{"id":388,"date":"2025-05-02T15:53:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novamagazine.uk\/?p=388"},"modified":"2025-06-06T13:42:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T12:42:00","slug":"no-record-label-required-nina-brands-journey-into-the-music-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/illuminatedmag\/2025\/05\/02\/no-record-label-required-nina-brands-journey-into-the-music-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"The harsh reality of being an independent artist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Images by Chantelle Horn<\/em><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
From posting covers on TikTok to singing at the Rugby World Championships, independent artist Nina Brand reveals how TikTok helped her to break out into the music industry.<\/strong>..<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The South-African singer and songwriter, Nina Brand, saw her first glimpse of fame when she appeared on Season eleven of the television talent show \u2018Idols\u2019 at just sixteen years old. However, despite making it into the Top 16 contestants, it was not until years later when she began sharing her music journey online that she started to build a name for herself.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When emerging on the music scene, Nina recalled that she originally struggled to branch out from her identity on the show: \u201cI initially went on Idols at as Nina Terblanche because the music industry in South Africa is quite small, and the show is a great platform to get recognised on. The only problem was that I was constantly branded as \u2018Nina from Idols\u2019 and struggled to break away from this identity, even after I had left the show and moved to the US to try to expand my music career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat was when I decided it was time to rebrand myself, and since everybody in America already struggled to pronounce my surname, \u2018Terblanche\u2019, I decided to use my mother\u2019s maiden name and be Nina Brand instead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nina launched her new identity on TikTok, reflecting on this time as a fresh start to her music career: \u201cAppearing as someone new on a platform with such a large audience really resonated with me. I felt so much more confident within that space, and I really let go of \u2018Nina from Idols\u2019 and started a whole new journey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout her time on TikTok, Nina even experienced a little bit of online fame. One of her videos went viral where she shared a phone call with a record label who turned her away for having too small of a social media following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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 @neenz_bee<\/a> 
It\u2019s not the first time I have heard this. Just thought I\u2019d share it with you this time. #musicindustry<\/a> #fyp<\/a> #viral<\/a> #musician<\/a> #singer<\/a> <\/p> \u266c original sound – Nina Brand<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>