Saturday afternoon took an interesting turn, in the midst of #AmbitiouzMustFall, businessman and radio personality, Sizwe Dhlomo took center stage when he wrote: “I can also tell you guys how to get airplay if you want? Are you interested?”
Sizwe Dhlomo started his thread by saying that you’ve got to know somebody.
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“Okay, seriously now. I’m joking but I’m not joking. You do need to know someone who can plug you into the right pipeline. Otherwise, you’re just relying purely on luck & that’s a long shot. That’s the promise that labels make to all upcoming artists. Their network!
“There are three things you need to think about as an artist. Your music, your profile & your business. They all feed into each other, so if you are only interested in one of these & none of the others then don’t bother reading further,” explained Sizwe Dhlomo.
He continued to say “Let’s start with the business side first. Your sole purpose of making music should be to make money. If you’re doing it for art, then cool, that’s noble but this thread isn’t for you then because you don’t need airplay, to begin with.
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“Broadcasters are in the business of attracting an audience. If it’s radio, they need a commercially viable song. It must be entertaining & catchy. That’s the beginning of making a hit. After that, you can then go with the visuals or your profile. Let me explain. TV considers the following before we play a video. Is the video itself hot? Is the person themselves a big artist or not? Lastly, is the song a big song?,” shares Sizwe Dhlomo.
In continuation, Sizwe Dhlomo said that if the answer is yes to at least two of these questions, you’re going on air.
“So a hot video, bad song but from a big artist gets on air. A bad video, good song from a hot artist also gets on air and a hot video with a good song from anyone gets on air. Now you’re on air at least on radio or on TV. Use the one to get to the other. Radio playlists what they see other platforms showcasing. If your song is on TV, radio will be more willing to playlist you. (I’ll also be honest though & tell you that radio has politics).
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“This is where knowing somebody comes in now… because of the politics. You need someone who has the ear of the industry to speak to these people. (I’ll be honest again & tell you that some people take bribes),” shares Sizwe Dhlomo.
Sizwe Dhlomo also mentioned the fact that there was competition in the game.
“There’s also competition in the game because each song played means another song doesn’t. So there are people working against you whether you know it or not. People are fighting for their artists & as a result, blocking you. You need a fighter too!
“Your profile also makes the world of difference. That’s why it’s important to build yourself up. Don’t just go “Mina I just concentrate on the music”. A higher profile means more ratings & intrigue. That works to your advantage. Higher airplay also builds the profile & business.
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“More money means you can hire more help, shoot better videos, make better music & dare I say it, even bribe more people if that’s how you want to do your business. Lol! (I’m not advocating for that though).
“But it all begins with the song. Make the music for as many people as possible. Wider reach means more money at the end of the day. Simple business fundamentals,” shares Sizwe Dhlomo.
He concluded to say, “Oh, one more thing. Also know that like any other business, hits don’t last forever. You will eventually fall off. Some people’s runs are longer than others but your income will begin to dwindle at some stage. So while you’re making money, use it wisely.”
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#AmbitiouzMustFall was triggered by Scoop – watch below:
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