Twitter and The World of Music

Hello everyone! I am glad to finally have the time to write a new blog.

Today's topic is Twitter, all social media really, and music. It never ceases to amaze and surprise me how we label these sites as "social networking" tools but rarely do we network. We are constantly fed streams of peoples personal lives or bragging rights.

I feel one of the reasons a lot of people are not able to take advantage of the networking aspect is because, those whom we wish to connect with have formed their own cliques. I use this only as an example but wouldn't it be nice if Timbaland had only aspiring singers with NO finanacial backing in his timeline? Or say Ne-Yo had unknown producers in his timeline? Now if I would like to contact say, Russell Simmons, my chances are even slimmer on Twitter,  than if I stood outside Rush Communications and just started yelling his name at the windows. Sad but true. My point being, is that in order to take networking to a new level we should be mining for new talent among the unknowns instead of those in our immediate circles, for those who are still eating ramen noodles and sleeping on their friends futons. The reality of the matter is my blog may never change the current state of social networking but hopefully it will cause some people on my friends list or timeline to consider using it to connect each other with people that can actually help a gifted, talented person reach their full potential in whatever career it may be.

Here's a shout out to all the people who RT, comment, call or email the little people!! LOL

Have the most beautiful day ever and remember Who blessed you with that talent.

The Lioness

Excuse Me, May I See Your Receipt

Today's blog is dedicated to 2 young men in music, on the upper levels of the stratosphere, who have Tweeted about the same incident this week.

Have you ever had some steal something from you? Even if it was a pencil or a cup or maybe even a significant item, the reaction is he same. We all say, the cost doesn't matter, it's the principle of it. The reason why we say that is because it's either the sentimental value or the time and effort put into it can't be quantified.

Let's skip the legal half of stealing or the laws in place to deal with people who steal and let's concentrate on the character of the person who steals. There is a saying, thoughts become actions, actions become habits and habits become character. Yes, I AM going there. You see the process that a person has to go through to become a THIEF is a character developing path. Just for those who don't understand the true meaning of the word thief, here it is: one who steals another person's property, esp. with stealth and without using force or violence. So given that definition, stop for a minute and think about what kind of person is a thief. 

My thoughts this morning have lead me to what I feel is a perfect scenario for a thief. If you feel that what you do is honorable try this. Steal something and then go to the person in your life (they can't be a thief too), who matters most, preferable a parent or grandparent or better yet a pastor, and show them what you stole. Make sure to let them know the value (because you know what you took has value) of the item your stole, and then when they ask you how did you come into possession of it, tell them the truth. Say it out loud, Well, I stole it. That's powerful isn't it? The truth of the matter is that no one can deny that your soul stirs negatively at a confession like that.

Now let's get down to brass tacks. Who doesn't love music? It expresses everything we as human beings feel, good and bad, happy and sad...whatever!! The process of getting that music to you takes time AND is a direct reflection of what the creator is feeling. It's all personal and should be treated as highly classified material. From beginning to the end of it's conception to birth a song is someones baby, someones child. Let me make sure that I am clear on this. It's already has a parent/owner it did not want to be kidnapped or taken a THIEF.

Artist have every right to be the upset parent when their music is stolen and leaked to the public. It's tantamount to sending a child out with their clothes dirty and hair undone! The parent is NOT ready for you to see their child. Don't take it upon your self to make that decision for them.

In my personal opinion people who steal should be treated like someone who robs a bank. Plain and simple because at the end of the day the artist has just had a meal stolen. It doesn't matter if the artist is unknown or a superstar the point still remains that that's THEIR bread and butter and they do what they will with it not you.

This blog is dedicated to Ne-Yo and Kanye west who both had their children kidnapped.

Love

The Lioness

Mise En Place

French for: everything in place. Pronounced, meez on plauss. It's normally used in culinary settings but is a very necessary mantra in music. 
I am currently completing my mise en place for Casaundra's EP. It is very possible to release a CD of your music without going through the rigors of mastering and pro duplication but I feel that if you want to make a splash you should spend the time and money to make sure it's ready for play anywhere. With that being said, save your chips and get it done right. How you start is how you finish.


So as far as preparing for a CD release goes, there are several things you may want to consider before you set a date. Things like the demographic your marketing to, is it for the urban market? Middle America? Adult contemporary? If so then make sure that not only have you done some listening research, ie. what's currently playing and working in your genre or area but also what do your target listeners LOOK like. what are they wearing? American Eagle? Rocawear? Tommy Hilfiger? Stetson? Because when your putting together your cover art, it should help draw the eye of the listener to your CD (ref. The Art of Presentation). 


Where do your listeners purchase or listen to the majority of their music? Are they the iPod carrying crowd? Do they use their smartphone as their music player as well? Do they tend to stay online at 1 of the numerous social networking sites? Take it all into consideration so that you have all the key distribution options covered.


Let's roll back to step one now. IS YOUR MUSIC COPY WRITTEN? LOL Yes your music is copy written when you have it in a fixed, tangible medium but let's just say someone with a foot in the door already uses your lyrics because they heard them in a song your created and posted on the internet. Want to be covered for maximum protection? PAY THE $35 FEE FOR eCO REGISTRATION!! You can register up to 40 works for .88 a song. 


Are you registered with a PRO (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)? Do you believe that your music will be played on the radio? Muzak? Performed on TV or on the big screen? Take it all into consideration.


Is your buzz so hot that people in different regions are calling a radio station and requesting your song? If so, have you registered with BDS so you can keep track of your spins? 


Listen, the list of having your mise en place goes on for days but if you get it out of the way early, not only will you gain the behind the scenes knowledge about the biz but you will be more informed about your career and where to press on or fall back some.


I have intentionally left out some things because it is hard work to get it all ready but well worth the sweat equity when you research and do it on your own. Just saying put the time into the grind!


Love always,


The Lioness

The Art of Presentation

Have you ever heard someone say, I don't care he/she looks like as long as their heart is good or as long as they treat me right? Well let me just say that's a wonderful way of fooling other people into believing your not slightly if not full out shallow but let's keep it real. If one of these good hearted individuals came wrapped in a Halle Berry or Usher, or whoever you find handsome and beautiful, packages ole Biz Markie would be left in the dust.

The title of this blog is the art of presentation because as bad as it sounds, the music business is ALL about the packaging. With that in mind if you are a performer there are a few things you should keep in mind. Make sure when you step  out the door and onto a stage your fans get to see the best presentation. A mustard stained t-shirt with wrinkled jeans and worn down shoes and a hair style crafted by a monkey is going to start the whole show off on a wrong foot. This also falls under let a pro handle your wardrobe once you get to a certain level but on the way up take the time to groom yourself properly and dress accordingly. 

The other side of the presentation is your body. You know as much as you and many folk don't want to hear it, you are a role model. Whether you like it or not, someone is striving to be like you. This rings especially true in the music industry. Your face is on pics and TV and stage and young and old alike SEE you and in some respects emulate what you do, say and how you behave. When I was a chef I remembered to always make the food look good to me first because I knew that the person eating it would more than likely buy it again or ask for seconds based on looks first and of course taste. The same analogy can be applied to music but it's sort of in reverse. We hear (taste) first and enjoy it so much then we finally see (looks) at the person behind this wonderful music we love. We will come back for more or purchase a ticket to the show and keep coming back if the presentation is on point. He is so fine girl and look at his body! Man, she is fine as hell, look at her....Are you following me now?

You may not want to hear this but it is so important as a performer to watch what you put into your body. I can burn down the forest with the best of them and the Goose can be blamed for a lot of things but when it comes time to be on a stage YOU as the artist have that moment on stage to prove that your worth what your fan has paid and they are entitled to the best of you. This advise applies to both rappers and singers, drink plenty of water especially before your show. lemon and honey do wonders for your vocal cords. You should drink warm tea not ice cold drinks because the cold constricts your cords. I'm not judging but this is especially to my singers out there. Smoke does not help. 'Nuff said. WORKOUT to build up your stamina and it definitely helps in the attractive presentation area. Bonecrusher vs. Trey Songz (yes I needed to leave you with a visual).  The biggest one of all. Buy yourself some health and dental insurance. It is more valuable than a diamond pendant and surely helps when your up close singing to a fan. No one like the smell of garbage truck juice.

LADIES!!! Shave your legs! Yes you may like all natural for your man but dagnabbit on stage it's not appropriate. That applies to the all natural body odor theory. A whole industry has been built on odor control and for a mere $2 you can take a part in it. Buy deodorant!!! That actually applies to you guys as well.

I could go on and on for days on this whole thing however I'm positive you all get the presentation.

Peace

The Lioness

Resuscitate Quality Music

I have been wanting to blog about music and the making of music for quite some time and I am glad this is giving me that platform.

Lately I have notice a resurgence of some great quality music. When I say quality I mean the structure of the songs that are coming out. You know there is nothing wrong with beginning your style of music but in the industry as a whole there are certain elements that make songs sell. The structure of the underlying track has certain drum beats that drive the song and chord progressions that pull the emotion out of the lyrics. I have also noticed people stepping out of the 4/4 time signature and trying non-traditional ones (which make for some fun stuff sometimes).

I guess hat I love is when a person starts out with the same ole', same ole' and takes the initiative to educate themselves in other forms of creating music. It's time for more than a sine wave and a 1, 2, 3, 4. I also like the style of creating your own samples. Not many people can afford licensing fees for legal sampling to actually turn a profit on their music, unless they are part of a label and have access to historic catalogs. What I am getting at is, be creative and make your own until your on.

I have also tooted the horn of lyrical ability for some time now. I can recite the best raunchy songs with the best of them but as I have grown in business I have definitely seen where, less is more and leaving something for the imagination is key to songs that have longevity. Hell, even Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" was cutting edge but it never crossed over to the x-rated side. As creative spirits you can express whatever it is that you feel but at what expense? Maybe not trying to force it down the publics throat by giving in to the mantra that everybody's doing it.

Thoughts become actions, actions become habits and habits become
character. What does your music say about your character?

In closing, take into consideration some things written here and again challenge your intellect, don't just be a dummy producer or writer on auto-pilot and help,

RESUSCITATE QUALITY MUSIC !!!!

The Sad State of Lyrics Today

As a manager I have complete confidence in my artists' song writing abilities. I can rest at night knowing that the songs she writes have lyrical value and retain high entertainment value. 


The sad state of lyrics today show NO creative thought. Just a simple non-musical drum beat and a sine wave while singing about either drugs or sex does not a song make. It's almost as if we have allowed "artist" to dumb down our intellect. 
We try and justify just plain ole' bad music by saying well, we're in the ghetto and just trying to make it out but what these particular artist fail to realize is, the very conditions you wish to escape are the very ones that are being glorified in the music. Set aside the reality rap of CNN and Jasiri X because those styles of music deal with current events and try to build communities up. 
Even if your goal is to just make music people can dance to or bob your head to, using your God given talent and ability should cause you to create music that doesn't destroy or degrade. Forget the fact that you degrade others, you actually degrade yourself and became a purveyor of death instead of being an entertainer.
Please don't feel that I am judging versus encouraging you to begin a new trend and expand your experiences and surroundings and musical palate by meeting new people and listening to other genres of music or even learning how to formally play an instrument. There are also conferences you can go to where you can be around other true song writers and hone your craft.
You know there is no need to be scared of "selling out" because usually when you accused of doing that, it's from someone scared to step out on faith and be more than what they are.


So in closing, to end the sad state of lyrics today, I challenge all of the artist out there to craft a certified lyrical hit with some redeeming value instead of teaching the next generation hw to cook crack or steal the innocence of your brothers and sisters.


The Lioness

To Be A Manager

I wanted today's blog to focus on being/seeking an artist manager.

I have been approached by a few people about managing them and always find it difficult and awkward to give a solid answer. I guess because my theory has always been, you should not pick a manager based on another artist success or path. To be honest some of the most successful managers started out being the artist/bands/groups most ardent fan. They were fans who didn't have any experience but definitely could sell the music to their group of friends and others. You may wonder why I believe this to be the best way to pick a manager and my answer would be, who else is better suited to guide your career than someone who is married to YOUR music, or knows all the crazy little background info about your shows or is in the front of every performance singing every word to your songs? To me it would be hard to manage an artist who I have no connection with or quite frankly, an artist whose music I don't like. Please don't take that personally though because it's just like selling music, EVERYONE is not going to like your music.

I have come across so many talented people in music but they have a horrible work ethic, can't complete a song or have let their friends gas them up into believing they have a hit record before the even record. Now they have talent but a manager should not be in charge of creating the music. They should be getting you in the best possible position for someone (label or financial backers) who can take your career further. That would require time taken out of their day that is dedicated to seeking out different options for you to perform or obtaining multiple revenue streams.

In most cases of bigger stars, the artist is the one being asked if they can be managed. This is when the manager has a lot of experience and connections that take the stars earning power to a whole new level. However in the beginning that may not be the case, unless you are a teen phenom a la Justin Bieber.

On the other side of the coin, I have found that my working with an artist in the studio from the beginning has been an awesome opportunity to watch a star in the making and I found that investing not only time but resources has been rewarding in itself. All of this goes back to my first blog about my beginnings in music. I have the experience in studio mechanics so I knew what to expect out of recordings and work ethic and what it takes to make a song, so the investment was not a question.

Some managers will tell you, and I believe this as well, that when a star walks in a room for the first time you just know it. You can't quite put your finger on it but they have the 'IT' factor. You can see the diamond through the rough exterior and their eagerness to learn the business is such that, it's a pleasure developing them. Nothing however takes away from the fact that they have raw, natural talent. They either sing or play an instrument or write songs without a lot of formal training that can't be bought or taught.

In any case, the seeking of management should take into consideration some or all of what I have listed. On the artist side, maybe being an engineer or working on the technical side may be a better route for you. I say that with care and concern because the industry can be cold, heartless and unforgiving to those with no or little talent and years wasted on pursuing this can actually be spent pursuing a place in the industry but not necessarily in the limelight.

Peace

The Lioness

First Blog!!

Hey everyone!! My name is Stephanie aka The Lioness and I am the owner of The Lioness Den Management Company. I guess my purpose for this blog is to not only give you a peak inside my world managing an artist but to give little tidbits on my journey through the music business.


First off let me tell you about my background. I started out trying to manage back in the '90's with a local female rap artist and then when our producer decided to be on the mic I was forced to learn production. I actually find engineering and production to be a great start for me because it gave me insight in what to expect from our recordings. I also have gained a greater appreciation for all the people behind the scenes that help bring wonderful music into the world.


I then moved into various forms of beatmaking and producing, even trying my hand at writing, both of which were fun but my heart stayed in the engineering role. 


I was then offered the opportunity to do FOH mixing in a very large church with a large membership. That is still near and dear to me and if they needed I would always be available. Through that experience I met some of the most wonderful people in the engineering world. Jonathan Steinhauser, Donnie Tucker, Doug Annibale and Jay Dudt. Just them giving me insight on mixing and sound technique has again proved invaluable in my career.


I also met my current artist and one of my closest and dearest friends, Casaundra. She actually came to the church studio with a young man to do some back up work and ended up being a great addition to my world. We have since formed a strong and awesome friendship and relationship. 


I have been blessed beyond what I could have ever imagined by being in this business and having a great support team of experienced individuals around me to help along the way.


Coming here very shortly Casaundra will be releasing her first official EP titked What Kind of Love and given the journey so far, I expect nothing but phenomenal success!!!