The Power of Being You
Last week I spoke to an artist who’s done an amazing job of building an audience and gaining traction as an independent artist. He’s done so well in fact, that the labels have begun calling. I said he must feel encouraged that he’s attracting that sort of attention but instead of sounding upbeat, he was actually a little disheartened. You see, the labels he’s been talking to were telling him that in order to take his career to the next level, he’d need to adapt to sound more like some other artists they’ve had some success with.
I cannot tell you how angry this makes me (angry face emoji)
Also last week, Music Business Worldwide reported that it’s now estimated that around 120,000 tracks are uploaded to streaming services every single day of the week, up from an estimated 60,000 tracks per day this time last year. That’s a 100% increase in only 12 months. This makes it more important than ever for artists to embrace what makes them, them. And if there’s one genre of music that should be advocating for this the most, it should be Christian & Gospel (but it’s not.) Because surely those working in this genre should know more than anyone else how God has made us as unique individuals with specific gifts and talents, which should result in the music being produced by us sounding unique too. I can’t imagine for a second that God would want artists to sound like somebody else for commercial reasons! We know from science class that each grain of sand on earth and each snowflake that floats from the sky are also unique. Can you imagine nature homogenising itself to look more like other popular beaches or mountains? No, neither can I.
And you know what, the mainstream genres get it. Music Publicist and Manager Jamie Coletta said last week that: “there is no replacement for being wholly, authentically yourself. That starts in the studio and arguably long before that too. There is such a level of vulnerability that has to happen here and it’s gotta start with the music. The more uniquely identifiable and relatable you are, the easier it is to stand out.”
The good news is that artists now have all the tools at their disposal to make being themselves easier than ever. Most artists I speak to have a clear idea of who they are and how they want to sound. Distributors like Wings Access give artists the power to get their music to all the online stores, with our Artist Support team on hand to assist. And then the individuals at the streaming services who choose what songs to put on their playlists, which is the primary way songs and artists get discovered, are always on the lookout for fresh, independent voices to champion, regardless of how big or small the artist is. I know this because I have the privilege of knowing them and knowing how much they want to encourage authenticity.
In a world yearning for truth, your willingness to be true to yourself becomes a powerful force that reshapes the music and cultural landscape and inspires others to do the same. Embrace your uniqueness, and let your authentic voice reverberate through the hearts of listeners worldwide, bringing joy to God who made you this way, and planting the seeds of faith and hope into all who encounter your music. And if anyone ever tells you to change who you are to be more commercially acceptable, send them my way!