JAZZ artiste Joshua Meck says youngsters who aspire to be musicians should have a format so that they are more organised and able to lay their foundation in music as the industry requires.
Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style, Meck emphasised the importance of having a clear format and foundation when embarking on a musical journey, rather than succumbing to the pressure of seeking instant stardom.
“My message to young people is that when you are starting out with music, you don’t need to be pressured. The problem with our young people these days is (succumbing to) pressure (from social media) to want to live the stardom life,” he said.
“When you are starting out, you need to take your time to do things that you are able to do. Do not put yourself under pressure to impress. Take everything step by step and have a formula and a format that you want to follow and the structure. Without that, you keep going in circles.”
Meck’s advice is rooted in his own experience in the industry.
He acknowledged that lack of a clear structure and understanding of the industry from a band leader’s perspective when he started out led to unnecessary pressure to showcase his success and earnings.
Instead, he encourages young artistes to focus on honing their skills, understanding their genre and setting achievable goals.
Meck also urged young artistes to acquire skills and understand the genre they are in, which helps them to set goals that propel them.
- Have a strategy, Josh Meck advises aspiring artistes
Keep Reading
“When I started, I didn’t have a structure and I didn’t understand the industry from a band leader’s point of view. So yeah, pressure to show people that you are making it and you are making money is not what will propel you to a great musician. You need to start humble, live within your means and invest within your means,” he said.
Currently, Josh Meck Music and Friends is working on a new album, which he is finding easy to create with the convenience of having a studio at home.
He emphasises the importance of balancing music-making and music-selling, especially in the face of the ongoing challenge of piracy in Zimbabwe’s music industry.
“Well, in terms of making albums, I am making albums. I’m actually in the middle of making an album, but now it’s a bit easier because I have a studio at home. So for every creative process, I just call my guys, I do it at home,” he said.
Meck said making music was one of his tasks and he treated it with courtesy just as one treats their job.
“So I kind of try to balance making the music and selling the music, especially on live shows, because today in Zimbabwe we have a serious problem of piracy,” he said.
“So for one to survive in the industry, one has to juggle it, you know, come up with innovative ways to market yourself and to make money out of it. So, yeah, now I’m going to be pushing even more live shows because there’s a demand.”
Meck’s wealth of experience in the industry has provided him with valuable lessons that he hopes to impart to the next generation of musicians.
He emphasises the importance of a structured approach, skill development and a balanced business strategy to guide aspiring artistes in navigating the complexities of the music industry and achieving sustainable success.
His next show is set for July 19 at the Alliance Française Harare.
