When the Covid-19 pandemic reared its ugly head during the opening stages of 2020, live music events across the world became one of lockdown’s first casualties. The music industry is also being touted as one of the last that will return to normal after the pandemic subsides. Out of the need to continue to make ends meet and share their passion with the world, many musicians started to explore new ways to earn an income and get their music to the people. While many artists took to platforms such as Facebook Live, Twitch, and YouTube Live, others went down an entirely different rabbit hole: vlogging.
Many musicians found success online
In 2009, Charlie Puth created a YouTube channel and named it ‘Charlie’s Vlogs’. He uploaded a selection of covers and comedy videos, and also vlogged his day-to-day life. Over time, his channel garnered a big, loyal following. In 2011, Puth won an online video competition sponsored by none other than Perez Hilton. His achievement made Ellen sit up and take notice, and she subsequently signed him to eleveneleven, her record label. The rest, as they say, is history, and Charlie Puth has gone on to do great things. His debut single, “One Call Away”, peaked at #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Other esteemed artists who kick-started their careers online include Shawn Mendes, Aussie pop band 5 Seconds of Summer, and award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer, The Weeknd.
Take the plunge
Although vlogging is by no means a new concept, it has remained an unchartered territory for many musicians, until now. You can either ease your way into it or dive in head-first. Regardless of the approach you take, you need to take heed of a few things. While there is no need to reinvent the wheel, you have to, at the very least, find an arresting topic for your videos. Take a look at some successful music vloggers, and draw inspiration from what they are doing. Be prepared to go up against a lot of competition, especially considering that YouTube sports more than 23 million channels. Once you have decided about an angle for your vlog, you can start familiarising yourself with the technical aspects of vlogging, including what gear to invest in and how to set up a YouTube channel.
Vlogging can boost your career in many ways
Once you have mastered the basics of vlogging and have your first videos up, you may start enjoying various benefits. Apart from improving your fan engagement, your vlog can also supply you with trendy content that can be shared across all your social media platforms. While your vlog can entice fans to buy your music, it can also serve as an independent income stream if your videos trend on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube. If your vlogs prove to be very popular, you may even get invited to guest-vlog on a prominent channel – and get paid for it.
Vlogging may turn out to be an effective diversification strategy for musicians affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. While it may not be something you envisioned doing, it could turn out to be very beneficial to your career.
Courtesy of Sally Writes
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