Elizaveta – HuffPost 5.20.14

Mike Ragogna: What’s your advice for new artists?

Elizaveta: It’s all about the song. If the song is there, you’re more than halfway there. Now as far as everything else, I think it’s important to be aware of your own potential. And it’s also important to be as persistent and disciplined as possible. The days of the so-called “Free-spirited artist” who doesn’t have a care in the world are maybe not completely over, but certainly it’s a rare artist that gets to have that kind of luxury. You really have to have a good, sober head on your shoulders and be aware what’s happening business-wise, and how you can take care of your own rights. I’d also advise an artist that it’s best to retain as many of your own rights as possible, especially when it comes to publishing. The day of the major record label is not coming to an end, but it’s a different age and everything’s switching to streaming, and recorded music doesn’t have the same value it used to. So the artist still needs to eat. Maybe they can live on music and poetry and sunlight and air, but if not, then it’s important to know where the income comes from. Normally it would come from the live performances and publishing.