My Dream and How I Plan to Achieve It
Life would be meaningless if we didn’t have anything to work for. It is unfortunate that many people spend all their lives doing things they hate for the sake of making money. This can be attributed to several factors. First of all, most people do not know what they want in life. They wander through life aimlessly, jumping to whatever opportunity that comes their way. This is because most people do not know themselves.
They have never looked deep into their wellbeing to discover who they really are and what their purpose is. The only way you can discover yourself is through solitude and meditation. Many people fear the thought of being alone and will do anything to have company. It is no wonder that people with mob mentality rarely amount to anything.
Secondly, there is a group of people who know what they want, but are too coward to pursue their dreams. Their fear of failure outweighs the prospects of success. Therefore, they spend their lives in jobs they hate just to be secure. To them security is more important than risk taking.
There is also another group with clearly outlined dreams, who abandon the idea of pursuing them because their family will not allow them to. They do not fear following their dreams, they fear the repercussions they will get from their parents. Since they cannot stand up to face their parents, they spend all their lives trying to impress their parents, but nothing good always comes out of it. They also end up miserable.
Then, we have those who follow their dreams halfheartedly and when the going gets tough, they retreat to their safe havens and quit. These are the worst role models. They will always give you reasons why something will fail instead of how it may succeed and they are always bitter. Most people use them as examples to discourage you from following your dreams.
My dream is to become a musical star. I dream of having a successful career as a singer like the likes of Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. I know to some people this may sound absurd and unbelievable. However, I believe nothing is impossible. I have read stories about famous people and how they came from humble backgrounds and still made it. I’m actually aiming for the stars and if I miss I will probably hit the moon. I know I have a long way to go and I therefore work twice as hard round the clock to ensure that nothing stands on my way. At the end of the day success is 5% talent and 95% hard work.
I know I’m a good singer based on people’s revelations and the fact that I have won several local singing competitions. But, I know there are vocal ranges that are beyond me. So, I have enrolled for singing classes to improve my singing ability. Apart from singing lessons, I have also joined dancing classes. For you to be taken serious as a singer nowadays you have to be very dynamic and versatile.
It seems like everyone is making music that fans can dance to, because it is what is marketable now. Even though I’m more attuned to slow and soulful type of sound, for me to make an impact I have to be able to make good danceable songs and I should be able to dance too. That is the formula that successful acts like Beyoncé have been using and it has worked for them for a very longtime.
I aim to be signed one day by main players in the music industry, such as Atlantic Recording Corporation, Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group. However, I know it is really hard to get noticed nowadays with the influx of musicians mushrooming in all states every day. The easiest way for the music giants to notice you (and this is probably the hardest part for a starting artist) is to have a legion of fans, who will do anything for you. After building a niche fan base, it will be easier for me to convince them to risk it with me.
Even if that doesn’t work, I can always be an indie artist with a small local fan base. I’m comfortable with any arrangements, so long as I’m doing what I love best and that is singing.
I’m also hitting the studio very soon. I’m working on a few singles that I want produced. I’m currently weighing in on various production houses. I want to capture my hometown first and so, I do not want to release lackluster projects. In the long-run, cheap can be very expensive. For starters, I want an EP of just eight songs.
I already have a budget for this project and I’m therefore working double shifts to raise the needed funds. The biggest hurdle is in the distribution and promotion side of this business. It is true that physical records do not sell much, as they used to a decade ago. Nowadays, people get their music online and that is the platform I want to fully concentrate on.
There are many options for musicians online. I may opt for downloading options, where fans pay money to download my music. The only challenge here is that there are piracy and bootlegging sites that you can access anything for free, but I’m not concerned with that. Piracy is an indirect form of promotion. So long as my name gets out there, that is all that matters. At end of the day, more money comes from tours and merchandise sales than record sales.
There are also streaming services, such as Spotify, Tidal and Apple Music that I will take advantage of. But, in order for the downloads and number of streams to be high, I need to have an online presence. I have to be very popular in the social media. I have to have many die hard followers that I consistently interact with. I believe there are individuals or agencies that can help me with that.
With my own style of music, I will definitely have my own cult following. However, to gain a wider fan base I will have to do collaborations with other artists, not just in my genres, but in other genres as well. After I have generated enough buzz for myself, it will be easier to approach record execs in the big companies. They have the right ammo to blow me to super stardom. The reason I’m obsessed with getting signed is this- big music companies own more than 90% of radio and television networks in the US.
They therefore play their own musicians on rotation every day. It is very hard for indie artists to get some airplay. If given a chance, most musicians would be independent. But, seeing how their hands are tied, many of them are forced into contracts with record companies. Even the so-called “indie artists” are in some way connected to the big companies, maybe through affiliations.
For me to concentrate fully on my craft, I have to hire a manager. He/she will be responsible for all the tidbits that goes on behind the scene, such as negotiating contracts, finding gigs and keeping me relevant to the masses. I’m on the verge of embarking on this life defining journey. I have to admit that I’m very scared of the uncertainty of things, but this only adds thrill to life. The most important thing is I have to surround myself with people who share the same dream, as me.
They have to have the right mindset and not be cowards or quitters. I know that it is easier said than done and that nothing goes as planned. There is no straight path to success. All the roads have bumps, potholes and detours that mat distract me from my main goal. Although I want to enjoy all the wealth and perks that come with fame, success to me is not just material wealth. It is actually doing what I love and getting appreciated for it.
When I become successful, I will create my own entertainment company. It will start primarily as a music label and once it becomes huge, it will branch off to other areas, such as film making and selling of merchandise like perfumes and apparels. The reason for creating a company is not for financial gains. Like I said before money does not motivate me. This is my way of giving back to society. Many established artists do not do this.
They are selfish and do not help other aspiring artists. This is the main reason that record companies have become so powerful that it is impossible to make it without them. I want to make it easier for local artists to be appreciated for who they are and earn a good living from it. I know many people, who are excellent musicians, but they gave up their dreams because they did not know what to do. And if I’m wealthy enough, I will also purchase all my catalogues and contract back, so that I have full control of my artistry.
