The hard business of making music
The music business can be pretty ugly with many artists bemoaning the cut throat side of fame.
Failed careers have been attributed to a myriad of reasons including not understanding the business, bad management, poor financial management and falling prey to the heady cocktail of fame and substance abuse.
A simple case of non-submission of income tax returns can doom a budding career, a hard lesson for songstress Zahara.
But some stars have successfully bucked the odds.
Music legend David Kramer said he attributed his success in the industry to being an independent artist.
“I created work that people were willing to pay for. I started at a time when the music business had a different model, where it wasn’t freely available. I wrote music that people wanted to purchase,” he said.
He added: “My wife Renaye and I took control of the business and we eliminated the middle man. Producing our work meant we could maximise the return on our investment.”
Kramer also attributed his success to diversifying his portfolio, to include theatre.
“I never stayed in the music business only but moved into other fields. While selling and performing music, I got to write musicals with Taliep Petersen,” he said.
“We had a lot of success because we controlled the financial aspect of the musicals. The money we made, we were able to finance other successful projects,” he added.
“The success from each project had a domino effect for the next.”
Trending and multi-award-winning artist Bravo Le Roux said he tried not to let the politics of the game affect his experience in the industry.
The Khayelitsha rapper says he has fun making music but admits the industry can be pretty rough.
“Sometimes I have to hear that I am ‘too township’ or that my rapping in Xhosa makes me less commercial,” he said.
“I try to not focus on problems and just enjoy every step of the journey,” he added.
To counter the problems faced by performers, Boston City Campus in collaboration with Soul Candi Records is offering a a short Music Business learning programme.
The course is targeted at developing practical skills to equip people in the industry with information to help them navigate the complexities of the music business.
Programme manager Blanka Mazimela said there’s been increasing interest in the course since its inception in 2012.
“We offer a DJ and music production course and upon completion of that, we advise those students to also complete the music business course,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) has announced that it would finance 50 qualifying students to complete the Music Business course.
When asked what SAMRO has done to promote the longevity of its artists aside from the bursaries for the course, their communication manager, Kgomotoso Mosenogi said they had a 60-year-long legacy of investing in the education of their musicians.
“Most of our members are self-taught musicians and their main request for support has been a better understanding of the music business,” she said.
She added: “SAMRO offers its members a retirement annuity fund and a funeral plan. We preserve and promote cultural heritage through our archive of composer’s music.”
The Boston course is priced at R6050 per student. The selection criteria includes a matric certificate or an equivalent qualification.
Luvuezo Antonio (artist name Lui V) is an artist from Belhar who has been chosen to represent South Africa in an international exchange programme. A French company, Samba Résille, in partnership with the Artscape Theatre, is providing artists from around the world with the chance to hone their knowledge and skills, to optimise their chances of success in the industry.
Antonio said he was excited to be part of the programme because music has always been his dream.
“This programme is the perfect opportunity to extend my network on a global scale. I am looking forward to sharing my talent and skills with the rest of the world and learning how I can capitalise on it,” he said.
He added: “ coming face to face with seasoned industry professionals is a blessing. I think this will open many doors for me.”
Martin Myers is the head of Music Xchange, a music development workshop with names like Sipho ‘hotstix’ Mabuse and Charles Goldstuck. Myers has been hosting these programmes for the past 12 years.
Myers was doubtful about the commitment that people in the industry might show towards the course.
“Do they have the discipline, aptitude and willingness to learn? Some are incredibly stubborn,” he said.
“Many don’t realise that writing the hit is only 40% of the work, the business side is not as glamorous,” he added.
The music industry aficionado said he’s had people like Goldstuck and composer Trevor Jones host masterclasses, only to be met with a lack of interest.