Making a Successful Artist Bio
Unless you’re Bob Dylan, Zorro or Mr. Green in the library with the revolver, you’re probably not as big of a mystery as you think. If you’re a lead singer, you probably like the “mysterious-who-am-I-really?” kind of vibe, but I’m here to tell you, it’s overrated. Your fans want to know you, the real you. They deserve to know you, and it’ll serve you better in the long run. To make a successful artist bio there’s really only one rule to follow:
Be Yourself
When you write your Bio, Be Communicative: Communicate your accessibility, convey your need for support, describe your passion for music, and lastly, be clear your goals and intentions.
Be accessible, not mysterious: Your fans want to know who you are. Let them in. If you want to have a successful artist bio, you should be fairly transparent.
Be relatable: People need to know you are human, not a robot. It’s not a time to demonstrate your unlikeness, but your likeness.
Be a story-teller: Fans love stories. It’s the human condition. Stories have been passed around as long as we’ve been around. Share a personal story that will stick out. Maybe it’s the story about the time you got lost in Paris and ended up in a speakeasy drinking beers and dancing on tables with the local football team. Maybe it’s the one about the time you met Mick Jagger outside on the balcony of his hotel room. You tossed him a shirt to sign, but he didn’t have a pen so he just wiped his sweat on it. Whatever the case, share a story. Make your artist bio interesting.
Don’t Be a “one-upper”: Your bio is not a glorified resume. You’re not trying to get a promotion, or win a date with a Kardashian (maybe you are, but it’s not going to happen). The goal is not to write a list of all your amazing accomplishments. They’ll get to see it at the show. Remember, people don’t like one-uppers.
Be passionate with your art and inform: Fans often relate to others who are passionate about what they do. If your fans can understand it’s not all about the money or the fame, but it’s because you really love the music, it gives them more of a reason to support you.
Be the incentive: A successful artist bio should have a thesis. A statement about why it is you do what you do. People like seeing a band that is goal-oriented. If you have a clear path forward and your fans can see that, they will be more willing to support you.
Be Visual: Interested fans love photos. Post an intriguing photo, even if it means Photo-Shopping yourself playing beer pong with Garth Brooks. You want your fans to stop, and wonder: how did that happen?
Remember, being in a band is about communication. You are always communicating something to your fans, so make sure it’s positive. Don’t forget to be accessible through your website, and don’t forget to make your intentions clear. If it sounds like you don’t know what you’re doing – you probably don’t! Be passionate about your music and stay passionate. Making a successful artist bio requires you to be grateful. Show your fans how much you appreciate them. Most importantly of all, be yourself. The road to success is paved only by you being you.
