Pop College: a Six Week Songwriting Crash Course, Tuesdays & Thursdays

WHEN: Tuesday October 9th-Thursday November 15th. This is two six (6) week workshops that will meet once weekly each, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6p-9p.

Songwriting is one of those crafts that anyone can do but very few can do professionally. Especially if you want to make a living and create thought-provoking, relevant content that'll cut through the noise and last a long time. That's why I decided to teach this workshop: I would've done anything to have an experienced mentor help me navigate through this industry and bring me to my fullest potential early on in my career-- from the industry lingo, to the workflow shortcuts, to writing songs that truly stand out.  If this sounds like you, keep reading. Here's a taste of what you'll get.

YOU’LL LEARN HOW TO:

Write effectively: Understand your audience and how your message will be received.

Write sincerely: Say what you mean, and mean what you say.

Speak confidently in music publishing discussions: Learn the structure of publishing agreements, what it means to sign one, and what to expect.

Collaborate productivity in a studio environment: Learn effective communication and workflow hacks to build consistent productivity.

Protect and register your original compositions: Familiarize yourself with copyright law, and be your own best advocate.

Students will have the opportunity to record demos of songs written during the workshop in a professional studio. Demos will be made available to all students.

COST: $499 with payment options available. 

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Afika Nxumalo is a songwriter and artist who resides in Brooklyn, New York. Born to South African and Swazi immigrant parents in North Carolina, Afika administers his own songwriting school, hosts a travel series for Rolling Stone Magazine, and writes pop songs for major label acts.

In the beginning of his professional career, Afika performed original pieces as an emcee and toured the world as a bassist in a hip-hop seven piece.  Afika eventually began writing and performing as a solo artist and moved to London where he was quickly signed by Universal Music Group. He later returned to the US to sign his catalog with the world's largest music publisher BMG Chrysalis, where he now develops artist projects and works with some of the biggest names in the pop and hip-hop world. His recent releases have earned praise from MTV, BBC, AfroPunk, and charted on Spotify’s US Viral 50 Chart.

In addition to writing music, Afika is proud to have joined the inaugural cohort of June Jordan Teaching Artist Fellows at Columbia University, where in spring 2018 he lead a 14 week workshop on pop and social justice songwriting.