Akon has startling advice for young artists

Akon is back in the limelight and in a wide-ranging interview about his career had some startling advice for young artists getting into the game.

Stop trying to get a record deal because major labels will not exist in four to five years.

He added:

You’re wasting your time, you’re losing money doing it obviously, and you’re gonna lose control… understand the business, learn how it actually works and just stay independent because that’s the best way to go

Akon is known for being a savvy businessman and someone whose advice cannot be taken lightly.

The small little record label model in Zimbabwe is a strange space but you will find that artists in the country have basically gone the Akon advice if by default as opposed to design. This as you will know, because of the death of major labels in Zimbabwe, leaving most artists as independent.

You have gotten a few artists sign distribution deals with labels such as Universal but that is usually the extent of it because of the risk involved.

Direct access to distribution channels and the ability to push your own content through a network means that artists can do more than they could before.

And with platforms that can allow you to distribute to various online platforms at the click of a button, then the possibilities can be exponential.

But as Akon said, it is down to the artist to understand the business. That is where everything distills.