The first post we did on labels advice last week was such a big hit that we decided to do another one. But now, I’ve invited the A&Rs from Sekora, Immersed, Enhanced Music and Masvingo to collaborate with more tips for you.
PS. These topics are open for request, so if you have any suggestion, feel free to answer to this email with what you’d want to hear us talking about
5 THOUGHTS FROM LABELS
1. My biggest piece of advice is very simple and anyone can do it: Be polite and friendly when sending in a demo email. You have no idea how many demos I get that are simply a link to a track on Soundcloud and this has got so regular now they do not even get listened to them anymore. As always, approach an A&R/demo submission like you were approaching a human in real life. Say hello, be polite, introduce yourself very briefly and talk to them as you would like to be spoken to yourself. This will immediately help you to build a relationship with the label.
Greg Newman, a.k.a. Blank Page, A&R at Sekora Music
2. When sending demos to labels, try not to send more than two or max three in one go. It’s likely that the A&R team will have a lot of demos to review, so when they open up a link and there are 12 tracks facing them from an artist they’ve never met or heard of, they will just get pushed down the queue and there’s a high chance they won’t get listened to at all – or if they do, they will be skipped through to save time. In addition, it’s also more than likely all 12 aren’t going to smash it out of the park, so pick your best few, and give it your best shot.
Adam Turner, a.k.a. Farius, A&R at Enhanced Music
3. You should have 4-5 extra unsigned records outside of the demo submission email you just sent. If a label finds one track awesome, but the other one not so much, having extra tracks readily available to swap out will improve the A&R’s impression of you. In addition, labels want to work with artists more than once – especially smaller, bespoke labels like Immersed. Being able to sign off on multiple releases in subsequent emails will make labels want to invest more in your artist alias. -> Something I’ve also mentioned in this post.
Alexander Punj, Label Owner at Immersed Recordings
4. Prepare yourself for acceptance as well as rejection. Let’s say you make it and they want to sign you! A folder containing branding assets such as an EPK (Electronic Press Kit -> bio, press photos, logo) as well as links to your social media accounts is a necessity when a label signs you. At the end of the day, it is a business and how can you help the label sell your music? The better your collaborative relationship with the label, the more likely they will love to work with you in the future!
Edhi Edward, Label Director at Masvingo Recordings
5. It is inevitable for everyone who chooses to be in this industry to have their music rejected. This can be disheartening for all, but it is not the end of your career. STICK TO YOUR GUNS. Believe in your music and surround yourself with great friends who are also producers. There will be plenty of 4 AM calls/texts from your producer buddies wanting to give up and quit music because their song didn’t make the cut. And they will have heard the same from you eventually. Therefore, you are not alone. In addition, always have plans a, b, c, for your what you’re trying to do.
Edhi Edward, Label Director at Masvingo Recordings
If you’re looking for more legal based advice, check out this post over here on 3 Legal Things to Be Aware When Signing a Track
1 QUESTION FOR YOU
Now that we’ve covered a lot of posts on labels and releases, what is your next release going to look like?
1. First, are you ready to release your tracks? If your producer friends are loving your tracks, it might be the time for you to start releasing, but, if not, consider taking a closer look into your productions.
2. Now, do you want to have control over everything when you release it? Self-Release might be the right choice for you, as mentioned in this post
3. Or do you feel you need help with marketing and promotion? A Label might help you do this, as mentioned in this post.
