How to Get Artist Interviews in 2024

Musicians must create their own playing field by releasing work, collaborating with other artists, and performing live shows - they are required to make their own moves to build their career. To do this effectively, they must be ready to bare all and share the “what”s, “why”s, and “how”s of their creations. Thus, interviews are an artist’s gateway to the radars of music consumers.

For emerging artists, platforms like Groover can play a crucial role in bridging that gap, offering tools to connect with industry professionals and get the visibility needed to land those all-important interviews. Music takes on a whole new meaning when you hear the context behind it, how it was made, and what story inspired it.

Here are some things you can do to get interviewed as an emerging artist.

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How to Get Artist Interviews

In order to get the attention of those who will eventually interview you, you first need to spark their interest and make them believe that there's more to your story than what they see or hear at first glance. This starts by making great music, of course, but there are additional ways to catch attention and keep it. 

1. Spark Curiosity

Even the very best musicians need to carefully plan out their music marketing strategies and decide how they're going to promote their latest releases, but all of this starts with the music itself - so you need to put new tunes out regularly.

Release Music Often

Interviews almost always revolve around an event, and in music this is often either an upcoming release or tour. Thus, you should give the media something to talk about and base their questions off of. They need news, so be very active by releasing music and performing often - this will give you something to promote, the audience something to check out and be excited about should they discover you through the interview, and will let any industry professional watching know that you are a working musician.

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Have A Consistent Online Personality

Media plays a huge role in who music journalists believe people want to hear more from, and understanding your brand as a musician is crucial. If you maintain a consistent personality online, your following will feel closer to you and want to know more. Having a distinct “voice” on your social media pages can grow the curiosities of those visiting your profiles for the first time - you want them asking themselves who you are and how you came to have such an engaged audience.

Don’t Overshare On The Internet

Having an online presence is vital, but also requires a balance. Make sure you do not give too much away on the internet - interviewers won’t have many questions left to ask. It’s easy to overshare on platforms that value chronic posting, but try to strike a balance between being open with your following and keeping your cards close to your chest. Allow significant information about you and your music to come out in primarily formal contexts like interviews so people feel more inclined to listen, and it retains its value.

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2. Play Live Shows

Along with being a great bit of news to share, live shows are arguably the best place to network as an artist. There are two ways of doing this:

Open for Bigger Artists

The benefits that come with opening for a more established artist are numerous. If you’re just starting out, having a shorter set than the headliner is a much less daunting task to prepare and execute. You can get a taste of performing without too much pressure and experience what a real soundcheck, rehearsal, and show are like. Most importantly, the headliner may have press coming to the show. This is the best way to get on their radar. They’ll get a sneak peek of your music and want to know more about you and your connection to the artist you’re supporting. Very often, the media comes backstage after shows to interview performers for quotes for their reviews and write ups. They also film backstage interviews for social media. Introduce yourself and make sure they remember your name. If you hit it off, they may interview you as well! Keep these people in mind for your next show and invite them to tag along.

Headline Your Own Gigs

Being a main artist is no doubt the goal if you want to make waves in music, so plan some headlining shows of your own (or a tour if you can). Having a couple opener shows under your belt already will do wonders for your credibility in the eyes of venue bookers and the media outlets you reach out to. Target the venues who like to host independent artists and newcomers - these are the places music journalists go to scout for new talent all the time. Whether you have media connections or not, playing gigs of your own is a surefire way to get some.

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3. Reach Out to Interviewers

The different mediums that exist in media are plenty:

• Blogs
• Podcasts
• Independent Interviewers on Socials
• YouTube Channels
• Zines

… to name a few.

The other side is the music scene itself which is overflowing with new artists and producers. Make it easier for media outlets to find you by reaching out to them yourself. Remember, an interview is much more likely if you have something new happening in the development of your career. Wait until you have an upcoming release or show to reach out to the media to let them know who you are and what you’re about to do.

What to Include

Remember, spark curiosity. When you contact them, tell the reader just enough for them to understand your world but still want to know more about it. You can do this by either writing a press release or brief pitch about your work. Both should give all necessary details (date, location, project description, links) so that the recipient has everything they need to either reach out to you or see you play live without hassle. For example, if you are inviting them to a show (ideally to get interviewed after), ensure that they are already on the guest list.

How to Get In Touch

Most communications are done by email, though social media is taking on a bigger role in formal exchanges nowadays. If you have a press person’s contact information, go ahead and send it via those means. If you’re not sure where to start, many media outlets also accept communication through direct channels such as artist service websites for a small fee. The most affordable of these options is Groover, which only costs €2 per direct message to a curator’s inbox. Because the platform wants artists to get the most out of their service, they give all credits back to be used elsewhere if someone fails to answer within a week. Given the sheer number of blogs, journalists, reviewers, and influencers they’re partnered with (over 3k), Groover is a great place to get the ball rolling with media outreach.

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Groover: The Most Effective Way to Contact Interviewers

One of the hardest parts about the music industry is building a network, especially when you don’t know anyone at the start. Providing a direct channel that bridges the gap between you and respected music industry players is exactly what Groover’s mission is, and it’s been the catalyst that has gotten thousands of artists more streams, press coverage, and valuable connections in music. Browse their extensive list of professionals and you’ll be sure to find someone you want to reach out to - it’s worth a shot. The biggest advantage of Groover is that you're guaranteed your music will be heard, and you'll receive feedback in less than 7 days. 

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4. Bring Something New

Whether it’s a hot take on the music industry, an interesting personal background, or a unique perspective on a popular topic, give the press and public something new to think about and digest. For the media, their job is to bring engaging content to their readers and listeners. Offer them a story by sharing something that stands out and is not often said or spoken about. Everyone is drawn to different things; for all you know, it could be the artists you list when asked who your influences are that make someone want to listen to your work instead of just a description of your music. Make an effort to highlight the parts of you that are specific to you, and give genuine responses to anything you’re asked. 

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When combined, these strategies are your golden ticket to getting an interview as an emerging artist. Make sure to maintain friendly ties with any media connections you make along the way - they’ll be excellent allies as you continue to further your career and expand your reach. Good luck!

Ditto Music users can now enjoy a 15% discount on their first song promotion campaign. Sign up to Groover and use the code DITTOMUSICVIP to secure your discounted campaign.

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