I admit it. I love to browse through social media looking for exceptional talent. Sometimes I am looking for a potential consulting or management client, but mostly I love to pick out who I think will be the superstars of the next few years. I love the fact that I can still pick a winner. The reason I can do that is because there are certain principles that I have been teaching artists forever, and my browsing has confirmed every one of them. Here are 3 of them:
- True talent shines through: There are countless great singers, but there are only a handful that 'shine'. They are the ones who know how to draw you in to whatever they are singing about. They deliver every song with emotion. They capture you with their eyes as well as their voice. They are the ones who make me listen to all 3 minutes of their song and leave me wanting more. Every time I have 'discovered' one of these gems, it turns out they are already signed to a label and most often have a manager.
- Show-offs don't last. There are some amazing singers who impress me the 1st time I hear them. It might be because of their great vocal range. It might be because they can do amazing runs. But when every other I post I watch has some variation of the same 'check this out' type of content, I get bored very quickly. They come across as 'one trick ponies'. They never show contrasting sides of their singing and personality. It leaves me believing their live show would be great for about 5 minutes, but they would never take me the type of emotional roller coaster that makes for a captivating performance.
- Being popular on social media doesn't mean you'll have a successful music career. It's easy to tell when an artist's popularity is due to other factors besides their singing. It might be their personality, the variety of content they post, or how they look (filters change everything). But these often don't translate to the stage. Having one viral hit is very often a fluke rather than a sign of musical greatness. If you can't duplicate what made that song go viral, you're back to square one. And if what you're known for online doesn't translate to the live stage, your career will most likely remain on social media until you or your fans get bored. Social media popularity alone doesn't sell out shows.
In a way I feel sorry for all of the artists out there who never learn to be great live entertainers. They may be great in 15 second - 1 minute bursts with a little video editing, filtering and vocal effects. But there is no applause on social media - just likes. In my opinion they are missing out on the greatest feeling in the world - the roar of an appreciative crowd!
Owner, Bill Madison Music
2 年I retired after 60 years of performing and miss it already, however I also have some health issues and internet problems that prohibit live streaming which I also love. So now I am happily residing in my studio - still crankin' out the tunes and recording them - for licensing opportunities. I can never quit playing!
CEO at Media Center Entertainment Group
2 年Agreed. The true essence of an artist is their live performance and the ability to duplicate that magic as if it was their first time. I once asked my client, Robert "Bob" Bornstein (See over 500 music credits IMDB.com Paramount Pictures) what was the one element of a successful career in the entertainment business? In one word he simply said, "Personality!" That quality is developed over a life time. A show can be created but sustaining the consistency requires a team. Though Social Media has opened the doors for many talents there is an element of fraud when "Likes" are purchased and "traffic" is misrepresented. The REAL talent will be brought to the forefront by knowledgeable industry people.
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