Young Canadian Musicians

Becoming a musician is a dream that many young people, and even older individuals, hold dear in their hearts. Many strive to get their music heard by a wider audience, get a record label contract, and one day sing in a sold-out venue. Unfortunately, the reality of becoming a successful artist is not one that is easily achieved. In most instances, not even talent is enough for young artistes to make their dreams come true. These bleak prospects typically mean that these young hopefuls are left either with mountains of debt or at the very least are underemployed.

Temporary and Impractical Solutions

There are several reasons why all of these young, eager artists are saddled with large amounts of debt and menial jobs. Some individuals will choose to go to university, majoring in subjects that will make them more skilled musicians. Unfortunately, this is where many of them begin accumulating debt. There are a large number of people who take out student loans to help them pay for their college tuition.

These types of loans are borrowed with the hopes of paying them back when these youths get their first jobs. Alas, here is where those plans tend to come apart. There are limited positions available in the music industry, particularly for novices who have no viable connections. This usually results in these young people playing at any venue for negligible pay. Some even resort to busking to earn a little bit of money. These wages, however, are not nearly enough to pay off their student debts.

Youths do not have to go to college to accrue debts, however. Many have resorted to taking payday loans or bad credit loans to ease some of their financial burdens. They use this money to pay for the basic necessities such as rent or utilities, or to further their music career. These type of loans, however, come with steep interest rates. These rates can even double if individuals are not able to pay off the necessary amount within the allocated time.

When in dire need, these young people will take any job available to them, even ones that they are overqualified for. In addition to being underemployed, this means that these individuals are not being paid as much as they should be. Another cause that is perpetuating this underemployment trend is the major cities. Musicians know that in order to be discovered, they must move to metropolitan areas, which they do in droves. Unfortunately, this results in a lower number of available jobs applicants. Employers take advantage of this by paying even less in wages.

The Proper Solution to the Debt Crisis

These younger musicians need to begin adopting a more useful strategy for overcoming the debt that they have accumulated. One of the most beneficial ways to do this is to consolidate the accrued debt. Debt consolidation absolves many of the anxiety and difficulties associated with paying off loans.

This form of repayment involves paying off several or all of your loans with the help of a single loan obtained from a financial entity. There are several advantages to this type of method to fix your financial problems. First, the interest rate charged by debt consolidation is usually a lot less than other creditors, namely payday and bad credit loans. This could mean that you end up paying a lower amount than you were initially paying.

Second, debtors are freed from a seemingly endless cycle that typically occurs with payday loans. Rather than taking out more loans to pay off the ones that you have already borrowed, you can simply pay back a single loan. Finally, this also offers borrowers the option to maintain a healthy credit rating. All of the creditors will be paid back quickly allowing the borrower to maintain a good credit score. As long as the borrower repays the debt consolidation loan, his or her credit score will remain untouched.

It is an unfortunate plight that young musicians have to go through. Thankfully, it is one with a readily available solution. In order to have a bright future, these young debtors must first get rid of their financial troubles.

Canadian Indie Music Scene

For decades, Canada has produced many musicians who have hit it big in the charts around the world. The indie music scene in Canada is no exception to this success. For over a decade, there have been numerous indie artists breaking ground and getting noticed. To this end, the Indie music scene is alive and doing incredibly well.

The Festivals

The magnitude of the indie scene is in part due to the many music festivals hosted by the country. One of the more prominent events is North by North East (NXNE), the Canadian counterpart to SXSW festival in America. It is held each year in June in Toronto, attracting thousands of music lovers. It allows burgeoning artists to showcase their talent and for crowds of people to enjoy new, fresh faced music.

NXNE might be one of the more popular events but it is certainly not the only one. Between the months of June and September, Canada is home to eight music festivals. These are held in Ontario, Montreal, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. This include Levitation Vancouver, Sled Island, Pemberton Music Festival, WayHome Music Festival, Osheaga, Salmon Arms Roots & Blues, and TURF.

Indie Musicians in Canada

There is an incredible variant in the indie that is produced in Canada. One of the reasons for this is the multicultural effect present in the country. Musicians are often heavily influenced by the culture of the specific region that they hail from. This means that there is a large amount of inspiration to draw from. This means that you will find music that spans from folksy to more electronic with a little bit of everything in between.

Another discerning factor about indie music in Canada is the discrepancy in the influences, not just among bands but within individual members as well. Band members widely differing in their artistic output often come together in the Canadian music scene to create something that is new and exciting. The most popular bands with this style are Sloan, the New Ponographers, and Broken Social Scene.

The Industry

Canadian indie musician hopefuls typically have two options: join with an indie label or continue making their own music. There is a certain level of comfort and opportunity that can be obtained by those who choose to align themselves with record labels. More often than not, however, indie artists prefer to continue on their own.

The main reason for this trend is that rejecting a label largely encompasses the true meaning of being an indie entertainer. By being ‘independent’ these artists can make music as they see fit. Canadian indie artists also prefer to do it alone so that they can communicate with their fans on a more personal level. These singers and bands are wholly responsible for the message that they choose to exhibit. They are spared the impact of spreading a message that they do not necessarily believe in.

Furthermore, these indie artists have complete control over their music and the direction in which they choose to take it. They have the freedom to create their music without having to worry about catering to a bottom line or pleasing record label executives.

Changes in the Scene

Canadian indie musicians are becoming popular around the world and several have won international awards. These Canadian artists have even taken to performing at festivals such as Coachella. The reach of the Canadian indie scene is slowly spreading.

Technology has played a large role in this movement. Artists can now put up their own music on the internet so a much larger audience has access to it. These musicians can even earn money from these endeavors.

The Canadian indie music scene has gone through many changes over the years. They have faced both challenges and opportunities along the way. While this industry has still some distance to go, it is well on its way.