Standing Out From the Crowd: How to Build a Unique Artist Identity

A career in the music industry is a dream for some.

You get to travel around the country or world, gifting people the awesomeness that is your music. There will be large crowds singing along and fans wanting to get an autograph from you. It honestly sounds like the life.

Before you get to that stage in your career, you’ll need to build a unique identity. Many artists have trouble with this because the music industry is competitive. However, we’ll provide some tips on how you can help yourself stand out from everyone else.

Get Your Music on Multiple Platforms

The only way to build a solid foundation as an aspiring musician is to get your music heard by the masses. Of course, you want to get paid while doing so. But that can be more challenging since some services will keep a percentage of your income from your streams.

Instead of the hassle, you can learn how to upload music to Spotify and other platforms with the help of an online distributional service. The only thing you have to do is pay an annual fee. Once that’s covered, you’ll have your songs on various streaming services. Also, you get to keep 100% of what you earn from fans playing your music.

Figure Out Your Why

Becoming a music artist can easily be a high-risk endeavor if things pan out differently than you envisioned. There are only a few rare exceptions where people can say they’re making a living off their art. Most people see the glitz and glamour, so they assume the steps to get there are easy enough.

However, a defining moment for any budding musician is figuring out their “why.” Why do you want to become a musician? Is it for popularity? Money? Do you believe people can benefit from your story? Before starting this career, you’ll need to ask these questions.

There’s no wrong answer, but outlining “your why” will make it easier to focus on your steps. Whatever your end goal, you’ll have to communicate that message to listeners. Once they understand, some may decide to leave, while others may continue listening if they can relate to your music.

Create a Social Media Presence

Social media is a crucial tool that can help your career. Over 60% of U.S. adults use a platform, and over 4 billion people worldwide have a social media account. So plenty of people can become a fan of your music. The issue is drawing them to your pages to grow your fandom.

Your music, of course, is your starting point. Without it, it’ll be challenging to build the necessary buzz. You’ll also have to think about your style; what does your image say about your personality?

How does it relate to your music? These two go hand in hand and will determine how the public views you.

Once you’ve curated an image, start posting everywhere. Post past songs to get listeners fond of your sound. Tease new music, so fans get excited about what’s to come.

Let people know where you’ll have gigs and link your website, allowing people to learn more about you. Doing all of these things can help build a solid online presence.

Be Passionate

Some music artists make their careers look easy; all they needed was a big break, and they are on their way to stardom. Unfortunately, it only works like that for some. You’ll have to grind to have a successful career.

It might take months or even years to get the attention you’re looking for. And that might be disheartening even when you feel like you’ve done a lot of work.

But you’ll need to remain vigilant and passionate if this is what you want to do. If you’re not passionate about your music, it will reflect in your sound, and fans will take notice. 

Having that passion will separate you from other aspiring artists. Think about your favorite artists if you need help finding passion when the light’s dwindling. What attracted you to their music?

It was most likely the passion you heard in their songs. Now take that principle and apply it to your music. With more passion, you’ll be able to create something amazing that will keep your spirits high.

A Unique Identity Will Separate You from Others

It can be challenging to separate yourself in a world full of music artists. However, think about the music you want to create and how you want the world to receive it. Curate your ideal image and match it with your personality so people can connect with who you are. With a bit of time and effort, you’ll create a unique identity that no one can steal from you.

Similar Stories