New York, NY (Top40 Charts) As a musician, booking your first music festival and seeing your name in the lineup can be exhilarating. However, the process of getting there can also be debilitating and make you feel hopeless at times. Fortunately,
Martin Backhausen, an experienced music industry veteran, offers simple and actionable steps you can take to make the stage your reality.
Social Media, Social Media, and More Social Media
Social media has transformed how the world works, especially the music industry. More than ever, music producers and industry professionals turn to social media networks to discover talent. And local festival organizers are no different. To help you stand out from the crowd, Martin Backhausen offers a few valuable tips. "For starters, focus on developing your brand by creating valuable and interesting content for your fans. Make sure to engage with them and offer them a reason to stick with you. More so, allow your music to be easily accessible to fans. This means you should make your original content available to be shared across TikTok, Instagram, and other social media networks." Ultimately, the goal is to establish a community of fans who want to see you live.
Consider Getting a Booking Agent
As a musician, you specialize in playing music, singing, or some other talent. While you may be skilled with a guitar or piano or have a masterful falsetto, the business side of music isn't for the faint of heart. And if you're looking to book local or national festivals, a booking agent can help. Backhausen continues, "Simply put, releasing amazing music is no longer enough to get you on the stage, which is where a booking agent comes in. A booking agent assists artists in telling their unique stories, pitching promoters, estimating expenses, and much more. At the same time, a booking agent is likely to have their hand on the pulse of the festival industry. This means your booking agent will act as your advocate toward helping you secure your spot on stage."
Create an Electronic Press Kit
When you're looking to get booked for festivals, it's important to have an Electronic Press Kit (EPK) ready to go. Neatly packaged in one place, your EPK is like a professional business card and resume that makes it easier for festival organizers to review your work. When you're creating your EPK, Martin Backhausen suggests it always include the following key elements:
- Your biography is written in the third person. Consider including both an extended version and a shorter version.
- High-quality photographs or album artwork that can be utilized for promo purposes.
- Your music or compositions. You should always include your most popular songs that underscore who you are as an artist.
- Music videos, if there are any available. The music video will offer the festival organizer a sneak peek into who you are on stage and what they can expect.
- Notable performances, accolades, interview quotes, and other key achievements.
- Contact information. Provide organizers with several different ways to reach you, including phone, email, social media profiles, website, etc.
