Tips for a Successful Collaboration
You’ve heard us talk about how important building community is in your artist career, and a great way to do that is through collaboration. Collaboration can take the form of co-writing a song, singing background vocals on another artist’s song, dueting a song, touring together, or even doing a livestream concert together to cross promote and introduce each other to your respective fan bases. The list goes on, but these are some of the most common collaborations I see these days.
Collaborations can be a beautiful way to grow your fanbase, create a unique piece of art, and not feel so isolated, BUT if they aren’t approached correctly, they can turn into a headache for all parties involved.
Here are a few tips to a successful collaboration:
When approaching a new collaborator, think about what they would get out of it. Artists or songwriters are much more likely to say yes to a collaboration if you’ve done your homework. Meaning, understand what that person is looking for, why they would be the right fit for your particular idea and help them to see the win/win for the collab right from the get go.
Establish clear goals, expectations and communication from the beginning. What do you both want out of this? How much time do you expect each other to commit? What roles will you each play? Communication is key so there are no surprises!
Be respectful of each other’s ideas. Think about how you would feel if you throw an idea out there and it is shot down and dismissed without any sort of discussion. Speaking from experience, it’s hurtful and made me turn inward and not want to proceed with the creative collaboration. So instead, embrace each other’s creative concepts and be willing to compromise.
Be open to feedback and change. Part of the creative process is discovery! Your initial idea may evolve as you start working together into something greater, or your partner may suggest something out of left field that could actually serve the project even more. Remember, serve the song/project first, not your ego.
Stay organized and punctual. If you are perpetually late or unprepared to your collaboration sessions, that reputation will haunt you. Others will be less likely to want to work with you. Keep track of your files and notes, you may want to go back and reference your creative process later on.
Have fun and capture BTS! Collaborations are supposed to be fun! Bring a positive energy into the room/studio with you and everyone (and the final product) will be better off. Also, don’t forget to capture behind-the-scenes content from your collaboration. All of that content will be awesome promo leading up to the release.
More minds make for more possibilities. So, get out there and work together! We can’t wait to see what you bring into this world.
XO
Sheridan