A lot of people underestimate originality-Rema

Now more than ever, the need to stand out in any career field has become more pertinent. Thanks to technology and communication, the entertainment space is now global. No matter the form of content you are looking for, you will find it in droves.

Is it music? As many music genres exist, there are many more artists exploring and performing songs from each genre. As many movie genres exist, filmmakers are making them. When you decide to start a career in entertainment, you meet a saturated space that does not want more content. And the truth of the matter is that there is no new content.

When singer, Rema, came to the scene, he wasn’t the only artist making music. Still, in a short while, he has managed to capture the Nigerian community’s attention and the international as well. When he debuted in 2019, he topped several charts in Nigeria at the end of the year. His song, Iron Man, was included on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist.

Instagram comedian, Taaooma, started putting out her skits because she was trying to learn how to edit videos. She released her breakout video, ‘When your mum takes you to school,’ in 2019 and is consistent with her content. Today, she has over 1.7 million followers on Instagram and, according to Plaqad, earns up to one million Naira ($2500) per sponsored post on her Instagram page.

The conversation of achieving success in the entertainment industry has been a constant discussion point with young talent. Thankfully, the Nigerian Entertainment Conference is a place that has hosted several of these conversations over the years. Many industry professionals have touched on various points, and here are some of them.

Be Original

A lot of people underestimate originality. There is a lot of content out there, but you are what makes the difference. No two people are the same, and your content will reflect that, so be true to yourself. At NECLive 6, singer Simi said, ‘If you can be as original as possible as an artist, there is a crowd that you will draw to yourself. Not because you’re trying to impress but because someone somewhere is connecting to your truth.’ So stay true to yourself and forgo the pressure of copying someone else’s style.

Know Your Audience

When you know who you want to make content for, it changes how you approach content creation.

At NECLive4, Singer Banky W says, ‘You need to understand the market around you enough to say maybe I need to take some things that these people connect into and incorporate that into some of the things you do.’ Understanding who you want to consume your content allows you to create in a way and language that they can understand

Have Clear Goals

Many people go into the entertainment industry with no clear goals or plan. Thus, there is no consistency in their work, nor is the drive to stand out. Visions of money, cars and fame can only take you so far. It is not sustainable.

‘If you want to succeed in the music industry, dive into it for only one reason, for the love of it’, veteran comedian Basketmouth says at NECLive4.

Consistency Is Key

No one ever made one song or carved one artistic piece and expected that alone to be the measure of their work. Same way, in school, to prove your intellect, you take several tests. If you want to stand out, be consistent. When people come to depend on you for a specific thing, you become the template for others.

Be Discoverable

At NECLive6, media personality Frank Edoho said, ‘Nobody can market your content for you. You need to be consistent with distributing your talent on social media. All you have to do to be discoverable is to expose yourself.’ The only way people will see you is if you put yourself out there. And it’s not enough to dump what you create, be deliberate about how you put it out.

The next edition of the Nigerian Entertainment Conference returns this Sunday, April 25, 2021. This year, #NECLive8 will be a hybrid media event combining a studio set-up of select speakers with live global broadcast across Cable TV, radio, and online platforms. Some of Nigeria’s most brilliant professionals and accomplished entertainment industry stakeholders will explore the theme: ‘Building The Future.’