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Dear John

Singing for your supper

First published 20th November 2003

Question:
Singing is my only source of income and although everyone says I am going to make it big soon, at the moment I am way behind with my rent and other bills. I have been approached by a producer to put down some vocal tracks for an album he is working on. He says he cannot afford to pay me at the moment but he has promised me a percentage of the profits if he gets a recording contract. Do you think I should do the work for free? I have looked at parttime jobs but they do not pay enough to clear my existing debts. The money from a record would give me a fresh start but how can I be sure when, or even if, I would get it?

Answer:
I think you should start by taking charge of your own financial situation, so that you are making decisions based on where you want your career to go, not based on creditors at the door. The promise of the big pay day that will solve all money problems is always there in showbusiness. Whether or not it materialises, the truth is that if you cannot handle a small amount of money, you will not handle a large one any better. The danger is you will waste time waiting for the 'big one' now while your debt problems get worse or blow the money you do get and end up back where you started. Charities like the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (0800 138 1111) or websites like www.debthelpuk.co.uk are good places to seek help.

Do I think you should work for free? I do not think anyone should work for free. Even if you decide not to charge for your services, you need to establish that they are of value in the first place. Offers to work now and get paid when the 'ship comes in' are ten a penny. If you do decide to work with this producer you need to have, at the very least, a written agreement, signed and witnessed, setting out what you are being asked to do and when, not if, you are getting paid.

There are also other issues to consider, such as who owns the copyright to the vocals you put down. If the other party is not open to this, you really need to ask yourself if this is a good use of your time and talent, both of which would be far better spent talking to organisations like the Musicians' Union or Equity about how not to get exploited in the future. You might also want to check out the 'how to' articles by Peter Hepple and Julie Payne on this site, which point to a number of good sources of work for singers.