For many musicians, signing a record deal seems like a capstone achievement. Some believe that once you’re signed, you’ve “made it” – but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Below, we’ll uncover why you don’t necessarily need a record deal to have a career in music with insight from KDMR Music.
You Have Full Creative Control
Record labels certainly have a lot of resources and connections that can help artists be seen on a larger scale. However, this comes at a sacrifice – since record labels need to meet a bottom line, they have to focus on all of their artists, and adjust sounds to meet the current needs of the market–
“A lot of artists don’t realize that labels aren’t able to spotlight every artist. If the label doesn’t think the song is going to do well, they can put your music on a shelf.”
– KDMR Music
One of the biggest perks of being an independent artist is having full creative control over what your music sounds like and when it’s released. Sure, it’s a lot more work on your end, but staying indie gives you full freedom over your brand, image, and most importantly, your music.
Anyone Can Have A Career In Music
One of the biggest misconceptions is that getting signed allows you to be a financially stable, full-time artist. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case–
“The money doesn’t come from the music in the label. The music label needs to take a cut out of your music. If you’re trying to make money in the music industry, you have to find other pathways to monetization”
– KDMR Music
Whether you have a record deal or not, you need to find ways to monetize your art and brand. Thankfully, Koji has plenty of mini apps that allow you to turn your link in bio into a digital storefront at any stage in your music career.
To name a few, you can use mini apps like Locked Audio to monetize released or unreleased tracks. You can also set up your own merch storefront with Sell Physical Goods or simply invite your fans to leave a tip with Love Jar. With over 250 Koji mini apps available, there are endless ways to earn a living directly from your link in bio.
You Can Funnel Your Own Fanbase
Many artists feel like they need a record deal to develop a fanbase, which is simply not true. Social media and access to the internet make it easier to cultivate a community. Even having a well thought out link in bio can help you foster your audience:
“Koji makes it possible for you to build and grow your audience all without fans having to leave your social media page”
– KDMR Music
Most labels are looking for artists that have already built the foundations of a fanbase any way, so it’s up to you to learn how to build an audience.
Koji provides plenty of link in bio mini apps to help you connect quickly with fans. From newsletter building with Email Collection and live event planning with Event Calendar, the right tools can help you stay connected online and offline.
Producers Aren’t Paid More
If you’re a producer, not much is going to change if you become signed. As said by KDMR Music,
“The label is not giving you extra money to make your own tracks, even if they would need to hire a producer otherwise.”
– KDMR Music
When you’re a signed artist, you only earn money after you’ve paid back the advance the label has given you, assuming you were given one to begin with. Producing artists aren’t given the salary of an outsourced producer, so there isn’t much of a difference between being signed or unsigned.
Koji provides artists the opportunity to set up their own service storefront through Sell A Service. This way, regardless of where you’re at in your career, you can start earning extra from your beatmaking skills.
The Work Stays The Same
Perhaps the most important point is that the work remains just as intense regardless of whether or not you have a record deal. You will always need to put in work behind your art and brand, and sometimes, more so when an entire team depends on you.
There are pros and cons to being signed and unsigned. The choice is yours, but in either case, be ready to work for your art.
For more helpful insights, check out KDMR’s full video below:
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