It’s not really that big of a deal, but…
This is a story about how I tried auditioning as a vocalist.
You may already know about it since it has been showing up a lot in social media ads lately, but I tried auditioning for a place called “MUSIC PLANET.”
目次
What is MUSIC PLANET?
First of all, “MUSIC PLANET” is not the name of a company, but the name of a project. (The operating company is Tentai Inc.)
It was created and is run by a group of well-known music producers with the aim of rethinking the conventional music business model.
The Music Business Until Now
Until now, the music business, simply put, has been based on “selling records (CDs).”
Singers and musicians signed contracts with record companies, and the traditional model was: records sell = the singer sells.
But as everyone knows, music is now increasingly centered on online streaming and downloads, and the traditional “sell CDs” model is becoming less and less viable as a business. (That’s why some CDs come with handshake event tickets or voting tickets.)
YouTube Will Be Important from Now On!
“MUSIC PLANET” is a project launched to explore various new forms of music business.
They have carried out all kinds of activities: serving as an official supporter of last year’s much-talked-about “Hibiya Music Festival,” running their own radio programs and live venue where they hold various projects, and posting videos on YouTube, among others.
Incidentally, Reiko Umehara, a singer-songwriter from Nishinomiya whom we previously featured in an article on Nishitsu, has also posted videos on MUSIC PLANET’s YouTube channel. (I was surprised when I found them too.)
Here it is↓
MUSIC PLANET “New Vocalist Discovery Audition”
Now, what MUSIC PLANET is putting the most effort into (or rather, what seems to be its main focus) is the “New Vocalist Discovery Audition.”
The idea is to have a wide range of people audition, support the singing careers of those who pass in various ways, and build excitement around the project together.
Let me make this clear first: this is not the kind of audition where passing means you get to make your debut.
Support for “How Do I Start My Singing Career?”
Simply put, if you pass, you can receive support like this:
- You can be produced by a well-known producer
- You can have a song created for you
- You can receive voice training
- You can have artist photos taken
- You can record your song and have it distributed online
- You can have a CD made
- You can perform live at MUSIC PLANET’s live venue
(Depending on the situation, it seems you may also get to appear on radio programs or have YouTube videos made, as mentioned above.)
Whether you use this support to aim for becoming a professional, or continue performing as an amateur hobbyist, is up to you.
For details, please see the official website below↓
Why I Decided to Try the Audition
Because it sounded interesting.
There wasn’t any particular reason.
That said, I’ve mostly been involved in classical singing such as choir and vocal music, so I did want to see how much aptitude I might have for popular music.
Well, more than anything, the fact that there was also an audition venue in Osaka and that it was free to apply was a big factor…
The audition has already ended, but I’ll write about what it was like another time, so stay tuned~
(To be continued)
