Image is Everything in Music Business

In the music industry, your image is everything. Your ability to sing or play an instrument is second to the image that is created. This can be created by you, the artist or by your management company. The Spice Girls are an excellent example of image creation. Each girl was assigned a character which they stuck to and the whole group was given a gimmick called “girl power”. The success of this image is only too evident as you look back. The Spice Girls are probably the only widely recognized group of individuals since The Beatles, as in almost anyone anywhere can name each individual member of the group.

Creating the right image for your self is easy and at the same time is difficult. Confusing as that sounds right now, when you get down to it, it will make sense. The first step is figuring out what kind of band or singer you want to be. Then you can go about following the current trend in fashion or, more riskily, create your own “look” which can give you a sense of authenticity if you can pull it off. Besides the look, you have to walk the walk and talk the talk. For example, rock guitarists don’t really have to contort, jump up and down or even grimace when they fabulous solos. Just ask James Burton, an extremely talented session guitarist who has played on stage with Elvis. But the thing that brought Burton internal fame (as in only the internal industry people knew of his talent) and the thing that brought Pete Townsend, Slash and other great guitarists their fame is what they did on stage. Slash had his traditional cigarette in the mouth, no shirt, top hat, leather outfit and body movements that looked like he was wringing the tones out of his guitar while it caused him physical pain. Though it sounds ridiculous, the image really worked for him.

So think about your image seriously; cultivate and groom it until it becomes your persona and whatever you do – maintain it whenever you are onstage or giving an interview.