Over the past couple years, the world as we know it has changed, with nationwide lockdowns and many making the move to working from home. The music industry suffered unimaginable losses due to cancelled concerts, festivals and launches, and consequently had to adapt to survive. More music production and promotion moved to online platforms, and the world saw an emergence of new producers coming to the surface. Bongani Gaone Sehunelo, more popularly known as Kevin Gani, renowned music producer and musician sat down with us to highlight what skills are necessary for longevity within this competitive industry.
Gani describes how “music producers know a lot more than what they get credit for and want to be involved with more than just the production of a record. Many of us actually want to help select songs to go on albums, but not all of us truly get that opportunity unless there is a personal connection built with the artist and management from the very start, most producers are involved in the creative writing process and manage some recording and mixing sessions – this makes some producers stand out from the crowd.” Indeed, it is the versatility of musicians and producers that Gani believes can lead to their success, as the more they can do, the more valuable they are to the industry overall. The more services that you offer, the more in demand you are.
Gani states that it is relatively easy to diversify your skill set. He explains, “Google and YouTube are free to use, and its relatively easy to find tutorials on how to play certain instruments, merely understanding the fundamentals of music theory is such a great asset to have as a music producer. Knowing that you can find the root key of a beat or song and how to work autotune correctly is a great advantage.” Learning new skills does not necessarily mean that you are an expert in them, but it does give you an insight into other roles within the music industry which can help during collaborative projects.
In addition to learning new practical music skills, Gani also highlights the importance of understanding the business side of the music industry. He describes how “It is crucial to get involved in the business side of the music industry as then you are not simply relying on people telling you how the process works. Instead, you can understand the process fully and know how your own contracts work.” To run your own business, studio, or music production company this is a vital skill. Gani goes on to describe how “Often producers are in situations where they need to understand important issues such as copyright, royalties, licensing and publishing, as well as contracts and invoices.” Understanding these issues allows those in the music industry to seek out opportunities and understand risks that will contribute to the success of their career.
Kevin Gani has recently been reaching out to producers across the globe, heightening his own collaborative efforts which would also help increase the network and overall reach of the label he works for, he can be found on popular social platforms such as twitter @Kevinganimusic, on Instagram as @kevingani and https://www.facebook.com/IamKevinGani/ on Facebook.