Local pop singers's fees in the stratosphere

Local pop singers's fees in the stratosphere

By Endi Aras

JAKARTA (JP): Showbiz means money and glitter. You only need
to have good looks, a good voice and a good slice of luck to be
on the way to becoming a millionaire.

So says Krisdayanti, one of Indonesia's top female singers.
She reportedly gets Rp 100 million per show. Other pop singers,
such as Reza, can fetch up to Rp 70 million a night.

Newcomers like Andien and Rossa, with only two albums to their
credit, can ask for between Rp 7 million to Rp 15 million a show,
comparable to the monthly salary of a middle-level manager in a
local company.

Music promoter Log Zhelebor reckoned figures like this were
common in the industry.

"There is no rigid standard or criteria used when setting the
rate for an artist," said Log.

The rate is determined by an artist's popularity and the
number of hit albums he or she has had.

"If their songs are popular and their albums are selling very
well, their bargaining power with event organizers or recording
companies is strong," Log said.

Event organizers, music promoters and managers have the power
to decide fees for each artist. "It is a kind of word-of-mouth
business, we often contact other promoters to ask how much money
to give the singers," added Log.

Log suggests artists get familiar with the current market
situation.

"Don't be too arrogant and ignorant. A-rate artists may
deserve such a high fee, but fading ones don't have much of a
choice: take it or leave it," he said.

He continued, saying event organizers should appreciate an
artist's achievements. "If they are professional, popular and
qualified singers, then the promoters have to pay them well," he
added.

He also advised organizers to exclude snobbish artists from
their lists. "That is the first rule of the game in this
competitive showbiz world," Log said.

Ndol Geaffary, production director of Global Production
Services, said many newcomers liked to show their teeth and were
narrow-minded.

"It seems they are only looking for a short-term career. If
they know that people like their songs, they will act like
superstars," he said.

But some artists are quite wise, and are looking to carve out
a long-lasting career. Usually, they are very careful in
accepting offers and setting fees, explained Ndol.

He said pop singer Ruth Sahanaya and singer/songwriter Iwan
Fals were both professional and cooperative.

"A good and professional artist is one who value himself or
herself and can closely collaborate with musicians, managers and
event organizers," Ndol said.

He went on to say that a number of artists were flexible.
Performing at five-star hotels or international convention
centers is of course very different from on university campuses
or at charity events, he said.

"When Ruth Sahanaya performs in the Jakarta Convention Center
with a ticket price of Rp 250,000, it would be unfair if she was
paid only Rp 2 million," he said.

But she could lower her fee if she performed in public places
like youth centers and university campuses.

Singer Iwan Fals can be paid Rp 50 million at one venue and Rp
15 million at another.

"That depends on the situation and the efforts of the artist,"
he said.

In one performance, Iwan may sing between 10 and 25 songs. He
also has to pay his musicians, backing vocalists and technicians
and rehearsal fees. "I think it is fair for him to get that
amount of money." he said.

Sometimes, artists are willing to perform at campus shows or
at orphanages for free. "They even donate their own money to
humanitarian charities," he said.

Ndol said it might be easier to deal with artist managers, but
unfortunately there were only a few people who deserve such a
title in Indonesia.

"We still don't understand the concept of an artist manager,"
he said. In foreign countries, professional managers are hired by
artists to take care of their business contracts, including their
legal and financial affairs. The manager must have very high
qualifications for the job.

"Here, an artist often hires his friend, sister, brother or
even mother to become his or her manager," he said. Many of them
have no managerial or financial background.

But, he also admitted many event organizers lacked
professionalism and integrity.

"They are not real event organizers but brokers working for
large companies that want to hire a top artist for a company
event," he said.

A big company usually pays a lot of money to invite a top
artist. "This destroys the 'unwritten' local showbiz payment
standards," he said.

As a rule artists make most of their money from stage shows.
Recording royalties for artists here are still meager compared to
Western artists, who can sell millions of copies of their albums.

"Artists and promoters must know their places and how to
negotiate their contracts to create a fair business atmosphere
and a professional one as well" he said.