Artists You Want to Work With
Especially when you’re is an independent pop songwriter, a core part of your business strategy should be to link up with artists who will release your co-written material. You’ll likely have to work with a multitude of artists before finding those who believe in you as a songwriter and who’s creative vision lines up with your area of expertise and creative expression. That said, do not be deterred by the many ups and downs of this journey. When you finally meet an artist with whom you align it is a reward experience, both financially and spiritually. That said, let’s talk about a few character traits that will make an independent artist a worthwhile investment of your time and talents.
Perhaps most importantly, you’ll want to work with artists who have a clear vision. Do they want to work on ballads or hyper pop internet music? Do they want to release an album, an EP, or a set of singles? Does that catalogue of work have a coherent sonic or thematic focus. Is this perform focused and steering the session? The more clear-eyed the artist the more likely they’ll be able to communicate what they need from you. In turn, you’ll know what to bring to a session and be more likely to land a cut.
Beyond your sessions, you’ll want to seek out artists who have a reputation of putting out music regularly. Of course, you’re bound to want to work with nubile artists who have yet to put out work as well. If this is the case, try and sus out whether this type of artist has plans for release or whether they are merely exploring creatively at the moment. Depending on the type of songwriter you are, you may or may not find this type of work rewarding since you’ll have to do a bit more development. When an artist has a history of release, you can be better assured that your music might find a place out in the world.
Ethics and respect for you the songwriter are also of the utmost important. Songwriters are perhaps the least compensated member of the music industry community - its incredibly upsetting. That said, work with an artist who will sign split sheets and stick to agreements without bemoaning the fact that you are contributing. Those artists who are willing to pay writer’s fees or give you a slice of the master are those that you should keep close as well.
I worry for songwriters. I have heard some horror stories of those who get involved with certain types of artists who end up sucking up their valuable time and provide nothing in return. Of course, this is par for the course in an industry that requires we do quite a bit of spec work. Seek out those with vision, plans, and an ethical business mind in order to set yourself up for success.
