Event’s organizers often need artistes, musicians, and performers to provide entertainment for their guests. Some of the performers are established acts while the majority are often up-and-coming artistes. Unfortunately, It has become a trend for event organizers to refuse to pay up-and-coming artistes, most times the excuse is that the event already provides a platform that would expose the artiste, hence there is no need for financial compensation.
In my opinion , no business should run at a loss. Unfortunately most upcoming acts run their businesses at a loss. People say that unless an artiste is a household name they really do not deserve to get paid. But on the contrary, upcoming artistes need as much money as the established acts do. They spend a lot of money on music production, photography, album art designs, radio promotions, video production, distribution and promotion. The average cost of producing music is #100,000, most photographers will charge you anywhere between #50,000 and #300,000 for a well shot photo session. The cost of promoting and distributing music runs into millions of Naira. Therefore, it would be very inconsiderate to expect an artiste who has spent all these amounts on their work to make an appearance at your event for free. Unpaid gigs and event will run your music business to the ground and it has ruined a lot of artistes and music businesses already.
Artistes should get paid just as Upcoming DJZ, Models, Vixens, Producers all get paid for their job at events. It disturbs me why most event organizers find it difficult to compensate a new artistes for their work. Paying people for their work ensures that they also grow as a business, they become relevant in the society and ultimate helps grow the economy. An event promoter would also benefit from it as more artistes will be willing to work with you in the future and give their best because there is a financial reward. Be you a farmer, a trader, a mechanic or an artiste, if you are invited to work you deserve to get paid. An upcoming artistes job at an event is to entertain guests until the main act or main agenda comes on stage. They help to you hold your crowd together. You should be able to offer a decent amount of compensation for the Job they do for you. Without upcoming acts, people will not be primed for the main act and many may eventually leave the venue.
The problem is that there are too many desperate artiste out there who either do not understand business or are just too desperate that they pay to perform at events. The problem with this is, once you started in that direction it would be very difficult to find organizers who are willing to pay you. Because they all know that you perform for free. There is a popular saying “Do not start what you cannot finish.”
Another problem is the lack of a management for most fledging acts . Every artiste needs to have a management or a business manager whose responsibility is to ensure that the artist interest in being protected at any negotiation. They would ensure that bookings, appearance fees, endorsements are reviewed and is in the artists favor. Failure to have a management means that you may continue to accept deals that are not in your favor just because you want to present your music to the crowd.
In conclusion , Even if it is a token amount compared to established acts, please set aside a budget to compensate the work of up and coming artists. it is an insult to their work , struggle and effort to persuade them to work for free. It is also unjust and unfair. It is not a favor it is a right.