You will probably face a lot of competition and roadblocks. Even after you become successful, you may not see a lot of profit at first, and there will likely continue to be a lot of work involved, like signing autographs for hours, traveling for tours, having to write and rewrite melodies and lyrics, long nights at the studio, etc. Although it is a very glamorous and rewarding job, it is not always easy.
Pick a particular person you admire, like Aaron Carter or Charlotte Church. Use a search engine like Google, Bing, or Yahoo to find interviews and articles written about their careers. Try search terms like “Name Interview,” “Name on Success,” or “Name music industry. " Try finding the artist’s Wikipedia page by searching for them at Wikipedia or any search engine. Scroll to the bottom and look in the “References” section for articles hosted online for interviews and other articles about their career history. Go to your local library and ask a librarian for help finding more information about the music industry and child singers; they should be able to help you locate biographies and autobiographies for current and past famous individuals.
Try web services like Last. fm or Musicovery to build your own radio station that features songs that match your taste or mood. Try Earbits Radio’s web service or surfing your local radio stations on a car radio for different music genres. Ask your parents and grandparents to introduce you to music they enjoy; it’s probably very different than what you and your friends like to listen to.
Try treating this like writing a persuasive essay. If you can think of all of the bad reasons someone could come up with, then you can think of good reasons and arguments to oppose those bad reasons. Be sure to back it up with facts when possible. So, if your parents say “You won’t be able to spend time with your friends,” you can say, “I can join the school or church choir and make friends that share my passion for singing. " Rehearse your argument to yourself. You will want to make sure you remember your points for when you have a discussion with them.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea. You need to go to school. " “I can still go to school. I would do all of my practice after school, and any performances would be on the weekends. If I got famous and I had to quit public school, I could get private teachers or do long distance learning through computers. " “You won’t enjoy it. It’s a lot of work. " “I know it’s a lot of work. I did a lot of research on what Michael Jackson and Hillary Duff have been through for their singing careers. But, I really believe that I can do this, especially if you’ll help keep me on track. " “Wouldn’t you rather just keep singing a hobby that you love?” “People say that you should love what you do. I think that if I had a job about something I was passionate about, it would never really feel like work. " “We don’t have that kind of money. " “We could find ways to make money so I could get training and go to perform. We could do bake sales, and car washes, and I could take small singing jobs in town. "
To find a teacher, you can look online to websites like ClassicalSinger. com or NATS. org which host searchable directories as well as magazines, online communities, your music teacher at school, or the parents of any friends who are also taking voice lessons. Your teacher does not have to be accredited, a professional singer, or cool. Instead, look at a teacher’s history and see how their students have fared. Even if you believe that you have not and will never injure your voice, there may be tiny things you do that you are unaware of that could have serious consequences later. A teacher can identify and stop you from doing those things so that you can have a long and successful career. [2] X Research source
Consider songs as mini plays where you, the singer, are playing a part. Ask yourself who you’re supposed to be, why you’re singing, how you’re supposed to feel, and who you’re singing to. [4] X Research source You will need to spend many hours practicing the basics likes scales both at home and in your lessons.
When you show up to audition, be sure to be dressed nicely, have your song materials preselected, be aware of what you’re auditioning for (especially if it is a musical play with a story and specific songs), and be sure to have a good attitude. Auditioning is a skill itself: you will probably need to audition many times to learn what kinds of questions and suggestions you will receive, as well as how to handle yourself. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get the role the first, second, or even tenth time. [6] X Research source
Use websites like Craigslist, Gigsalad, Backstage. com, YapTracker, and ReverbNation to find singing jobs that you can take. [8] X Research source Some, but not all, of these are free to use. Some jobs, often called “gigs,” will help you to build a fanbase but don’t pay well, like playing at a friend’s house for a birthday party, and others will pay well but not build you much of a fanbase, like singing for a wedding. Many gigs call in between as well. Try to consider what your goals are with taking a job: is it most important to make more fans, or to be paid well, or have you reached the point that you should aim for both?[9] X Research source Be prepared to be persistent. Some places will not agree to book you the first, second, or even ninth time you call![10] X Research source Be careful when accepting jobs: have your parents or a legal guardian look at the job posting with you and contact the individual hosting it for you. These are people that you do not know, and it is important that even if you are eager to start making a name for yourself that you be safe.
If any of the labels or their employees or bloggers happen to be local, try calling them, scheduling a meeting with them, and building a more personable relationship with them.
Your parents may be initially reluctant to invest in a website and professional designing. Search for “cheap web hosting” or “cheap web domains” to try to find options they might be less reserved about. Explain to them why it’s important that you have a professional image, and maybe even frame it in a way they can relate to, like, “When you look for someone to come do a job for you, don’t you feel better when you see that they have a nice looking website with information that’s neatly maintained,” or “When you buy products, do nice colors and good packaging appeal to you? Would you want to buy something ugly? What I’m doing is a service, and I want people to buy my music someday. I want record companies to buy my image. " If your parents are still concerned about the costs involved, you can try making a GoFundMe, a Kickstarter, or a Patreon for you to have some more sustainable income to reach your goals.
When contacting a talent scout, send a packet with your headshot, resume, and a cover letter. You will likely need your parents’ help. Make sure the resume is as short and well-summarized as possible, but include details like special talents, teachers, and specific training you’ve received. Make sure if you include personal references they will speak well about you. Follow up with an agency after sending in a submission. If you get into a showcase seeking representation, ask around to find out who present is already represented and by whom. [15] X Research source Be careful to only work with reputable people and to avoid scams. Watch out for people who make big promises, rush casting calls and immediate auditions, promise extremely high pay or say there’s no experience needed, casting calls on Craigslist supposedly made by large agencies, those not looking for specific types or ages, or anyone hiding their identity. [16] X Research source Beware of agencies that ask you to pay up front for representation, shopping mall auditions, highway billboards, or TV or print ads–instead, you’ll find specific information on their individual websites detailing how to submit yourself for consideration.
Your demo should have no more than three tracks to it.
You do not have to change everything that is suggested to you, but multiple people pointing to the same thing(s) is a sign that something really does need to be changed. Do not take people’s criticism personally. It is not an attack on you, or to say that you are untalented or unskilled. If anything, people who offer you truthful advice are doing so with the intention of help you be the best you can.
Some labels will not even accept submissions unless the artist is already entirely self sufficient. It is because of how difficult it is to get noticed and accepted by a label that it is extremely important that you follow as many of the steps in Making Yourself Visible as possible.
If you don’t hear back from them after a week, send a follow up email to ask them if they have received your email and had a chance to listen to your music. Remember to always be polite. For every week you don’t hear back, you can send another email. If you haven’t heard back after a month, or they say no, it’s time to move onto the next label.
