The Artist is a Business

Many would argue that an artist’s primary job functions are to write, record, and perform their music. And that it is up to their team to formulate, in conjunction with the artist, the image, marketing, branding, etcetera. But what many don’t understand is that artists are also their own businesses. Artists sometimes put too much responsibility on the shoulders of others because they just want to focus on their music. This is understandable; but then whose fault is it when the artist finds themselves in a position of not having an audience to play for? The answer is the artist. 
An artist should be as hands on in all aspects of his/her career as much as possible. The best, and logical, way for this to happen is to start early. When you are an independent artist looking to establish yourself and obtain a fan base, almost all of the work falls on the artist’s shoulders. This is because the artist needs to build a team to help and support them while starting their career. This also places significant importance on the type of people the artists selects. If an artist chooses the wrong people to help build his/her career, it may end before it even starts.
An artist should be highly aware of their target market, fan base demographics, marketing strategies for their brand, and much more. This may seem like too much for an artist but to have a successful career in the music industry, an artist needs to know these things. If so, the situation then becomes a win-win for everyone involved. The artist will seem professional, strong-minded, and all about business. Record labels may begin to take notice and opportunities may begin to appear. Also, if an artists team wants to change something, or go in a different direction, the artist will know when to say ‘no’ because it isn’t a apart of their brand or image, or are targeting the wrong demographics. The less time spent on figuring out an artists overall image or ‘package’ means more time the artist can be out performing and making money.
Independent artists need to protect their brand and themselves, which ultimately is their business. They need to become educated on marketing strategies, business plans, and more. Labels are now seeking indie artists who are out branding themselves, gaining a big fan base, and making good music. The saying goes “no one will help you unless you help yourself first.” This applies especially in the music industry. 
(Photo sources: http://musicwithoutlabels.com/tags/singing-help/ & http://zencio.com/services/)