Previously, to become an artist, you needed to have skills and seize the chance to get into the «Big Game» with a renowned producer. If you just attended vocal or musical instrument classes, that was barely enough for performing in the subway or at home concerts. Today, however, mastering just the basics in recording software and DAWs is enough — and you’re (almost) a musician.
Nowadays, an artist is a creative performer. You use your talents, skills, and potential. You compose arrangements, release them on platforms, or record yourself on them — and consider yourself an artist.
In reality, you can’t skip the «growing up» stages — but we’ll help you go through the journey faster and with less pain, so you don’t take useless steps.
Here’s the question: how to become a sought‑after artist without going through several years of the process like others? I’ll tell you.
Many artists’ journeys are long and thorny, while you’ve just started.
You’ve been plunged into a new, unfamiliar environment where you need to adapt quickly to not miss out on the most important things. But how not to lose your mind in it?
Are you ready for constant development?
Can you handle rejections, failures, and lack of feedback at first?
Can you maintain consistency in releasing material?
These are the three most important questions — are you ready to floor the gas pedal?
Step 1: Find your unique image
- Choose a musical genre.
- Define your target audience.
- Formulate a unique sound.
- Develop a creative style — shine, don’t be shy.
Step 2: Skill development
- Master an instrument/vocals — without this, you’re a noob.
- Study theory — learn the basics and immediately try them in practice. Saw a technique? Add it to a song. Saw a new plugin? Try it out.
- Work with DAWs (FL Studio, Ableton, Logic) — if you don’t know where the REC button is, you need to learn.
- Arrangement skills — if you use beats, you’ll be able to enhance them or build a solid structure (bridges, post‑choruses, intros, etc.).
To sum up: catch on quickly and create as many demos/finished projects as possible in your first year. Five perfect finished projects will give you less experience than 100 demos in different styles and approaches.
Step 3: Technical foundation (equipment)
- Computer/laptop — one that can run the software.
- Audio interface — any audio card; you don’t have to spend millions on it.
- Microphone — XLR‑compatible for the audio card, also inexpensive.
- Headphones/monitors — if you’re not mixing, even basic ones will suffice to check source quality.
If you have no money for this at all, it’s easier to book a few hours in a studio with a sound engineer. Or do it the old way: pitch shifter + GarageBand (BandLab) — and go conquer the audience. The main thing is to make a good song.
Step 4: Content creation
- Recording first tracks — practice.
- Working on sound quality — more practice.
- Creating demo material — even more practice.
- Developing a visual style — after practice, visualize your style.
Step 5: Platform and promotion
- Create social media profiles — Telegram, VK, Instagram*, YouTube, TikTok.
- Post music on streaming platforms — start with SoundCloud.
- Work with labels — email your work to labels; maybe you’re that uncut diamond (you can send it to us via the link right away).
- Build connections — message other people, artists, beatmakers; collaborate — one person in the field is no warrior, especially since there are many like you, and new faces appear every month.
- Try posting your content via vertical videos — this way you test yourself in working with people and finding your first audience.
Step 6: Monetization
- Streaming platforms — royalties.
- Live performances — even small gigs, if you can sing/play guitar, or have DJ skills — all of this is useful.
- Merch sales — some artists started this way (n01r started with merch).
- Custom music production — if you already have the skills. If you’re unsure of your skills, set low prices and build up orders so you can move to average pricing as you grow.
And probably the most important thing — burnout. This is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion where the desire to do what you love disappears. It’s not just temporary fatigue, but a serious condition requiring attention and correction.
Remember that you’re a creative person, and for each of your tracks you give a part of your energy, passing it on to the average listener. This can drain you greatly. Don’t forget to take breaks, get out in the fresh air for a couple of days, meet with family and friends, play games, or even just lie on the couch. If you disappear for a long time, everything you’ve done will vanish into nothing.
Nowadays, there’s frankly a lot of commercial music, and many people are no longer interested in listening to what everyone is trying to make just to achieve success. Yes, money and fame are great, but are they worth it if you don’t enjoy making such music?
Currently, quite a few freshmen appear, captivating most of the audience with their new sound. It’s simply something new, and they do it not only for the audience but also for themselves, putting their soul into the tracks.
The most important thing is not to make the mistakes of the majority and move forward without any sudden bursts.
And you will succeed.
