With organizations like the Toronto Independent Music Awards, independent artists are able to reap the rewards of hard work and the creation of great music.
The state of not being subject to control by others or affiliated with a larger controlling unit. Sounds nice, doesn't it?
Complete creative freedom, flexibility in recording schedules and no corporate suit breathing down your neck are just some of the perks of being an independent artists or releasing an album on an indie label, but it's not all fun and games. Being independent means just that, doing everything without help. Booking gigs, maintaining the band's website, and creating a loyal fan-base are just some of the very time consuming activities that need to be juggled between song writing, performances and album recording.
It's a long hard road, as the song goes, and recognition is anything but abundant. That, however, is starting to change. One thing that indie artists can now look forward to are Independent Music Awards. In the past few years there have been an increasing number of individuals interested in celebrating the talent, hard work and brilliance of independent artists. Individuals like Daniela Oliva, who founded the Toronto Independent Music Awards back in 2004, for example.
In an interview late last year with Lia Karidas, Director of Journalism for theMOVEMENTZ, Daniela explained her vision for the TIMAs when she first decided to create the award. “I went to the American Music Awards when I was 16 for some work that I did with a label down in California. I thought it was a great concept to have an award ceremony, but found it odd that the majority of award ceremonies that exist award artists that already have tremendous success. At the time, I wanted to be more intimately connected with the music community around me and thought that I should start an award show that acknowledged the independent artists in my community and give them a hand in any way that I could to get them to the next level in their careers.”
And that is exactly what the TIMAs do. Last year's winners were awarded over $60,000 in industry prizes, which include media coverage for the bands, invitations to perform and the opportunity to get their music heard by listeners worldwide. For many independent artists it's the much needed break they've been waiting for, a rare occasion to showcase their talent. Luckily, since the founding of the TIMAs, the list of awards recognizing the efforts of independent artists has been growing.
Although winning the award is the ultimate for artists that are nominated, it's not a prerequisite to gain the media's attention. Many nominees have been featured in Canadian magazines, radio shows and gala performances as a direct result of their nominations on a given category. Some have gone so far as to land record deals with independent record labels, an important milestone in any band's career.
So, how can you get nominated for either one of these awards? All it takes is a submission of your work online if submitting to the TIMAs. The TIMAs are already accepting submissions for 2009, so get your material ready and start submitting! For more information on either one of these awards, past winners, prize lists and event coverage, please visit http://torontoima.com (TIMAs).
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