Meet Dele Opaleke | Musician and Grant Writer | Grants for Musicians

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dele Opaleke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dele, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started as a bright eyed young artist with dreams of a successful career in the music industry and the realities of the business became apparent after many years of trying to do everything on my own. It became abundantly clear to me that without the financial resources it would be almost impossible to be successful in this industry. I started my business out of personal necessity. I had always heard there were music grants available but I never known anyone who had received one. I knew what I was doing wasn’t working so decided I was going to give it a shot and it’s a good thing I did. That one decision changed everything

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I started writing and recording music in the early 2000’s. It really began as a hobby but I realized I had a talent for writing and I just stuck with it. In 2010 I got my first break when I entered and won a competition for a recording contract. That opportunity allowed me to go on a Western Canadian tour and film a television program called “Urban Star”. As far as I was concerned this was going to be my launching pad to success but it wasn’t. The label I was signed to wasn’t run properly and after a few years ceased operations and I was back to square one. I spent the next five years writing and recording new music. The cost of recording, marketing amd promoting my projects became to much for me to sustain while still having to pay my bills. It was clear that if I kept doing the same thi g over and over I would burn myself out financially and artistically.

In 2017 I went to the library and withdrew a book on grant writing and after reading it I decided that if I was going to continue as a musician I was going to need grants. I spent the next 2 weeks creating a tour through Western Canada, Washington, Oregon and California. I called venues, researched driving distances, hotels, food accommodations etc. I was focused amd determined to make sure I answered every possible question they could ask. It was difficult but I never allowed the thought of failure to enter my mind. When it was all said and done The Canada Council for the Arts gave me a touring grant for $15,000 on thr first grant application I ever submitted. That was a turning point for me as an artist and would be the foundation for my business moving forward

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m more of a homebody these days but when friends or family come in town I would take them to The Forks Market. It has a collection of shops and restaurants. In the summer there are boat tours and salsa dance lessons. In the winter there is ice skating and the river walk for those who are adventurous. It is also home to the Canadian Human Rights Museum. A short walk from the Forks Market is Shaw Park where the Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team plays. It’s always nice to catch a baseball game. Winnipeg is known for its restaurants but one of my favorites in Bahn MI King. It has the most delicious Vietnamese food in the city in my opinion.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to give a shout out to my cousin Mike Depeazer. His guidance and mentorship has been an invaluable asset. He was the first one to help me envision what this business could be and provide me with actionable steps to reach certain milestones.

Website: https://stan.store/grantsformusicians

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamdele_o/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DELE_O?s=09

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Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/deleomusic

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