In this blog article, I share my biggest takeaways from Berlin Dance Music Event 2024: The Gathering Festival for Electronic Music in Berlin.
I enjoyed attending the Berlin Dance Music Event, a multi-day gathering for the electronic music industry.
The main purpose of this event is to provide an educational and influential platform for aspiring artists and professionals in electronic music to gain inspiration and focus on their personal growth.
Furthermore, the event offers valuable insights into current topics within the industry, making it an ideal place for established players to network with one another.
During the festival, I had the opportunity to attend several panel discussions.
One discussion focused on “How to build an Online Audience”, which featured Gernot Müller (Voltage Cirus), Micheal Obergfell (MGNFY), Grahame Farmer, and Miles Shackleton (Toolroom Records).
Another intriguing panel was titled “15 Spotify Hacks”, where various techniques and strategies were highlighted to enhance one’s ranking on Spotify.
Lastly, a thought-provoking discussion was titled “From Releases to Gigs: How To Get Booked”.
During this session, Adriana Dyakova, Lewin Paul Schulte (Watergate), Anastasia A. (Tote Sonne), and Lucas Jahncke (Nakt Studio) shared their perspectives on how DJs can secure gigs.
Here are five takeaways. 👇🏼
Set Goals
If there’s one thing I learned and still am learning, it is to be focused.
But what matters when trying to be focused?
Goals.
Being focused means that you have clear goals and objectives and your work is dedicated to achieving those goals and objectives.
A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal borken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.
Greg Reid
So what are your goals as an independent artist?
Whether it’s your online presence or your music career, goals help you keep focused at every stage of your journey.
Of course, goals can shift. Mine sure have.
But it is sooo important to give yourself direction.
Making a goals sheet is the single most important thing you can do in your music career no matter what stage you’re at.
Know your audience
I think this is one of the most important ones.
Every time I think of something I want to create, I always think of my ideal persona.
Whether it’s an event within our Club or a post on Instagram, I always ask myself: “Does it speak to my target audience’s situation/problems/desires?”
It took me time to realize how important that is to everything I want to communicate.
And the same goes for you as a musician.
Who is your listener?
What type of music do they enjoy?
Where do they spend their time?
What events do they participate in?
Before you start the writing-recording process, you should know exactly who your fans are by making a document entitled “Ideal Listener”.
Make sure to define that person clearly.
That’s your passport to developing a beloved fan base.
Understanding who the majority of your fans are will help you craft your sound, image, merch, and overall marketing and promotion.
Use storytelling
I recently bought Ari Herstand’s Book (I highly recommend you).
I’m halfway through it and I enjoy reading it.
This sentence gave me a lot to think about:
Whether you like it or not, your story is just as important as your music.
I think it’s true.
I mean, we all crave stories.
Whenever I dig into a new artist’s discovery, I am always drawn to stories or interesting facts about his/her work, life or peers.
The same goes for other journalists, radio stations, and media.
They all want a great story to write about your music.
And why does your story matter?
Because it CONNECTS.
The more you share about your personal experiences, journey, and sources of inspiration, the stronger the connection between your fans and your music will become.
Find content ideas on the go
This is a personal reflection I immediately did after finishing attending the panel titled “Create Reels in under 15 minutes” by Luke Madness.
Watching him create a Vlog Reel about his day at the event, made me think about one thing.
Content ideas are everywhere.
If you’re unsure about what to share, especially if you don’t have upcoming gigs or new music on the horizon, but still want to stay relevant and on top of mind for your fans, one of the most effective strategies, is to draw inspiration from your daily life.
It could be a discussion with another musician, something that deeply resonated with you, or even the things you’re learning right now.
The key is to pay attention and find inspiration in the world around you.
Boost visibility with Youtube
I’ve been creating content on YouTube since 2022, and I have to say that the more effort you invest in YouTube, the better results you tend to achieve compared to Instagram.
Recently, I took a look at my statistics and it’s crazy to see that I consistently receive new views on my very first video The Seven Best Berlin Record Shops.
Of course, there is competition on YouTube as well, but I believe it is more beatable and offers numerous opportunities for connecting with your fans on a deeper level.
Additionally, YouTube is not just for music, as in “sound”.
Unlike many other music applications or platforms, Youtube revolves around video content which makes it more engaging than others.
Even lyric videos can be artistic and captivating.
This allows you to convey your vision effectively.
Furthermore, YouTube has been around for a long time now, ensuring a growing audience.
To finish off…
I found the Berlin Dance Music Event a great opportunity for deep reflection on these topics.
I hope that my article has offered valuable perspectives for you to think of as you navigate your challenges as a musician.
Out of all the key points discussed, which one resonated with you the most?
Don’t miss our upcoming live Q&A session! 👀
In our Club Membership this month, we will focus on your brand as a music artist.
Every week, we’ll dive into key areas where Online Branding and music intersect, such as your target audience, brand identity, messaging and Content Strategy.
Additionally, we will host an engaging live Q&A Session with renowned dance artist composer, and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Thoneick.
The session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 at 7 pm (CET).
Eddie will guide you through the importance of the right mindset when releasing new music, and maintaining a positive approach to promote your work effectively.
Most importantly, he will answer all your questions about your current challenges, by sharing unique insights and perspectives.
To attend the session, click down below and sign up for our Club Membership by starting your 7-day FREE trial.
Even if you can’t attend live, you will get access to the reply in our Club’s Premium Content Section.
Hope to see you there!
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