What is a Music Mentor and Why You Need One

It's not a question of "gurus" and "all-knowing oracles": in today's music business, where one artist has to be a musician, marketing and communication expert, producer, mixer, booking agent, PR agent etc, relying on someone who has already gone through all this can save you a lot of time, frustration and money. In the end, we all learn from someone and something. Newton's famous quote “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” says it best. By having an experienced person next to you and that can truly understand your struggles, your peculiarity and your unique situation will reduce drastically the time you need to make something happen, besides counting on the invaluable moral and emotional support of another human being. 

Artists often struggle with burnout and with the feeling of being just a content creation machine. Overlook your emotional state won't do any good because over time, you're more likely to give up if you don't take your motivation and your feelings about music seriously. 

A mentor can assist with all this, letting you feel you're not alone, presenting challenges and opportunities under a different light and ultimately, taking you step by step to a journey that's supposed to be a dream rather than a nightmare.

Understanding the Role of a Mentor
A mentor is more than just a career coach or a professional contact; they are a source of wisdom and experience that can help bridge the gap between potential and success. Here's a list of how the mentor-mentee relationship is often characterized by:

Guidance and Advice: Mentors provide invaluable insights into industry trends, organizational dynamics, and career planning. They help mentees set realistic goals, develop strategies to achieve them, and navigate the challenges that arise along the way. Besides, he can tell you what the REAL TRUTH is, rather than what's being predicated. And, especially in music, the value of truth and real information has no price while you pay an extreme high cost for the lies.

Knowledge Sharing: Through regular interactions, mentors share their knowledge and experiences, which can help mentees avoid common pitfalls and make informed decisions. This transfer of knowledge is critical in building the mentee’s competence and confidence. Knowledge is power: without it, you're lost and manipulable. With it, you're rock solid and you can't be fooled around.

Networking Opportunities: A mentor often introduces their mentee to influential figures within the industry. This expanded network can open doors to new opportunities, from job offers to collaborative projects, enhancing the mentee's career prospects. He can present you with channels and tools you weren't aware of because his daily job and activity brings himout there daily, scouting for new opportunities. 

Personal Development: Mentors contribute to the personal growth of their mentees by providing feedback, encouraging self-reflection, and fostering critical thinking. This holistic development is essential for building a well-rounded professional persona. Remember you are a person, a soul and a heart: making music can become the most amazing thing is your life but it has to be developed coherently with your core values and who you are.

Support and Encouragement: The mentor provides emotional support, helping the mentee to stay motivated and resilient in the face of setbacks. This support is crucial for maintaining a positive outlook and persistence in achieving long-term career goals. This aspect might be quite overlooked, especially by artists who think it all comes down to "practical skills" to learn and apply. Setbacks and failures are inevitable but they'll only be temporary, if you stay motivated and focused on your goals. 


A due mention is also about the concept of trust, which is indeed one of today's most valued currency above all because it's scarce. Music business itself has been built around lies and false myths that apparently felt necessary to keep up the story that was being told about a particular artist or band. These lies served both to mesmerize fans and have them spending money to their favorite stars and emerging artists who would do anything to reach the level of their models. 

Therefore, counting on somebody who can guide you through the process, knowing you can trust him/her is, to me, vital. One can't do everything on his own, it's simply not possible. Yet, the phrase I hear the most when I'm contacted weekly by artists is "I'm kinda lost because I don't know what and how to do things". The sense of perdition won't go away and not seeking for the right answers shall make the path just harder. 

So what will you practically get by hiring mentor? What areas will be improved?

Accelerated Learning Curve: Mentors help mentees learn faster by sharing their own experiences and lessons learned. This can significantly shorten the time it takes to acquire new skills and knowledge, propelling the mentee forward in their career more swiftly than they might on their own.

Enhanced Confidence: Guidance from a seasoned professional can boost a mentee’s confidence. Knowing there is someone experienced to turn to for advice and support can alleviate anxiety and empower the mentee to take bold steps in their career.

Objective Perspective: A mentor provides an objective viewpoint that can help mentees see their situation more clearly. This external perspective is invaluable for making well-informed decisions and avoiding tunnel vision.

Career Advancement: Mentors can play a crucial role in helping mentees climb the career ladder. Through their network and endorsement, mentors can facilitate promotions, job changes, and other career advancements that might otherwise be challenging to achieve.

Skill Development: Mentors can identify and help mentees develop key skills that are necessary for their professional growth. Whether it’s leadership, communication, or technical expertise, a mentor’s guidance ensures that the mentee is continuously improving.

Accountability: Regular check-ins with a mentor create a sense of accountability. This can help mentees stay focused on their goals, maintain progress, and achieve their objectives in a structured manner. Whenever something is achieved, a music mentor will make sure it fully sinks in, feeding your self esteem. If no progress is shown in a particular circumstance (or  something regressed), the mentor will be there to help you understand why things haven't move forward in that particular field.

Right before writing this article, I was interviewed for a Podcast. I was asked if I think artists should always have a guidance figure at their side. My answer was clear: absolutely yes! Too much has changed in music and too much has to be deconstructed in order to free more and more minds and start a new artistic wave. I strongly believe this is needed and we can't miss the great opportunity this specific moment in history is offering.  

To wrap it up, I deem the impact of a mentor on career development cannot be overstated. A mentor serves as a guide, a source of wisdom, a supporter, and a connector, all of which are vital for navigating the complexities of professional growth. By offering a blend of guidance, knowledge, and support, mentors empower mentees to realize their full potential and achieve their career aspirations. In a world where the professional landscape is constantly evolving, having a mentor is not just an advantage; it is a necessity for anyone serious about their career development.

I had my own mentor that accompanied me for about five years. He happened to be also my vocal coach. As our paths separated, I told him: "just know, that teaching me how to sing properly was the last thing you have done for me. You did a thousands of other things I could have never imagined. You gave me tools, skills and means to see the world, life, art itself  and now I know I can build my own career. I was considering giving up music before I met you; now I know I'll make it until my last day in this world"