How do you interact with your fans or respond to your fans as a music artist?

[Peggy]

As a music artist, it's crucial to connect with your fans and show them some love!  Social Media platforms are fantastic ways to interact with your fans. Directly responding to comments, using DMs, engaging in conversations and sharing updates about your music or upcoming projects can make them feel special and appreciated. 

 

Newsletters or email updates are also an effective way to keep in touch with your fans. Sending regular updates about new music releases, upcoming shows, or behind-the-scenes content helps maintain engagement and keeps them excited about what's coming next.

 

But don't stop there! Take advantage of live shows to create unforgettable experiences for your fans.  Whether it's through fan gear merchandise, meet-and-greets, fan Q&A sessions, or even surprise performances, these moments strengthen the bond between you and your supporters.

 

And let's not forget about those chance encounters on the street or in public settings.  Taking the time to chat with fans who recognize you can leave a lasting impression. A simple smile, autograph, or quick selfie can make their day.

 

Remember, building a strong connection with your fans goes beyond just creating great music. It's about making them feel like they're part of something bigger – a community that supports and loves your art.

 

So.. How do you interact with your fans?  What seems to be working best for you?  Got other ideas for connecting with your fans?

 

 

 

[Jac]

11 hours ago, Peggy said:

As a music artist, it's crucial to connect with your fans and show them some love!  Social Media platforms are fantastic ways to interact with your fans. Directly responding to comments, using DMs, engaging in conversations and sharing updates about your music or upcoming projects can make them feel special and appreciated. 

 

Newsletters or email updates are also an effective way to keep in touch with your fans. Sending regular updates about new music releases, upcoming shows, or behind-the-scenes content helps maintain engagement and keeps them excited about what's coming next.

 

But don't stop there! Take advantage of live shows to create unforgettable experiences for your fans.  Whether it's through fan gear merchandise, meet-and-greets, fan Q&A sessions, or even surprise performances, these moments strengthen the bond between you and your supporters.

 

And let's not forget about those chance encounters on the street or in public settings.  Taking the time to chat with fans who recognize you can leave a lasting impression. A simple smile, autograph, or quick selfie can make their day.

 

Remember, building a strong connection with your fans goes beyond just creating great music. It's about making them feel like they're part of something bigger – a community that supports and loves your art.

 

So.. How do you interact with your fans?  What seems to be working best for you?  Got other ideas for connecting with your fans?

 

 

 

As a music consumer, l would like to see more interviews coming from indie bands. l dont know why there are so few.  They set up say a YouTube channel, put on their video's ( with  lyrics if possible in my opinion ) but  then they wonder why they dont get many follows. They get say loads of follows on X or facebook, but im not convinced they are true followers. Anyone can push the numbers up on there and it looks impressive. My sister in-law has massive follower numbers till l saw it was people like her hairdresser lol. l think youtube is a great platform for new bands to interact with potential new fans by taking the time to actually read the comments and reply and post quick interviews.

Another way l think is worthwhile is using forums like this. If they think only musicians read these forums they are wrong, l think a lot of music consumers ( so possible new fans) are reading these forums as well !

Edited August 17, 2023 by Jac

[john]

50 minutes ago, Jac said:

As a music consumer, l would like to see more interviews coming from indie bands. l dont know why there are so few.  They set up say a YouTube channel, put on their video's ( with  lyrics if possible in my opinion ) but  then they wonder why they dont get many follows. They get say loads of follows on X or facebook, but im not convinced they are true followers. Anyone can push the numbers up on there and it looks impressive. My sister in-law has massive follower numbers till l saw it was people like her hairdresser lol. l think youtube is a great platform for new bands to interact with potential new fans by taking the time to actually read the comments and reply and post quick interviews.

Another way l think is worthwhile is using forums like this. If they think only musicians read these forums they are wrong, l think a lot of music consumers ( so possible new fans) are reading these forums as well !

That has long been the problem for independent artists. They think it is all about the numbers. It isn’t. It’s about meaningful numbers. Quality of numbers is massively important.

 

In order to appear popular, many, many artists focus on growing their numbers by the easiest path, and that is normally follow exchanges.

 

Bands have always started with friends and family. Some never get beyond that. Quality wise, most of family and friends are fans of you as a person, not of your music. The chances of your gran being a huge death metal fan, are for most bands, highly unlikely. Some childhood friends might share your taste in music, but many will not. Initially such people will turn up to gigs, but pretty quickly it becomes the artist having to chase them up to have any audience. This is usually because they want to support you, as a relative or friend but they are not natural fans of your music.

 

The next group, these days, is other bands/artists. I want fans, you want fans, so let’s be each other’s fans! This is helpful for your first week, to boost your initial reach, but long term this is a really, really bad strategy. Such fans might never have listened to your music. Never have read your tweet (your X?). Never have been interested in what you have to say. They are not fans. They are on your follower list but they do not follow you. They are completely disengaged. Ok a very small few might, and I stress might, have listened to some of your music. A percentage of them might like it. That’s pretty random.

 

All artists are doing is training social media algorithms that almost everyone that follows you isn’t interested in what you post. So the social media platforms show your posts to an ever shrinking number of your followers… and so your releases are a disappointment. A series of disappointing releases that make artists feel like they are going nowhere. They are right. They have a large number of followers who just have no interest in their news.
 

The truth is: bands/artists need to find their REAL audience. At some point, the sooner the better, artists need to take that step, beyond the safety and comfort of friends and family, beyond artists more interested in adding you to their follower count than having any interest in your music. They NEED to consistently demonstrate that their followers are engaged, that they are interested and WILL RESPOND.

 

Real fans are interested in your news, your music, in what you have to say. They are engaged. Artists need to learn how to reach listeners.
 

More specifically artists need to:

• Reach listeners who are likely to be interested in their music
• Get listeners to actually listen to their music
• Cultivate listeners to become fans
• Cultivate fans to become super fans

 

That’s how you grow as an artist. As artists with a small budget and few contacts, they need to learn this as a mantra. Realistically, they need tools and processes to realistically move forward. They need to build a team too, to help… but that takes time.

 

For artists and bands, this is reality: 

• Don’t rely on short cuts. Normally they lead somewhere you really don’t want to go
• Learn all you can
• Be prepared to work
• Your music only begins to work on your behalf when you put it in front of people who are likely to be interested in it
• Automate repetitive, less important tasks
• Focus on growing engagement, not follower count. You will get a better response from 500 actual fans than 50,000 disengaged, disinterested followers

[Jac]

6 hours ago, john said:

That has long been the problem for independent artists. They think it is all about the numbers. It isn’t. It’s about meaningful numbers. Quality of numbers is massively important.

 

In order to appear popular, many, many artists focus on growing their numbers by the easiest path, and that is normally follow exchanges.

 

Bands have always started with friends and family. Some never get beyond that. Quality wise, most of family and friends are fans of you as a person, not of your music. The chances of your gran being a huge death metal fan, are for most bands, highly unlikely. Some childhood friends might share your taste in music, but many will not. Initially such people will turn up to gigs, but pretty quickly it becomes the artist having to chase them up to have any audience. This is usually because they want to support you, as a relative or friend but they are not natural fans of your music.

 

The next group, these days, is other bands/artists. I want fans, you want fans, so let’s be each other’s fans! This is helpful for your first week, to boost your initial reach, but long term this is a really, really bad strategy. Such fans might never have listened to your music. Never have read your tweet (your X?). Never have been interested in what you have to say. They are not fans. They are on your follower list but they do not follow you. They are completely disengaged. Ok a very small few might, and I stress might, have listened to some of your music. A percentage of them might like it. That’s pretty random.

 

All artists are doing is training social media algorithms that almost everyone that follows you isn’t interested in what you post. So the social media platforms show your posts to an ever shrinking number of your followers… and so your releases are a disappointment. A series of disappointing releases that make artists feel like they are going nowhere. They are right. They have a large number of followers who just have no interest in their news.
 

The truth is: bands/artists need to find their REAL audience. At some point, the sooner the better, artists need to take that step, beyond the safety and comfort of friends and family, beyond artists more interested in adding you to their follower count than having any interest in your music. They NEED to consistently demonstrate that their followers are engaged, that they are interested and WILL RESPOND.

 

Real fans are interested in your news, your music, in what you have to say. They are engaged. Artists need to learn how to reach listeners.
 

More specifically artists need to:

• Reach listeners who are likely to be interested in their music
• Get listeners to actually listen to their music
• Cultivate listeners to become fans
• Cultivate fans to become super fans

 

That’s how you grow as an artist. As artists with a small budget and few contacts, they need to learn this as a mantra. Realistically, they need tools and processes to realistically move forward. They need to build a team too, to help… but that takes time.

 

For artists and bands, this is reality: 

• Don’t rely on short cuts. Normally they lead somewhere you really don’t want to go
• Learn all you can
• Be prepared to work
• Your music only begins to work on your behalf when you put it in front of people who are likely to be interested in it
• Automate repetitive, less important tasks
• Focus on growing engagement, not follower count. You will get a better response from 500 actual fans than 50,000 disengaged, disinterested followers

l think another area for them to explore is making a blog. l know some would feel that doesnt seem like a worth while thing to do, but as for me being on the other-side ie a music consumer, l look out for those sort of interaction from a band l really like. It shows me they are not doing their music  just to be millionaires ( if that's their reason, l can spot it a mile off in their Art !!) l think they need to really look into them selves early on in their music journey and ask them selves  'am l doing this  for the Art , or for the money only' 

l can tell when a music artist loves his craft, it comes out in his work. Those are the ones who through hard work will be be noticed.

l remember seeing a band, going on youtube , posting their music saying they want to be famous,  saying they have lots of facebook / twitter followers, then putting video's of them selves only playing to friends and family. They didnt really love what they did, they didnt love the music Art, and l could tell right off , it showed in their music.... they really didnt love their Art.

There is no short cuts to getting promotion, and if its a small band they have to do the graft of the promotion l'm afraid.

If you love your Art, it will show in your Art.

 There is a guy called Ren, He is an example of someone who loves his Art.

He got signed up by Sony very early on,  but they dropped him when he became ill, He has'nt given up and he's gone viral on youtube etc. He hasnt given up because he loves his Art and he cant give up. But one thing l read about him is, he still likes to busk in Brighton, he says he loves the interaction with the public. He loves his Art and his work shows it. He does it not to be a millionaire, he does it because he loves his Art, and it shows. 

Edited August 17, 2023 by Jac

[VoiceEx]

On 8/17/2023 at 12:19 AM, Peggy said:

So.. How do you interact with your fans?  What seems to be working best for you?  Got other ideas for connecting with your fans?

 

I communicate and interact with my audience across most known mediums that everyone else uses.  However, in regards to the topic, I would like to highlight my preferred platforms. Which, as i've mentioned on multiple occasions, are of course: Youtube and Twitch.

 

In terms of what 'works' best for me, I would say that both of those mediums serve similar but different purposes. For example, my Youtube channels are more focused on delivering polished / controlled / narrative driven content, while as my Twitch Streams are a bit more lenient towards being a seemingly open ended environment (i.e in terms of topics and having conversations).

 

Though when it comes to direct interaction with the audience, if I had to point out a difference in approach, I would say that Streaming (outside of Youtube) really works for me because I really enjoy interacting with people. Streaming also allows me to get to know my audience better from a 'hands on' perspective, as well as providing them with a platform to get to know me better, as well. Which comes with quite a few benefits.

 

To put that in perspective, since I talk to my audience rather frequently, and since they have gotten to 'know' me to some degree, that actually allows me to both provide and introduce them to content, which is, not only on a much larger scope (i.e wide range of topics and activities), but it also allow me to have better control over what sort of content I prefer to make, on my own terms.

 

To give a small example. Sometimes I get asked to cover/address topics which don't really interest me. And on a similar vain, sometimes I also get asked to play music I don't enjoy, or comment about music industry related affairs or celebrities which don't interest me.

 

And... one of the benefits of growing you're audience symmetrically, according to you're own needs, means that they have been introduced very early on to the idea that I intend to do things my way. And if they don't like it, I won't insist that they stick around 😅👍

Edited August 17, 2023 by VoiceEx

[john]

7 hours ago, Jac said:

l think another area for them to explore is making a blog. l know some would feel that doesnt seem like a worth while thing to do, but as for me being on the other-side ie a music consumer, l look out for those sort of interaction from a band l really like. It shows me they are not doing their music  just to be millionaires ( if that's their reason, l can spot it a mile off in their Art !!) l think they need to really look into them selves early on in their music journey and ask them selves  'am l doing this  for the Art , or for the money only' 

l can tell when a music artist loves his craft, it comes out in his work. Those are the ones who through hard work will be be noticed.

l remember seeing a band, going on youtube , posting their music saying they want to be famous,  saying they have lots of facebook / twitter followers, then putting video's of them selves only playing to friends and family. They didnt really love what they did, they didnt love the music Art, and l could tell right off , it showed in their music.... they really didnt love their Art.

There is no short cuts to getting promotion, and if its a small band they have to do the graft of the promotion l'm afraid.

If you love your Art, it will show in your Art.

 There is a guy called Ren, He is an example of someone who loves his Art.

He got signed up by Sony very early on,  but they dropped him when he became ill, He has'nt given up and he's gone viral on youtube etc. He hasnt given up because he loves his Art and he cant give up. But one thing l read about him is, he still likes to busk in Brighton, he says he loves the interaction with the public. He loves his Art and his work shows it. He does it not to be a millionaire, he does it because he loves his Art, and it shows. 

I’ve posted a few times about Ren on these boards. Mostly showing his music, but when it comes to marketing, he’s on it, as far as I am concerned. He’s been doing a lot of stuff I’ve mentioned before, but he does it all to such an impressive level. He makes my case for me. Does this idea work, yep here it is right here in action. Mostly he realises that it isn’t just isolated ideas that work. It’s about finding ways to have multiple marketing ideas working in concert following a master plan that amplifies all the individual ideas in a classic “greater than the sum of it’s parts” deal.

 

Importantly fans are a central component of his approach and he goes beyond simple engagement. He motivates and mobilises his fans very, very effectively. He harnesses their energy and makes it work for him.

 

He makes video a central part of engagement. He then engaged video reactors largely via his team and his fans in a concerted campaign. Brilliant. That paid off in spades.

 

It has to be said that he has built a kick ass team. From videos (awesome) to online promotion, they cover so much with a lot of creativity. Beyond that he also collabs like a boss. He shines the spotlight on others and does plenty to keep himself in the spotlight.

 

He regularly releases new material. A new polished song one week, a live acoustic the next and so on.

 

He treats his fans well. He comes across as honest, brave, vulnerable and as a whole it is appealing. He then motivates his fans. They WANT to help him. Very much so, and of course he encouraged that. He built it, carefully. He then gives them direction and purpose.

 

As for blogs, they still play a useful role. A blog is still an important asset for artists to engage with fans and to promote their music.

[VoiceEx]

2 hours ago, john said:

Beyond that he also collabs like a boss. He shines the spotlight on others and does plenty to keep himself in the spotlight.

 

I too have been following Ren and what's going on with him, and I would like to briefly touch on a similar vain. Though being as I do not like to use known names as examples, i'll present this case from a different perspective.

 

In terms of collabs and shining the spotlight on others, I noticed that many musicians limit themselves to only collaborating with other musicians, and only sticking to music related content (collabs included). Which in my opinion is something that greatly limits their reach.

 

For example, while I do collaborate with musicians and music producers, I also collaborate and promote all manner of artists and content creators around related fields of interests. Screen writers, authors, illustration artists, Animators, VA's, various Podcasters, Youtubers, fellow Streamers, etc etc. There's more to it, but the idea is to always be active and always keep things engaging and in 'motion'.

 

I'm not a marketing expert, but I can tell you from my experience that adding variety tends to bring in a bigger audience. But, more importantly - It makes things more fun! Not only for the audience, but also for the creator. You'll always have something interesting to do, no shortage of content, and there are plenty of ways to keep things fresh and staying relevant.

 

I mean, think about it. Oh sure, a person can talk about their own music for hours. But doesn't it get... well.. you know... a little boring after a while? Perhaps after a day? a week? a month? a year? everyday for an entire year? 😅 As a rule of thumb I think its important to also put yourself in the audience's shoes as well!

 

2 hours ago, john said:

He treats his fans well. He comes across as honest, brave, vulnerable and as a whole it is appealing. He then motivates his fans. They WANT to help him. Very much so, and of course he encouraged that. He built it, carefully. He then gives them direction and purpose.

 

I think that treating the fans well and respecting their time is a MUST, regardless of anything. I mean, what good is there in building a 'bridge' that's only fit for one person to cross? Though I will say, I really wish more Songstuff members showed an interest in these subjects. I know that marketing and the technical aspects bores the hell out of alot of people, but there are also fun sides. Which, in my opinion - nobody really talks about 😟

Edited August 18, 2023 by VoiceEx

[Jac]

7 hours ago, VoiceEx said:

 

I too have been following Ren and what's going on with him, and I would like to briefly touch on a similar vain. Though being as I do not like to use known names as examples, i'll present this case from a different perspective.

 

In terms of collabs and shining the spotlight on others, I noticed that many musicians limit themselves to only collaborating with other musicians, and only sticking to music related content (collabs included). Which in my opinion is something that greatly limits their reach.

 

For example, while I do collaborate with musicians and music producers, I also collaborate and promote all manner of artists and content creators around related fields of interests. Screen writers, authors, illustration artists, Animators, VA's, various Podcasters, Youtubers, fellow Streamers, etc etc. There's more to it, but the idea is to always be active and always keep things engaging and in 'motion'.

 

I'm not a marketing expert, but I can tell you from my experience that adding variety tends to bring in a bigger audience. But, more importantly - It makes things more fun! Not only for the audience, but also for the creator. You'll always have something interesting to do, no shortage of content, and there are plenty of ways to keep things fresh and staying relevant.

 

I mean, think about it. Oh sure, a person can talk about their own music for hours. But doesn't it get... well.. you know... a little boring after a while? Perhaps after a day? a week? a month? a year? everyday for an entire year? 😅 As a rule of thumb I think its important to also put yourself in the audience's shoes as well!

 

 

I think that treating the fans well and respecting their time is a MUST, regardless of anything. I mean, what good is there in building a 'bridge' that's only fit for one person to cross? Though I will say, I really wish more Songstuff members showed an interest in these subjects. I know that marketing and the technical aspects bores the hell out of alot of people, but there are also fun sides. Which, in my opinion - nobody really talks about 😟

l think there is such good advice being explored on this thread.

 

 But l think the whole idea of promotion terrifies some musicians.

 

To me , that's where forums etc like this one is invaluable and should be used more by musicians.

 

 Going back to Ren, he has now a great team behind him. And because of that, he doesnt have the

constraints of a massive record label. He is able to explore his own ideas more. 

l think indie Artists have that to their advantage,  but some don't realize it.

[john]

8 hours ago, VoiceEx said:

For example, while I do collaborate with musicians and music producers, I also collaborate and promote all manner of artists and content creators around related fields of interests. Screen writers, authors, illustration artists, Animators, VA's, various Podcasters, Youtubers, fellow Streamers, etc etc. There's more to it, but the idea is to always be active and always keep things engaging and in 'motion'.

A suggestion in that regard is to reach out through local colleges and universities with media courses to get the ball rolling. A notice board sign can be all it takes to find some talented creatives interested in expanding their resumé. Likewise a sign in a drama school can help find actors and dancers.

 

That if anything is my only criticism of Ren… he does generously shine the light on others, but I don’t recall seeing full lists of contributors to videos, just the main collaborator, such as the director. I guess it depends on the kind of relationship he has with them…. Plus I might just have missed him highlighting them all.

[VoiceEx]

6 minutes ago, john said:

A suggestion in that regard is to reach out through local colleges and universities with media courses to get the ball rolling. A notice board sign can be all it takes to find some talented creatives interested in expanding their resumé. Likewise a sign in a drama school can help find actors and dancers.

 

That is a wonderful suggestion! In fact, back in the day when I first started getting more serious, and was looking to build up experience on multiple fields, I used to reach out to tons of universities. I wasn't too picky about jobs either, taking on a wide array of different jobs. Soundtracks, special effects, video editing, pretty much anything I could get my hands on. There have even been cases were I worked for free, simply to make some connections and get things going.

 

I would also like to add that working with people and working on other people's projects does wonders for improving a persons sense of self discipline. That is because if a person does not adapt and learns how to be flexible, than nobody's going to want to work with them. Its a different ballgame entirely.

 

6 minutes ago, john said:

That if anything is my only criticism of Ren… he does generously shine the light on others, but I don’t recall seeing full lists of contributors to videos, just the main collaborator, such as the director. I guess it depends on the kind of relationship he has with them…. Plus I might just have missed him highlighting them all.

 

Well, I could criticize Ren on several aspects, and not just musically. Than again, what would be the point? He's already gone further than many musicians have. Besides. I like his music and I think he's earned his time in the sun.

[Jac]

When l listen or researching a band l like ie interviews, l dont want to hear how they got together history etc,

l want to hear how they get their inspiration for their Music Art. l want to hear how they plan to keep exploring that inspiration, how they want to keep moving forward so they dont stagnate in their Art. l want to know what area's they want to explore.

l dont want to hear that they want to be famous , how they want to  earn  millions and have a big car lol.

[VoiceEx]

1 hour ago, Jac said:

 But l think the whole idea of promotion terrifies some musicians.

 

I don't think it terrifies musicians. Seeing little grey aliens staring at you through the window late at night would be terrifying 😅

 

Instead, I think that many musicians simply don't know where to start. Not to mention, there are plenty of musicians that only want to work on their music, and don't want to deal with all the behind the scenes stuff.

 

1 hour ago, Jac said:

To me , that's where forums etc like this one is invaluable and should be used more by musicians.

 

I couldn't agree more 👍 If fact, I could go on for hours about all the benefits, tools and connections that a lot of people here are either unaware of, or are simply ignoring. And don't even get me started on blogs 😅

 

1 hour ago, Jac said:

l think indie Artists have that to their advantage,  but some don't realize it.

 

You're right. Hell. I've said it many times before - Indie is the wave of the future!

Edited August 18, 2023 by VoiceEx

[VoiceEx]

14 minutes ago, Jac said:

When l listen or researching a band l like ie interviews, l dont want to hear how they got together history etc,

l want to hear how they get their inspiration for their Music Art. l want to hear how they plan to keep exploring that inspiration, how they want to keep moving forward so they dont stagnate in their Art. l want to know what area's they want to explore.

l dont want to hear that they want to be famous , how they want to  earn  millions and have a big car lol.

 

We are a little different in that regard being as I kinda 'have' to research bands. However, if I were to put all that jazz aside... Honestly? When I can afford to sit down and listen to music just for fun, when I put down the producer 'hat', the quality and depth of the music itself interests me much more than the music's backstory.

 

We all have our quirks, no? 😅 Hell. I'd gladly listen to a song that's about the lifestyle of the rich and famous, provided it is done exceedingly well, and is entertaining enough for me to be able to ignore its overwhelming sense of ridiculousness 🤣

[Jac]

1 hour ago, VoiceEx said:

 

I don't think it terrifies musicians. Seeing little grey aliens staring at you through the window late at night would be terrifying 😅

 

Instead, I think that many musicians simply don't know where to start. Not to mention, there are plenty of musicians that only want to work on their music, and don't want to deal with all the behind the scenes stuff.

 

 

I couldn't agree more 👍 If fact, I could go on for hours about all the benefits, tools and connections that a lot of people here are either unaware of, or are simply ignoring. And don't even get me started on blogs 😅

 

 

You're right. Hell. I've said it many times before - Indie is the wave of the future!

little green/grey men looking through me window..yep that happens Saturday nights lol

l think artist underestimates the fans, the music consumers, their bread and butter that feeds them..far too long they 'have not' listened to them, they have listened to their managers, their producers etc that want to push the commercial side of them. 

l guess i'm looking at it only from my side, the consumer, and what l would like to see now, instead of all the commercialism , out to get as much money as they can get, side of the music business. And l think the fans are trying to let the music industry know now,  as all that side of it cannot be hided any more with social media etc. All that was hidden before from fans is now being revealed and some fans dont like it and they are letting their views be known.

And l l for one think it's about time.

i'm on my soap box again lol, forgive me lol.

[VoiceEx]

8 hours ago, Jac said:

little green/grey men looking through me window..yep that happens Saturday nights lol

l think artist underestimates the fans, the music consumers, their bread and butter that feeds them..far too long they 'have not' listened to them, they have listened to their managers, their producers etc that want to push the commercial side of them. 

l guess i'm looking at it only from my side, the consumer, and what l would like to see now, instead of all the commercialism , out to get as much money as they can get, side of the music business. And l think the fans are trying to let the music industry know now,  as all that side of it cannot be hided any more with social media etc. All that was hidden before from fans is now being revealed and some fans dont like it and they are letting their views be known.

And l l for one think it's about time.

i'm on my soap box again lol, forgive me lol.

 

Oh pay no attention to that alien comment. I've been obsessing over that whole congress / UAP thing, so... yeah back to music! 😅

 

There's nothing wrong with looking at things as the consumer. I also agree with you that the business side of things can be very off putting, and not only for the consumer. Its like, when I first started learning more about marketing and the business side of things, I can tell you that my initial response was boarder-lining sheer repulsion.

 

In fact, not only was I bored to tears by having to learn things that I have never been interested in (i.e as a person), but I was also bit disgusted and turned off by many of these practices. Such is the case when money is involved. It took me a long time to gain enough experience in order to learn when to compromise, and when to draw a line in the sand.

 

That being said, in terms of "lifting the veil", to be honest I don't really know whether or not exposing the audience to what their idols are actually like as people, is suppose to be a "good" thing or bad "thing". I suppose the answer to such a question wouldn't matter at this point lol.

 

However, speaking as a consumer myself (musicians are consumers too!👍), I only care about the quality of the product. To put that in perspective, when Kanye West pulled that "Anti Industry" stunt, saying all manners of things which had upset more than just his fans, I can tell you that, as a consumer, I couldn't care less. I was more interested in seeing whether or not that stunt' would "castrate" him creatively. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

After all, celebrities are just people. And when a person already has a track record of intentionally sparking controversy and saying silly things, then the audience shouldn't be surprised. Than again, watching TikTok culture does make me wonder where the world is headed 🤣

[Peggy]

3 hours ago, VoiceEx said:

That being said, in terms of "lifting the veil", to be honest I don't really know whether or not exposing the audience to what their idols are actually like as people

I agree!  But with alot of interactions in life, I'm not too sure that some kind of a veil isn't or shouldn't be there.  For example, I intuitively censor my language.. I would never cuss in front of my parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles, at church, in front of children or older people, a store or restaurant employee, etc. Just never happens.  Throughout my business career, the way I would express myself or even reveal aspects of myself is tempered to the people, the situation or the environment. 

 

As you say, they're just people..with any musician or celebrity, I never see them as idols because they aren't to me and I wouldn't want to be an idol either.  They're just people that are liked or even loved for what they do or produce.  That doesn't mean we can't present ourselves in an honest way.  Just use discretion. A private persona and a public persona.

 

I surely wouldn't want to be seen in a public space online or offline the way I hang at home sometimes 😂😂

 

[VoiceEx]

3 hours ago, Peggy said:

I agree!  But with alot of interactions in life, I'm not too sure that some kind of a veil isn't or shouldn't be there.  For example, I intuitively censor my language.. I would never cuss in front of my parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles, at church, in front of children or older people, a store or restaurant employee, etc. Just never happens.  Throughout my business career, the way I would express myself or even reveal aspects of myself is tempered to the people, the situation or the environment. 

 

Oh we are a bit different, being as I cuss rather frequently 😅 That being said, I do agree with you that having a degree of discretion and self censorship is very important. And I also agree that the veil being lifted did carry with it quite a few negative/unintended consequences.

 

For example, having the veil lifted killed the 'magic' to some extent. Giving the audience too much access spoils the enjoyment. What used to be "backstage passes" has transformed into educational content, while as people's actual personalities became an inseparable part of their brand. As they say, having all the answers doesn't necessarily make a person happier. In fact, I think that if you traveled back in time and shared this information in the past, chances are that many musicians would never believe that it would end up this way.

 

That being said, I would also like to point out, that, like most thing's in life, nothing is ever truly black and white. There are benefits as well.

 

For example, if you think about it, lifting the veil is also what has enabled many inidi artists such as Ren to succeed in their forward facing campaign. How do you suppose those tactics would fair at a time were he was less likely to stand out? Like maybe in the early 70/80/90'? I mean, sure, perhaps they could pull it off, but in those times i'd rather bet on heavier hitters.

 

People often get pissed when I say that I think we are living in the age of "average stardom", times of collective prosperity, the rise of the underwhelming.

 

I say this because.. if you think about it.. its kinda true in a way 😅👍

 

3 hours ago, Peggy said:

As you say, they're just people..with any musician or celebrity, I never see them as idols because they aren't to me and I wouldn't want to be an idol either.  They're just people that are liked or even loved for what they do or produce.  That doesn't mean we can't present ourselves in an honest way.  Just use discretion. A private persona and a public persona.

 

Hey you're preaching to the choir! I often say that having case studies is more practical then having heroes.

 

3 hours ago, Peggy said:

I surely wouldn't want to be seen in a public space online or offline the way I hang at home sometimes 😂😂

 

 

I hear that. Hell, I can kill a good portion of my viewership in five minutes if I really wanted too. Easy 🤣😂👍

Edited August 19, 2023 by VoiceEx

[john]

7 hours ago, VoiceEx said:

if you think about it, lifting the veil is also what has enabled many inidi artists such as Ren to succeed in their forward facing campaign.

The important thing to remember is that they lift the veil to give you a managed view of their life. They may show a lot but it is still managed. They decide what to let you see, when to let you see it, how much you will see it and the perspective from which you see it. It is entirely stage managed, making these aspects of their lives part of the show.
 

The mistake made by many when they lift the veil is they do not give enough thought or planning to what they will show.

 

That does not mean he is not being honest or sharing deep, raw feelings. It does not mean he is not being fearless etc.

 

Preparation is your friend. For most, rehearsal is your friend. Edit is your friend. Use them all.

[VoiceEx]

8 hours ago, john said:

Preparation is your friend. For most, rehearsal is your friend. Edit is your friend. Use them all.

 

You know, I love how this process sounds like prepping up a bunch of pampered supermodels which somehow managed to develop the most severe case of social anxiety and insecurity issues ever known to man 😅

 

I'm just joking of course. You're absolutely right and I agree with you 100%. In fact, I don't know anybody that goes in warts and all because of how unwise that would be. Not being prepared is like doing a live show without doing a sound check. Nobody does that unless they intentionally want to sabotage themselves.

 

Though I do have an interesting question that's goes out to ya'll. Obviously, you don't have to answer if you don't want too.

 

@john @Peggy In terms of facing the audience, how would you define you're own public image?

[Peggy]

1 hour ago, VoiceEx said:

In terms of facing the audience, how would you define you're own public image?

If the audience is Songstuff, and I'm a member of staff with one of my roles being that of the Moderator then I would say fair, open, helpful and reasonable. 🙂