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Life as an independent artist can bring unique struggles that not everyone seems to understand. Family members might put pressure on you to get a “real job,” or non-musician friends may ask why you’re always so busy creating content. When you’re chasing something you believe in, it’s important that others believe in you too, or you can end up feeling despondent. This is why building a network of like-minded individuals around you is one of the best things you can do for your career.
Moral Support
When you finally land that prestigious festival slot after years of applying, no one else will quite understand the struggle it took like a fellow independent artist. When you need to vent to someone about the financial difficulties of marketing a new track, talking to a friend who is facing the same problem can make you feel a lot less alone. Sharing experiences, successes, and challenges with other musicians striving towards the same goals as you can give you a sense of community, like you truly belong somewhere.
Receiving support is just one part of it; it can be just as fulfilling to provide it to others, too. Watching your best friend headline a huge venue or celebrating a fellow artist’s first radio play can be really inspiring and motivate you to make bold steps in your own career.
Co-writing and Collabs
Every songwriter has struggled with writer’s block at some point, which is why co-writing can be such a godsend. Branching out and writing with other people is not only fun, but it can bring a fresh new perspective to songwriting, building your creativity and leading you to songs that you would never have written alone in your bedroom. Co-writing enables you to try new things, explore new genres, and learn from others. In an interview in 2015, Adele described how working with co-writer Greg Kurstin led to the track “Hello,” saying “…it’d been pretty slow up to this point, and I felt after I worked with [“Hello” producer] Greg [Kurstin] on this, it all poured right out of me.”
Writing with others also opens the door to collaboration. You may end up writing a track that you decide to release as a duet or gain writing credits on another artist’s song, which could potentially be lucrative if the track is a success.
It’s Who You Know
The people you meet and build positive relationships with can be the key to unlocking exciting, career-changing opportunities. You never know when you might chat with a booking agent at a friend’s album launch, or when a co-writer might ask you to open up a big show for them. The more people you meet, the more people who know your name, and the more people who hear how fantastic your music is, the better.
In 2011, aspiring singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt was one of about ten people who attended an intimate radio show in Edinburgh where Ed Sheeran was due to perform. Catching him before his performance, Nesbitt asked if he had any advice for aspiring songwriters. Sheeran handed her his guitar and asked her to play an original song, and the next day tweeted her asking if she’d like to open for him on tour. This is a powerful example of the opportunities that networking can open up.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Online Friends
Introverts, listen up. You don’t even need to step outside your bedroom to start making connections in the industry. With the vital role that platforms like TikTok and Instagram play for musicians, many artists these days first connect via social media. Take rising country artists Ashley Cooke and Roman Alexander. In 2021, Cooke posted a video on TikTok covering Alexander’s song Between You and Me, praising the song’s intelligent lyrics. Alexander responded by asking Cooke if she’d like to feature on the song. The pair went on to release a brand new duet version of the track, which now has over 30 million streams on Spotify.
Connecting with other musicians online can quickly lead to real-life connections, and is a really fun way to find new content inspiration, cheer each other on, and even feature in each other’s videos to share audiences and gain new fans.
Build Your Network
So, independent artists, if you’re ready to get your name out there and start building a community that lifts you up and pushes you forward, here are three easy tips you can begin with:
1. Attend local gigs and events.
Head to a local show, play an open mic, or attend an industry event such as a songwriting workshop. The more you step out of your comfort zone, the more people you’ll meet along the way.
2. Reach out online.
Follow artists whose work you admire and reach out to them. Encourage others and comment on their posts when you have something meaningful to say. Make use of collaborative features on social media, such as TikTok Duets, and invite other artists to put their own spin on your work, too. There are endless ways to connect without even having to open your front door.
3. Be authentic.
If you’re going to be in this industry for the long run, it’s important to be true to yourself and let your real personality shine. Be kind, be honest, and show your support as much as you can. Build real connections with people and give what you can before asking for something in return.
Everybody wants to feel like they belong somewhere, and building a community won’t just provide emotional support, motivation, and new opportunities, but it can make music-making a whole lot more enjoyable.
