The music industry is an ever growing industry,
for artists to stand out and be recognized,
a Portfolio or Press Kit is absolutely necessary.
A Musician portfolio or press kit is simply the resume of a musician which includes a collection of media, accolades, work history, background created to exhibit and demonstrate potential to industry professionals such as the press, record labels etc.
Portfolios are key for musicians that want to be recognized,
because it tells their story and gives context to their work.
This post will look into what needs to be a portfolio and the advantages of actually creating one.
What a music portfolio should include:
Photographs
A musician portfolio should include photographs that show the identity of the artist and give a good indication of who the brand is.
Therefore, high resolution images should be included.
Digital photographs can be stored on a flash drive or CD,
these images can also be displayed on the musicians website for which they can add a link to in the press kit material.
Bio / Cover letter
A brief bio and a cover letter is also an important part of a musicians portfolio.
Furthermore, a cover letter will be good way of introducing yourself and will give the reader a good idea of who you are and which kind of music genre you produce.
Simply put, a bio gives a brief background of the musician; like when they started releasing music, their name, etc.
A good bio should be brief and well written giving the reader a good idea of where you at in your music journey and a few other things that can show how much you have evolved over your career.
Demo (Audio and Video Files)
The demo is the ultimate pitch in your portfolio.
Audio and video file demos are the best way to showcase what you’re all about,
therefore if there’s an opportunity to include video in your press kit then you should definitely do it.
Your audio demo will show what kind of music you make and will provide a lot more context.
A video demo will showcase the performance style of the musician and will give even more context which can be helpful if you’re looking to produce some results with your portfolio.
Industry professionals need this kind of info to atleast have an idea of what you’re all about.
Therefore adding 3 or 4 songs to your portfolio can work in your favor, a mix of both audio and video will make for a high quality portfolio.
Here’s how you get your demo to a record label
Accolades
A musician portfolio is a great way to sell yourself, therefore including your accolades and your achievements is important.
This will show how much you have accomplished and how well recognized your brand is, which will give you as the musician a lot more credibility.
Contact Information
A Musician portfolio should have the contact details of the musician. I.e. phone number, email address etc.
Providing this information makes it easy for people to be able to reach the musician and get in touch.
It is advised to put contact information on every component of the portfolio because it will give people the assurance that what their looking at is actually your portfolio.
Leaving out this information would make it difficult for potential employment, deal or gig to reach the musician.
Social links
Your social links are also good contact info components that should be included on the portfolio.
This is especially important for musicians looking for endorsements or record deals because social media is usually at the front and centre of any artists brand.
Most employers or potential partners will want to go through your social feeds to see the type of content being published,
because partners and employers want to be associated with people that have a good steady brand.
Find out if its possible to have a music career without social media.
Press coverage
This is a good way for a musician to sell themselves because it will basically show the past times when they were covered by the press.
For example an article explaining the rise of the musician can be a great addition to the press coverage.
It gives the brand a good reputation and a little bit of clout.
Importance of having a musicians portfolio
- Makes it easier for the press to get a hold of your information and be able to cover a story well.
2. Gives credibility to your brand and raises awareness.
3. Makes it easier to land gigs, deals and other opportunities.
4. Its serves the same purpose as a resume.
Related Articles
Creating a Portfolio: Musician Edition – Art-Spark
How to Make a Music Portfolio at Any Stage in Your Career
Is It Better To Be An Independent Artist?
