ARIEL wrote:Thanks for your reply! More for the former two options, I imagine. I don't really have the facility or the time to compose my own music, sadly.
Okay!
TL;DR: Reach out to producers with previous work that shows you'd be a great vocalist for them to work with. Be prepared to re-record, even if you sent good work the first time. Record as soon as you know you need to, if your schedule permits (ESPECIALLY if they're on a deadline).
With Avex-signed labels, it's a matter of approaching your favorites with proof that you have vocal flexibility and would deliver release-ready vocals with minimal editing. This means having accurate pitch control and a generally pop-friendly tone. There are exceptions, and in Eurobeat it's okay to have a unique tone! But in general, if you're easy to listen to in other genres and can sing accurately with energy (and have done so on previously marketed releases, and/or understand what makes eurobeat distinct), you have a foot in the door.
Of course, this takes a token amount of work before waltzing up to your favorite label's producer/owner and going "PLS GIB JOB THX". If you don't already have some proof that the work they'd do with your voice would bring some return on investment, it's worth taking the time to build a repertoire, which often means working with independent producers.
(One important note here if payment is important— and it is absolutely reasonable and ethical to be thinking about this, as long as it's not your sole motivator— I do NOT know how well specific vocalists are paid for Avex work. I have only received pay based on royalties from composing and writing works, so I don't know the rate a session vocalist [which is basically what eurobeat vocalists are] is paid for eurobeat-related work. I would venture that it is a one-time fee, received upon successful delivery of all the vocal recordings necessary to complete the song. Expect to re-record, even if you sent absolute fire the first time.)
Independent artists are much easier to reach— much the same approach, the more previous work you have the better, but they're generally more stressed for access to vocalists. If you match what they're looking for, chances are WAY more likely you can feature on their work. This is often a case of you-scratch-their-back-they-scratch-yours— they feature you and promote your vocal work, and it's good of you to promote their other works in return. Depending on your professional relationships with smaller acts, you may end up becoming a more established part of their roster, which is VERY good for being in contact with an Avex-based label (unless you're exclusive to that indie label)!
Now, this introduces a circular problem— how do I GET work if I NEED work to show up? The answer to this is fortunately a lot simpler than the same circular problem of, say, the job market— record covers over instrumentals, sing in other styles, whatever it takes to build up a body of work that demonstrates to the people who would feature you that they're working with a good vocalist.
Once you have the gig... record your vocals. Soon. Many labels and acts are on a deadline to produce and publish the track you're on, so record early, record several takes, and send them ALL to the producer, in a lossless format, with no effects on them (or minimal dynamics, mixing, and pitch if you're in a hurry). They will very likely ask you for more. Record again, send again. They aren't meaning to insult you if they ask for a re-record; they just likely have something specific in mind, and will try to get that out of you if possible (hopefully they're good at explaining WHAT that 'something specific' is).
That's... all I can think of for now! It takes steeping oneself in the scene to fully grasp it, but the only way to start is to... well, start, even if it's starting small and on someone else's work, just to have one piece of evidence that you sing in a way they want on their track.