On Monday we had a very interesting panel discussion featuring Vesa Ristimäki (Eastway Live), Annamaija Saarela (Annamaija Music Company), Maki Kolehmainen (Helsinki Records), Jarkko Mélart (Event Forum) and Wemppa Koivumäki (Sony Music Finland). The topic of the discussion was the demands of today’s music industry, and what it takes to become a successful musician.
The music industry has gone through huge changes lately due to the digital revolution. Also the rise of the social media has influenced the business a lot. The competition is harder than ever, but nowadays with a good YouTube video and lots of luck you can rise to stardom in one night, which is what happened for example with Robin. However, hard work and persistent rehearsing is still the key to a long-term career as a musician.
The discussion dealt with lots of things, and here are only a few points that came up during the two-hour panel. The audience was especially interested in hearing about succeeding outside of Finland. The panelists emphasized that it is really hard, because the international record companies get hundreds of promo recordings every day, and you have to be extremely interesting and personal to stand out. Even if you already were popular in Finland, you should always remember that abroad you start from the bottom, and you need to work really hard to gain success there. But if you believe in yourself and your music and work persistently, everything is possible! Maki Kolehmainen also pointed out that there are other market sections outside Europe or the USA. Japan, Taiwan, China, India, Russia and South America are also potential export areas. It’s also important to find the balance between ambition and humbleness. If you don’t make it abroad, it’s not the end of the world. You can be a perfectly happy musician also in Finland.
But what are the qualities that make a successful musician? First of all, the music has to be good and personal. Even with good music, you need some good luck, and the timing is everything. If you are in the right place at the right time, you might get your chance. The trick is that it is almost impossible to predict when it’s the right time for a certain kind of music. When planning to start a career, it really helps if you know the right people, so never underestimate the power of networking. You also have to remember that your appearance and behavior is very important. If you act unpleasantly and mess around wasted during gigs, nobody wants to work with you. Versatility as an artist or as a songwriter is also important, because it widens your chances to find your place in the business. If you plan a career as a songwriter, you should improve and practice your writing skills regularly, although a short break every now and then can also give some inspiration.
Good luck with your career!
