{"id":28262,"date":"2025-03-08T09:48:05","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T09:48:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cyberprmusic.com\/?p=28262"},"modified":"2025-03-07T02:30:02","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T02:30:02","slug":"women-in-the-music-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyberprmusic.com\/women-in-the-music-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"Women in The Music Industry Share Their Best Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

For International Women\u2019s Day, I’m bumping up a co-contributed post.\u00a0 All the advice is STILL relevant and needed.\u00a0 Today I’m celebrating some incredible women in the music industry. <\/span><\/p>\n

These 23 women (plus yours truly) have been making a difference for centuries, and we know our stuff. They all generously shared<\/span>\u00a0their vision and advice today.<\/span><\/p>\n

It leads off with some sobering statistics about the status of women in the music industry from Andrea DaSilva at Keychange. Then we swing into some golden nuggets. <\/span>Read on for their predictions, best marketing, mindset, and strategy tips, and get ready to make the foreseeable future fantastic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy Women\u2019s History Month!<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n

Music Marketing Advice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
You Probably Don\u2019t Need A Million of Anything to Get Ahead in Your Music Career.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\"Ariel<\/h5>\n

In our frantic landscape of trying to force videos and TikToks to go viral, Spotify numbers to jump, and social followings to balloon, I see artists forgetting the most important part of their journey – real connections with people – fans, friends, or industry who may able to make profound differences.\u00a0 The skill is in focusing on who you know and creating individual blueprints for each person so you can connect and create mutually beneficial moments that then lead to success after success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Start by identifying 5 people in your life who love you and your music and would like to collaborate, contribute and be a part of what you are doing. Create one thing that you can each do for each other or together and then execute.\u00a0 It can be as simple as a collaborative playlist, or an acoustic show in a friend’s living room in front of 10 new potential fans.\u00a0 Small successes lead to bolder asks and bigger ideas. – Ariel Hyatt \u2013<\/b> Founder, Cyber PR, Author, Blogger, Cheerleader<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t Let Big Tech <\/strong>Own Your Control\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"Molly<\/p>\n

Looking at the continued chaos in big tech, I expect more and more people in the creative space will strengthen the level of control they can manage in their careers. Whether it be via the back-to-basics development of their email lists and newsletters, the management of their rights via recording or publishing deals, or one-to-one experiences with their fans, the ownership of one’s information and the ability to manage it as one sees fit will become increasingly crucial.\u00a0 – Molly Neuman, <\/b>Chief Marketing Officer, Downtown Music Holdings<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Collaboration is Your Growth Edge<\/strong>\"Cassandra<\/h5>\n

Grow through collaborations. While you might like to collaborate with <insert big star here>, you likely have dozens of fellow artists at your level or a level (or a few) higher than you. THOSE are the folks to approach to collaborate with now. Record and release a track together, go co-live on Instagram, and encourage each other’s audience to follow the other, play a co-bill, or tour together.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Extra Tip: You want to work with people who are as excited and committed as you are. If you’re going to hustle the heck out of promoting a show, or invest X dollars into a production or video, or tour, be sure your collaborator will match your investment OR is committing other strengths and resources to the collaboration. You\u2019ll feel more supported and share the onus of production and promotion. – Cassandra Kubinski<\/strong>, Singer-Songwriter and Women in Music: Global Co-Chair of Membership<\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t Believe In Overnight Success (It Probably Took Years)<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"Katie<\/p>\n

Everyone is on their own path – including you! It’s so easy to compare yourself to someone else. Especially on social media, where it feels like people blow up overnight. When you <\/span>don’t <\/span><\/i>have that same experience, it can feel like you’re a failure, doing something wrong, or not good enough. When the reality is you have no idea how long someone was working before that “overnight” success happened. Trust your path, and integrate self-care to stay grounded in one of my favorite affirmations: everything is working out for me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Marketing-wise, I also think that brand deals and partnerships are going to become even more popular in music, with independent artists having the ability to further monetize by partnering with brands they love and creating social media content around it. This is happening big time in the “influencer” space and has been for years, but my prediction is that it becomes much more common for musicians to get in on it! – <\/span>Katie Zaccardi,<\/strong> Music Business Coach<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Brand Identity and Brand Association Are Everything These Days<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"Stephanie<\/p>\n

Independent artists are becoming more and more aware of just how important brands are to their success. Artists can increase their opportunities with thoughtfully curated associations with brands (including causes). Finding brands (even small start up ones) that fit with the artist\u2019s message and associating with those brands in a meaningful way is one of the most important steps an artist can take in their career.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Artists should think about who they are, who their fans are, and how they want to be thought about by their fans and followers. Once they have figured out what their brand identity is, they can structure a marketing plan which incorporates elements that reinforce the artist\u2019s message and identity. The best advice for artists is to remember that their art is a business, and business now relies on the opportunities available by brand development and association. – Stephanie Furgang Adwar, <\/b>Music Attorney<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

TELL Your Story Authentically<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"Angela<\/p>\n

In the wake of Me, too, the media has been more open to hearing women musicians’ stories.\u00a0<\/span>So, this is a fabulous time for women musicians to revise their About pages and all their marketing materials to more authentically communicate<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Who they really are<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Why they do what they do and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. The truth about the impact they make.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To all female-identifying folks: Make a big joyful noise\u2014Hear your own roar! – Angela Myles Beeching – <\/b>Author, Beyond Talent, and founder of Beyond Talent Consulting<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

    It’s Still Worth Having A PR Strategy<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Tristra<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s one big, old-school channel that\u2019s still alive and kicking. Yes, the media landscape has changed radically in the last 15 years. Yes, the classic pillars of music PR for artists have toppled or are tottering slightly, the alt-weeklies, blogs, and review-loaded music mags of yore. But there are still excellent critics and music journalists out there, looking for stories, and it\u2019s still worth having a PR strategy at the right time, for the right project. I\u2019m sure you\u2019re shocked to hear a PR pro saying this, but every day, I see the difference it makes for our clients, and for my friends, and the artists I admire.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The operative word here is \u201cstories:\u201d if your album, single, tour, videos, what-have-you have a story beyond your creative process, PR is definitely worth exploring, even if it\u2019s only a minimalist burst of outreach to media folks in your region. A short piece about you in your regional magazine or daily paper can be a stepping stone to bigger coverage and can provide validation for when you start hitting up the next tier of festivals or venues for bigger shows, for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re in for a deeper PR dive, look for outlets and media that may not already be on your radar. There are music-oriented newsletters, podcasts, and other outlets that, like social platforms, are undergoing a period of intense fragmentation, one that will continue through 2023. Much like social media, this can be a good thing, even if their audiences are small. They may be the key to finding and engaging a meaningful community. – Tristra Newyear Yeager<\/b>, Chief Strategy Officer Rock Paper Scissors + co-host, Music Tectonics Podcast\u00a0<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

    Keep It Short and Sweet (Or Not) But Keep It Short<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Andrea<\/p>\n

    Attention from outside the streaming platforms is what will lead to attention within the streaming platforms in 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n

    With 60,000 to 100,000 tracks supposedly released every day, artists need to bring attention to their brand and music outside the platforms in order to gain traction for their music within the platforms.\u00a0 Gone are the days when you could release music without any kind of fan following and gain recognition from editors and curators (even with a fan following it is challenging!).\u00a0 Many of the curation sites have disappeared (pandemic), and those that are still around are just inundated with artists and teams sending them content.\u00a0 Short-form videos that are funny or incorporate an educational element rule the day right now. They don’t have to be professionally produced to be found by platform algorithms, and they are an opportunity to utilize your music outside the platforms to get it heard. – Andrea Young<\/b>, CEO, DPG Worldwide<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

    Understand Where Your Music Is Being <\/strong>Discovered And <\/strong>Searched For\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Audrey<\/p>\n

    This year, independent music artists will be at the forefront of community marketing, utilizing various platforms and strategies to connect with their fans.<\/span><\/p>\n

    From maximizing the reach of new releases with drop platforms like Laylo to creating original video and lifestyle-driven content on TikTok, Reels, and Shorts or live streams on Twitch, artists will have multiple opportunities to engage with their fans and build lasting relationships.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Additionally, artists will continue to find ways to tap into new fan communities. Thematic, for example, matches an artist\u2019s songs to influencers who then promote the music across social media. This type of organic influencer marketing campaign can unlock brand new cohorts of listeners and fans that may have been previously overlooked. <\/span>Overall, we\u2019ll see a more data-driven mindset underlying these marketing efforts. Artists who understand how their music is being discovered and searched for and which communities are resonating with their releases will be able to maximize getting their music to the right audiences. – Audrey Marshall,<\/b> Co-Founder, Thematic<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

    Your Email List, Unlike Your “friends” On Socials, Will Actually Respond<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Ilyana<\/p>\n

    To say that people are inundated with information today is an understatement.\u00a0<\/span>When I started doing voiceover in advertising is when I received my first lessons in communication in media and how “the way you focus on your audience”, affects the way they will receive you. For example, when an artist posts about their music but doesn\u2019t really share a personal story or anything relatable, I\u2019m much less likely to check out their page or buy something.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The humans on your newsletter list, unlike your “friends” on your socials, will actually respond to what you share and engage when you give them calls to action, so take care to craft something personal, honest, and relatable. Ultimately all these tools and apps are only as effective as how well we use them. We must have the patience to be thoughtful in our use of them. – Ilyana Kadushin<\/b>, Co-Host of\u00a0 No, I Know Podcast, Voice Performer, SheRo Award Winner.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    Sell Your Merchandise Directly To Your Fans<\/strong>\"Women\u00a0in<\/h5>\n
    Musicians will continue to leverage their personal brand and online presence to connect with fans and sell merchandise directly. This can include using email automation and maximizing the sales tools Instagram is offering It’s all about an increased focus on direct-to-consumer marketing.<\/div>\n
    Social media influencer marketing: Musicians will partner with social media influencers to reach new audiences and promote their music. I see a lot of new services popping up in this space and the TikTok Creator Marketplace is incredible. and there will be an emphasis on data-driven decision-making: Musicians and their teams will increasingly rely on data and analytics to make informed decisions about their marketing efforts. – Janette Berrios,<\/strong> VP of Corporate Marketing, Symphonic Distribution<\/em><\/div>\n

    Action Taking Advice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    Focus On Your Artist Development – Grassroots Style<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Women\u00a0in<\/p>\n

    We are starting to see the trend again in organically growing the artist\u2019s career and brand through Grassroots.\u00a0 Yes, the tried and true really does work and it\u2019s the most direct way to really break a band. I\u2019m not saying don\u2019t pay attention to streaming (follower count and monthly listeners) and socials.\u00a0\u00a0Artists absolutely have to continue creating compelling short-form content that resonates and keeps growing their streaming audience, but we\u2019re starting to put more weight on these other areas.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been in this business for 35 years and what I\u2019ve truly missed over the last 15 years is true Artist discovery and getting behind an artist from the very beginning or at least with little national exposure.\u00a0 We\u2019ll see artists being discovered by fans and the industry truly because of their merit, passion, raw ability, hard work, drive, amazing live show, great visuals, and great songs. It starts and ends with the fans. It\u2019s that true one on one connection.\u00a0 The only way that\u2019s happening is in person, in the market, on the road, and doing promotional visits.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This year and going forward is about building fanbases and audiences not simply via streaming and social media stats but by honest grassroots!\u00a0\u00a0 – Fiona Bloom, Founder, The Bloom Effect<\/em><\/p>\n

    The Musicprenuer Will Rise In 2023 And Beyond<\/strong><\/h5>\n

    \"Women\u00a0in<\/p>\n

    In this post-Covid era having multiple streams of income is key.<\/span>The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities for artists who want to start building their portfolios. Here are three tips to get started:<\/span><\/p>\n