The artist bio! How important is it really?

The bio (biography) is your business card to the music community. It helps fans, press, booking agents, managers, and record labels know who you are and what your about. In most cases this is your  first impression to make on somebody before they even listen to your music. It is sometimes your only chance to get your music heard and the last thing you want is to mess up that opportunity. It is good to have both a short and a long version of your bio to be used in different situations. Your website should always have the longer version but there are other times when you might need the shorter version for smaller publications. You should also be sure to keep your bio updated with the latest info to reflect your growth and progress.

Here is a list of questions that you might want to think about when writing your artist bio:

  • What is your full name + stage name?
  • When did you start making music? Fully explain.
  • What is your genre of music?
  • Who are your influences? (Musically and otherwise)
  • How would you describe your style?
  • What most excites you about your work & the contribution you can make?
  • Where are you located?
  • Where are you from? (if different)
  • Did you go to high school / college in the area where you live?
  • Do you perform in live shows?  (mention venues)
  • Have you done any live shows with any major artist? If so, who / when / where? (General info is fine is you don’t remember exact dates)
  • What kind of catch phrases do you commonly use?
  • What are your ultimate goals in music?
  • What are you ultimate goals in life?
  • What is the name of your CD or upcoming CD?
  • If your album is released, where can people buy it?
  • What producers do/have you work with?
  • What are things that concern you besides music? (Such as police brutality, injustices, etc)
  • What is your race / ethnic background?
  • Do you do music full-time or do you have another job?
  • When did you begin pursuing music on a full-time basis? (if applicable)
  • Besides a career in music, what are your other goals?
  • How do you want to be remembered?

Always add a taste of your personality.  Highlight your best attributes. Keep it simple yet meaningful.

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