Check Micheal's blog and make please make comments on his question:
What are the essentials to be considered when trying to maintain a career in the cultural industry?
Ok, 1. if you adapt your works, images, art to suit what you, the artist, believe your audience wants, wouldn't you end up with a lot of the similar works being produced? Is the idea to stand out or is the idea to blend in to the cultural pot? Individuality and creativity, rather than similarity, make the difference. We, as the artists, need to cultivate our audiences taste, not the other way around. What do you think?
2. I disagree that a 'niche market does not necessarily hold the same financial profit', it may hold an even stronger one. Scrunter did very well with his soca parang for years before others realised how well he was doing, and jumped onto the band wagon. That was his niche. The idea is to be the first in it, or to do it so well, that others don't compete well against you, because you do 'it' so well. Stores that specialise should know their market, and sometimes finding a niche can be an accident. That's why it is a niche market, it has not been explored as yet and can bring success. It happens in business, fashion, shoes, anything. And, for a period of time or longer, your niche can be very profitable. Having a one-hit soca song will not carry you more than one season, you need to develop and be 'better, stronger, faster' the next time around.
and last 3. Kenny Phillips may not work with church groups, but it does not mean they do not have a market. There are local religious stations as well as many artists within this genre are paid well to perform at weddings, funerals, events, on a regular sometimes daily basis. There is a gentleman, I don't remember his name, who sings at funerals around the country, he has an amazing voice. His niche. Just because an artform is not mainstream does not mean it will not do well. Many recording artistes use sites such as myspace.com to promote their music and get their music out to people who might not have heard it otherwise. Don't limit yourself to only what Trinidad has to offer, what you do does not have to be Trinidadian, who has decided what that is. You come from this space/place, and your influences may be far and wide. Check out http://www.reverbnation.com/victoriatrestrail a Trini you may have never heard of, but her site says her music is 'played on radio stations in the U.S. Canada and France. Her fanbase stretches from Central America to India.'
Ok, 1. if you adapt your works, images, art to suit what you, the artist, believe your audience wants, wouldn't you end up with a lot of the similar works being produced? Is the idea to stand out or is the idea to blend in to the cultural pot? Individuality and creativity, rather than similarity, make the difference. We, as the artists, need to cultivate our audiences taste, not the other way around. What do you think?
ReplyDelete2. I disagree that a 'niche market does not necessarily hold the same financial profit', it may hold an even stronger one. Scrunter did very well with his soca parang for years before others realised how well he was doing, and jumped onto the band wagon. That was his niche. The idea is to be the first in it, or to do it so well, that others don't compete well against you, because you do 'it' so well.
ReplyDeleteStores that specialise should know their market, and sometimes finding a niche can be an accident. That's why it is a niche market, it has not been explored as yet and can bring success. It happens in business, fashion, shoes, anything. And, for a period of time or longer, your niche can be very profitable. Having a one-hit soca song will not carry you more than one season, you need to develop and be 'better, stronger, faster' the next time around.
and last 3. Kenny Phillips may not work with church groups, but it does not mean they do not have a market. There are local religious stations as well as many artists within this genre are paid well to perform at weddings, funerals, events, on a regular sometimes daily basis. There is a gentleman, I don't remember his name, who sings at funerals around the country, he has an amazing voice. His niche. Just because an artform is not mainstream does not mean it will not do well. Many recording artistes use sites such as myspace.com to promote their music and get their music out to people who might not have heard it otherwise.
ReplyDeleteDon't limit yourself to only what Trinidad has to offer, what you do does not have to be Trinidadian, who has decided what that is. You come from this space/place, and your influences may be far and wide.
Check out http://www.reverbnation.com/victoriatrestrail
a Trini you may have never heard of, but her site says her music is 'played on radio stations in the U.S. Canada and France. Her fanbase stretches from Central America to India.'