Q/A: SINGER/ TALK SHOW HOST, JERMAINE SAIN
Tell us a bit about yourself.
Jermaine: I’m a simple guy with a passion for entertainment. I
started singing in my local church when I was around twelve years old, and
since that day, I have always had a passion for singing.
How have you navigated through the industry to secure session work?
Jermaine: Although I consider myself
to be a newcomer to the
industry, the majority of my
session work has come
through affiliations. Most of the session work I’ve done on a larger
scale was because I sang with a group that was being booked for the session.
What would you say is the best tip
for upcoming musicians to get their foot in the door?
Jermaine: As much as I would like to
have a simple formula, it’s so hard to say because everyone’s path is so
different. However, I would say that you must be creative. What I
mean by that is, sometimes you can’t always expect to get your start by being
discovered. You may have to do things beyond the norm to get started,
like barter services. For example, if you have someone that you want to work
with, research them and find an area of expertise that you can assist them with
in exchange for the opportunity. Now this doesn’t mean that you’ll have
to do this all the time but it would at least get you started. And like I
always say, you never know who else will be there and who that person will
refer you to, now for a paid opportunity.
Would you say it's best to stick to one genre or diversify with many?
Jermaine: Most of my opportunities
have generally been within the same genre, however, after speaking with several
session/
background vocalists, I would say that it is very important that you
diversify yourself because it will increase your possible opportunities as well
as, helps you understand the basic textures, tones, and phrasing required for
certain styles of
music.
How important is it to have an
educational background in music?
Jermaine: I would assume that having a degree in music
is never a bad thing when you are pursuing a musical career; however, I know
plenty of successful
musicians and singers that don’t have a degree
What do you find is a common skill or
attitude that artists look for when hiring backing vocalists or session
musicians?
Jermaine: There isn’t a particular skill that I can
think of at the moment but I can say that if I were to hire a backing vocalist,
the first thing I would look for is a person who can easily work
independently. I don’t mean independently as in, wants to be a solo
artist. I’m referring to someone that can learn parts quickly and able/willing
to adjust to immediate changes in music, venues, times, etc.
Tell us about your business.
Jermaine: When We Speak TV and SAINJ Productions are
closely related. When We Speak TV is an independently owned network that caters
to entertainment with a close focus on indie music professionals. In
summary, it’s like a
television network. Currently we have one show that falls
under When We Speak TV, which is the talk show that I host called
When We Speak and hoping to add more in the near future. SAINJ Productions
is basically a production company responsible for the production of
When WeSpeak and occasionally assists local artists with production needs for events,
concerts, etc.
How do you hear about upcoming sessions,
auditions is there a website that offers information or is it more networking?
Jermaine: The majority of sessions I hear about are
through
networking with other
singers and music professionals because sometimes
the hiring personnel doesn’t have the time to look for a singer, so they will
ask people that they know. However, there are a few sites that I’ve ran
across that have legitimate session opportunities but I would advise that you
research the company and people involved if possible.
GREAT BIG THANKS TO JERMAINE SAIN, WHEN WE SPEAK TV, & SAINJ PRODUCTIONS!!!
