The music business in Nigeria is growing by leaps and bounds in the global market as more Nigerian artistes continue to break grounds in the international market. The recent successes of major A-list artistes like Davido, Mr Eazi, Wizkid, Patoranking and lots more exploring new frontiers and performing in major international music festivals and collaborating with top stars worldwide firmly puts Nigeria in the spot for global music relevance.
Also locally, many more artistes are springing up from different parts of the country. There is also a huge potential for growth from what is existing currently and that’s why In the last 2 years, there has been an influx by foreign record labels like Sony Music and Universal who are now beginning to see these potentials in the unique sound of Nigeria music and seek ways to exploit them into the global market. Most of them are beginning to set up shop in the country and more will still do in the coming years. However, there is still a dearth of manpower expertise to properly exploit the economic potentials the music business can bring.
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As it is today, a lot of those who get into the music industry first come as artistes and when fortune doesn’t smile on them as they expect, it seems like their whole interest in the music business dies. This is because there isn’t much awareness out there about other ways and roles that can accommodate their expertise and experiences and how they can generate income off it.
As the Nigeria music industry gets its structural problems right, especially with the influx of foreign players, young Nigerians apart from artistes who want to be in the music business can begin to sharpen their minds and skills set to maximise the opportunities that are now becoming to be in demand. Below are four careers paths in Music Business/Management which will soon be in very high demand as our industry grows.
Music Business Consultant
If you possess a deep understanding of business, law, music, and industry trends in order to provide knowledgeable and solid advice with confidence, then Music business consultancy could be something to try out. Don’t just be the person on twitter who has all the answers and yet no one is listening to what you have say. Maybe its time to brush up your self, act and earn a great income from your knowledge. Successful consultants demonstrate excellent skills in listening, qualitative and quantitative research, and communication, including public speaking and the development of written and/or visual reports.
A&R Representative/A&R Coordinator
A&R simply Artiste& Repertoire. The jo of andA&R representative is usually to help in finding and signing new music talent and the artistic development of that talent. Not to be mistaken as an artiste manager, an experienced A&R rep can sometimes also double as the manager of the artiste. A&R representatives oversee an artist recording process, album tracklisting arrangements and help to determine which single(s) is best for release. In addition to understanding how music works, such as how albums are recorded, produced, and marketed, an A&R representative must possess a thorough understanding of music in general and an in-depth knowledge of the contemporary music scene. This is a great opportunity for artistes whom though have extremely great talent but somehow didn’t have thriving careers.
Tour Coordinator
A tour coordinator should not be mistaken for a Road manager. TCs are responsible for coordinating the many facets of an act’s tour, including travel, lodging, arranging for services, and budgeting for expenses. So if you are one who likes to travel and can plan trips that may include 3 – more persons without hitches, maybe this one is for you.
Independent Radio Promoter/Plug
Many people actually do this already but very few are credible. The independent radio promoter (IRP) has a similar role as that of a promotional staffer at a record label, except the IRP is usually employed in a freelance role their main role is to generate airplay of a particular song or album project for an artiste. He contacts radio station program directors, music directors, and disc jockeys in a local, regional, national, or even an international market. He sets up appointments with these station people and brings a number of new album releases as well as a supply of promotional or press material relating to the artist or band. The key to being an effective IRP is to be able to socialize frequently with program directors and music directors to help improve the chances that a radio station will add a song to its playlist. An IRP often will often take key radio station personnel out to lunch, dinner, or for drinks. They may also bring a program director to a club in order to listen to a group play songs live and gauge audience response.