Music Videos are Fun!

Finished our first music video yesterday. I was born to be up on stage and in front of a camera! I would so strongly encourage anyone to do it if they want to. I'm in my 30s now, and although I always knew I wanted to do music as a career, it took me a long time to get here: not just the guts and the courage (parts of that have always been there - search your own heart...), but also the means (financial, emotional, etc.).

It's liberating singing your own song in front of camera people, extras, make-up artists as they cheer you on. To misquote someone: it's the most fun you can have changing your clothes (we had three wardrobe changes!).

Being a Free Spirit

Had a great chat with Christo Grobler today. He and his wife run a programme in Jozi called Be Sharp Beetles, which is for music and movement studies (www.besharpbeetles.co.za).

We were chatting about music and entrepreneurship, and he said a couple of things which really stuck with me:

1. I am a free spirit, which means I hate working for a boss. Much rather do my own thing.
2. I don't wanna make someone else rich by working for them.

I couldn't agree more. I guess my fear is that I'll become a businessman instead of an artist. But why do they need to be mutually exclusive?

Well, off to shoot our first music video tomorrow. Exciting stuff!

Brainy Music Begins...

I've decided to split my blogs up into:

• This one, which will track my development as an artist...
• The singing advice one, for tips on how to be a better singer (www.sing108.wordpress.com)
• The music business advice one, for tips on how to steer through the murky waters of the music industry (www.brainymusic.blogger.com)

I still feel I wanna share my story with the world (hey, who doesn't???). Anyway, Brainy Music is to help people use their BRAIN when they decide to follow music as more than just a Friday-night karaoke.

Why I Write This

I started Singers Inc. in 2002 as a booking agency. Since then this is what I've been up to:

1. Singers Inc. evolved into an indie label that I use to release my own stuff. It's also a music hub, and I use it as a vehicle to teach vocals - have done since 2005 (http://www.singers.co.za/).
2. I have released my first album, an Afro-Pop effort (http://www.platoon.co.za/).
3. I am busy working on my debut solo album (http://www.robrodell.com/).
4. I am a co-founder of the Music Business Academy, a school that aims to address the skills shortage in the music industry in Africa (http://www.mbac.co.za/). Africa is the cradle of music and yet the people here are the least music business savvy. That has to change.
5. I teach performing arts workshops to high school students who want to break into the industry.
6. I'm busy co-writing a musical or three.
7. I'm busy doing my PhD on trends in music marketing and music branding, and if all goes according to plan, I'll become one of the very first people in Africa to successfully complete my Licentiate in Singing (Performance) through Rockschool. Hope I pass!!!!

As a result of all of these things, I am, for the first time in my life, able to do music as a day job, full-time, and make enough money from it to thrive. I am so happy as a result!

Why would you care? First, I just had to tell the world. As http://www.trendwatching.com/ points out, it's Generation C - the content creator is me. Second, as I have been inspired, so I hope to inspire. People ask me all the time how to quit their lousy day jobs. Let's see if I can help - with advice and coaching online. Thanks for reading.

The New Me

I was initially wondering if I should separate my creative music blog, my music business blog, and my vocal training blog. Maybe I should, perhaps I shouldn't. I'll decide soon enough. But this is the start of the new blog. So here goes! Welcome, and thanks for reading. Hope we connect here...