#11994 by
Craig Maxim
Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:46 am
Let me get the painful stuff out of the way...
I have been reading your posts and listened to your recordings, and I want to be completely honest with you. You are not a very good singer yet. I believe in dreams, and I don't want to discourage you, but honesty is best, because you want more than a hobby. You are looking to make this a career.
That said. Irminsul is dead-on. The majors are looking for hot looking 20 somethings, for solo artists, and even for bands. 40's is almost impossible to hope for a major record deal, even 30's is really pushing it. Yes, there are 30 something artists that get signed, but they have usually been at this awhile, and already have self produced CD's and have shown the majors, that they have x amount of people signed up on their mailing list, and have sold x amount of CD's on their own, then the Majors "may" get interested, because she is already a somewhat proven commodity. A major label spends over 100,000 dollars to produce and distribute a CD. Maybe 90% of the acts they sign go nowhere, and they lose whatever amount of that money that has not been made back through sales and touring. The deal you sign with a major, and whatever advance they may pay, comes back off to them off the top, including touring expenses, travel expenses, everything. It's not the dream world most imagie it to be. That is how groups like TLC are multi-platinum selling artists, with hit songs, and travelling in limos, and seem to be on top of the world, but 3 years into their fame, are still relatively poor. Because the record company designs it's contracts, to recoup ALL expenses they have paid out, and make some kind of profit, within the first 2 or 3 years. That is done, because they don't expect most artists to be famous and still selling big, past the 3 year mark. And most don't. The record companies aren't that stupid. They have been doing this a long time. They are going to their money before you do. They are going to control what goes on your records, your image, everything they can, because they are going to follow their formula for what they think will make them money. That is why, it is not until you negotiate your next contract, and have outlived the first contract and are still going strong, that you have a chance at real money, and even more importantly, artistic freedom. Air Supply for example, used to bemoan the fact, that their label would not let them put rocking songs on their albums. In concert, they had some rocking music, but the label felt that it was the mushy ballads, that people wanted, and made the label money, so that's all they would allow on the records.
These days however, the majors are shaking in their boots. They are becoming more and more irrelevant with music sharing sites like Limewire eating into their profits, and Indie labels taking more and more of a share of the pie. Also, because of their long set cookie-cutter way of thinking, the majors do a far worse job of finding the pulse of modern music listeners, than the Indies do. In another 5 to 10 years, it will be even worse, and the majors will not have a stranglehold any longer in the music business. They are losing that hold even as we speak. The major record label deal is becoming a thing of the past in terms of importance or significance. With the internet, people can find and share the music they like bypassing the majors altogether.
But, back to your singing career...
The majors are looking for 20 somethings, but there are certain genres where you can push that a little, such as Country music, Gospel, etc... While those genres want young artists too, they are much more forgiving of the age barrier, if they are moved by what you do.
The reason I laid it on the table about your abilities like I did, is because you are talking about major record deals and such. At your age, and with your current abilities, it is an impossibility, unless you are a novelty act like William Hung. But you don't want to be laughed at do you? You want to be taken seriously and appreciated.
Put impossible dreams on the shelf for now. Persue realistic dreams first. You need to concentrate on developing your skill first. There are too many good singers out there, and too many of them will be younger and prettier than you. Your goal right now should be to become a decent lead singer. One good enough to front a local band. That will get you in front of people and on a stage. A performer thrives on being in front of an audience. That's what we do. Sure, singing for 100,000 people is amazing, but singing for 100 people that are appreciative, feels pretty damn good too!
You're not going to get a major deal and become famous. You are not good enough, and you are starting far too late. But you CAN get good enough to become "known" and appreciated locally, and maybe make a living at it. For most people that don't even try, YOU ARE living a dream in many of their minds. They will see you on stage and wish sometimes it was them, but.... they didn't even try. You have the balls to try, which is more than most people will ever do. And if you work at this, which you seem to be doing, and don't give up, and continue getting better, I think you could find success on the local level, and develop a touring circuit.
You said you were offered a role as a back-up singer. Get your ass in that band, and get your feet wet. There is MUCH more to being a performer than the sound you make. You need to learn stage presence, learn to work a crowd, take them on a journey, entertain them! Start there, and develop your skill and confidence, until YOU are the one, that everyone sees should be on the main mic. Tell the band, that you will do back-up vocals, but would like to sing a few songs on lead once in a awhile. See how it goes, see how it feels, see how you like it. Learn the craft. If you really love it, as most of us here do, you will not feel a failure, because you are performing for a few hundred in local clubs, rather than tens of thousands in a stadium.
If you love it, you'll find satisfaction, even without stardom.
