I feel it’s pretty harsh in saying that to be honest… But maybe it can be a little wake up call to really dig deeper and think about what you have to offer. I love this kind of topic because it really allows us to explore ourselves and examine what we are putting into the world in depth. It's not about shame, or why aren't you doing it this way or another, it's simply about understanding you, your needs and wants and your fans expectations and personalities too..
Art has value, self expression and creation - It is extremely valuable. Yet when we are looking at how we can build up our fan base and grow, we know It’s really difficult to make sure we’ve given a solid reason for people to come check out our music, and feel hungry to learn more and connect.
So yeah, it’s harsh but it is the truth. For a moment, think about the last band you discovered without radio play, without your friend saying “OMG YOU GOTTA HEAR THIS”… It’s been a while hasn’t it. Me too! I think there are actually a couple over the last few years but holy hell it is hard as an indie artists to start your growth trajectory on an upward trend.
There is tons of music out there and we talk all about what makes us unique, what makes us interesting, enjoyable… what draws people to us. But those are your key selling points - you need to figure out what people like about you and what actually makes you unique. If you haven’t thought about this before, maybe it’s the consideration you need to be taking now. So many artists seem that end up “making it” really have this strong identity tied to them that simply makes them magnetic and it clicks with people almost instantly.
So Have you given anyone a reason to listen to your music?
Make a list of what you feel is interesting about your art or about you! Do you have a story to tell? I think we all do!
Or have you taken inspiration and influence from something that most people don’t know?
Maybe you’ve melded different genres of music together for your own kind of fusion genre that is totally unheard of.
People get interested and want to hear about this and latch on. It can feel like everything has been done. But I can assure you that it hasn’t been done like you do it.
Your voice is unique, your playing, your style.
Take some time to sit with this idea and I want you to ponder what are the special things about you. If you can’t find any, you’re definitely not looking hard enough.
We connect to artists now in such a different way than we did in the past. We can think about legacy artists, we know what to expect - say Elton John, we roughly know what we’re getting with Elton and we LOVE IT. But with a new artist, it’s so important that you start to consider it early on, how you want to show up, what you want to be known for. It’s not quite as simple as just throwing your music out there into the wind. It’s going to take planning and strategy.
Yes, it can be tedious, it can be boring, but I promise, getting at least the foundation of this sorted out from the start will set you up ahead of the rest in the long run. Think about your connection, who you’re singing for, who you want to feel seen when they hear your songs.
We’d love to help you tell your story, find your unique qualities and selling points, if you want to talk and get some ideas, just book a free 15 minute call! I wanna get to know about you and your music!
Peace, love & rock n roll!
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