So you finally finished that song you’ve been working on for so long and it’s now time to go into studio, record the track and make it official! Nothing feels better than the sense of accomplishment that comes with creating something which could potentially be a masterpiece.
You’re probably starting to think about what image to use for the single artwork and how to get your song onto a Spotify Editorial playlist. Can I just stop you for a second and ask you one question? What are your mid or long term goals as an artist? After you release this single, what else have you got in the pipeline to keep your fans and followers consistently engaged? Do you have a release schedule that spans the next few years?
One of the most common mistakes artists make – especially when starting out – is that they don’t think too far into the future. Yes, the future is not guaranteed. If we learned anything from 2020, that would definitely be top of the list. But to fail in having a plan is to plan to fail. I know it sounds cliché, but it is nonetheless a hard fact. What is the ‘Big Picture’ that this single you’re releasing is a part of?
I have seen artists step out with excellent projects, draw a lot of attention with their ground-breaking song, gain numerous followers and then just as suddenly as they emerged onto the stage, fizzle into obscurity. This could be due to many factors, but not having a well thought-through plan on how they intend to have some form of longevity on the scene, is often one of them. Don’t let this be your story. Get a plan that underpins your musical activity, and keep refining it over time.
Start by taking some time to reflect on what drives you. Why create music and why do it now? How long do you see yourself being consistently dedicated to this and how much are you willing to put into it? What constraints do you foresee (e.g., as a female, would you need to build in a contingency for taking a break to care for a baby and then returning to the scene?). At the end of this exercise you should be able to come up with a Mission Statement – one sentence that summarises your purpose as an artist.
Then feeding off of this, set your high-level SMART goals and break these down into smaller tasks. You need to ensure you have a view of what budget could be required overtime and what team members and resources you may need to help you achieve these goals. The most important part of creating a plan is assessing your performance against the plan overtime and making it Scalable, Pre-emptive, as well as Responsive to the ever-evolving musical climate we live in
In my New 1-2-1 Mentoring Courses, I provide you with more practical tips and walk you through the process of formulating your Music Strategy, developing your own Goals and building a Plan to achieve them. This is just one of my 3-Pillar Mentoring program which I have created to help artists get a better chance at succeeding in their musical journey and ministry. Check it out today, and let's see how we can work together