A lot of musicians spend years trying to get more attention. They think the measure of success is in the numbers…more followers, more streams, more playlist placements, more views. And while there’s certainly nothing wrong with wanting those things, I’ve noticed something interesting over the years. Because we are independent artists, we don’t need a […]
Category: Encouragement for Musicians
From Underground Hip Hop to Genre-Blending Freedom: Meet Independent Artist R
There’s something powerful about artists who allow themselves to evolve. Some musicians stay planted in one sound for their entire career. Others follow curiosity, experimentation, and growth wherever it leads. Independent artist R falls into the second category — an artist whose journey has stretched across hip hop, spoken word, rock, reggae, and R&B while […]
Anitra Jay in Booking, Brand Image, Encouragement for Musicians, First time, General Business, Uncategorized
How to Tell if a Free Gig Opportunity Is Actually Worth Your Time
At some point, almost every musician hears some version of this: “We’d love to have you perform… we don’t really have a budget right now, but it’ll be great exposure.” And honestly? Sometimes it can be. But sometimes it’s absolutely not worth loading your gear into the car. That’s the part nobody really talks about. […]
How to Turn Casual Listeners Into Long-Term Fans
Social media has completely changed the way independent artists are able to grow an audience. It gives musicians the ability to connect with strangers all over the world, create viral moments, and gain massive exposure in ways that simply were not possible before. As a discovery tool, it is incredibly powerful. The problem is that […]
Anitra Jay in Brand Image, Encouragement for Musicians, Fan Base, Promote A Music Release, Promotions
Why Most Music Releases Lose Momentum (And How Engagement Changes Everything)
Releasing music is one of the most vulnerable parts of being an artist. You spend weeks — sometimes months — creating something meaningful. You refine it. You perfect it. You imagine how it will feel when people hear it. You picture strangers discovering it. Sharing it. Loving it. You allow yourself to hope that this […]
Make Your Visual Branding Attract Your Ideal Music Fans
Take Inventory and Create a Clear Path Forward Visual branding is a consistent, simplified way of communicating the look and feel of your music — so people can quickly understand who you are and what kind of experience you offer. When your visuals work together, they create context. They help someone recognize your work, feel […]
Why Most Musicians Feel Stuck (And Why the Solution Isn’t More Hustle)
If you’re a musician who feels stuck, scattered, or unsure what to focus on next, you’re not alone. And more importantly — you’re probably not failing. Most musicians don’t feel stuck because they aren’t working hard enough. They feel stuck because they’re trying to move in too many directions at once, without a clear sense […]
10 Things You Need to Start a Singer-Songwriter Career
Starting a career as a singer-songwriter is one of the most satisfying things you can do for yourself because you are pursuing an opportunity to follow your passion. There are a lot of options to choose from on which route to go as far as branding and how to market yourself and what types of […]
Anitra Jay in Artist Blog, Book Reviews, Encouragement for Musicians, Finance, First time, General Business
Book Recommendation List for Musicians to Build a Music Career
Here at The Crafty Musician, we believe that every entrepreneur in music has the ability to achieve their goals without the help of a record label. A lot of the tools, resources, and ideas to build a music career you’ll find on this blog are DIY-natured; meaning that you can do it yourself and be […]
Why Guitarists Need a Guitar Tablature Notebook
I started out teaching myself to play guitar. I learned the basic chords like C, G, E, etc. I started writing music with those basic chords and my love for guitar playing blossomed. A few years later, I decided to expand my guitar playing skills by taking lessons with a guitar instructor. That’s when I […]
10 Quick and Easy Song Writing Prompts for Singer-Songwriters
Getting your creative juices flowing can be difficult when you’re not inspired or motivated. When it comes to creative output, artists tend to experience times of abundance and times of drought. Unfortunately, those times of drought can last a little longer than we’d like. You could try to let yourself naturally come out of writer’s […]