This month we caught an interview branding and PR expert Fanny Axén to find out more about her role and her journey within the music industry so far. Here’s how it went.
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Hi Fanny – thanks for the interview! Just to give a little background – where did your journey within music begin, and what do you currently offer in terms of the modern day musician or band?
Hi, Thank you for having me. My first bigger experience working with music was getting hired by international Grammy award winning artist and songwriter/producer Mohombi, i started out as his stylist and designed clothes for him, i have also co produced a music video for him, and ended up being hired as the PR manager for his own record label.
I would best describe it as building a brand and all that’s included in that, seems i have worked in all fields from stylist to A&R i have helped with all aspects of an artists carrier, from your image and social media to the music and what kind of artist you are, to get you with the right producers and writers for you to really help finding your own sound and what makes you unique.
What is it about independent music that inspires or draws such passion from you?
To be completely honest with you its not alot of artists that can manage to be independent for long, unless they got the right team around them. its sad but true a lot of artists doesn’t work that hard and just think your gonna do everything for them as a manager.
But the ones that really knows who they are and work hard on there craft everyday, no excuses it’s extremely inspiring to be a part of seeing a star that done a lot them self and to be able to help them to the next level in there dream. It’s really rewarding.
What do you know to be some of the main ways in which the music industry has evolved in recent years, and what are the best ways artists and bands can adapt to how things are right now?
How big an influence Social Media has on the business.
I would say don’t pay too much attention to it, if it will take away for the kind of artists you want to be, to get to drawn into it in the end it’s all about good music.
It’s very different depending on what market you want to be in and also what country. But a good advice is absolutely to try to build a social media following for your own brand. I would definitely say as well if you have the opportunity that a good feature with a bigger artist in the market you want to be in will most of the time be a good way just to get your voice out there, and also a really good way if you know you have a very unique tone and voice is to try to be on as many demos as you can you never know who will hear it and a lot of the time that’s how many artists actually do get found, by A&Rs or other artists that might like the voice for the demo they hear, but that could of course be really hard unless you got the right connections, but i wouldn’t use that as an excuse everyone creates relationships somehow and if you are driven enough you will find a way to get it done.
Look at me from the start I had absolutely no relationships in the business seens I never really been a social person unless its for business but with the vision and drive i had i created everything along the way with hard work and don’t forget to take place and introduce yourself and what you do, no ones gonna come running after you when they won’t know that you even exist.
What sort of music do you prefer to work with?
I’m definitely a R&B/ Pop fan.
What are your top three tips for independent musicians right now in terms of reaching a wider audience?
I would say a bit the same as i said before.
A good tip is to try to be the opening act or like i said before get your voice on a record for a bigger artists in the same market as you, or similar.
Another one which is extremely important find your story, image, and sound that makes you unique, remember A&Rs and Label are looking for unique but still something that people can relate to with a story.
Be very consistent with your social media, make sure that when someone looks at your page they know exactly what your about, don’t mix to much personal and business that can confuse people a lot.
What are your hopes or plans over the coming months and years?
I’m very excited about some new projects I’m working on, cant say too much right now but we got some really talented artists coming, and just keep building my own brand and dream.
What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you?
Is there anything else we should know?
Just want to say to everyone that don’t listen too much to what people say, do you and you will be good. It’s gonna be hard but in the end hard work pays off.
