The current musical landscape seems to demand one-hit wonders. It is due to this that many artists find it difficult to experience longevity in their careers as entertainers. One of the secrets of standing out as a creative in any business line is reinvention- having the ability to go back to the drawing board and create something completely new. While this might not be an effective strategy for most artists in the music industry, it is imperative for them to understand that having a game plan will keep them in business for a long time, and possibly give them a chance to create a legacy for themselves.
Maliachigh is a rapper, model, and actor, a professional who has been in the entertainment business for close to a decade. He is also the founder and CEO of Elite Group LA, a business that finds and mentors promising talents and helps to connect them with reputable entities that will oversee the growth of their careers. Maliachigh’s growth as a musician has been consistent largely because he devised strategies that will keep him relevant both in the industry and fan base.
Most successful musicians will attest to the fact that at some point in their careers, they had to gather their confidence and disrupt themselves before the industry did the same. Some of them took a different singing approach while others simply reinvented their art. Maliachigh says his way of doing this has been to diversify his undertakings as an entertainer. He knows that he is most talented in rapping but realized early on in his career that he could also act and model. His relevance was always guaranteed because his acquaintances and fans alike would see his face or feel his presence in one way or the other if he was not singing. Maliachigh has been actively disrupting himself before anyone does.
Maliachigh often advises upcoming artists that they should focus their efforts on making art, not entertainment. He refers to a famous piece of advice shared by American playwright, Thorton Wilder, who said, “If you write to impress it will always be bad, but if you write to express it will be good.” Many musicians fall to the pressure of becoming the best, releasing hits, or making a fortune from their talents to a point they forget that they first have to make art. Maliachigh has resisted this temptation and instead, works hard to create songs and ideas that will be appreciated for a long time. This guarantees his longevity in this line of business.
Aside from all these, Maliachigh points out that musicians should understand that no matter what their style, skill level or age, there’s a tribe of humans out there that will always love what they do, and gladly pay for it. The main challenge is to find them, move them and continue to feed them- nothing is impossible.
Tina Johnson helped bring The Marketing Folks from a-weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. She continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a contributor to The Marketing Folks, Tara mainly covers industry new.
