5 Ways to fund your music career

Pulse Nigeriafive ways to help you discover how to finance your music.

1. Family and friends

Family and friends comprises of your immediate network. Asking friends and family for funds is one of the most common ways to finance your career.

2. Partnerships

You might not be signed to a label, there are opportunities for you to still make funds from partnerships with record labels and distribution companies.

You can get sign a deal where a distribution company is responsible for is distribution of the talent’s songs in stores or online and collecting the money. You can also sign a joint venture deal. When you hear an artist is affiliated with a record label, they are most likely in a joint venture deal. The label serves as a financial investor by providing funds for studio time and song production.

3. Crowdfunding

This is not common with Nigerian artists but it’s something you can try. Crowdfunding is a means through which you raise funds for a project via an online platforms like Kickstarter and Crowdfunder.

American acts Macklemore and Ryan Lewis used Kickstarter to promote their breakout album. They used it fund the music video for their single ‘Wings’. The platform has also been used by already established artists. For instance, TLC created a campaign to raise $150,000, it helped that they had an already existing fan base because they ended up making double that amount.

4. Get a job in the industry

While you're waiting for your career to kick off or saving up for studio time, you can get a music related job that showcases your talent. If you’ve got a great voice, you can get a job as a backup singer or do vocals for . If you are a good songwriter, you can write songs for known artists. If you play an instrument, you can be a music teacher.

5. Find an investor

Look at your music career as a business, draw up a business plan stating your needs, costs, vision, projected returns and plans for the future you can show to a potential investor when you meet someone interested in your music.

You can also apply for loans and grants.

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