THE SELF-EMPOWERED ARTIST
RELEASE & PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC WITH CONFIDENCE
The step-by-step, proven system that turns strangers into loyal listeners, and build a magnetic artist brand WITHOUT feeling like a sellout or wasting countless hours posting cringe content on IG and TikTok
"To be a successful creator you don't need millions. You don't need millions of dollars or millions of customers, millions of clients or millions of fans. To make a living as a craftsperson, photographer, musician, designer, author, animator, app maker, entrepreneur, or inventor you need only thousands of true fans."
Kevin Kelly
Why no one listens to your music (yet)
Making music means the world to you. This is why you put thousands of hours into it, spend your hard-earned money on gear and plugins, and watch countless tutorials to improve your craft.
But when it comes to ACTUALLY sharing your music with the world, you feel stuck. Self-doubt and fear are creeping in and thoughts like these run through your head:
- Is my music even good enough to be released?
- What if I can't finish enough music to stay consistent?
- The music industry feels so saturated; how am I supposed to stand out?
- Releasing and promoting my music feels so overwhelming; where should I find the time and energy for that?
- Isn't that the job of a label anyway, why should I be doing all of this?
This is where 99% of artists give up and keep procrastinating forever, wishing to "get discovered" (without a plan on how that's supposed to happen).
The biggest misconception about record labels
There's a common myth amongst artists that prevents them from taking action:
"All I need is getting signed to a record label, and they will handle all the promotion for me so I can focus on making music".
But that's just not how it works these days. Record labels like to sign two types of artists:
- They know the artist personally (usually for a long time) and follow their path closely until they're "ready" for the label.
- They discover an artist who already has a loyal following, does great promo, and is, therefore, a great asset to the label.
No serious record label will sign an unknown artist with no following and no proven track record just because they've submitted a demo. In fact, most labels these days DON'T EVEN ACCEPT demos anymore because it's a waste of time.
Here's the uncomfortable truth (even from a record label's perspective): What used to work "back in the day" when labels put big money towards promoting a release simply doesn't work anymore in the music industry of today. With the rise of social media, labels depend on an artist's ability to promote their work.
This leaves you with only one option.
STOP WAITING TO "GET DISCOVERED"
IT's Time To take matters into your own hands
For decades, artists had to push through gatekeepers if they wanted to get their music heard. Today, anyone can upload a song to streaming services and share their music with the world.
The time of the self-empowered artist has finally come.
On the one hand, this has democratized the music industry; on the other hand, it means that artists have to do EVEN MORE to stand out from the crowd. How do you cut through the noise and build a loyal following without getting overwhelmed or feeling like a sellout?
Even if your goal isn't to earn money from your music, you still want your songs to be heard
There's nothing wrong with earning money from your music. But to some artists, this doesn't even matter. They just want to express themselves and share their music with the world. And that's totally fine!
But you still need to reach people somehow.
It doesn't have to be overwhelming. It doesn't cost a fortune. It all starts with becoming the kind of artist who confidently and consistently shows up to inspire others.
That's where the real problems start.
The two BIGGEST issues with self-releasing and promoting your music
Even if it's easier than ever to upload a song, you're facing two critical problems when it comes to promoting your release:
"I feel overwhelmed and don't have a clear roadmap"
The options seem endless: Posting on TikTok and Instagram, using paid ads, creating YouTube tutorials, reaching out to playlists, blogs, radios, and magazines,...
"I don't have the time to do all of this, I just want to make music."
If you don't want to spend a few thousand bucks on a promo agency, you have to find a way to promote your songs without sacrificing your precious music-making time.
HOW can you promote your music efficiently and WITHOUT any overwhelm?
There's a better way to market your music. It doesn't have to be overwhelming, feel cringe, and take up all of your precious time. Let me walk you exactly how to go about it.
The THREE PILLARS OF MAKING AN IMPACT WITH YOUR MUSIC
1. Create music that matters
You don't have to be the best producer in the world. You just have to be you and not a bad copy of someone else. The biggest mistake that I see upcoming artists make is that they're afraid to express themselves in their own, unique way. The world doesn't need more copycats, but it definitely needs YOU.
2. Commit to building a brand
No. Your music does NOT speak for itself. The packaging matters and it's your responsibility to give your listeners an experience that goes beyond the music itself. Your artwork, your photos, your artist bio help bring people closer to you.
3. Show up consistently for them
It's not enough to drop one or two songs per year. Your potential superfans want to hear from you regularly. Your releases don't need to be perfect; they need to be ready. Combine this with a crystal-clear release promotion plan and you'll start to see results.
All you need is a simple, repeatable framework
The good news: You can achieve all of this with only a few hours of work and a small budget per release. If you put a reliable, repeatable music marketing system in place, it starts to work for you automatically and connects your music with the right people.
Want to see a real-world example of this in action?
Let me tell you the story of my friend Ben, a.k.a. the artist HERR LANG.
Case study: From zero to 100.000+ monthly listeners on Spotify in less than 12 months WITHOUT a record label
When Ben (HERR LANG) first contacted me, he hadn't released a single song. No one knew that he even existed. He reached out to me after searching for a mixing and mastering studio on Google, and we started working together from the very beginning of his career.
Fast forward to today:
- 100k+ monthly listeners every single month
- Some of his songs have between one and four MILLION streams on Spotify alone
- He's earning a part-time income from streaming, his promo and even some of his gear pays for itself
- On top of that, he get's bookings, remix requests, etc.
- Labels are constantly knocking on his door, offering him insane deals (which he doesn't need to accept, of course)
The truth behind HERR LANG's success
How is this possible? Did Ben have an unfair advantage?
- He didn't have ANY previous connections in the music industry
- He didn't work with a professional promo agency
- He literally started from zero with no audience whatsoever
The only difference between you and Ben is that he chose to take matters into his own hands. He didn't wait to get discovered. He didn't complain about the "music industry being so saturated."
His success boils down to three critical components:
- Good music
- A rock-solid release-strategy
- Consistency
Ben has created a reliable, repeatable system for releasing and promoting his music. His music marketing machine works 24/7 for him, and he's literally gaining new fans and earning money from his music while he sleeps.
For the first time ever, we're now sharing this entire music marketing blueprint with you
How is this possible? Did Ben have an unfair advantage?
- He didn't have ANY previous connections in the music industry
- He didn't work with a professional promo agency
- He literally started from zero with no audience whatsoever
The only difference between you and Ben is that he chose to take matters into his own hands. He didn't wait to get discovered. He didn't complain about the "music industry being so saturated."
His success boils down to three critical components:
- Good music
- A rock-solid release-strategy
- Consistency
Ben has created a reliable, repeatable system for releasing and promoting his music. His music marketing machine works 24/7 for him, and he's literally gaining new fans and earning money from his music while he sleeps.
Introducing...
The Self-Empowered Artist
The step-by-step, proven system to release and promote your music with confidence, turn strangers into loyal listeners, and build a magnetic artist brand WITHOUT feeling like a sellout or wasting countless hours posting cringe content on IG and TikTok
Exclusive BETA Launch with benefits no one else will ever get:
What is The Self-Empowered Artist?
The Self-Empowered Artist is an online course that helps electronic music producers release and promote their music with confidence. It's a step-by-step music marketing system you can use again and again to get your music heard by the right people so you build a loyal following online and offline.
The Self-Empowered Artist helps you learn how to...
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE COURSE?
The BETA version of this course consists of 4 live sessions with Ben and Philip via Zoom. We will share the exact dates as soon as we have enough registrants. Don't worry; even if you can't make it to the live sessions, you'll get lifetime access to all recordings, and you can ask us any questions whatsoever. You will also get the final, polished online course for free once it's released.
Live Session 1: The Rock-Solid Release Strategy
In this module, you're going to learn a step-by-step framework for planning your next releases. We will answer common questions like:
Live Session 2: The Effortless Content Framework
In this module, you're going to learn ways to create and share organic content around your releases that strengthens your artist brand and turns strangers into loyal followers. We will answer common questions like:
Live Session 3: The Profitable Music Promotion Playbook
In this module, you're going to learn how to grow your audience and get the maximum return on your budget, no matter how small or big it is. We will answer common questions like:
Live Session 4: The Easy Implementation Blueprint (incl. Real-World Example)
In this module, you're going to learn how to implement the things you've learned over the last three sessions without feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. We will answer common questions like:
Also included:
Meet your mentors
Ben (HERR LANG)
Music producer & Marketing expert
Ben is an independent artist who managed to grow his online following to over 100.000 monthly listeners. His songs consistently pull in millions of streams every year and as a result, Ben gets festival bookings, club shows, remix requests, and record label deals without having to actively do anything to make it happen.
His background is in marketing with a specialization in design and branding which he successfully transfers to his music career. Ben also knows the ins and outs of both paid and organic music marketing which he used to grow his artist brand.
Philip (PICK YOURSELF)
Music producer, mixing & mastering engineer
Philip is the founder of Pick Yourself, a platform that helps electronic music producers build a meaningful life based on their passion for music production. Coming from a DIY Punkrock/ Hardcore background, his philosophy is all about empowering artists and giving them the confidence to release and promote their music without relying on others.
Before starting his professional mixing and mastering studio, Philip worked in a renowned marketing agency as creative director and brand strategist. He specializes in authentic organic content marketing that builds a strong brand in the long run.
testimonials
What others have to say
Craig Heneveld
Electronic Music Producer
Working with Philip and Ben has been a game-changer for my career in music production. Through his and his team's guidance, I've not only honed my craft but also massively improved the intricacies of releasing and promoting music effectively. Philip and team helped me refine a distinctive artist brand that truly resonates with my vision and audience. This process has significantly boosted my confidence, empowering me to put myself out there and achieve remarkable results—including significant fan growth and a clear, strategic release plan. I am immensely grateful for Philip's expertise and support, which have been pivotal in my growth as an artist.
Paul Conrad
Electronic Music Producer
My experience with Philip and Ben at Pick Yourself has completely changed the trajectory of my music career. Philip has helped me understand what I want to convey as an artist and how to create my artist brand. Bens expertise as an established releasing artist has elevated my release promotion to a higher level and helped me understand how to grow an organic audience that keeps coming back to my music and improve ad targeting to keep listeners on my profile to increase streams per listener. The music business as a self releasing artist can be really overwhelming, having their guidance has been a huge relief as well as a boost to my career.
WE'RE GOING TO REVEAL HOW TO...
Create an irresistible artist brand that supports your music
Have you ever felt icky about promoting your music? Chances are you haven't nailed your artist brand yet. We'll show you step-by-step how to make sure your artist brand feels true to you and your music.
Manage your music marketing machine without any stress
Ever felt like planning and promoting your releases costs too much time and takes away all the joy from making music? But NOT doing it might hurt you even more? We totally feel you and don't worry: It doesn't have to feel that way. We'll show you how to manage your time efficiently and effectively so you can focus on making art.
Consistently release music that's too good to be ignored
Ever wondered whether your music is "good enough" to be released? Don't worry, we'll show you a proven system to evaluate your tracks so you can stop worrying and start releasing your music.
Turn strangers into listeners who then become superfans
Do you feel like your music could reach and impact more people? There's a reason why we're getting completely hooked by some artists and immerse ourselves in their universe. We'll show you the must-do tactics but also the hidden triggers that pull the right type of listener into your musical world.
BONUS MATERIAL
WE HELP YOU GET IT DONE
To help you implement what you learn in the course, we're including awesome checklists, templates, and step-by-step guides.
Release Schedule Planner
This lightweight template that helps you plan your releases and promo activities ahead of time.
Social Media Content Pipeline
This easy-to-use system will help you come up with content ideas effortlessly.
Meta Ads Funnel Templates
Get a look behind the scenes of Herr Lang's best performing ads and how they turn into streams.
Artist-Branding Workshop
Tasks and prompts that help you nail your artist brand and create a strong identity around your values.
WHAT MAKES THIS COURSE UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT
Unlike most other courses on releasing and promoting music, we're NOT trying to capitalize on the latest social media trends and tactics (that will soon be out of fashion). Instead, we help you build something meaningful in the long run that gets your music in front of the perfect listeners.
Here's what sets this course apart
THE BIG QUESTION: "WILL THIS WORK FOR ME?"
You probably have very specific circumstances that make you question whether this course is right for you: Your style of music, limited time to work on this, or a general resistance against anything that has to do with "marketing".
I get it. So let's take an honest look at who this is and isn't for.
IS "THE SELF-EMPOWERED ARTIST" RIGHT FOR YOU, SPECIFICALLY?
this course is for you, if...
this course is not for you, if...
ConClusion
If you produce electronic music and finally want to get your music in front of the right people, this course is made specifically for you. We will help you build something meaningful that connects with your audience on a deep level.
JOIN THE SELF-EMPOWERED ARTIST NOW
Sign up today and you‘re well on your way to releasing music that finds an audience who truly gives a damn about you and your art. Say goodbye to second-guessing, overwhelm, and pointless posting. It's time to take matters into your own hands.
There‘s no better time than now to become a self-empowered artist.