April 15, 2010 Idol Thoughts… the 4 Key Factors That Michael Lynche Posseses That Make Him A Great American Idol & A Lifelong Artist
Yesterday, I guest lectured at NYU for a group of Music Business students. One of them asked me an excellent question:
Is there a formula for success in today’s music business?
I told him that if I had the answer I’d be a lot richer! But then I stopped to think about it. Artists that have success are the ones who know what they want. They have a clear vision of what they see for themselves, and that vision is different for everyone. They may not even know how exactly they are going to get there but there are 4 key elements.
- Vision
- Willingness to learn
- Hard work (never give up)
- Gratitude
One of the artists in my Cyber PR family who posseses these 4 key factors is Michael Lynche. When I sat down and interviewed Mike over a year ago, he was on a steep learning curve with us as he was getting to know music bloggers, podcasters and Internet radio station DJs he had never heard of before. The things that stand out for me in this clip are
Willingness to learn - He was game to try something he had not yet tried and he was a great student
Gratitude - And he gave us and others along his journey praise some great accolades (thanks Mike
Vision - But what really stands out for me is the fact that his goal was to get his music out in a “mass fashion” and get some deals going in order to “reach out to more fans out there…” (it’s right there at minute 3:25)
Hard Work - Well - Big Mike you DID it - it doesn’t get more “mass fashion” than American Idol my dear and we are so excited to watch you on your journey!
I know that no matter what happens you have the propensity to shine as an artist for life!
Reader Comments (6)
I guess being on idol can work for you or against you IMO. To my perception, idol can destroy your credibility as an artists. The network can portray you in whatever way they like.
I have played support for some top 10 (or 12 or whatever it is) idol finalists & the only people showing up to watch them were friends & family. & not that big a family :p.
I'm not trying to detract from Mike. I wish him all the best, I'm just saying, I don't know if I could bring myself to do karaoke infront of the nation. If I had control of the songs it wouldn't be so bad but don't they force you into certain genres?
Anyways, I'm not presuming I would even get past the preliminary audition. I do have other problems with idol. To me it represents a lot of what is 'wrong' with the music industry. It's controlled by the corporate money machine networks right?
Ah, phooey. I've been out buskih all night so I can pay my rent so what do I know right?
All the best to Mike with his ambitions :)
PS. As far as in Australian idol is concerned, some winners have gone on to be quite successful on the radio & whatnot. Others have flailed into obscurity so like most things, it is what u make it.
Personally, I would LOVE to make top 2 finalists & then halfway through the last song, change the lyrics to a no-holds-barred insult-fest at the judges. Live tv right? Sweet prank. So I guess that is how I could be an idol & still maintain my credibility. Not that the mass market cares about credibility. & all that is presuming I got to the top 2 which is a stretch :p
goodnight.
Stanmore...if you did that at the end of American Idol...unless they can sell records w/ you...I'd imagine they can tie you up using their contract so you wont be doing any "artistry" for a while. :) Nice thought, though.
I would probably sell more records due to the controversy no?
Can they legally stop me from selling music online? I don't think they could. Hmmm, I guess it's not really something I need to worry about unless I actually did it:P
When you enter "Idol" you sign a contract meaning that they own all your image rights for at least a year. Even if you don't get through the audition they still own you. If you play gigs with "As Seen On :enter country: Idol" then a cetain % of that show goes to Mr Cowell and friends.
I think most problems with music careers is that people tend to think that a music career is like a lotto ticket. People don't plan for a career in music. They wake up one day and think they going to be a millionaire and get hit record and be famous.
Working in music, any part of it for that matter, is just like any other career. You have to work hard and work you way up. If you plan your goals for career ahead of time and take some direction you will make it.
Just ask your self in the beginning do you want to really do it. If the answer is then do what ever it takes to build your career. Build a career though. Look at how other people in the music industry have done it. Find the real story of their success, Not the VH1 made for TV version of their story.