The Solo Performer
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The solo artist / performer can emanate from a variety of sources, possibly a former member of one or more bands usually having been the front person for a period of time and then decided the time had come to strike out alone and take his / her chance, but this would normally occur if the artist had strong management interest or established management over a period of time or possibly very strong interest or even commitment from a Record company.

Another example of solo artist’s is that of actors who after years of struggle land themselves a substantial role in a long running Television series and appear before many millions of people once, twice or even three times plus every week. So provided that the character portrayed is a popular one, this kind of exposure would very quickly attract the attention of Managers, Record Producers and indeed Record companies also. These kind of acts are a Promotion, Marketing and Press persons dream, as you rarely have to fight to get them on Television ‘plug’ programmes or in the National newspapers, due to their celebrity.

For these performers there are two major hurdles to either overcome or fall at. The first is the public, for if they cannot perceive the performer outside of the Television character, potential record sales would suffer badly as a result, the second hurdle is at Radio level, who really do take an awful lot of convincing. Fine, if the performer’s Records are really brilliant they should certainly get by on their own merit, but Radio people somehow find it very difficult to justify the validity of such an artist’s motives or musical credibility when a career move of this diversification is pursued.

It would be a very rare occurrence that a solo performer would be without a Manager. It’s one thing to try to sell your band, because then you would be talking about others not just yourself, but as a solo artist how can you approach people and give them all the sales patter about how wonderful you are, well you can’t, it just doesn’t work.

The foregoing is just one example, not every solo performer is either a current or former ‘soap star’ but it demonstrates another aspect of the Music / Entertainment Industry.

The solo performer really must be a strong character, for as when criticism is levelled, it is not directed at a group of people who you can share this with or dismiss it collectively, it comes straight at you, people are criticising YOU!, YOUR efforts, YOUR thoughts, YOUR creative output, it can really get to you, so if you are not already, then you must learn how to become very ‘thick skinned’, it will be the only way to survive in the industry.

Does this paint a discouraging picture? Well it’s not meant to, The point is, that if, or when, you decide to really strike out on your own, you must realise that it is very hard and it is essential that you have good Management who will play a vital role in your progress, as well as someone to work with and share the burden of responsibility in every aspect of your career. ......continued in The Essential Guide.

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