Branding For Musicians: what is branding?

Branding: why now?

Society is moving from the industrial era to the digital era at astonishing speed. With this societal transformation come challenges for people in general, like finding a stable job, buying a house, or having a pension. However, the changes also give us all new opportunities, like publishing your own content on YouTube, building a (online) community, and generating revenues online. To be on the positive side of these changes requires you to have one thing: a personal brand. With this, you can act on opportunities and create a career for yourself that matters to others. Now, what does this mean to you as a musician, specifically? In these times of A.I. music creation, the one thing we still have over algorithms is that we are human. So, with that in mind, what do you think: is it better to be less or more empathic, colorful, distinct, personal, artistic, and emotional in your branding? I know what I think: you have to be truly human. And not just any human being, but More Of YOU.

Branding introduced

We could debate the definition of branding until we see purple cows dancing (Seth Godin joke), but let’s start with a basic premise. As a musician, consider branding from two angles. First, branding is in the eye of the beholder—your brand is how others perceive and feel about you. It’s the set of perceptions, expectations, memories, stories, and relationships people associate with you. As brand expert Marty Neumeier says, "A brand is a person's gut feeling about a product, service, or company. A brand is not what you say it is; it’s what they say it is."

Second, branding is a promise to your audience—a clear, distinct promise to those who care about you and your work. It means they know what to expect from you. Great artists have clear brand promises. For example, when attending a Jacob Collier concert, you expect beautiful harmonies and an immersive experience where you are part of the creation. What about Eefje de Visser? Lizzie McAlpine? Thundercat? What do you expect and feel about your favorite artists?

A compass for others

Branding isn’t about packaging yourself to sell your music; it’s about focusing your actions so the right people can find you. Branding is a service for others, not a selfish endeavor. It’s like a neon sign in the desert saying "OASIS!". Brands help people make better choices. If I want psychedelic-soul with romantic, funky vibes, I listen to Khruangbin. For melancholic, intricate pop, I play OK Computer by Radiohead. For a sexy, cool French disco, I reach for my L'Impératrice vinyl. Branding isn’t about controlling others; it’s about providing clear information about who you are and what you stand for.

That brings us to my definition of a brand: “The creative and focused expression of your artistic, personal & professional identity to provide others with clarity about what you stand for.”

Empower yourself

Besides guiding others, a deeply personal brand benefits you. Tangibly, a great brand means less selling and more requests (acquisition vs. referral). This translates to fewer emails to venues for gigs and more invitations from venues. You’ll receive opportunities, like collabs with other artists or brand partnerships, that align with your personality, strengths, and purpose. Additionally, you’ll feel less competitive pressure because there’s only one you.

Branding also helps on a deeper level. It’s a mindset. Formulating your brand requires self-reflection, self-knowledge, experimentation, and creativity. It takes effort, which is precisely why you should do it—most artists don’t. It’s like my theory on traveling: most people are lazy and won’t walk more than an hour. So, I always walk farther, following trails to beautiful, secluded spots. Branding is similar—it’s about doing the deep work. When done right, it creates a stronger sense of self as an artist and fosters deeper connections between you, your art, and your audience.

Branding is about choosing—focusing on what’s essential and eliminating the rest. For example, if your core values are Friendship, Hope, Empowerment, and Freedom, they guide your actions. Friendship: How can you make your live show feel like a gathering of good friends? Freedom: How can you give your fellow musicians more creative freedom on stage? Hope: How do your lyrics address adversity and inspire hope?

Position yourself

According to marketing guru Seth Godin, branding is about being remarkable—worth making a remark about. Remarkability lies in the edges. It’s hard to be mainstream and be remarkable. Your goal isn’t to please everyone but to resonate with those for whom your art matters. To stand out, you need to walk the line between being recognizable by referencing or integrating your genre's foundational DNA, and distinctive by integrating your personality and other symbols from genres, art forms, and society at large. Take Polyphia, for example. They’re recognizably metal (positioning within a genre)but wear sneakers, use white colors (not black), and have unique guitar and drum sounds (making them feel distinct). They’re edgy, yet recognizable.

What are your edges? What unique elements do you bring to your music and brand?

Make it stand out.

Be remarkable.

That’s branding.