Five steps in becoming a Professional Singer

Well...hello again, my lil' music lovers.

Welcome back to my blog Musicophilia, a wonderland where all your musical fantasies come true... or NOT! I'm just joking with you, I am not a "music fairy" and i can't grant you your wish of becoming a, famous ROCK STAR or a leading Opera DIVA. But I can give you some great tips on how to become  a professional singer, hence bringing you a step closer to fulfilling your dream of, concurring the world's greatest musical scenes!

Before I elaborate this post let me share with you a personal experience, since I too am an aspiring singer; if you are embarking on this road of becoming a professional singer you must first of all, be madly in love with music and singing. You have to be dedicated and loyal in your passion for music, because only so will you have the straight and determination that it takes, to make it in the Music Industry. Believe me, the road of an artist is not easy at all, but when times get hard you can always rely  on your love for music to give you the right impulse, becoming the fuel to your flame of passion, burning bright, motivating you to work harder in realizing your dream of becoming a renowned musical artist.

So with out further ado...here are 5 simple but effective steps that ca help you become a PROFESSIONAL SINGER;

1. First things first, being passionate about music wont guarantee you a successful singing career. You have to have a voice that literally blows the audience away...but don't panic! You don't have to sing like: Aretha Franklin, Whitney Huston,Tom Jones or even Luciano Pavarotti, these artists are the perfect example of naturally gifted singers (but don't let yourselves be fooled into thinking that they didn't chisel their vocal gift). Yes...they where lucky enough to be blessed by mother nature with a great vocal potential. By now I'm sure you are probably asking yourself; "- Hmmm...do I have the voice that can make me become the next big thing?!" Well my advice, (if you're asking me), is to get a professional opinion. And by that i mean, getting your voice heard by a voice teacher. A professional voice teacher can tell you, how special your voice really is and he can advise you in your; vocal and career development as a singer.

2. The second important step is to get your self musically educated. It doesn't matter: how old you are, if you went to a music specialized high school or collage or if you didn't. Maybe you discovered your passion for singing recently, or you always desired to become a professional singer but the timing wasn't right until now, either way you have to get a musical education. Get a vocal coach, take singing lessons, learn the basics of music theory, improve your vocal score reading skills. I guarantee you, these new trained musical skills will make a difference between you being an, amateur or professional singer.

3. The third step is the most crucial one in your development as an artist and singer. You have to choose a musical identity. This musical identity should represent you as a singer and should embody the expression of your artistic nature. Think of it as you leaving your personal artistic print on the surface of Musics History. This step is the most exciting part of becoming a entertainer, thus; expressing, inventing and reinventing your musical personality. I bet you are asking your self right now; "- Who am I (as an artist)?"And the perfect answer is..."on stage YOU ARE who ever you want TO BE!" And that my dear readers is called "artistic freedom." So start by: choosing a stage name for yourself, experiment with different vocal and musical styles, go wild choosing stage costumes, take acting classes if you think that it can help you express yourself better artistically, learn a musical instrument (becoming a skilled artist gives you a competitive advantage), don't be afraid to show your true colors, be original and most of all, stay true to your artistic integrity.

                                                                                                                                                             

4. The forth step on climbing the stairs of acclaimed musical fame is, producing an original music material. This musical material should represent your voice as an artist. So get ready to pour out your naked soul to the audience...wait, don't hit the panic button (yet)! I know it sounds kind of scary to share with the world, your most personal and intimate musical compositions, but in the end its all worth it. These musical compositions written from your personal life experiences, may they be: good, bad, painful and even psychedelic, represent your musical individuality. The idea is to connect with your audience, to build a true emotional bond with them and there is no better way then through your personal musical writings. There is no greater satisfaction for any artist/singer then to hear his/her fans cheer and sing-along to his/her music knowing by heart every lyric of a song. Then you know as an artist that, the music that you write touches another persons soul, leavening a musical print on their heart and a little bit of you (your artistic expression) in them (your musical message resonates in them). That being said you should start writing; lyrics, vocal melodies, compose instrumental backing harmonics...what ever you are best at. If you have a band start brainstorming on musical ideas, get together for musical sessions and jammings, get creative and start working on a music album that you can promote. If you are a newbie DJ or Music Producer fighting to make a name for yourself in the "music jungle", start by making as many collaborations and studio work as you can. This way you can perfect your musical talent and material, this in the near future leading you to your well deserved musical recognition and stardom. If you want to become a professional singer as I said before start writing: lyrics, vocal melodies and compose instrumental backing harmonics. If you don't know how to play any musical instruments or compose instrumental harmonics just hire a pianist or guitarist that can help you out with the instrumental composition or just go straight to a recording studio, in which case the musical production team can help you out step by step in the creation and recording of a song/album.

5. The fifth and finally the last step in your "becoming a professional singer" process is "DRUM ROLLS"... showcasing, promoting your musical material and getting signed by a record label, "TA-DA (easier said then done)!" You need to start small in order to grow Big (sad but true).

But don't panic! With today's technology, "online word of the mouth advertisement" (Facebook, Twitter, etc) and the video-sharing/media promoting website (instant 5 minutes of fame) YouTube, that climb to the top of the Billboard Charts isn't that impossible as you might think. All you need to do is create valuable and original artistic content, the kind of music that spreads viral like an ear-worm. And don't forget nowadays if you want to make it big in the "music industry"(the emphasized word being industry rather then music ) you have to create a "music marketing plan". 

Be smart about it! It's okay to play the role of the "bohemian artist" who cares only about the authentic message spread throughout his music, but that message has to reach your "future concert audience" in order for you to get signed by a record label, so that you can one day build a musical career. The first step is to hire a talent agent (or also called a booking agent), someone who is qualified in booking you all the necessary concerts and gigs that you need, in order to promote your musical material and showcase your talent. Start looking for auditions, if you search the internet you'll find thousands of auditions for singers that sound like "singer wanted". Don't be disappointed if you start as a backing vocal for a mainstream artist. It's all about creating the right connections (as in any other business). Start by singing at your local "cafe bar" that has an open mike night or any other club that offers you the chance to perform on a free stage. You have to start somewhere and gather some "stage experience". Continue with small concerts, work your way up to gigs and music festivals. Create a name for your self, meet other artists, do music collaborations and you'll see that, at the right place in the right moment with the right people, you will have your big musical breakthrough. You can also start promoting your music and artistic vision on YouTube, you never know when the right musical promoter, captivated by your work might be watching. Also there are so many talent shows that you can audition for, ex: "The Voice, X-Factor, America' s got talent", etc.

I'm sure that with the; right & optimistic attitude, talent and a burning desire to make music and a whole lot of "blood, sweat and tears", plus a smart music marketing plan, you will get to live out you dream of becoming a FAMOUS ARTIST. The important thing is to keep the faith alive, work hard for what you want and take advantage of every opportunity, so that you leave no room for regrets and you can rest assured that, you tried your best in any situation. And one last thing, be grateful for the "love of singing" and that MUSIC choose YOU to represent it and not somebody else!

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The Musical Revolution in a "Traditional Manner"

Hello, my lil' music addicts!

Boy oh boy, did I prepare to write about something very interesting for you today! You know that saying "out with the old and in with the new" right?! Well, today's musical post elaborates this idea from a more complex point of view, introducing (you may or may not know them) to you a new breed of artists. These artists from my point of view, are a new kind of musicians, the authentic and contemporary entertainers, they are : passionate about music, talented, versatile instrumentalists, original/creative, oped to any kind of musical collaborations and last but not least, the ultimate "musical styles mixers" or contemporary musical pioneers! What I admire about these young artists is how they managed not to "throw out the old and adopt something new" but rather "combine the old with the new" thus they didn't forget about their "musical roots" but evolved from there and transformed themselves into "complex musicians." They all have a "classical background" but they've added a modern twist to their personal, musical interpretation ending up with, a unique and original sound. The beauty of music for me is that it has no limitations, no boundaries and these artists that I'm talking about have; enormous potential, an original, personal musical style and a boundary free musical vision.
      On a personal note,"nowadays" it's really hard to be a professional artist, let's say for example a "versatile singer"... everyday you are confronted with all those musical stereotypes, like having to choose a specific: vocal style, a single type of vocal category, or just restrain yourself to one specific musical style. This narrow mentality of the present Musical Industry has to be changed and expanded. Limiting yourself and artists in general, in a specific"category or musical style" wont help the evolution of Music, but to the contrary, its a "stand still point" for music and from here on, a clear path to musical involution. So without further ado let's give a standing ovation to these young courageous artists that, aren't afraid to push the envelope of various styles of music, choosing the "freedom of musical speech" not conveying to present musical stereotypes, and commercial musical ideas. Rest assured they wont get all the FAME but the GLORY in the END is their's! Let the "Musical Revolution in a Traditional Manner" begin with the performances of: 2Cellos, The Piano Guys, Pentatonix, Lindsey Stirling, Nathan Flutebox Lee, Sakita Hajime and Jona Selle.

Meet the guys from 2Cellos...2 words: "talented and awesome!"

These are The Piano Guys...and they are going to "take over the world"!

I could listen all day long to the divine voices of the Pentatonix...

Now what about Lindsey Stirling?! The "Godmother" of violin "players" (*wink*...get it?! The godmother of players...no?...huh?! never mind! *wink* )

Nathan Flutebox Lee...is a "force of the musical nature" !

Sakita Hajime...i never "saw" that one coming (*wink* get it?! 'cause he plays the saw...no?! oky :( )

And last last but not least Jona Selle. He plays the cello and sings at the same time, its a win-win situation! (plus he's sooo cute! *wink*)

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If you want to share with us music from your favorite artists, which show incredible talent and an original sound, upload a video on this post.

Top 10 Anthems of our Generation

Well Hello there, my lil’ music fanatics! 

Today I thought to myself “well darn it...what should I write about in my latest post?!” Something interesting yet funny, something that’s exciting enough to talk about and maybe even buzzworthy.” And then IT hit me! The topic of the day should be “the anthems of our generation”. I mean...I always thought that John Lennon left us the beautiful song “Imagine”, Louis Armstrong “What a wonderful world”, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock’N’Roll”...so what “musical heritage” would we leave our grandkids...the next generations to come? Would it be something unique, music and songs that represent; the spirit, mind & character of a generation? I’m talking about musical pioneers, art revolutionaries, that pushed the boundaries of a music genre, exploring it and aiding to it’s evolution, thus creating new musical styles that represented “the voice of a nation”.

The “Art of Music” in my opinion, should express through it’s “musical masterpieces” the : everyday struggles, hopes and dreams of ordinary people (like you and me) and nonetheless the; whole, versatile and beautiful “color palette of the human soul.” 

        So let us return to my initial question, can the “musical artists” of our time still create songs that can become, “eternal masterpieces” like: “Hey Jude” from The Beatles or “Blue suede shoes” by Elvis or Queen’s “Love of my Life”?

And let’s not forget about the Great Classics, because they're a vivid example for the “musical works of art” that until today, remain loved and remembered by music fans of all ages. Just think of Madama Butterfly's aria “Un bel di vedremo” (“One fine day...”) by Puccini from the Opera “Madama Butterfly” and the famous orchestral intermezzo the “Meditation” from the Opera “Thais” by Massenet. These renowned “musical jewels”, after 109 years (Madama Butterfly) and 119 years (Thais) since their premiere, still evoke in the heart of their listeners: “pure joy, and a sublime, bittersweet delightment!”. Their genuine, authentic message still withstands the passing of time.

After having stated all that...my answer to you “dear reader of this blog” is formulated into three examples of “chart topping songs” on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, ranking every single one of them as number one favorites, for several weeks. And these songs are : LMFAO’s “Everyday I’m shuffling ”, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” and Dj Baauer’s “Harlem shake”... shocking isn't it?!

Well having said all that, let the “Musical Apocalypse” begin! Naaaaaaaaa...I’m just kidding “thee”. But now seriously, is this what we want to pass on as “music” to posteriority?! I’m sure I don’t want that...so I’ll propose a list of ten songs, and I’ll narrow it down to the last 13 years, I’m naming that list, “my top ten favorite songs” that I am proud of calling “the anthems of my generation”!Listen to them, tell me your thoughts on them and more importantly, post a comment with your “top ten favorite songs” of the last 13 years, that in your opinion represent the “crème de la crème” of your personal musical taste & that deserve the title of “anthems of our generation”!

“My Top 10 potential music classics for posteriority”...

1. “My Valentine”- Paul McCartney

2. “Read all about it” - Emeli Sandé

3. “Falling Slowly”- Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

4. "My Immortal"- Evanescence

5. “Vridilo Je” - Oliver Dragojevic & Stjepan Hauser

6. “I can’t let go” - Jennifer Hudson

7. “Second hand white baby grand”- Megan Hilty

8.  "The Blower's Daughter"- Damien Rice

9. “Back to black”- Amy Winehouse 

10. “Crystallize” - Lindsey Stirling

Introduction to my blog Muzic0philia

Welcome to my Blog Music0philia!

“Musicophilia” is dedicate to all the “MUSICOPHILICS” out there...

Do you have musical hallucinations? And you feel like you were bitten by the “sonic ringworm”? Or even worse...you imagine yourself as being a hero, marching to the lyrics of your favorite song?! Then you must be suffering of “Musicophilia“!

Don't worry...being a “musicophilic” is not such a bad thing as being a: “dendrophiliac or a necrophiliac”, or some other bizarre mental disorders that end with “philia”. The term “Musicophilia, suggests the uplifting effects of music but it can also be described as an obsession with, or a spiritual connection to music. Therefore a “musicophilic” is a person who has an extreme passion for music. Yes, you might say a music addict! This said, let me reassure you that "YOU ARE NOT ALONE"! That’s why I started to write this blog, so that I could connect with other people who share the same “appetite” and passion for music like I do. So consider this blog a place where M.A. (Musicophilics Anonymous) can meet and share their experience and love for music. I think that if “the world would have more musicophilics in it, the world would be a much better place!” Just think about the most popular: singers, performers and artists in the world...John Lennon, Freddie Mercury or even the great composers; W.A.mozart, G.Puccini, etc...we could call them musicophilics. They were the great and brilliant musichophilics of their time! (and still remain to this date, because of their exceptional musical compositions, that morphed into immortal masterpieces.) Their love, passion and obsession for music, left an artistic and creative print on the conscience of humanity. They cultivated the mind of their listeners, opened the eyes of their soul and helped the mentality of a specific period of time to evolve. And to think that their creative spark and musical writings represent in fact, the voice and echo of their spirit and translates their personality and human intellect. That’s why I love Music, because it represents an Art Form, and Art is the expression of Artists. I think that Music represents the most complex form of personal expression. So let’s get to know ourselves better... let’s share: musical interests or show me your own artistic creations, compositions, let’s discus lyrics, favorite songs, Opera Synopses/ Arias, Rock anthems, movie soundtracks whatever “tickles your musical pickle”! I want this to become a very INTERACTIVE BLOG...so i’ll suggest a “musical topic” and I am opened to your suggestions as well, for other music related topics. With that being said, i would like to end this introduction to my blog with a quote by Billy Joel - “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.”
                              ...the music of life!