JOSH BUXTON ADVISES FELLOW ARTISTES
26 October 2017
How to Be a Successful Musician
Tips from Josh Buxton
Stop waiting for a record label.
At the age of 19, in 2012 immediately after finalizing my last A-Level exam, I joined Eastern Voice F.M where I worked as a casual laborer...do I need to shy away from it? Cleaner. I later progressed to through the ranks and by 2014 I was a full radio presenter/News Anchor and cashier as the youngest employee. By 2013 I became Busoga’s youngest news anchor/radio personality. Radio is where I discovered my music prowess though I had been singing all through school—at El- Shaddai Christian Primary School, Kiira College-Butiki, Iganga Progressive Academy. Radio exposed me to lots of people, among who are my present sweet fans as well as the people in the industry. It also taught be to be a go-getter because I was being treated as a trainee. Because of my insatiable appetite for music, I didn’t wait to be discovered by talent scouts. I went for it-clinging to local producers, fellow presenters, friends of artistes as well as local musicians; attending their shows and taking pics with them. Star Struck, huh!!!
Play your strengths
Know your strengths and focus on them. It’s all well and good being able to write a great song and release it online, but there are plenty of other ways to boost your music career – and earn money doing it. Though I consider myself gospel/Christian artistes, I am also a positive message singer, which explains why I am O.K with my music being played in secular places. I have maintained my language my language, Lusoga in most of my songs which can be witnessed in my music. I want to remind the world of my roots! I also sing in Luganda, English, Kiswahili and Kinyarwanda. I also have a strong stage presence which allows for me to easy secure live performances at local venues. A regular gig slot puts your music in front of new people every week, and earns you extra cash to fund your career.If you've got a creative mind and know your way around a camera and editing software, why not focus on making original music videos? If they’re awesome enough, they could go viral!
Work hard and stay focused.
"This might sound controversial, but you shouldn't have a Plan B. Having a Plan B can distract from your Plan A, and if you start doubting that your plan is going to work, then it probably won’t! In 2013, I recorded my first song, Tonite with J.O.B, an old boy at A-Level in my then Muzikland Inc. Crew. It did not survive to pre-production; never went past my phone play-list. I later did Reported with a bunch of friends. It was produced by Producer Melta, now a friend and brother in the music industry. It rotated around our circles and made it to the internet, got airplay Eastern Voice by...guess who? Me. Do you want to spend your life working on something you’re not truly passionate about? Successful people take risks. You may get to a point in your life where your friends have lots of money or a new car, which can tempt you into taking a job you don’t really want. But don't give up on your dream! Keep focused and follow your passion. At the close of 2015, I quit radio to progress to university-Kampala International University for Bachelors In Mass-communication. My radio fans have never forgiven me till now. But I should say that was my turning point musically. I did Akalimo-in September 2016 and it became an instant hit. I began making news at home, leave alone being craved. I got noticed by A-Tracks Records after its CEO, a tribe-mate, friend and course mate listening to my music from his musical friend, the producer of Akalimo-Temperature Rise’s playlist. I did Nenda Baaba Yiwe featuring guys I call All-Stars and Goodlyfe’s Mowzey Radio. The producer used his wits to get him on the song and boy! Here we are-it’s a hit.
Brand identity & awareness
Get yourself some eye-catching graphics that you can use across all your promotional materials, from your website and social media accounts, to your posters, flyers, business cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse mats and more! Creating amazing graphics is easier if you’re a Photoshop or Illustrator pro, but if you don’t know your crop from your clone stamp, you’ll be better off hiring an experienced graphic designer. A strong brand identity can help to develop a strong brand awareness. You want your logos and branding to become instantly recognizable, and if they look cool, people will be more willing buy your band’s t-shirt when they’re browsing your merch.
Connect with fans
Building a strong relationship with your fans is crucial to your success as an independent musician. To sustain and grow your fan base you'll need to connect with your listeners both online and in person.
Playing live as often as possible and in plenty of different venues and locations. A killer live show is a great way to win over new fans and keep your current ones happy. Make an great impression on stage and make sure the audience remember you. Co
Tips from Josh Buxton
Stop waiting for a record label.
At the age of 19, in 2012 immediately after finalizing my last A-Level exam, I joined Eastern Voice F.M where I worked as a casual laborer...do I need to shy away from it? Cleaner. I later progressed to through the ranks and by 2014 I was a full radio presenter/News Anchor and cashier as the youngest employee. By 2013 I became Busoga’s youngest news anchor/radio personality. Radio is where I discovered my music prowess though I had been singing all through school—at El- Shaddai Christian Primary School, Kiira College-Butiki, Iganga Progressive Academy. Radio exposed me to lots of people, among who are my present sweet fans as well as the people in the industry. It also taught be to be a go-getter because I was being treated as a trainee. Because of my insatiable appetite for music, I didn’t wait to be discovered by talent scouts. I went for it-clinging to local producers, fellow presenters, friends of artistes as well as local musicians; attending their shows and taking pics with them. Star Struck, huh!!!
Play your strengths
Know your strengths and focus on them. It’s all well and good being able to write a great song and release it online, but there are plenty of other ways to boost your music career – and earn money doing it. Though I consider myself gospel/Christian artistes, I am also a positive message singer, which explains why I am O.K with my music being played in secular places. I have maintained my language my language, Lusoga in most of my songs which can be witnessed in my music. I want to remind the world of my roots! I also sing in Luganda, English, Kiswahili and Kinyarwanda. I also have a strong stage presence which allows for me to easy secure live performances at local venues. A regular gig slot puts your music in front of new people every week, and earns you extra cash to fund your career.If you've got a creative mind and know your way around a camera and editing software, why not focus on making original music videos? If they’re awesome enough, they could go viral!
Work hard and stay focused.
"This might sound controversial, but you shouldn't have a Plan B. Having a Plan B can distract from your Plan A, and if you start doubting that your plan is going to work, then it probably won’t! In 2013, I recorded my first song, Tonite with J.O.B, an old boy at A-Level in my then Muzikland Inc. Crew. It did not survive to pre-production; never went past my phone play-list. I later did Reported with a bunch of friends. It was produced by Producer Melta, now a friend and brother in the music industry. It rotated around our circles and made it to the internet, got airplay Eastern Voice by...guess who? Me. Do you want to spend your life working on something you’re not truly passionate about? Successful people take risks. You may get to a point in your life where your friends have lots of money or a new car, which can tempt you into taking a job you don’t really want. But don't give up on your dream! Keep focused and follow your passion. At the close of 2015, I quit radio to progress to university-Kampala International University for Bachelors In Mass-communication. My radio fans have never forgiven me till now. But I should say that was my turning point musically. I did Akalimo-in September 2016 and it became an instant hit. I began making news at home, leave alone being craved. I got noticed by A-Tracks Records after its CEO, a tribe-mate, friend and course mate listening to my music from his musical friend, the producer of Akalimo-Temperature Rise’s playlist. I did Nenda Baaba Yiwe featuring guys I call All-Stars and Goodlyfe’s Mowzey Radio. The producer used his wits to get him on the song and boy! Here we are-it’s a hit.
Brand identity & awareness
Get yourself some eye-catching graphics that you can use across all your promotional materials, from your website and social media accounts, to your posters, flyers, business cards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse mats and more! Creating amazing graphics is easier if you’re a Photoshop or Illustrator pro, but if you don’t know your crop from your clone stamp, you’ll be better off hiring an experienced graphic designer. A strong brand identity can help to develop a strong brand awareness. You want your logos and branding to become instantly recognizable, and if they look cool, people will be more willing buy your band’s t-shirt when they’re browsing your merch.
Connect with fans
Building a strong relationship with your fans is crucial to your success as an independent musician. To sustain and grow your fan base you'll need to connect with your listeners both online and in person.
Playing live as often as possible and in plenty of different venues and locations. A killer live show is a great way to win over new fans and keep your current ones happy. Make an great impression on stage and make sure the audience remember you. Co
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