Those first 2 to 5 years are quite disheartening for a new music artist. The skin grows thicker after the 5th year. And your knowledge is abundant while simultaneously your experience starts showing its benefits. There are times however when you should ONLY trust your gut and your gut alone. Read on to discover the 5 situations in which you should only obey your instinct regardless of how fresh or seasoned you are in the music business.
5. When You Sign Contracts.
You may be faced with a sync deal, a distribution deal, a management deal. You WILL KNOW if someone is trying to rush you, if they’re not okay with you taking your time, if they love to remind you just how busy they are and how you’re lucky to even be presented with such an offer. You’ve lived long enough and have been accumulating experience as a human being reading red flags since you were a baby. Trust your gut and take ALL THE TIME in the world you need before putting your signature ANYWHERE.
4. When You Plan On Collaborating With Another Artist.
Usually, if it’s not a loud hell yes then it’s a hell no situation. You need to know so much about the collaborating act! Their engagement rate, their management situation, their marketing plan, their intention for the collaboration, their stability factor, etc. Even if they have more clout than you, if you don’t like how they sound, how they behave, you should trust your gut. You will regret a lot more having an unfit collaboration live on forever in the digital world than not having done one at all.
3. When You Plan Gig Arrangements.
Bands know exactly what we mean by this. When that promoter can’t even tell you the type of microphone and preamplifier that will be used for the gig, when they don’t know the playback monitor capacity and stage diameter, you feel anxious, sick to your stomach and so badly want to cancel. Guess what? You can do it and probably at this point you should do it. Nothing spells failure like an unprepared venue to host your amazing voice or even an entire live-performing band. Protect your brand, reputation, and joy of performing by either having your own full acoustic setup or by being uber selective about the gigs. Either way, TRUST YOUR GUT.
2. When You Pitch Yourself To Media Outlets.
As tempting as it may sound hitting up blogs and media outlets to pitch them your newest release, if in your heart of hearts you know this is not your best song, don’t do it. You only have ONE chance to make a first impression with people. Especially when they’re in the entertainment industry. Get labeled as not-there-yet, they’ll always look at you as an amateur artist. Sometimes it pays off even waiting for years until you know for a fact what’s your brand identity and specific sound and only THEN market yourself. You know if you’re not ready and you should follow your instinct.
1. When You Review Promotional Material.
Have you ever been in the position when your photographer tells you they like that weird photo of you looking like a sleepless zombie and that you should use THAT for your PR campaign as the headlining image? No? You will be soon. If your go-to person/team says you should run with X cover for promotional materials but you have stomach aches when looking at it, you’re right and they’re wrong. You know your music, reasoning, intentions and you will feel at ease when everything is proper and truly representative of who you are. Trust your gut ESPECIALLY when it comes to packaging your brand. You don’t like it, you don’t do it.
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