There’s a lot of things that are difficult for anyone pushing a career in independent music. Think of the stress involved in attracting press to your music as an indie artist, being able to break into the limelight or the paucity of resources that often slow down things.
For anyone in the independent music industry, there’s no better time for you to position yourself for the goodies flowing through. In this piece, we are not just addressing independent artists, but every creative that has an affiliation to the independent music industry. This includes producers, promoters, songwriters, and others.
To help you achieve your individual goals in independent music, we’ve provided answers to 7 of the issues that are of concern to you;
1. How Can You Connect With Fans?
Your success as an independent creative is hinged on the relationship you forge with your fans. This relationship will have to be both online and in person.
Let’s assume you are an indie artist, playing live regularly can help you build a relationship with your listeners. Make it a killer show and you’ll win over new fans easily. There’s also plenty of room for you as an independent music producer to give your fans a taste of your beat online.
Remember to always post exciting content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Don’t ignore the mentions and interactions of your followers also.
2. What Is The Most Effective Form of Music Promotion?
This is where most independent artists get it wrong, looking for shortcuts to get to the top. In the opinion of Nipsey Hussle, an artist should treat music promotion more of a marathon rather than a sprint.
Every form of music promotion you know can be effective, only if you keep on working hard. It’s not easy to record overnight success in the independent music industry. You have to pay your dues and you should pay it through music promotion.
Yes, music promotion can be overwhelming and tiring for anyone in the indie music industry. However, looking for shortcuts isn’t going to get you anywhere far.
3. Can You Succeed as an Independent Artist Without Knowing Music Business?
While you may think yourself of being an artist, you should also know that the art of music business is essential for you to succeed. It’s not enough to go to scores of shows or churn out tons of singles and EPS, you also need to master the practicalities and financials of the music business.
There is a lot that happens in the background in the music industry that relates more to the business perspective rather than the art. You have to be able to understand and build a relationship with distributors, streaming platforms, music influencers, bloggers, and even other artists.
You have to know both the business of music and the art of music to record tremendous success as an indie artist.
4. Solo, Band, or Group: Which is Best For You?
As an indie artist. You’ll be faced with the choice of either being a solo artist, or team up with others at a point. Yes, the decision is entirely up to you. We’ve seen a lot of indie artists battling with this dilemma and it’s best we address it from the point of its pros and cons.
If you decide to be a solo artist, just know that most things will be done your way. For every effort you make, the full recognition will be yours. Just know that you’ll have a bigger workload and the journey to stardom can be rough and lonely.
In a group or band, you’ll be starting the journey with friends and this could help push you further. More so, a lot will be done through shared and minimal effort.
5. Where Can You Find Producers as an Independent Artist?
While you are in search of producers, they are also looking put for artists. You can start your search by combing through online databases where producers display their beats. A local Google search can also help you discover a goldmine.
You can start by searching for Music Producer + City Name. The result will bring up recording studios, recording classes, social profiles, and many more.
Nothing beats working with a local producer especially if you are just starting.
