Henry Fong Tells Twitter How Artists Can Catch the Wave to Success
Henry Fong has had his name in the game for more than a decade. For about 12 years, he’s made his reputation as a DJ and producer with hits like “Rave Tool” and “Presos.” Now, he wants to share his hard-earned wisdom with aspiring artists.
Fong said, “The hardest part of a musician’s career is catching that first wave of momentum and virality” — and he has ideas on how to help. So he took to Twitter to share what he’s experienced in his own career and what he’s observed in others’ when it comes to “getting traction” in the creative industry.
Renowned Canadian journalist and author Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point was a source of inspiration for Fong. What he took away from Gladwell’s debut book was that three types of people are required to “make ideas go big”: Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen. Connectors have large social networks and easily make friends and build relationships. Mavens possess the skills and knowledge, and salesmen are able to pitch and recruit others onboard.
In 2010 my friends and I had a promotion company that put on a dance music event by my college. I was the connector, my friend @DJNymz was the Maven DJ, and my friend Nick was the salesman. Within a few months the night was sold out and became the launching pad for our careers.
~ Henry Fong
What made the dance music event such a hit, Fong said, was that the team had all three characters collaborating on the right idea. They hadn’t even had a larger internet following or much popular music released, according to Fong. His experience was a reminder that the three types of people can amp up the odds of success for artists — something Fong says musicians should keep in mind as they build their projects’ teams.
Want to hear more of Henry Fong’s thoughts? He recently created a newsletter of music business tips, along with digital courses and sample packs, and artist mentoring. Or, follow Fong on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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