Brandon Kane – Grateful

Check out the new song from Brandon Kane – Grateful

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Exclusive Interview

Tell us about where you are from and how you got to this position today.
I was born in the mid-west, but have lived in southern California most of my life. My sister was in the entertainment industry so I followed in her footsteps. I started doing commercials and recording vocals on soundtracks for Disney. My professional career really took off when I went on a three year Broadway tour with Disney’s “The Lion King” starring as “Young Simba”. That’s when I discovered my love of entertaining. I loved being on stage.

When I returned from the tour I started recording demo songs with several producers and met with a few record labels, but nothing solid. With the help of my parents, I recorded an independent album which caught the attention of Sony Music Japan. They offered to release my project through their label only in Japan through a licensing deal.

Tell us more about the current song you are promoting to everyone.
My single “Grateful” is about my relationship with a young lady that I feel blessed to have as my girl. Sometimes guys are afraid to express their feelings when they really care about someone. Sometimes you have to put it all on the line. Not many people get to experience this kind of love and I’m grateful that she chose me. This song shows the laid back side of me since I’m usually more of an up-tempo kind of artist.

Tell us about one of the hardest challenges you had to face in the industry?
One of the hardest challenges for an independent artist is not having the budget to promote yourself. It’s also difficult to get the hottest producers on your project like the major labels can. You can have the best music, but if you can’t get it to the masses you will remain unknown.

What was one of the biggest set backs in your career and how did you bounce back?
Although I try to stay away from production deals, I decided to sign with a pretty well-known producer. I sat around for about six months while they worked on their major artist’s project since the label was putting pressure on the producer to get it done. Then he told me it was going to be a while before he was able to start working on my project. In the beginning everyone was excited about working together so it was a little depressing.

After that disappointment I decided to start writing my own songs and not wait around for other people. This is my career so I need to do something about it. I totally reconstructed my home studio by getting some of the best equipment and software, of course, that I could afford! Learning the production side of music is a valuable asset in the industry.

What are some things artists need to be careful of?
Don’t sign anything without having your management, attorney, or people that really care about you go over it in detail. People talk a good game, but usually the fine print tells the real story!

What suggestions do you have for other artists like yourself?
Stay true to who you are, just because the music industry tells you to only sing pop because that is what’s selling and you sing R&B it’s going to pull you away from the reason you started doing music in the first place. Learn as much as you can about the music industry from A to Z. There are a lot of helpful books and so many internet sites that can help you. Don’t expect to become a star overnight. I have been at it for almost 10 years and I’m not there yet.

What is one of your favorite ways to promote yourself and your music?
Myspace was a great way for me to promote my music as an artist. That’s how I got the attention of labels and other industry executives, but it’s almost non-existent now. I spend most of my time on Twitter and Facebook. That’s the best place to get up-to-the minute updates on where I am or what I’m doing. I also post videos on Youtube, I have over 100 videos uploaded. My most recent way of connecting with my friends and fans is a weekly video U-stream. I’m usually on live on Saturdays at 5pm Pacific Time. Sometimes I actually call some of my fans while I’m on the air! You can also download my music through Itunes, Amazon, Napster, Rhapsody and a lot of other sites.

Where can people visit you?
www.brandonkanemusic.com
www.twitter.com/brandonkane
www.facebook.com/brandonkanemusic
www.youtube.com/tkbmusicgroup
www.myspace.com/brandonkanemusicworld
www.itunes.com/brandonkane