The life of a rock star is all it’s cracked up to be – The adoring fans, the chance to demonstrate your creativity and a life of fame and fortune! That’s not to say, however, that it doesn’t take a hard work and qualities to get to the top.
It takes more than luck to become an indie Rock Star
It hasn’t come easy for many of the world’s established frontmen in rock music. In fact, quite a few have had to start from the bottom rung of life’s ladder and work their way up. British indie rock band Kasabian were bumming around on a farm after leaving college before becoming one of the UK’s biggest rock bands of the 21st century. Going further back than that, the iconic Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain, endured a turbulent childhood before finding his calling on-stage. So, what does it take to stand out and become a credible indie rock star in today’s industry?
Stand out from the crowd
Ultimately, the best way to stand out as a front man in a new indie band is to have a point of difference about you. Quirky, interesting front men that don’t conform to the norm have always lingered longer in the memory than those that have. It’s the same even in other industries within popular culture. In the world of soccer, out-and-out hard men like Slaven Bilic and Roy Keane lacked the finesse of most other footballers and earned rock star reputations as a result. The poker and eSports industries have also seen a rather nerdy-looking ELkY Grospellier carry himself like a rock star, his geeky persona jarring perfectly with his icy poker face to win millions of dollars at the tables and consoles.
Play for audiences, not record labels
A sure-fire way to turn off potential fans of your band is to churn out bland, commercialised nonsense that’s made to tick the right boxes with the record labels. The best rock bands are those that are passionate and believe in their own sound. Don’t be afraid to be innovative just because others in your industry aren’t. If you really want to build a following, play music that allows you to build connections with audiences. You’ll soon find that industry labels will be falling over themselves to sign you up.
Be an individual people can relate to
In today’s music business, social media rules the roost. But it’s certainly a great way to understand and communicate with fans. A guaranteed path to success for any indie band is to stay true to your roots. Demonstrate your personality, promote your music on your website and social media channels and be true to yourselves. In the rock industry, fans pick bands to support like football teams as they can relate to them and feel what the band feels.
Get yourself out there
Most importantly, you need a strong work ethic. Your band needs exposure, and the best possible way to get that is by playing plenty of gigs and touring the nationwide circuits. Sometimes, as a new indie band, it’s not until you’ve honed your craft in these small gigs that you find your identity as a group. Playing the circuits is a badge of honour and one of those rites of passage to prove your worth.
On the whole, successful musicians of all genres don’t tend to wait for opportunities or for the industry to come to them; they create opportunities themselves. That’s the attitude you need to become a successful indie star. Get out there, start playing the music that gets you out of bed in the morning and you’ll soon be heard by the people who need to listen to you.
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