist of all the music they like from that artist, then have it available to them, ready to play at any time. This came as a shock to me, simply because of all the artists that I searched, the returned results were all updated. For example, the same day Robert Glasper’s new album “Black Radio” was released, it was available on Spotify. I believe that this can cause artist to lose out on money from CD sales. While I did not find an option to burn music to CD, subscribers to have the option to access the mobile apps and have their same playlists with them wherever they go.

Talk About Me If You Please

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:24:00 +0000

Talk about me if you please.

One thing I love about my life is the fact that I am always gigging. Every weekend, if not every day, I am doing what I love most, and that is playing the drums. I joke with people and tell them that I could probably write a book about some of the things I have seen/experienced while travelling. This past weekend, I was able to add something new to my list of gig surprises. I had to play in Gastonia, NC on the 25^th of this month. When we walked in, we realized it was the normal, church setting, bunch of different groups, as it was a benefit concert. There was a group singing gospel artist, Fred Hammond’s, “Blessed” as I was setting up my equipment. I paid no attention to them, until I heard something rather strange. The leader of the group was using Auto tune through the entire song! Never in my life, had I heard someone use auto tune to such an extreme in this genre. As you can imagine, this became the talk of the night, weekend.

That’s when I had an epiphany. As foolish as it was, it was almost ingenious. It reminded me of this year’s Grammy Award Show and the highlighted performance by Nicki Minaj.

While her performance may have been considered demonic, crazy, foolish etc., the fact of the matter remains that it is still the “talk” of the Grammy’s. I realized that these acts might have been more purposeful than people think. Whether people enjoyed the gospel hit auto tuned and the outrageous wardrobe/performance or even hated it, they still talked about it. For the artists, this turned out to be great marketing tools for each of them. I believe I can speak for many when I say I will never forget hearing that classic gospel chart being auto tuned. The same goes for the Nicki Minaj performance. In a recent interview, Nicki Minaj spoke on her performance and shares how she was strategic in introducing her new movie “Roman Holiday. Minaj said, “I can't do a song like that and stand up there with a microphone and a band behind me - I have to paint the picture and I'm gonna always do that to the fullest."

One thing new and old artists should consider is their personal branding/self-marketing. What part of their performance or presentation really captures the audience and makes them continue talking about them? Once the outlying marketing tool is discovered, find out if it is working as positive or negative marketing. Deciphering between the two will help one see why they receive the recognition they receive.

We've Lost Another Legend

noreply@blogger.com (ForRealCamille) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:34:00 +0000

We’ve Lost Another Legend

While many people are probably writing blogs, posts, tweets etc. about the late Whitney Houston, I would count it robbery, as a person in the entertainment field to not have words regarding her passing. As many know, Whitney Houston was considered one of the pioneers of pop music. Many artists from several genres recognize Houston for her talent, and those artists who know her personally recognize her for her warm heart. As I was watching CNN during the live coverage of her shocking passing, they had many interviews with various people from the industry on the line. The one that stood out the most to me was with Lionel Richie. He took time to plead that people understand the stress and heartache that comes with being an artist. He broke down the fact that it is such a struggle to go from being great to now struggling, not even touching on how the press slandered her with her drug struggle. It is my hope that new artists, artists who are already established, and even those who are not in the industry, take this horrific event as an eye opener.

One thing that Lionel said that stood out to me was “If you can imagine this, there used to be a time when all you had to do was survive your own craft; the press didn’t know anything about your personal life…Now every singe day there is a tweet, blog, blurb about some part of your personal life.” He went on to talk about how an artist is “a business of psych, how can we hold ourselves together and still maintain the voice, the psych, of who we are, and still maintain that?” It was not shocking to me to see that as soon as it was reported that she passed away, so many people went straight to discussing her past struggles. It saddens me many times to see how media now thrives off of the downfalls of people, more so than their upcoming.