Simple Ways to Make Lots of Money As a Songwriter

 

A fallacy among Nigerians is that a Music artist who do not write his own song isn't talented. This is completely false. Hiring a songwriter isn't bad, in fact, it's a norm everywhere. Even Beyonce had 104 songwriters on her Renaissance album. Nigerians therefore have to get familiar with the culture of their favorite artistes hiring songwriters.

Writing and performing music are two different talents. Some music artists have both talents while some only have singing talents so they have to hire songwriters. Not every song written by the creator must be performed by the creator. Songs can be sold to other acts who are best suited to it or those whose fame will help promote it more.

Just like being a musician, songwriting is a profession on its own. It's a means to earn from the million dollar industry without been a performing artist. If you're talented in writing good musical lyrics it doesn't matter if you're an upcoming artist or not, this career path is for you.

Songwriting is one job or side hustle where you don’t need any “official” qualifications to become a professional. It requires experience, talent and perseverance. Of course you do need to have a way with language That being said, it is possible to get paid to write song lyrics for all different kinds of projects, most of which do not involve you becoming famous. Although writing hit songs for pop-stars might be your first thought, there are actually a lot of other career options to consider, including:

1.     Staff Writer for a Record Label 

Being a staff writer for a record label is a great career. As salaried staff writer for a major recording label you will have stable, reliable work and be part of a team. This is the most lucrative way to get paid to write lyrics but also not easy to get into. You will write in collaboration with others and will need to be open to edits and changes in your lyrics (this is often the hardest part for artists).

2.      Freelance Lyricist

As a  freelance lyricist, you won't be a full staff of an organization. You need to build a name for yourself by networking which will help people identify you as a great songwriter. You can send your demos and lyric samples out to various organizations and pitch them your work to get started . You can also sell your songs on websites like ditto music, lyrics.com etc. Job opportunities are also on job matching platforms like upwork, twine etc.

3.      Public Royalties

This is an absolute great deal when it comes to writing song lyrics for money. How does this work? - after getting paid for a song, you are entitled to royalties every time the song is performed at a concert or event or is broadcast on the radio.

4.      Mechanical Royalties:

Here, you get paid when every time your song is downloaded or bought.

5.    Placement Fees: If your song or jingle is featured in an advertisement, TV show or video then you will be paid placement fees. The funny thing is that many songs become hits after they appear on commercials so this can actually be a great way to get started.

6.    Record Deals: Obviously this is your holy grail for getting paid to write song lyrics. If you manage to get yourself a record deal then you will get paid an advance for writing a certain number of songs for one or several artists.

From submitting your work to songwriting sites, hustling on social media and looking for gigs on the freelancer sites, there are plenty of opportunities for songwriters to make some money doing what they love. Now is the time for you to explore!

Tips to Pitching Your Demo to Record Labels

Getting heard, noticed and gaining traction in the music industry has to be one of the hardest things you would experience on your journey to becoming a music star. Submitting your demo to a label can be extremely intimidating and frustrating especially when you don't get any feedback. It drains your blood, sweat, and tears, and no matter how confident you are in your music, it’s impossible to predict how a label will respond—if they ever do at all.

In this fast paced world that we live in, getting noticed by labels has become even more difficult because we're engulfed in music. Everywhere you turn you are presented with background music from films, television and advertising – all tailored to various people’s emotions and styles. From the self acclaimed music star, to the one with great talent,  you simply can’t avoid music.  Record labels receive hundreds, if not thousands, of demo submissions every week, so it's important to make sure that your music is exceptional and presented professionally.

Let's consider some tips that will guide you when pitching your music to record labels.

Research

Before you decide to send your demo to a record label you have to research. Some record labels will accept unsolicited demos while others won't. Some prefer discs are sent to their offices while others don't mind you sending them a link to your song, Therefore, check on their websites and do your research first. It's important to be sure that they accept demo and also the sure of the medium so that you wouldn't waste your effort and get rejected.

Create a professional image.

Record labels are looking for artists who are serious about their music and are willing to put in the effort to make a good impression. So, before you start pitching your music, make sure that you take the time to create a professional image. You should be able to describe who you are and what your music is all about. Be open and candid. Maybe highlight a song or two that you feel really strongly about, talk about a theme of the record or what made you write it the way you did. Being able to describe who you are and what your music means to you also gives you control of your story and your art from the start, instead of having it shaped by someone else. This means that your music and your presentation should be polished and well-executed. This includes everything from building your website to creating your EPK (electronic press kit).

 KNOW your music 

When you reach out to a label, send them a private streaming link or an MP3 (via a site like Dropbox) and make sure your tracks are properly labeled. Say whether the music is a demo, mixed, or already mastered. Nine times out of ten, a label's going to understand your music enough to know if they want to pursue you. It's just about communicating that.

MAKE GOOD USE OF YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES

Your social media page can be likened to a virgin land, therefore, it should be used to your advantage. Record labels may refer to your social media pages to check how you carry your followers along and also analyze the music you put out there. Hence, use your social media pages as a portfolio to showcase your talent.

Follow up but don't be spammy.

Once you've contacted a few record labels and have gotten a sense of what they are looking for, it's time to start following up. But, make sure that you're not being spammy. An excellent way to follow up is to send an email with a brief update on your music, letting the label know that you're still interested in working with them.

Don’t Give up.

Even if you don't get a favourable response you have to keep trying and don't give up because consistency and resilience is key in the music industry. 

Place your songs on EPOH.NG

Epoh Music is the first and only Nigerian indigenous music streaming platform where you can easily reach a wide audience of Nigerians. Your journey to a successful music career is easier with Epoh Music on your side.

International Collaborations on the Nigerian Music Scene

While we can attribute it to the rising fame of Afrobeats or the evolution of music streaming which has exposed Nigerian music to a global audience, you would still agree that our artists have been doing well. And they deserve every bit of international recognition they are getting.




Recently, we have witnessed more Nigerian artists collaborating with international acts, with some collaborations topping music charts in several countries. While some of these songs are just somewhere in between good and bad. The lesson is that international collaborations don't mean automatic success for the song. So when we see a song with international collaborations doing well, we should applaud the hard work and creativity that brought it to life.




But international collaborations didn’t start today. What I can say is different now is that we have more international acts willing to work with our artists, and some even reach out to have our artists on their songs. The only problem I see with this is the false standard it could set of an international act being a measure of success. And the desperation it might build in artists on getting international collaboration. 




It could also result in slapping international collaboration on every piece of whack song and expecting it to somehow become a hit song. International songs do have their influence and advantages, but we should not get carried away. Afrobeats is our thing. And we can do wonders with it, with or without an international artist on the song.




By the way, here are some notable international collaborations you should have on your playlist:




• Peru -Fireboy ft Ed Sheeran 
• Somebody Son -Tiwa Savage ft Brandy 
• Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce, Wizkid, & Blue Ivy
• Wait For U - Future ft Drake & Tems
• Attention - Omah Lay ft Justin Beiber
• Monalisa -Lojay ft Chris Brown
• Energy - DJ Tunez ft Ashanti ft Adekunle Gold
• For My Hand - Burna Boy ft Ed Sheeran

Which is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section. 

The Man of the Moment -Asake, Mr Money

When you hear Ololade mi Asake, you already know what’s coming. It’s the hottest sound on the block, and I’m not exaggerating. Some of the songs topping the charts now are either by Asake or feature him. His debut album, Mr Money with Vibe, recorded the biggest opening day from an African album in Apple Music’s history. And as if that is not enough, nine songs from the album got into the Global Daily Top 100 chart. Now that’s something hooge! 

So who is Asake?

Ahmed Ololade Asake is a graduate of Theater and Performing Arts from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state. While his musical career kicked off while on campus, he first came into the spotlight in 2020 when he released a freestyle titled Mr Money. 

In Asake’s own words, his breakthrough came with that one phone call from Olamide, the Baddo himself. Prior to his newfound fame, Asake had some notable musical releases.  

Asake’s style of music is neither gentle nor rough. What makes his music, particularly unique is his blend of Amapiano and Afrobeats with a mix of Fuji. His success has continued to generate mixed views from people. While some feel that it’s the Amapiano trend that has aided his success, some hold that he is a talented artist with or without the Amapiano effect. 

He is currently signed to Olamide’s record label, YBNL and has continued to rock the airwaves with his Amapiano mixed with Afrobeats style of music. Here are a few of his hottest songs of the moment.

Terminator 

Peace Be Unto You

Omo Ope -ft Olamide 

Sungba (remix) -ft Burna Boy

Trabaye -ft Olamide

Which of the above is your favourite? Let us know in the comments. 

Enjoy!

Political Electioneering and The Nigerian Music Industry

 

It's election and political campaign season in Nigeria which somehow equates to a cashing out period for music artists and celebrities because they get paid to run political campaigns.

Two music artists, Davido and Portable actively participated in the recently concluded Osun gubernatorial election. Davido, who was in support of his Uncle and winner of the election, Ademola Adeleke campaigned and sang during his uncle's political rally while Portable on the other hand was hired by the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, to campaign at his rally.

Following Oyetola's campaign, Davido unfollowed Portable on all social media platforms. Thereafter, Portable who isn't a preacher of love responded by making a video saying these words below;

''Open your ears and listen. My father is not a rich man. I am glory. I am the one who made my family rich. Support who support you. They ran to unfollow us.''

The Onitigbo of Tigbo-Ilu Land, in Ogun State, Oba Olabode Thomas-Fagbayi, who bestowed a chieftaincy title of Amuludun of Tigbo, Aworiland on Portable felt it was disrespetful for Portable to speak to Davido in such manner. Being a peacemaker, Oba Olabode requested that Portable apologize to Davido publicly which he did. Fans of both artists are eagerly waiting for Davido to respond to Portable's apology.

We are waiting to see if there will be songs released in the name of any presidential candidate by any popular Nigerian artist as the official campaign kicks off on 28^th of September 2022.

While many artists are yet to publicly declare their support for any candidate, Brymo has declared an unflinching support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Psquare for Peter Obi and most likely Davido for Atiku, although he has not openly declared his support for Atiku even when they belong to the same political party and won the Osun state elections together for his Uncle, Ademola Adeleke.

Are You A Music Artist? Do This To Improve Your Voice

As a music artist, your work is not limited to sitting down to write good lyrics. There is also the work of keeping your voice, which is your primary instrument, intact. That is your tool, and with all work tools, you must take care of it. 

Unfortunately, that would mean letting go of some of your favourite food and drinks, but I can assure you it is always worth it. Everyone sacrifices one thing or another in pursuit of success in their careers. 

Click to see what you should not do to your voice. 

However, my focus today is on what you can do to improve your voice. Yes, you can improve your voice. 

1. Hydrate your voice - drink enough water. Always drink water and take herbal tea from time to time to stay hydrated. Dehydration causes itchiness in your throat, and that’s not helpful for your vocals.  
2. Have warm-ups - don’t just burst out singing and pitching high all of a sudden. Do your warm-ups before singing. This can be a set of sounds you make or mime to prepare your vocals for the actual work.
3. Rest your voice - while you should practice daily, have days when you don’t do any major singing. This is especially for those that have full-time musicians with gigs all the time.
4. Stay within your vocal range - working on your vocal range doesn't mean you push yourself to the edge every time. It will strain your voice and affect your vocal over time. Take it step by step when practising. During a performance, stay within what is comfortable for you. Also, everyone has a limit, be content with whatever your peak range is and make the best of it. 
5. Have a correct posture - how you sit or stand when singing is very important. You need to be properly positioned to allow the free flow of air in your body when singing. You should stand straight, face down instead of up if you have to pitch. Also, it’s better to sing standing than sitting down. 
6. Have breathing exercises - you have to be able to control your breath to hit some notes right when singing, and how you do this is by learning breath control. Also, the better your breathing, the stronger your voice, so you have to learn to breathe properly. 
7. Practise daily - as with every other thing in life, consistency is key. When you practise singing daily, you definitely get better at it. Your throat muscles become more flexible, and your vocals get better. 

Many artists think the quality of your voice depends entirely on talent. Well, that’s not true. Talent only lays a foundation; you can do more with your voice when you work on it and improve it. Talent is your voice in its raw state; there is room for refining it and making it valuable. 

Wizkid Shines At The 15th Headies Award

 

Star boy's stars shine so bright as he makes history as the highest awardee  in the history of The Headies. Wizkid who started winning the Headies Award in 2011 with ‘Holla at your Boy’ in the Next Rated Category has added five more headies awards to his shelves making it a total of 20 awards from the Headies.

The headies award was brilliantly hosted by Nollywood actress Osas Ighodaro and Hollywood Actor Anthony Andersen, with well-known Disc Jockeys in play from Spinall, Major League DJz, and Pheelz. Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwolu also graced the event. 

Music producer, Pheelz was the first performing act of the night, entertaining the audience with his hit songs Finesse and Electricity. YBNL signees, Asake and Fireboy DML also gave thrilling performances of their various hit songs, giving the audience an exciting moment. Other A-list performers like Adekunle Gold, Flavour and BNXN (BUJU) also took to the stage to thrill the audience.

With ten nominations, Wizkid won the highest number of awards. Two of his four awards in the album categories; Best Afrobeat Album(Made in Lagos) and Album of the year (Made in Lagos-Deluxe Edition). His other two awards came from his single ‘Essence’ featuring Tems, winning the Best Collaboration, Best R&B Single and Song of the year award respectively. The Next Rated award was awarded to BNXN(BUJU) ahead of other colleagues like Zinoleesky, Ruger, and Ayra Starr. Adekunle Gold, Davido, Olamide, Burnaboy among others were also duely recognized.

Check out the list of winners below.

Best Rap Album – Olamide (Carpe Diem)

Best Collaboration – Wizkid feat. Tems (Essence)

Best R ‘n’ B Single – Wizkid feat. Tems (Essence)

Album of the Year – Wizkid (Made inLagos (Deluxe Edition)

Best Afrobeat Album – Wizkid (Made inLagos)

Songwriter of the Year – Adekunle Gold (Sinner).

Best Music Video – TG Omori (Champion – Fireboy DML feat. D Smoke)

Artiste of the Year – Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Best Male Artiste – Burna Boy

Digital Artiste of the Year – Davido

Humanitarian Award of the Year – Davido

Best Recording of the Year – Patoranking (Celebrate Me)

Producer of the Year – SARZ (Monalisa – Lojay and SARZ)

Best Alternative Album – Ibeji (Intermission)

Headies’ Viewer’s Choice – Arya Starr (Bloody Samaritan)

Best Afrobeat Single – Fireboy DML (Peru)

Best Reggae and Dancehall Album – Patoranking (Three)

Best Vocal Performance (female) – Waje (Last Time)

Best Vocal Performance (Male) – Oxlade (Ojuju)

Lyricist on The Roll – A-Q (The Last Cypher)

Best Streethop Artiste – Goya Menor & Nektunez (Amenor Amapiano remix)

Best Rap Single – Ladipoe feat BNXN (Feeling)

Best Alternative Single – Flavour (Doings)

Rookie of the Year – Fave

Best Inspirational Single – Kcee & Okwesili Eze group (Cultural Praise)

Special Recognition -Dbanj (Talent)

Hall of fame – Angelique Kidjo

International Artiste Special Recognition – Akon & Wycle Jean

Best Central African Artiste of the Year – Innoss’B

Best East African Artiste of the Year – Diamond Platinumz

Best North Africas Artiste of the Year – Latifa (Tunisia)

Best South African Artiste of the Year – Focalistic (South Africa)

Best West African Artiste of the Year – Gyakie

Special Recognition – Efe Omorogbe, Sunday Are, and Bose Ogbulu

2022 HEADIES AWARDS- SHOWCASING THE NIGERIAN MUSIC INDUSTRY'S CREATIVITY GLOBALLY.

 

The 15th edition of the global award for afrobeat music, "The Headies", which is to hold on the 4th of September, 2022, is the first of its kind as it is to be hosted at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

The award organisers said the city is crucial for hosting the awards because Atlanta is home to prominent hip-hop, R&B artistes and record labels. Mary Beth Leonard, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria said the choice of Atlanta to host the Headies symbolises the growing relationship between the music industries in the United States and Nigeria and the increasing popularity of Nigerian music in the United States. Although, hosting the award outside the country wouldn't give many Nigerians the oppourtunity to attend the event but  its a way to showcase Nigerian music talents globally.

2022 edition has seven additional categories which includes; Best Afrobeat Pop Single (Nigeria), Best Afrobeat Pop Album (Nigeria), Best African Collaboration, Best International Collaboration, African Artist of the Year, International Artist of the Year, and Music Executive of the Year.Wizkid lead nominations with ten,Tems and Ayra Starr with eight each, Davido and Adekunle Gold received seven each. Check out the categories of the awards and their meanings.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: This is a voting category for the artist who has had a successful year musically, with the absence of an album in the year under review.

BEST RECORDING OF THE YEAR: A non-voting category for the best recording that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence songwriting, production & rendition by an artiste or group in the year under review.

PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: An individual responsible for producing the most acclaimed song or album in the year under review.

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR: A non-voting category for the writer of a song (that meets the judges’ requirements of excellence, composition, arrangement, rendition) in the year under review.

BEST R&B SINGLE: A category for the best R&B single in the year under review (by a single individual or group).

BEST RAP SINGLE: A voting category for a single (released on-air) recording of a rap song.

BEST ‘ALTERNATIVE’ SONG: A voting category for the artiste whose songs reflect any form or style of music which falls outside the mainstream of recent or past popular musical trends.

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE (FEMALE): A non-voting category for the single female artiste with most outstanding vocal performances on a single song or album.

BEST VOCAL PERFORMANCE(MALE): A non-voting category for the single male artiste with the most outstanding vocal performance on a single song or album.

LYRICIST ON THE ROLL: A non-voting category for the rap artiste with the best lyrical depth and performance on a single song or album.

BEST MUSIC VIDEO: A voting category for the best conceptualist, best directed and most exciting video in the year under review. This award goes to the video director.

BEST COLLABORATION: A voting category for the best r&b, pop or hip-hop collaborative track (including cameos).

BEST STREET-HOP ARTISTE: A voting category for the artiste whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should captain lingua, which may also be originated by the artiste and popular on the street.

BEST AFROBEATS SINGLE OF THE YEAR: A voting category for the best Afrobeats single in year under review (by single individual or group).

HEADIES’ VIEWER’S CHOICE: A voting category to award the fan’s favorite artiste with the most digital tractions (downloads, views, streams) in the year under review.

BEST WEST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Western African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.

BEST EAST AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Eastern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.

BEST NORTH AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Northern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.

BEST SOUTHERN AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Southern African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.

BEST CENTRAL AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group (of Central African Descent) with the most outstanding achievement and impact across Africa in the year under review.

BEST AFROBEATS ALBUM: A category for the best Afrobeats album in the year under review (by a single individual or group).

BEST REGGAE & DANCEHALL ALBUM: A voting category for the best Reggae & Dancehall album (solo or group) in year under review.

BEST R&B ALBUM: A category for the best r&b album in the year under review (by single individual or group).

BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM: A category for the best Alternative album in the year under review (by single individual or group).

BEST RAP ALBUM: A non-voting category for the best album by a rap artiste or group in year under review.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: A voting category for the best album (solo or group) in year under review, that meets judges’ requirements of excellence (songwriting, production, rendition and impact).

BEST FEMALE ARTISTE: Overall most successful female artiste (with artistic quality and/or impact) in the year under review

BEST MALE ARTISTE: Overall most successful male artiste (with artistic quality and/or impact) in the year under review.

NEXT RATED: This category is a voting category for the most promising act (with an EP or Album) in the year under review.

AFRICAN ARTISTE OF THE YEAR: A voting award category for an individual African artiste or group with the most outstanding achievement, impact and infiltration into the International music scene withiin the year under review.

INTERNATIONAL ARTISTE RECOGNITION: A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the Nigerian entertainment industry within a specific period and/or the year under review.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: A special recognition to an individual(s) for excellence and outstanding impact to the entertainment industry within the year under review.

HALL OF FAME: A special recognition to an individual of African Descent, for excellence and outstanding impact to the African entertainment industry, home and abroad.

HUMANITARIAN AWARD OF THE YEAR: A voting category to recognize and Award extraordinary individuals and/or groups who have positively impacted the lives of people, nature and society within the year in review. The nominees for this category are: 2FACE IDIBIA, RUGGEDMAN , DAVIDO and DON JAZZY.

Be prepared  for the massive entertainment coming your way from the Headies award.

Dear Musicians, Stop Doing This To Your Voice!

If you are a vocalist, then you know your voice is an instrument. It is your primary instrument, so whether you play the guitar, keyboard or sax, they are second to your voice. And what this means for you is that you should take care of your voice as much as you take care of those instruments. 

Talent is just one of the ingredients for success. If you have a great voice that you don't take care of, with time, that voice will begin to sound not so great. And I cannot begin to tell you how much good a great or at least a suitable voice does to a song. The sweetest words still need a good voice, or else it's just another one going down the drain. 

However, taking care of your voice is not limited to what you do. It also includes what you don't do to it. Even if you are not a musician, I am sure you would find this list helpful too. While some are things you need to stay off from permanently, some are just things to avoid/refrain from a few hours before singing. 

1. Cold water -constricts the muscle in your throat, which results in loss of flexibility.
2. Caffeine/Coffee -causes dehydration and irritation of vocal cords.
3. Spicy food -causes heartburn.
4. Alcohol -leads to dehydration in your throat and excessive mucous that will cover your vocal folds.
5. Screaming -stress your vocal cords and results in temporary loss of voice. 
6. Drugs -can destroy the thickness of your vocal cords. 
7. Smoking -causes dryness and throat irritation.
8. Late nights - not having enough sleep affects your general health, and if it continues that way, it also takes a toll on your voice.
9. Dairy products i.e. milk, yoghurt, butter -thicken the mucus already in your throat.

I understand that it’s not easy to break away from some of the items on this list. However, it is a necessary sacrifice for a great musical career. Maybe you should take it one at a time; start with the easiest one for you and work it all the way up from there.  

Happy singing!