Artist Development

While going through my classes here at Full Sail University, I’ve contemplated whether I really wanted to be an artist manager or more of a booking agent.  I began looking at my current demands as a full-time teacher, wife and mother and consider all the things that this job may entail.

Looking at the artist needs I thought about the artist development piece that is even more crucial, in my opinion, than having an artist manager.  There are plenty of artist out there that have managers.  Did they have the proper development?  That’s what I believe is my calling. 

One of the articles I read on artist development was from Music Marketeer.  They basically feel that the ‘It’ factor that people say they look for comes from a combination of things like talent, hard work, and artist development training.  I totally agree with the article and how it breaks down the necessities an artist should be doing before seeking out a manager like vocal lessons and working on their stage presence.  It is such a tedious process to begin with that one should not do it half way.  You can’t get a Beyonce’ or Janet Jackson type artist without all of those factors I mentioned above.  

When you look at the needs of an artist you have to first look at if they have good songs.  Today it seems that its more about your look and the ‘shock’ value you can have on your audience like a Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj type artist.  I just wish the industry would focus more on the music than the artist.  I believe that’s what gives them longevity industry. The former days of Motown and the Beatles were made up of songs that we still sing today.  To me that is the most important thing an artist needs.  Of course their needs to be a look, stage presence, and even a singer/songwriter is even better, that’s more money for the artist. So much is at stake when developing an artist and its important to be thorough.

So I definitely think that artist development is a better fit for me, what do you think?