How Technology Is Shortening the Road to Fame Show business is unlikely to ever be a way to get rich quick but technology is making it easier to get known and build an audience.
By Angela Ruth Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
It wasn't that long ago that Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube by Usher. Katy Perry, Macklemore, Psy and Lana Del Rey are others who used this online video platform to get noticed when music industry executives wouldn't pay attention to them. Thanks to this social media platform and mobile technologies, the road to fame has changed and helped many artists, including musicians and voice-over talent, get the attention they deserve while winning a fan base in the process.
Apps that find gigs.
Voice-over actors now don't have to rely on jobs coming to them or hoping an agent lines up gigs. Saving time and money on not having to race to various in-person gigs means these talented individuals can locate more voice-over work and carve out a career they define. Previously, they had to depend on agencies and share their earnings in exchange.
The actors are now using available apps much like those used by other types of freelancers for locating work. Voices.com is one example of how digitizing the voice-over industry is removing layers of paperwork and putting the talent in contact with gigs directly. Voicebunny is another site where talent is able to conveniently find work while various types of companies can also be assured they will connect with the talent they seek.
In fact, it has led many in the voice-over industry to create their own at-home recording studios to take these jobs, offering a great new lifestyle that balances work and life while delivering considerably more money.
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Apps that "discover" talent.
Seeing what YouTube has been able to accomplish led to the idea that a special platform could be created that would help aspiring singers make much more polished and professional videos that improve their chances of getting noticed. StarMaker has become the largest online talent network in the world with over 45 million users. The platform works with the major record labels, publishers, agents, and agencies to also connect this talent with those forces in the music industry who can help to make them famous.
Recently, StarMaker partnered with the new season of American Idol, set to launch in 2018 on ABC, to develop a contest that gives 10 talented individuals a front-of-the-line pass to go directly to an audition with the producers of the show. This platform and app company recognizes that this approach not only helps artists get discovered, but it also assists the music industry in finding fresh talent that may otherwise take considerably more resources to uncover.
The platform also has licensed one of the largest collections of songs that talent can use to perform in their videos, adding another unique way of packaging the performance. Of course, singers can also use their own original music to showcase their abilities. The result has been fame for many singers already, which has prompted even more talent to sign up for the platform.
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Platforms that fund bands.
Musicians have also discovered that crowdfunding is something that can work for them so they can independently produce their own music and make it available for sale rather than hoping to convince a music label to sign them. All types of bands have done successful campaigns on sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo among others, building a fan base and giving them direct access.
They also have shared rewards through these campaigns that further publicity like stickers, shirts, hats and more. Bands realized that the viral nature of crowdfunding and the social media used to fuel the campaigns can help them get noticed and finance the start of their fame.
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Platforms that engage with fans.
Even up-in-coming musicians have fans that follow their every move and share their love with their social circles. That's why it's technology like social media platforms that have changed how fans get to interact with their favorite singers and bands. With a shift away from buying records or CDs and toward downloading, there is not the same tangible feel to the music fans access now, which means that the performers have to find other ways to connect with their audiences. Live video streaming and photos with fans as well as the ability to comment and talk to bands or singers through their social media pages are preferred by today's fans that like the accessibility they get to the performers they admire.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook have shifted the power away from the recording industry and back into the hands of the performers, helping them use these channels to develop their own fan base over using corporate marketing efforts that are not authentic ways of communicating with the audience.
Technology continues evolving entertainment.
For actors, musicians, and performers, technology will continue to provide a world stage for their talents and give them control over their careers. At the same time, technology will also advance what's possible in the entertainment industry, offering new ways to get noticed and engaged with fans. For performers, that means staying attuned to these shifts so that they can leverage them for even greater success.
