Advice for making it in the music industry.

In 2000, the PRS Foundation launched to support musical talent from all backgrounds, genres, and areas across the UK. By investing in music at a grassroots level, it aims to empower artists, songwriters, and composers to create long-lasting, sustainable careers in the industry.

We spoke to John Hendrickse, Grants and Programmes Manager at the PRS Foundation, to ask his advice on how to build your profile as a musician and artist.

Since its launch, the PRS Foundation has given more than £44 million in grants to over 8,500 new music initiatives. Their funding streams exist to support musicians at all stages of their careers, from financial backing for artists just starting out to next-level funds for those on the cusp of becoming successful.

‘We’ve also got our international support,’ says John, ‘so when artists have showcases across the globe, we can provide financial support for them to be able to go out and make an impact.’

Included among the many Welsh artists who have benefited from financial help are L E M F R E C K and Kima Otung. For L E M F R E C K, POWER UP funding helped him release his album, Blood, Sweat and Fears. The three-part mixtape featured the likes of Manga Saint Helaire, as well as fellow Welsh artists Luke RV and Marino.

The rapper and producer also created and fronted the documentary Black Music Wales tracing the heritage of Black music in Wales and introducing contemporary artists including Ogun, Mace The Great, Sage Todz and Juice Menace.

For Kima – who was recently named a Future Leader in Black music and culture by Google Arts & Culture and TRENCH – PPL Momentum funding supported the release of her EP, The Immigrant Kid. While the POWER UP award went towards the development of Insidr Music; a direct-to-fan subscription app she co-founded that pays artists 4000% more than other streaming platforms.

Whether it’s via social media or in real life, building relationships with those in your local network can help establish yourself with venues and promoters.

John explains: ‘If you know someone who's done something that you're trying to do, talk to them and get their advice. If you're an artist, find other artists you can talk to about their experiences.’

Alongside providing funding, the PRS Foundation is also committed to supporting those working in the industry by establishing networks in a way that’s inclusive and innovative. Networks like POWER UP, which aims to tackle anti-Black racism in music.

John says, ‘POWER UP is not just a funding scheme, there's regular meetups and webinars on different parts of the industry that creators maybe need to tap into.’

You can read more about POWER UP in our interview with artist and presenter Aleighcia Scott.  

Alongside seeking funding and building your network, John says it’s important to know the industry: ‘It’s like anything; you’ve got to put hours in, but it’s not just about putting hours in the studio; it's about putting hours into understanding the business you’re getting into.’

‘If you haven’t got that business acumen, find someone that has and someone that believes in what you’re doing. If you are in a position where you're starting to make money, put the right people in place.’

‘Having an agent, or at least being in conversations about being represented, should lead to more bookings. If you have agent interest, invite them to live performances so they can see the product they are looking to sell in the environment it will be sold.’

Organisations like Musicians’ Union, PPL and PRS are also on hand to offer advice on everything from copyright  to understanding royalties and registering for royalties 

And finally, let's talk about revenue. From touring to selling merch and streaming to social media: there are lots of different ways artists can make money from their music.

A popular way is through syncs: this is when songs are picked up for use in film, TV series, adverts etc. Sync deals are usually arranged between a music publisher and a prospective client, which is normally a music supervisor or a film producer. 

John explains: ‘I’ve worked with lots of independent artists and one of the ways we made money was through syncs. We found a company whose model was to work with independent artists; they didn't just find syncs to put on any film or TV show, they found culturally relevant shows that could potentially build the audience.’

Ultimately, this is a great way of expanding your fan base. After all, as John says, you can put money behind your music, but it’s got to connect with the right audience: ‘That’s where you’ve got to be a little bit smart about it. That’s a danger when you're an artist; you don't want the song to connect more than you.’

Overall, the industry can be a difficult one to navigate and development can be hard, so it’s important to seek out all the help and support you can. 

John says, ‘I think that is part of the reason why it's important to have organisations and initiatives like the PRS Foundation, Youth Music, Musicians’ Union, Open Fund for Music Creators, Women Make Music , PPL Momentum Fund , PPL Momentum Accelerator   BBC Wales Horizons Launchpad Fund , and Creative Wales to support the development of the UK music industry.’

For more information on what the PRS Foundation can do for you, visit their website and discover their projects, initiatives, and funding opportunities. You can also head to our website to keep up to date with our funding opportunities here at Creative Wales.