Labels, the choice is yours

I've come across different types of artists; those that are prosperous and those who are only just making it by the grace of the Almighty. There is also a trend that is noticeable - which is artists starting their own record labels. Many feel that being under someone else doesn't always work out so they create their own alternatives. Artists have said that record companies only focus on some artists and forget the rest. Now my question is: Should artists be signed to record labels or should they rather not and simply strive for themselves?

There are two kinds of record labels… independent and major. Major record labels like Sony. Being signed means a lot of money coming your way. You are guaranteed gigs due to the connections these labels have and media exposure too. The not-so-smart part about record labels is that they literally have control over the artist and his work and that is what many unfortunately fail to see. These companies will invest in an artist and the artist becomes a sensation, but, these artists usually end up upset and make a fuss when there is a contract, mind you, and want to leave the label. The other thing is that artists also fail to see that many of them only have their voice and the rest is invested and resourced by the record labels. Artists have the creative freedom and can forget about contracts or not being able to own your own music. You decide when to release, what to release and how much you will earn at the end. There many artists that have successfully launched their own record labels which proves it is possible.

In the end, it all depends on the pace you want to arrive at at your destination and how good you want to look and for how long you want to maintain the momentum. Namibian established labels have left many artists unhappy. Those that have left their labels are working twice as hard.



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