HillTopAve’s Post

Creative individuals enrich our lives, making the journey more fun and meaningful! Picture a world solely consumed by financial concerns and superficial performances. Envision existence without the sound of music, dance, and theatre, with walls bare of artistry. How monotonous our lives would become! Yet, it remains a perplexing mystery how society often disregards creativity and the financial struggles many creative minds endure, especially when they are starting their professional life. Let’s first highlight how often people perceive the creative industries as a “hobby” or “passion” rather than a legitimate profession. This misconception largely stems from the idea that creativity is solely for “fun,” so why should one be paid for it? In our society, there's a prevalent misconception that the creative industries are merely hobbies or passions rather than legitimate professions. This misperception arises from the belief that creativity is inherently enjoyable, so why should one expect financial compensation for something they love doing? This flawed notion overlooks the immense skill, effort, and dedication required to excel in creative fields. Why should't we "not pay" creatives for their work? I regularly receive feedback from creatives in photography, video editing, music, performance, and graphic design regarding how frequently they are offered compensation in "exposure" for their work, with promises of visibility and popularity. However, once the work is completed, they often realise that little to no effort has been made to truly showcase the artist's talents and help them shine. This practice is notable as well among individuals or organisations with ample budgets at their disposal. Using a metaphor it would be approaching your banker and saying, "If you can help me generate X% on my investment, I'll send you my friends and mention it to my partners,” or telling a mechanic, "If you fix my car well, I'll refer my family and friends to your garage." Creative professionals invest countless hours honing their craft, refining their skills, and navigating the complexities of their chosen medium. They often invest in expensive tools and materials to bring their visions to life. Despite facing challenges and setbacks like any other profession, their contributions are frequently undervalued or dismissed as frivolous pursuits. However, creativity is not just about enjoyment; it's about innovation, expression, and pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Creative industries drive cultural development, spark new ideas, and shape the way we perceive the world around us. Yet, despite their undeniable impact, creative individuals frequently struggle ... >>> https://lnkd.in/giQimp2D Due to post character limitation the full article can't display but your can finish the article on the website without adds or pushy sales techique ; ) #coaching #creative #career #growth

**Artists and Creators – Don’t Fall for the "Big Opportunity" Trap** Over the past three months, my legal team has recovered over $10,000 USD in unpaid royalties from several independent European labels for songs I released between 2021 and 2023. Some tracks had contracts that were blatantly unfulfilled. Others didn’t even have contracts, as I was new to the industry and unaware at the time. Now, when approached, the labels’ response is: *“We agreed this was a great opportunity for you.”* Let’s be clear – an opportunity is one thing, but when a song has over 10.8M streams, and another has 4M streams (both featuring **my vocals**), that’s a clear *opportunity* for the label too. Yet, the reality is, these “opportunities” often come without proper compensation. Don’t get caught in the trap of being offered exposure or reputation in exchange for your hard work. You deserve to be compensated fairly for your talent and effort. If the business terms aren’t met, take action. Because, let’s be honest – if they’re doing this to you, how many other artists have they treated the same way? Business is business. Make sure you get what you’re owed.

Record labels don’t sign artists for their talent. Well, they do … but there is more to it. They’re looking for artists who are not only talented but also passionate and engaged. Artists who: ▶ Deliver great performances and songs, one after the other. ▶ Can Connect genuinely with their audience. ▶ Have a unique message or story to share. But not only. There is another crucial trait: Resilience. Labels want artists who show a strong commitment to their careers. Those who won't say "This isn’t for me,” after tasting initial success. From my experience as a mixer, the artists who are recommended to A&Rs share this resilience. I might be wrong. But working with so many artists, those with a drive and a vision tend to make the cut.

A personal brand is a combination of your personality, values, passions, and style that sets you apart from other artists. You are a brand. What are they saying about you?? Need help with this art business thing? Join the “Pay The Artist” club today! Dm or Comment “PTA” Today to Join! #iamdmuse #paytheartist #artmarketing #artbusinesscoach #artbusiness #artbusinesslife #artistcoach

What is A440? If you’ve been to an orchestra concert, you probably heard the musicians start the evening by all tuning their instruments to the same note. That note is A (the A that lives at 440Hz, to be precise). Once they’re all in tune, they can play their disparate parts and yet still be in harmony with each other. Branding works the same way. Everyone on your team plays a different role, but what keeps them in harmony? A shared mission. And the simplest representation of your company’s mission is your branding. You might call it the “A440” of your company. That’s one of my top goals at A440 Creative: to create branding for companies that clearly communicates your mission and helps your individual players work as a team. Send me a DM today to find out how I can help bring harmony to your musical and non-musical endeavors.

Society often limits people to a basic yes or no responses to anything. Life & career are, however, more complex than that & the most successful creatives in the business look beyond the basic “yes/no” for solutions. This is my latest Medium article reflecting on this 😉 #Music #MusicBusiness #Film #Television #Fashion #Creatives #Creativity #CreativeIndustries #CreativeManagement #Entertainment #EntertainmentIndustry https://lnkd.in/dtJx2jD9

I know it’s a great saying that “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” By Pablo Picasso and it’s Steve Job’s favourite quote too but it doesn’t mean mindlessly copying someone else’s work. It’s about absorbing inspiration from various sources, internalizing it, and then making it your own by adding a unique perspective or innovative twist. In the digital age, where content is abundant, adding your personal touch is crucial. Just replicating what’s out there adds no value. #beoriginal #digitalmedia #socialmedia

Manifestation is important and strategic planning. Five years ago, I had a vision to focus on the business part of the entertainment industry. I wanted to build brands which would focus on segments of the entertainment industry.  We started with media and entertainment.  They consist of film, print.,radio and television. The segments include movies., tv shows. radio shows, music, newspapers,magazines and books. Each segment would have its on entity under the Intelligent Diva Music empire. Then, we would include technology. This opens the landscape to creators and everyone who has a role across these industries.  Music artist would become more than just artists. They would become entrepreneurs, with their intellectual property becoming an asset. To see all this come together before me proves I made the right decision.  With God's direction we will continue to get their. My vision and dream is happening before my very eyes. 

Even your favorite artists are like this… Think Beyoncé, Burna Boy, Drake, The Weeknd, Rihanna, Wizkid, Eminem, etc. You might say you enjoy all their songs. But the reality is that not all their songs are top-notch. That’s why some of them will go viral and others will collect dust in your gallery. However, what’s interesting is that they keep dropping songs. They keep producing CONTENT and they get better and better. And then, at some point, it’s easier to overlook their not-so-good songs because in your head you already place them as favorites. That’s exactly what content writing is all about. The aim is not to go viral in every post. But to strengthen the relationships with your audience and make them gradually think of you as a favorite. And you have to do it for a long time to get there. So play the long game because that’s how you win. PS: Need content to generate leads for your business? Send me a DM asap.

Lil Wayne featuring 2024! A short (very short) story...... Artist: "The last time I performed was in 2014." Me: Why? Artist: "Life happened." (What he means is a lack of fundamental resources needed to pursue a professional career.) The mainstream music industry focus on the top 10%, and they overlook the bottom 10%. These artists are not in the bottom 10% because they lack talent - they are incredibly talented (with talent direction), they lack a proper independent music business structure (80/20 rule). When we discuss inequality, we usually think of race, color, creed, and religion. But what about social class? Around +-95% of successful artists come from middle or upper-class backgrounds, not from the lower (even if they say they do). We have a problem here (real vs persona). We are bringing back this artist (above) who last performed in 2014. We are fixing the wrongs and giving him a chance to shine again, getting him on a track featuring Weezy - branding leverage to get back in the game! Releases 2nd August 2024!!!!