I hate clickbait so let’s get into it shall we?
Message: Every great song has a great message. From Burna Boy’s Common Person to Nasty C’s SMA to Eminem’s Not Afraid. One thing is common: the central topic of the song is loud and announces itself right from the intro. Not having a message in a song is just making a tune with words.
Lyrics: Everyone regarded as a great in music always has genius ways of crafting their lyrics. Lyrics are what will attract you to the song after the initial exuberance wears out. From Kendrick Lamar to J.Cole to Fireboy, top-tier lyricism is something needed to keep you ahead of 80% of the music industry.
Melody: Gone are the days when a drum loop and repeating a certain line over and over will get you radio play or even noticed by music lovers. Gen-Z listeners have a knack for catchy tunes, hence the boom in TikTok. Whether it’s the beat itself or your voice, your music must have some melodic expression. The first thing that catches the average listener of nowadays is not the punchline, it’s the melody
.
Focus: Being able to narrow in on something and have the determination to stick with it till the end is something lacking in 85% of upcoming artistes, especially in Nigeria. Everyone wants the quick solution, the fastest way out. The terrible deal, the ghostwriter, the shortcut, etc. Even when creating music, the ability to be able to remove every other distraction is highly beneficial. Focus on you, not others.
Confidence: This is probably the most important of all. Having confidence is pivotal to succeeding in anything. Be confident in your abilities. Be confident in the fact that you’re going to succeed. Don’t let no one hit you out your dream. Parents, friends, situations, financial hardship, social media. Just be you and stay true to yourself. Be brave and have confidence in God.
Ad Astra!! To the stars