Working Musician? Fact or Fable?

This past Saturday, I had the opportunity attend Music BC’s Alternative Funding Sources conference. They had selected a great panel: Benji Rogers, Jennifer Sullivan, and Josh Carr-Hilton. It was great watching and hearing these great professionals who inspire and teach artists that they can actually make a living doing what they love. The also reminded us that only a small % of the world actually get to do what they love. I can’t imagine not being excited about getting up every morn and doing what I love.

The whole conference really resounded with me and reminded me that I’m on the right path but also inspired me. The bottom line is being a working professional musician is possible and not a fable. So if you’re struggling right now, just keep working on and keep hustling – success will come 🙂

Here are some of the great ideas that were discussed.

1. Don’t think about how to market your album after it’s released. Start marketing it during the development stage of albums — check out Pledge Music — a great way to fund your album and get it into your fans before it’s released.

2. When marking your music — think like a fan — what would you like from your favorite artists and even better ask your fans.

3. Let your fans into your story — engage with them. It’s the experience that people want.

4.If you’re looking for branding — first get to know the possible brands and come up with a little video and show them why you’re the rep for them.

5. Remember being a influencer (Influencer marketing, is a form of marketing that has emerged from a variety of recent practices and studies, in which focus is placed on specific key individuals rather than the target market as a whole).is an ecomedy. You can make money on being an influencer in society.

Last but not least Benji Rogers shared an amazing quote that I will share with you

“An artist is in the ocean, head out and toes barely touching the bottom, this is when you’re going to create something amazing.” … David Bowie