Young maq

 As upcoming artist with no money, Facebook and TikTok na your best promotion tools. How I dey promote my music: 1. Facebook: I post my freestyle videos for my timeline and for Aba music groups. I join groups like "Aba Upcoming Artists", "Abia State Music". I post every 2 days. 2. TikTok: I do 15 seconds freestyle with my song. I use trending hashtags like #AbaMusic #AbiaMusic #Afrobeat #UpcomingArtistNigeria 3. WhatsApp Status: I post my song snippet every day for status. My friends dey repost am. 4. Audiomack: I upload my songs for Audiomack free. Then I share the Audiomack link for Facebook and WhatsApp. 5. I comment for big artists pages. I no dey spam, I just drop meaningful comment and people check my profile. I no pay for ads yet. All na free promotion. But when I get small money, I go run small Facebook ads for 2k-3k. If you be upcoming artist for Aba, start with free promotion. E dey work small small. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com for my Audiomack  link when...

 My first live performance was for one small show for Uratta, Aba. I was very scared. My hand dey shake, my voice dey shake. But when I start to sing, people start to nod head. I performed 2 songs. One cover of Burna Boy and one my own song. After performance, 3 people come meet me say "Guy you try, your voice fine". That word gave me confidence to continue music. Lesson from my first performance: 1. Fear is normal. Even Davido fear before. 2. Always prepare well. Rehearse your song 10 times before stage. 3. Connect with crowd. Look them for eye, make them feel you. 4. No matter how small the crowd, perform like say na 10,000 people dey there. My next performance will be bigger. I dey prepare for December show for Aba. Have you performed before? How you take feel? Comment below. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com for videos of my performance soon.

 Life as upcoming artist for Aba no easy at all. Challenges I face: 1. No money for studio - Sometimes you write song but no money to record. 2. No support from family - Some people think music na waste of time. They want you to go learn handwork. 3. Light issue - NEPA fit take light when you dey for studio, you go pay extra. 4. Promotion wahala - After recording, you need money to promote for Facebook, TikTok. But I still get hope because: - Aba get plenty talent and people love good music - With phone and internet, you fit blow from your room - Artists like Bright Chimezie and Ruggedman from Abia don make am, so we fit make am too My advice: Keep posting your music online. Don't stop. One freestyle fit blow you. I stay for Uratta, Aba. If you be upcoming artist for Aba, make we connect. Drop your WhatsApp for comment. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com

 You don't need expensive equipment to start music in Nigeria. Here is my top 3 cheap equipment that helped me: 1. Tecno or Infinix Phone - Use your phone to record demo, write lyrics on notepad, and record voice notes. Your phone is your first studio. 2. Small Earpiece Mic - You fit buy clip mic for 3k-5k for Jumia or for Aba main market. It improves your voice recording for freestyles and TikTok. 3. Free Beats from YouTube - Search "Free Afrobeat beat" or "Free Amapiano beat" on YouTube. Many producers give free beats for upcoming artists. Just credit them. With these 3, you can start creating content for TikTok, Instagram and Audiomack. I started with only my phone in Uratta, Aba. No mic, no laptop. Just passion. Later when you get small money, you can buy laptop and go to professional studio like MixPriest Empire Studio in Aba. Don't let lack of equipment stop you. Start with what you have. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com for more tips.

 People ask how I write songs. Here is my simple process: 1. I get inspiration from my life in Aba. Anything wey happen for Uratta Road fit enter my song. 2. I first create melody with mouth. I hum "mm mm mm" until I get sweet sound. 3. Then I write chorus first. Chorus na the main message. If chorus sweet, people go like the song. 4. After chorus, I write verses. Verse 1 na story, Verse 2 na advice or more story. 5. I use Pidgin English so everybody fit understand. I no dey use too much big grammar. 6. I record with my phone first, listen many times, then go to studio. I wrote my new single in one night. I was sitting outside my house in Uratta and the melody just came. If you are upcoming artist, don't wait for perfect. Write wetin dey your heart. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com for my lyrics when I drop.

 Many people ask me what kind of music I sing. I sing Afro-Fusion. Afro-Fusion is mixing Afrobeat with other styles like Hip Hop, R&B, Dancehall and Igbo highlife. For example, Burna Boy sings Afro-Fusion. He mixes Fela Afrobeat with American hip hop and dancehall. That is why his sound is unique. My own style is Afro-Fusion with Igbo touch. I sing in English, Pidgin and small Igbo. I use Aba street slang inside my songs. Why I choose Afro-Fusion? Because I grew up listening to Phyno, Flavour, Burna Boy and Olamide. I like how they mix local and foreign. My upcoming single is Afro-Fusion. It has Afrobeat drum, Igbo melody and street vibe. You will love it when it drops. What music style do you like? Afrobeat, Hip Hop or Highlife? Comment below. Follow youngmaq.blogspot.com for my new release.

 Many upcoming artists in Aba think you need plenty money to record song. That is not true. Here is how I recorded my first song in Aba with small money: 1. Write your song at home. Don't go to studio without ready lyrics. Write 2 verses and 1 chorus first. 2. Look for affordable studio. In Aba, studios around Azikiwe Road, Osisioma and Uratta charge from 5k to 15k for recording. Ask for "recording + mixing" package. 3. Use your phone to practice. Record your voice with phone first before you pay studio. That way you save time. 4. Do mixing and mastering well. Even if beat is free from YouTube, good mixing will make it sound professional. 5. After recording, upload your song to Audiomack, Boomplay and Spotify using Distrokid or TuneCore. I recorded my first song for 10k in Aba. The quality was okay for a start. Don't wait for big money. Start small and improve. If you stay in Aba and need affordable studio recommendation, drop comment. I will share the studio I use. F...