Encomium
Good music, coupled with a great fashion sense is good business. Becoming a great artist and having healthy relationships with clients you work with is also good business.
At a session with fashion entrepreneur Mai Atafo, MTN Y’ello Star contestants were schooled on the importance of building a powerful personal brand.
Stating that he started his career in marketing, Mai said that artists must be concerned about other aspects of their lives. In his words:
“A lot of artists and creatives are unbothered about marketing and their brand. If you are not known for anything other than your core, you are heading for a disaster.”
Citing an example of Will Smith, who was a successful rapper and still went ahead to sing and act, he encouraged contestants to maximize their talents.
He stated that brand positioning opens up more opportunities, greater than what is currently obtainable. There is a need to present oneself to be ready for other opportunities as they come
According to Mai, personal branding is not just about the clothes one wears, it is beyond that; it speaks to perception.
Citing an example of Falz as a brand, who has been able to combine music, acting, comedy and all round entertainment. He has succeeded in carving a niche for himself because his personal brand is multifaceted. There are opportunities based on the way you personally brand yourself and portray yourself.
He emphasized the importance of personal branding in providing multiple benefits such as enhanced visibility, distinguished presence from the competition, good reputation, generating trust and expanding one’s network of contacts as well as attracting more clients.
He concluded by saying that it is important to continuously project a professional image in the way they show up and the conversations they have.
Y’ello Star is a trend-setting music reality project by MTN Nigeria, to create platforms for Nigerian youths to thrive and fully showcase their creativity to the rest of the world. Y’ello Star seeks not only to groom and give optimum exposure to musical talents, it also seeks to create an ecosystem that enables the Nigerian music industry to take its place as an important member of the global music industry.
