Guerilla Marketing for Independent Artists and Why It Matters

06-Apr-2020 By Tanay Mulukutla

“Independence” implies a sense of autonomy, and for an artist, it can mean creative freedom: to find themselves express their inner thoughts in the most uninhibited fashion. Something to think about is why be inhibited about getting your music heard? While it can get competitive for emerging artists who want to get their music out, guerilla marketing for independent artists can stand out. It’s an approach that you can align your values with whilst being just as quirky as your vivid imagination.

The central objective behind carrying out a guerilla marketing activity is to obtain a sense of visibility for you as an artist, but what’s unique about it is that it’s cost-effective and highly impactful. While a strong online presence is essential, what’s also equally important is how you shape your presence offline, and that’s where your DIY ethos will come into play. As consumers, we have an eye for things that look and feel different, so the curiosity and sense of mysticism that comes with guerilla marketing stands out. To top it over, it is also a sign of effort made on your part that agents and promoters will most definitely notice.

Guerilla marketing has its traditional footings in doing things in the most unperturbed fashion, where the simplest of music promotion chores can have a quirky spin to them: imagine, for example, giving out your band stickers with a limited download code for your music online. These marketing collaterals act as great talking points within your community where you are instrumental in encouraging people to create a buzz around your music. One of the many advantages of this is that all the activities you carry in a fully offline space will lead to will make their way online through word of mouth. The next time you are dropping a new song or an album, go the guerilla way, make that personal connection with your fans. Those types of kinships that you establish early on for you and your music go a long way!

youbloom is a platform that helps you as an artist to grow, sign up here and find out more: https://www.youbloom.com/artist-apply/

Fan Devotion: 4 Ways To Campaign For Your Favourite Local Artists

04-Apr-2020 By Tanay Mulukutla

Fan devotion is a rather inherent trait we possess as individuals who are absorbed into the music of our choice, which is a by-product of our incalculable ‘love’ for a particular band or an artist. As fans, we have the power to exercise our fan – devotion in numerous ways that will help build the cultural fabric of something that we call our own: our local music scene!

Showcase your band of the week on social media

Your social media account is a hotspot of individuals engaging with one another; which is a great representation of how we exchange information in this day and age. Talking about your local bands on social media platforms is one such a piece of “information” that finds itself being exposed directly to a plethora of individuals: the process of doing so is enabling your local musicians to leverage from your reach. So go right ahead, and use your Instagram stories to share your local music!

Volunteer at local shows

Volunteering at local shows can go a million miles: not only does volunteering give you a sense of identity, but it also puts you and your scene in a position of unanimity. To top it over, providing a helping hand to your local bands is lifting a colossal amount of weight off their shoulders. Giving something back to your local music community is a great sign of fan devotion.

Buy their merchandise

Buying local merch is a common practice among fans lately, and why shouldn’t it be! Much like sharing music on social media, the act of sporting your favorite band merchandise is the most subtle way of “advertising” your love for a band. The “visual aesthetic” creates a sense of familiarity within your social circle which helps generate a great deal of visibility for local talent.

Give your local artists a pat on the back

Last but not least, your local heroes always love to hear from you: a word of appreciation gives them a boost of confidence. The next time you are at a show that you have thoroughly enjoyed, be sure to let the band know what you think!

Sign up as a Fan today: https://www.youbloom.com/request/

The 6 Music Conferences & Festivals in LA this Summer – 2018

11-Jun-2018 By Robert Loustaunau

In the Golden Age of Festivals it’s Easy to get Lost in the Noise

It’s 2018 and we’ve graduated from festival culture. These are nuanced times we are living in where “music festival” is no longer synonymous with patchouli and Birkenstocks. Music producers, labels, and artists converge at music conferences to scout, network, and discuss the industry’s hottest topics and tech.

If you’re wanting to elevate your festival experience this Summer, here’s our pick of Top Music Conferences in Los Angeles. Not ready to ditch the over-sized festival floaty just yet? No worries, check out our top picks for Music Festivals in LA this Summer.

SongWriterCamps

October 15 2018 – October 18 2018
Palm Springs, CA

While not an official ASCAP event, SongWriterCamp is a retreat hosted by ASCAP affiliates Pam Sheyne and Richard Harris. For an extended weekend, aspiring songwriters take part in masterclasses, workshops, and performances under the guidance of seasoned lyricists. If you’ve been meaning to get pen to paper SongWritersCamp is just the music festival for you. As a bonus: members of ASCAP get a discount on tickets.

The MIRA Conference

June 25 – June 26, 2018
West Los Angeles, CA

Brought to you by The Music Industry Research Association, the MIRA Conference is as cerebral as a music conference gets. All corners of the musical spectrum come out to play here. Discussion topics range from industry policy to groundbreaking research among the academic community. This year, MIRA will be tackling topics such as streaming corruption, piracy, and diversity and inclusion in the industry. Take a look at the full program.

Youbloom LA Music Festival & Summit

September 20- September 22, 2018
Los Angeles, CA

Some have called the youbloom Music Festival & Summit the biggest little music conference in SoCal. Based in Los Angeles, California, youbloom has prided itself on drawing an international community of artists from across the globe for a weekend of workshops, discussion panels, and stellar music making. Think SXSW but less food trucks.

Attend workshops on marketing yourself as an independent musician, and participate in 1-on-1 Q&A sessions with agents and producers. By night, attend free shows across some of LA’s hottest venues and showcase your own band. youbloomLA is definitely the top pick for DIY musicians and bands looking for a leg up in the industry. See this year’s speaker and apply to play for youbloom LA.

The PMA’s Production Music Conference

September 26 – September 28, 2018
Hollywood, Ca.

Every year, the Production Music Association (or PMA) holds its official Production Music Conference right in the heart of the entertainment industry. For 3 days, Highland Avenue in Hollywood is awash with composers, tech vendors, and music industry gurus. It is one of the larger music conferences that happens every year and if you’re planning on operating in these types of circles, you will want to be meeting the people who attend this.

Force Music Conference & A&R Artist Showcase

November 10 – November 11, 2018
Los Angeles, Ca.

Perhaps you already know your niche in the industry and you’re looking for music conferences that are more specific. If your future is in A&R (Arts and Repertoire) than Force Music Conference & A&R Artist Showcase is your bread and butter. This particular event packs a lot in a weekend long conference. From mixers, to live radio shows, to artist showcases, Force is a conference for the movers and shakers of the music industry as well as a peak at the industry machine in motion.

The Indie Entertainment Summit

August 9 – August 12, 2018
North Hollywood, Ca.

Just because it’s a conference doesn’t mean there’s no live music. The Indie Entertainment Summit is a 3-day coming-together of the big heads of the Indie music scene. The event is filled to the brim with panels, guests speakers, and independent artists showcasing their talent at venues throughout the city. Panel topics this year are to include marketing strategies for growing your own artist brand, music tech developments, and the state of the music industry. It’s also not a bad place to be in order to stop being independent, as agents have been known to attend this event in past years.

youbloomDublin 2018 Music Summit & Festival – Press Release

14-May-2018 By Robert Loustaunau

youbloom, the global music event, is returning to Dublin this Summer.

Now in its sixth year, youbloomDublin thrills fans and the music industry with aspiring artists getting the opportunity to play showcase gigs with free-of-charge access to the youbloom Music Summit.

The youbloomDublin 2018 Music Summit

The youbloomDublin 2018 Music Summit which is open to everyone, is an industry conference offering emerging talent the chance to network and learn from top level music connections and experts. The festival will be taking place at the headquarters of one of youbloom’s sponsors, IMRO (Irish Music Rights Organisation) on June 2nd. The day-long conference will range from themes of industry knowledge, legals, songwriting, and Spotify with keynote presentations like: “A Sea of Gray Hats – How to Use the System to Change the System” by LA industry legend Ted Cohen.

There will also be a panel discussion, “How To Write A Hit – Inspiration or Perspiration,” led by Steve Lindsey of Elevate Music as well as 3 Masterclasses, “How to Get the Most Out of Spotify,” hosted by Peter Astedt and “Managing your career in the 21st century music industry” with Pete Holidai. Full Summit details.

Meanwhile, in the city centre, youbloom brings over 60 artists to the stage. Free gigs will take place in The Underground, JT Pimms, The Mercantile and Berlin D2. Artists have traveled from across the globe to perform over the June bank holiday including Tanjier – Concreto (Brazil), D-Day, (Ireland) – Danu5ik (England), Katie Gallagher (Ireland), Georgia & The Vintage Youth (England), The Finns (Ireland), Emmanuel Nwamadi (England), Luke Clerkin (Ireland) and BoW (Austria). Catch all the details!

Indie artists take on the Bloom Main Stage in Phoenix Park.

Last year over 120,000 people graced the gates of the Phoenix Park, enjoying the best in homegrown food, drink and culture. Stunning performances from Aine Cahill and David Keenan in 2016, uplifting pop from Lavengro in 2017 and the well loved music of The 4 of Us will give you a hint at the type of talent we put on the main music stage at Bloom. This year, feisty folksters Corner Boy and the inimitable duo Don Baker and Rob Strong will sparkle in the sonic sunshine on the main stage in the Phoenix Park. We also have a host of unsigned talent just waiting to be discovered.

For more info, check out our FAQ, or shoot us an email at: customersupport@youbloom.com

Want to see more more of what youbloom has done and who has played with us in past years? Check out youbloom Though the Years.

Corner Boy. Photography by: Michael Duggan Photography.

5 Tips for Playing Successful Shows

19-Apr-2018 By Guest Blogger

Back To The Ocean Performing at Youbloom Festival

A few tips to playing successful shows

Imagine you just moved to a new town. No friends or musician pals, let alone connections with the local music scene. What do you do? The easy answer would be: get a band together and start playing successful shows , but that is not always the fastest track to local success.

When you’re trying to establish yourself as an artist in the local scene, your goal should not simply be to put a show together, but to put together a successful show. The difference is enormous. Here’s a few tips of how to make that happen.

1. Know your Target

As an artist, you should be crystal clear about what your skill set, goal and target is. An emerging artist should not count booking a show an end goal in itself.

The details are what matters the most: who is coming to catch your band play? Are you going to be performing for a near-empty room, with only your roommate and parents there to watch?

If you’re a rock ‘n’ roller, on the other hand, your natural habitat should be the DIY scene. Do your research. Who are the best local bands that gravitate towards your sound? Where do they usually play? Are they playing successful shows? Where do they go for a pint?

2. Be a Fan

Once you’ve gathered your data, take action. Go see their shows, follow them on social media, see what they’re up to and what their strategy is. Artists should learn from each others’ success as well as mistakes.

Back To The Ocean Playing successful shows at youbloom festival — If you’re a songwriter and producer you may wanna play acoustic rounds and hang out where the local songwriters are, rather than at a dive bar populated by rock bands.

3. Don’t be a Stranger

Most importantly, befriend these fellow rockers. Approach them after their show, buy them a beer and make friends. If you’re the shy type who likes to stand in the back and just enjoy the show, get another member of your band to be the social one. Or, fight yourself and make an effort to exchange a few words and perhaps a little booze with them.

Whether you’re a hit writer or an indie rocker, you never know where meeting new people may lead you. You might end up co-writing a number 1 hit on a chill afternoon session with a writer you met randomly at a show. Or, you might end up headlining a national tour with a small-time band that broke through – and all because you had the guts to go talk to them after a set at your local dive.

Don’t be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone, because that is what’s going to change your perspective on things and ultimately lead you to a more efficient strategy for your career.

4. Offer Up your Skills

Take time out of your own life to make friends with those acts that already establish themselves in the local scene. Ask if they would like you to open for them. That way you will most likely play to a room full of people who are probably into music or musicians themselves.

5. Schmooze

Playing Successful Shows at youbloom Festival — Back To The Ocean and Anna Christie perform at the youbloom Festival

By opening for your new-found friends, you’ll be making a name for yourself as a new band around town, and you’ll be gaining their fans in the process. Throw a nice after-party after the show where you can properly hang out with your new fans and you’ll have a recipe for success.

Networking and making friends is crucial and takes a lot of work and dedication. If you’re looking for a simpler way to join these networks, check out youbloom Connect – where you can get partnered to perform with other local artists, build a steady fan-base, and even get your band on the road. Whether you reach out, or decide to do it alone, do yourself a favor: get out more and meet like-minded people. Many of them might not be your next musical partner in crime, but the worst that’ll happen is you’ll have more friends.

Luca a freelance writer, blogger, musician and songwriter. Born and
raised in Italy, his passion for Rock n Roll made him move to London where he
lived for one year and gained a certificate in Songwriting from ICMP.
Luca relocated in NYC in 2014 to pursue jazz music and liberal arts at the
The New School from which he graduated in December 2017. Luca currently
reside in Nashville, TN