Indie music has gotten waves of attention in popular media recently. They look hip and cool, and they mostly do not have boundaries when it comes to creating music. They will remind you of painters who just want to show the world what they do through a certain medium.
As you go through this journey, it will be difficult to sustain your finances so it is best to have some savings or a part-time job to help you get things running. But after all these sacrifices, you can be the brightest star and get a lot of gigs, radio commercials in Sirius XM, TV features, and music videos raking millions of views. Here are some steps that you can take to start your journey as an indie singer.
Know Your Indie Music Archetype
Indie music has subgenres and you need to find which one suits you best. You need to understand what you want to write or sing about and how your target audience will find your songs engaging. Try to weigh in what songs you like and what you want to be as an Indie singer.
Think About What’s Unique in You
There is too much competition and it is best to stand out by being unique. Think of the things that separate you from most of the Indie artists out there. You can use fashion, music style, or songwriting as a way to differentiate yourself.
Get Music Tools
You may still use traditional musical instruments, but if you are on a budget, you can use free digital audio workstations to create your songs. They are complete with any beat or sound you need and you can edit your song right away.
Start Working on Your Singles
Try to create your first single and see how different audiences respond. Use creative sources of inspiration when you write and create the rhythm of your song. This will be an experimental phase and once you have made a couple of singles, you can create a sample track out of the best ones. Once you have the right audience, it is easy to start promoting.
Engage Online
These days, it is very easy to promote your EPs or album online. You can pay through streaming services so that people who like your music will buy it. The best way to engage with your audience is through live shows online, video-sharing websites or any other streaming platforms or apps. Once you have built a following, you can start telling them about your plans to create an EP or album.
Sell Your Songs to Record Labels
This is also a way to promote your songs, even if you don’t end up singing your song. Try to start with smaller labels and move forward to bigger ones. If it goes big, then you will definitely get credit for it. Singer Julia Michaels started from writing and selling her songs to record labels before she got her big break from the “Sorry” song of Justin Bieber. You never know when someone might just find star potential in you and add you as one of their rising artists.
Create Connections
If you know someone who has good connections in the music industry, ask them for help if you can. They already know the ins and outs, so they can also provide you with real and honest feedback. Another good tip is to search for music producers on a professional networking website. You can randomly send an invite and once they accept, you can message them. If they are interested, they will reply. Don’t feel bad if you have many rejections, because there’s just too much opportunity you are not yet aware of.
It will take months or years for you to achieve your goal but don’t stop. Quitters will never see the fruits of their hard work. Once you are already there, do not forget how it all started.
