“Ugh, not ANOTHER new artist to follow and support.”
I can promise you that phrase accompanied by the sigh of the weary has never come out of my mouth as an editor of Classical Crossover Magazine. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. There is a feeling of excitement, often accompanied by goosebumps and the immediate desire to share this amazing new talent with the world.
One of those recent moments for me was hearing “Saving Mozart” by composer Charli Eglinton. It actively stopped me in my tracks. I hadn’t felt that flutter in a while and right away I researched Charli and requested an interview… but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes it takes multiple points of exposure to an artist. It’s embarrassing to admit, but teenage Natasha did not appreciate Barbra Streisand, thankfully maturity fixed that one.
CCM receives a TON of submissions. Given that classical crossover is a very niche genre I can imagine that this is only a drop in the bucket to what mainstream publications must receive. It’s embarrassing to admit but on occasion, it has taken me YEARS (yes plural) from first contact to actively review material and move forward with a submission.
At this point in time, Classical Crossover Magazine is managed on one dedicated day of the week and stolen hours wherever possible throughout the rest of Holidays and weekends. To me a vacation is not a time to relax and refresh, but a time to try and get ahead with the backlog of work that is waiting. It’s to the point where my family calls me a “workaholic” and are often actively annoyed with me. However, this is not an article about creating work and life balance (although that is one for the future!), this article is all about how YOU the artist can be sure to be heard and seen.
Here’s the thing, people want you to succeed. Okay, maybe not if you are auditioning for reality TV where they may even actively set you up for failure (yes, producers will actively pass-through “untalented” singers through dozens of rounds before getting to the famous panel of judges who then laugh and berate), but at Classical Crossover Magazine we want to promote this genre and its many incredible artists. So how can you stand out?
Offer your own ready-to-share content.
If you come with a finished article there is a much higher likelihood your piece will be considered. Have you recently recorded a new album? Write about the process, or a day in the studio, how you picked your photographer – anything other musicians or fans would be interested to hear. Write about your struggles with doubt and how you managed to have that vocal breakthrough that saw you through to a special performance. Aim for at least 500 words.
Make it exclusive.
Tell us the name or tracks from your new album first. Share an exclusive look at the album cover or behind-the-scenes content from in the studio or at your video shoot. Make the offer impossible to pass up.
Know your unique selling point (USP).
What is it about your music that makes you memorable? Voce Nova creates unique mash-ups, Mary-Jess learned Mandarin and won the Chinese X-Factor. Make your unique USP part of your branding and be sure to include it when you submit.
High-quality photos.
A good photoshoot could be the difference between a cover or tucked-away article. There have been times when an artist is very special but they only send low-quality JPEG images that would be too grainy for the cover, and as a result, someone else gets the spot.
Collate and package it up.
We receive a lot of messages to the effect of “I am a singer… would you like to interview me?” No links or music attached. So, I do a google search and an out-of-date website comes up. There is basically no information about the artist (has it even been updated in the last 5 years?!), no music clips and when I go to check out their socials, the links are broken. That submission is going nowhere fast.
Make sure to include links to your finest video or song on Spotify. Link to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder with your HQ images, biography, press bits, etc. Have your website and socials clearly listed in your footer.
Be persistent but give space.
Keep a spreadsheet where you track submitted requests and check in every couple of months with new releases. If you don’t hear back by email, wait another couple of weeks and send a message through a different channel. Reminders are appreciated when given with sufficient space and courtesy. Don’t give up.
Also, a personal pet peeve of mine: only contact someone on their personal profiles if you are willing to put the time into creating a relationship. Networking is not just about promoting yourself. If you are on someone’s personal page, comment about their cute dog or funny meme before going straight to business.
Engage and support other artists.
There have been a number of artists that have come to my attention simply because they enthusiastically engage with our content. It’s not always a push for self-promotion but rather they celebrate other artists. I will choose to research an artist based on their positive online behavior alone. It’s about building a community.
If you would like to submit to Classical Crossover Magazine please visit our Contact Us page
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