Q & A
Each month, MusicBizAdvice.com answers your questions about the music industry.
Six Things You Should Know Before Entering a Talent Contest:
Q: Other than "American Idol," can a contest really help my
music career?
A: It depends on the contest. Winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 helped propel
Celine Dion to international stardom, and the John Lennon Songwriting Contest is
prestigious as well. But it's easy to accidentally align yourself with a type of music
you're not into by entering the wrong contest. Also, scam artists are starting to take
advantage of the popularity of "American Idol." Before entering any talent
contest, competition, or scouting event, ask yourself the following:
1. Is the type of music presented in the contest the kind you want to do for a
living? If the contest is dance-pop or Broadway, and you want to sing rock or
country, think carefully before entering. It's not only about exposure, it's about the
right exposure--and if you win, people will remember you as doing the type of music
featured in the contest.
2. Do you get to choose the songs you'll perform in the contest? Is there
a list from which you must choose your songs? Televised contests often require that you
choose from a list, or they may have songs written for the competition that finalists will
be expected to perform.
3. If you perform your own original music, do you have to give up any rights to
your songs? This is VERY important. If the contest is televised and a song you've
written becomes popular because of your performance, you stand to make a sizeable amount
of money in royalties. Think carefully before signing them away, and consult an
entertainment attorney before signing anything. And it should go without saying that any
original song you perform in a contest--or any other public forum, for that matter--should
be copyrighted with the US Copyright Office before you submit or perform it.
4. Who are the judges and producers/sponsors of the contest? Do some
research and find out what projects they've been involved with. Is it a type of music you
want to do?
5. Who will the winner be working with and/or be signed to? For how long?
If you don't like the type of music they do, you probably won't be happy if you win. Even
if you don't win, in the entry paperwork there's often a clause that gives the contest's
producers the exclusive right to sign you to their companies. If it's not a company or
type of music you want to be associated with, don't enter the contest.
6. What are the entrance fees, if any? Are there any other costs later in
the competition process? Beware of "contests" that require you to pay for
classes, photo sessions, or studio time sponsored by the producers of the contest. A TV
production company, music label, or large modeling agency can afford to advance money for
training.
Q&A
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Answers in the MBADC Q&A are to be taken as general advice only and are not intended
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