ION INDIE MAGAZINE September 2014, Volume 4 | Page 47
desperate or tell the club owner you will pack out his club and you have a huge following
coming in to spend, spend, spend. If you do, it will only incite them into rage when you do
not fulfill your lofty claim. Also, do not act desperate for a gig—be casual, polite and cordial.
Club owners care about only one thing…and that is filling seats with drinkers. At some point,
consider bypassing playing clubs altogether. In thirty years of playing in them, I myself, or
no one I know personally in music, has benefitted from the experience—other than as a way
to refine your stage presence and act. Try to do festivals, get booked by a city park
department Commissioner, or find a reputable agency to book you. Any ‘clown’ can hang
out their shingle and say they are a “big time” talent agent. The business is full of parasites
who make big claims with nothing to back it up. No advice anyone dispenses will purge the
industry of vermin. Just guard your heart, your bank account--and your dignity!
***
Sydney, Australia's own PRINCESS WAGATAIREWA has returned to recording and
performing after taking some time off to pursue a college education. Currently studying
Music Psychology, a topic dear to her, she began performing at 13, and by 18, decided to
make it her career. She has spent the last 10 years traveling the world singing, and has
performed in Africa, Egypt and Beijing, China. According to her, "The music industry follows
trends, with the focus on image being huge and sales paramount. The focus is on
entertaining the youth generation, but I don't care for the way women are portrayed."
Princess Waqatairewa also stressed the importance of having stewardship over your own
career, and not succumbing to pressure of corporate influences. She encourages new artists
to utilize social media and print media as much as possible. She shares, "Be true to yourself,
never let them change your voice. Be pure, do not give up and remain passionate.”
Having released two albums previously, Princess Waqatairewa currently has quite a bit of
new music available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube. She has a rich, strong voice that
does great justice when covering material by such artists as BEYONCE, as well as terrific,
tight but breezy originals.
Princess Waqatairewa was kind enough to take time from her busy schedule to address
enthusiastic patrons via conference call at ION Indie Magazine's permanent kiosk diorama
at THE BARBERTON GALLERY OF FINE ARTS in Ohio. This interactive feature will be
prominent in several upcoming events featuring musicians from around the globe-including two large music festivals coming in the fall of 2014. Learn more about Princess
Wagatairewa at:
https://soundcloud.com/princess-lorraine-waqatairewa
https://www.facebook.com/PrincessLWaqa