Why independent artists need to change…

As most people know, I am big on quality. Quantity means nothing when people do not feel concerned. I have always valued relationships before anything else, and lent my support and help to countless numbers of people. I am not looking for thank yous, I did it because I wanted to. As a result, God has blessed me without limits!

Being a poet is interesting nowadays, especially when one dabs into written and spoken word. I am a writer, first and foremost, because I love the written word. But I am also a spoken word artist: I want to give life to my poems.

I have seen a lot of changes since the inception of my writing career. I have connected with a HUGE number of people, and among them writers, poets, and spoken word artists. Some have become my friends; others (and there were many!) did not seem interested in pursuing the relationship beyond the please-buy-my-book-or-CD point. I have also had the great honor to meet people who work in the shadows and offer unconditional support, no matter what happens in their lives. These people will be the subject of a future blog article, because they deserve to be acknowledged and thanked! I will even call names! ;-)

What strikes me the most is the lack of support for independent artists. Let’s talk about audiences and readers for a minute.

80% of the population have no idea what being an independent artist means. The only thing they know is mainstream art. They listen to music, watch videos, and read magazines that demean women and portray them more as merchandise as human beings, promote violence, and encourage youths to think that money is more important than the rest. They hear and read the rantings and ravings of celebrities who have been thrown in the public eye in their teens and who have no clue how to behave properly and be an example to their own generation, because they are encouraged to do so by the big guns in the music industry. As a result of that smart brainwashing by the media, people have no idea what indie artists go through, and how hard it is to make themselves known. People root for what they see, because they do not know if there is something else available out there. And honestly, should I be in their shoes, I would not even want to spend much time doing any research!

20% of the remaining worldwide population is comprised of mainstream artists, independent artists, and people who know them. I am part of these 20%, and I will tell you in all honesty why 80% of people can be excused.

First of all, a big majority of people live in poor countries where music and books are luxury. They do not, or barely, have access to the Internet, a TV screen, or a radio set. Second, the rest of us live in “affluent” countries where (both societal and mental) wealth and poverty meet each other anywhere daily.

During my many discussions with artists from the North American spoken word scene, I have noticed one thing: disunity. We are NOT united! Most artists fight for their own piece of paradise, not concerning themselves with what goes on in the lives of their fellow artists or fans. They ask you to buy their CDs or books, but they will not even help you to spread the word about your own work, even if you purchase something from them. It is something that baffles me but also worries me greatly, because these artists are the most adamant that the world does not understand them. Of course, I am generalizing a little, because I know a lot of fantastic artists whose heads are properly screwed on their shoulders and who are big supporters of others’ work. But the trend of non supportive indies is growing.

Being an artist entails many things, and among them, one is to educate others. And education takes many forms. It starts with professionalism (in every sense of the term), dedication, awareness (of one’s own world and global issues), support, and the willingness to serve as a positive role model. You cannot be a real artist if you do not understand your mission in this life. If you are there just to make money and not worry about the world around you, then you are missing the whole point. Because, always remember that we have real supporters who work in the shadows and who are getting tired of the situation. If we don’t change quickly, they will stop supporting us. And when that happens, our chances of being acknowledged will be even slimmer.

It does not matter what each one of us has to bring to the table. We MUST become a community. We MUST have discussions. We MUST support and help one another. It does not have to be financial: a lot of us cannot afford it. But there is something that we can all afford: time. It takes one minute to help spread the word about someone else’s creations (for example, use the share button on Facebook to make the link available on your page). It takes two minutes to forward a message to all your contacts. Listen to BTR shows, even if you can only do it for 5 minutes daily. Connect with people, say hello once in a while, leave a comment under their posts or on their pages. Congratulate them on their work. Send them a note. And most of all, BE GRATEFUL for God and people in your life! Always remember that, without fans and supporters, all your hard work is worth NOTHING. So, we need to CHANGE and STOP taking people for granted. We have to learn to RESPECT everybody, even those who don’t have a voice.

Once we start this process, audiences will notice us…

Cendrine Marrouat
http://www.soulpoetrysite.com