Playing in one of the many music festivals is a very important step in the life of an emerging artist. First of all, let’s say it, playing your music on an outdoor stage in front of a large audience, there is nothing cooler! Then, you are going to make discover your music to a great number of future fans, it is the principle of the festival. We come because we like two or three headliners, we leave having discovered his or her new favorite musician. It’s a great way to promote your music.
We know it’s as hard as it is cool to get a spot in a festival lineup. So we’re centralizing all of our sharpest techniques in this article to help you reach your goal: playing a festival. Don’t thank us now, but don’t forget to invite us when you’re on the mainstage at Coachella.
1. No one will book you for a festival without seeing you live first
The importance of playing live can’t be overstated when it comes to landing a spot in music festival lineups. For artists, performing on stage is not just a chance to hone their craft but also a crucial opportunity to show what they’re really made of. Bookers, promoters, and other industry pros often rely on live performances to gauge an artist’s potential. Even the best studio recording can’t capture the energy, stage presence, and audience interaction that make a concert unforgettable.
Playing live allows artists to create a unique connection with their audience, and it’s precisely this connection that can convince a festival booker to invite them to perform. The magic of a successful concert, where the emotion is palpable and the energy contagious, is a powerful selling point for any decision-maker. Videos of performances can help, but nothing beats the direct, immersive experience of a live show.
To maximize your chances of getting noticed, it’s crucial to invite bookers and industry pros to your gigs. Let them know about your tour dates, offer them invitations, and make sure every performance showcases your full potential. A solid, well-prepared, and energetic performance can be the deciding factor that turns a casual industry spectator into a passionate advocate for your music.
2. Develop your professional network and see who is programming the music festivals you want to be in
Having a great artistic direction and released music is great, but you need to let the main stakeholders know about your existence, otherwise you won’t get very far. So approach the festivals directly. For that, you’ll have to become the Indiana Jones of email addresses. Search the websites of each festival for the right contacts. Search all Linkedin, search all Instagram. You’ll find it like the sleuth that you are. Make a document with the essential information of these people, name – first name, the festival, the role he or she plays in the festival.
Now, make yourself a nice EPK. The electronic press kit – or press kit – is your artist business card. It has to be concise, as much as possible, you are not the only one sending music, if the recipient of your EPK feels that it will be too long to read, they will not read it. But don’t forget the main thing either, you have to find the right balance. There has to be at least one link to your music project.
By the way, needless to say, there’s no point in canvassing if you don’t have enough money to play on stage for a set. It’s good to have at least an EP. And if you already have some experience on stage, inform them. Put a short bio, a link to your social networks, and that’s it.
💡 Don’t hesitate to use Groover to find pros who can get you into festivals – especially bookers/agents – or give you feedback on your music.
Canvassing online for festivals is great, but you should also do it in person. There’s nothing better than catching a pro at the corner of a concert bar or after a conference to convince them. It’s not forbidden but be careful: stay professional, never insist. Being persistent is an asset, it’s true, but there’s a fine line between being reluctant and being prejudiced.
Looking to play live? ⬇️
3. Participate in music competitions and festival auditions
Getting noticed by festival bookers can also be achieved by participating in music competitions and festival auditions. These platforms offer invaluable exposure and the chance to showcase your talent to industry professionals. In the UK, competitions like the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition and the Unsigned Music Awards are renowned for launching careers and are accessible to independent artists. Events like Open Mic UK also provide a platform for emerging talents to gain significant exposure. Auditions for festivals such as The Great Escape’s First Fifty showcase and the Tramlines Festival’s Apply to Play program offer artists a direct route to some of the country’s most prestigious stages.
In the US, events like NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest and the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) are highly respected and open to independent musicians. Auditions for South by Southwest (SXSW) and the American Idol auditions also present excellent opportunities for artists to break into the festival circuit. Participating in these competitions and auditions not only boosts your visibility but also demonstrates your commitment and readiness to perform at a high level.
| Also read: How to write a good tech rider for live shows
4. Organize your own music festival
Wouldn’t it be a bit crazy to make your own place in a festival, by setting it up yourself? Well not so much, Macki Music Festival for example, is organized by the artist collectives Cracki Records and La Mamie’s. They invite artists who make them vibrate and take the opportunity to make the public discover their music. The idea is not easy to put in place, but who said that it was easy to break into music?
Set up a partnership; bring your friends who are passionate about music with you, and let’s go for an extraordinary adventure. Talk about creating a network of professionals in the music industry; with a festival, you will meet tons of them. It’s also an opportunity to meet artists who are open to conversations (or not) and create a connection that can lead to a collaboration. In short, the repercussions can be quite enormous.
The other side of the coin is that it is very time consuming and expensive. You can’t start organizing a festival without having a good start and a good knowledge of the territory you are trying to work in. Mobilizing an audience, even when you have the right program, is not always easy. You have to develop strong communication skills, become very serious about the administrative part, surround yourself with a bunch of solid people on their supports, we grant you that it is not an easy task. But creating your own place rather than waiting for someone to integrate you into their vision is a great way to climb up and promote your music.
In short, playing in festivals to gain visibility is a must for an emerging musician. Only it’s not easy, it’s true. We know, you don’t lack determination, so draw on it and keep your confidence.
– Translated by Betty Gonzalez Gray –
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