Real-talk: 10 things I learned from working in the music industry
As 2016 drew its end and Alive At Night celebrated its second birthday, I began deliberating about everything I’d learnt since the conception of the project. Being involved in a creative industry has taught me countless life lessons that I never would’ve learnt in a dull university course – this industry has changed me as an individual and has made my spirit grow and mature.
For all artists, managers, label workers, graphic designers, writers, event organisers and other professionals in the music industry, we’ve all learnt many valuable lessons on this chosen path and today I’m going to share ten lessons that were most valuable to me.
1. Work hard, but remember to also have a life (and enough sleep)
Hard work is always appreciated, but don’t overwork yourself, because it won’t be pretty. Think that you’re immune from becoming burnt out? Think again. As I’ve suffered ongoing chronic fatigue that’s lasted for over three years, I’m constantly weary about my health, and luckily getting enough sleep is one of my top priorities. Each night I turn my phone off (OFF. Not on silent, and not on aeroplane mode) before bed and I also allow myself one day off, where I don’t check e-mails or touch anything work-related.
At the end of 2015 and for the first months of 2016 I didn’t spend much time socialising or having a ‘life.’ For me, this was detrimental to my creativity, so I made a pact to also allow myself time to do the things I enjoy and spend time with family and friends. It’s honestly not the end of the world if you don’t post the latest ‘breaking news.’
2. There will be people trying to achieve the same things as you
Something I’ve had to personally work on is the way I handle competition-anxiety. I have a fiery attitude and can be a complete sore loser at times, however recently I’ve been focusing solely on MY efforts, not those around me. I had a very insightful conversation with a tarot reader, who told me that if you have competition, it only means that there’s a demand for what you’re offering.
Keep doing your own thing and don’t pay too much attention to what your competition are doing. Oh, and if they blatantly copy you or try to imitate your ‘style’ of doing things, just let it slide… However, don’t be afraid to address things with an assertive e-mail if they continue stepping on your toes or doing unethical things.
3. There’s A LOT of ass-kissing (but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to kiss ass)
Scrolling through Facebook sometimes feels like a massive cringe-fest. Why? For me, I can see a lot of ass-kissing going on in front of my very eyes and carrying on that way isn’t something that particularly resonates with me. There is a fine line between being a pleasant colleague who does a good job and a socialite ass-kisser.
I’ve learnt that there is a lot of ass-kissing going on, however if you don’t ass kiss, that doesn’t particularly reflect badly on you. My mantra is to stay humble and passionate, be a hard worker, treat others how you want to be treated and try not to get swept up in bitching and drama.
4. People will try to take advantage of you
Although the core values of the Hard Dance scene are passion and love, it’s still a business and there’s going to be plenty of negotiating going on. There’s going to be many instances where you are asked to do something for free; you have to weigh up whether it’s going to benefit you, provide you with new contacts or be good promotion. It’s also important to stay flexible as possible, otherwise you may miss out on good opportunities.
5. People will talk shit about you – don’t take it to heart
In a tight-knit industry comes a lot of shit talk. Unless your the virgin Mary or a boring snob with no good tales to tell, nobody has a totally pristine record. People in the industry tend to throw the word ‘unprofessional’ around like a broken record and if you get a little too drunk in the artist lounge, then god forbid!
Don’t take the word ‘unprofessional’ to heart, unless of course, you’re missing deadlines, delivering second-rate work or just generally being a twat to colleagues. I’ve read plenty of negative comments throughout my time in the industry; at first they we’re a little stabbing to my self-esteem, but with time you learn to let them slide a lot easier.
6. Stay true to yourself and your values
One of my core values as a writer has always been to write interesting content and to not be afraid to outline touchy subjects – however, some people hold different values. There’s been numerous times of confusion for me, where I’ve had to continuously evaluate what I stand for as a writer, but also as a person.
For example, my sense of humour is a little strange and rude at times (it always has been and always will be), and some may not like it – but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to change everything I stand for, just to cater for the more conservative folk (that’s just dumb).
Some people may not like my style of writing, or work ethic, however I came to the conclusion that being unique is a hell of a lot better than being a ‘professional carbon copy’ of everybody else. Know what you value, be clear about it and others will catch on.
7. Time management and good organisation is vital
Although it’s easy to fall into bouts of procrastination and aimless scrolling through Facebook, nothing feels better than actually getting shit done. I set myself reasonable goals for the day with a to-do list and also try to create as much structure as possible.
During my normal schedule I typically wake up at 10:30AM, get myself ready, sit down with a coffee at around 11:45 and phone-free, work as much as possible until around 5 or 6 before going to my waitressing job. However from now up until I come back to The Netherlands, I’ve been given the treacherous 6:30AM until 4PM shift, so I’ve been extra busy planning out the content for the days where I’ll have no brainpower. I also try to plan out Alive At Night content for up to two weeks in advance, so I have enough time to do other writing work, write my book or treat myself to a day in the sun.
8. BACK UP YOUR COMPUTER
I learned this lesson the hard way earlier this year when I accidentally spilled a caramel latte all over my one year old laptop (RIP). People around me would always preach various back-up solutions, such as Dropbox, external hard drives and Google Drive, which I had installed, but never took the time to properly use them (I blame this on being an Aries – we start things and never finish them). When my computer carked it, I lost all my files, including all my invoice templates, plans and 200 pages of the book I had been working on. Thankfully I was able to retrieve my files and I have kept all important stuff on my external drive.
9. Be confident and learn to showcase yourself
In this industry, showcasing yourself is a MUST. It’s a tough and competitive world out there and even if you’re the best in your trade, nobody will know that unless you put yourself out there in the right way. Nowadays, the way you showcase yourself through social media is extremely important. For instance, if you constantly post negative statuses, then people may view you as negative. And if you constantly post about your career achievements every second of the day, some may mark you as an egotistical maniac.
On the flip-side, in terms of showcasing yourself, at first it feels a little strange listing everything you have to offer or posting a cheesy career-update on your Facebook page, however if you can grasp the concept of “everything in moderation,” then you’ll be just fine…
10. You have to learn to deal with disappointment
Along with all the successes and triumphs you’ll experience in your career, there will also be plenty of downfalls, disappointments and moments where you feel as though your career isn’t going anywhere. This is so normal.
Even the most successful professionals and artists can admit that they too have lived through times where they felt lost and demotivated. The feeling of achieving a goal is fantastic, and without the times of struggle and hard work, that satisfaction is lost. If you are presented with disappointment or your big plans fall through, don’t become bitter and give up, keep pushing until you can’t push anymore. This way, if you change career paths or quit, you’ll know that you did everything in your power to explore and pursue the music industry.
Thanks for reading, folks! And a huge thank you to everybody who has supported me, my work and the work of Alive at Night. Big love – Cassi.