Level Up by Jocelle Koh Jocelle Koh

We had the pleasure of attending the Freshmusic awards LIVE for the first time ever last month, and I came away with so much more than I bargained for. Attending the ceremony and many discussions I've had recently around the topic of community inspired me to invite Yuneng, the founder of Freshmusic Awards to join us for this very special conversation where we talked about some of the understated values of community building, and the origins of grassroots platforms like Freshmusic Awards who have been around for 16 years.
Yuneng, Freshmusic’s founder was one of my first industry friends I made when I came back to Singapore, and of course I had already long been aware of the work that Freshmusic had been doing with their cutthroat yet expert reviews and annual awards ceremony which made waves in the indie Taiwanese scene every time they announced their nominations and winners. 
But being a creator of a media platform myself, and also as someone who does this out of passion while managing a day job, I found solace and comfort in the work that Yuneng had been doing because I could see so clearly that it also came from a place of pure unadulterated passion, the kind that sustains, that invigorates, and lasts for decades. So we wanted to unpack this topic thoroughly with someone who knew the topic better than most, leading to this nurturing, uplifting conversation that could warm the cockles of any seasoned music journalist's heart.
A bonus episode produced in commemoration of Asian Pop Weekly's 14th Anniversary in 2023!

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On this bonus episode, we invited Asian-Australian singer-songwriter and Tiktok creator Keenan Te onto the Level Up Podcast to answer all our burning questions about Tiktok, social media, and most importantly - how to navigate social media as a musician. Amassing over 4 million followers currently across Tiktok, Spotify and various social media platforms, Te broke through the clutter during Covid while stuck at home during Melbourne's lengthy lockdowns with his soulful covers and heart-wrenching deliveries. But what was even more interesting for us was how he navigated the transition successfully from cover artist to original singer-songwriter, and maintained and grew his audience while doing so.
Back with his new single 'Scars', we took the chance to ask him all our burning questions, and to pick his brain on the changing social media landscape as he sees it. For all budding musicians, this is one episode you won't want to miss.

Subscribe to our Patreon ‘Level Up’ Tier for forthcoming ‘Level Up’ cheat sheets and materialsSubscribe to our mailing list for access to the first three episodes’ cheat sheets!More about the podcastFollow us on Instagram or Facebook for Podcast updatesHang with us on Asian Pop WeeklyFollow Keenan on Tiktok or InstagramListen to 'Scars' out on all streaming platforms 
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow our podcast if you enjoy levelling up with us! And please leave a review so we can keep helping even more artists! 

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On this episode of the Level Up podcast, we're going to talk about how to craft that perfect email to media platforms. In such a way that you'll be maximising your time spent, getting a higher rate of reply, and potentially getting your foot in the door with the right people. As a self-professed email nerd, and someone who runs a media platform and receives such emails from artists everyday, I'm going to share my best tips for writing effective emails and how to ask nicely but effectively for support. Shall we begin?
Links and Resources:
Subscribe to our Patreon ‘Level Up’ Tier for forthcoming ‘Level Up’ cheat sheets and materialsSubscribe to our mailing list for access to the first three episodes’ cheat sheets!More about the podcastFollow us on Instagram or Facebook for Podcast updatesHang with us on Asian Pop Weekly 
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow our podcast if you enjoy levelling up with us! And please leave a review so we can keep helping even more artists! 

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This week, we're talking about sourcing for media platforms to reach out to to collaborate with, and what's the best way to really be effective in your approach. 
I know that there's a lot of independent artists out there who feel like this is very daunting for them. They feel like they need a publicist to help them, like they need someone to help them to negotiate those deals or get those features. But when push comes to shove, sometimes you just don't have the resources at that point in time to get yourself there. It can also become dangerous to hire someone to do something you don't understand, because as an artist entrepreneur, it can be like you're throwing your money into a black hole. So we're here to help you change your mindset about DIY PR!
When it comes down to sourcing for media platforms, there's two different approaches, there's the cast your net wide approach and the targeted/quality approach. Today we're going to dive into the targeted and tailored approach to help you easily source more media platforms that are right for you and your media list.
 
Timestamps
[00:44] How public relation works in the music industry
[02:52] The different approaches to sourcing for media platforms
[07:34] Tips to prevent spamming in public relations
[08:08] Getting into a new market and succeeding as an individual artist

Key takeaways●     Public relation is really about the skill of targeting the platforms you are looking for and the way you reach out and communicate with them.
●     Publicists are not cheap. It’s something that you would invest in when you have a clear idea of your business model and revenue as an artist.
Links and Resources:
Subscribe to our Patreon ‘Level Up’ Tier for forthcoming ‘Level Up’ cheat sheets and materialsSubscribe to our mailing list for access to the first three episodes’ cheat sheets!More about the podcastFollow us on Instagram or Facebook for Podcast updatesHang with us on Asian Pop Weekly 
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow our podcast if you enjoy levelling up with us! And please leave a review so we can keep helping even more artists! 

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So today, we're going to be talking about best practices for EPKs, otherwise known as Electronic Press Kits for artists. And as someone who works in journalism and distribution, I think this is something that's very important for any independent artist. EPKs are a very important in helping to further your conversation with a third party, no matter if it's with a distribution partner, the DSPS, a media platform, or any other kind of partner. It's be a stepping stone for you to further the conversation with key potential partners. So it's really important to get it right. 
In collaboration with Make Your Mark, I had the pleasure of sharing my best practices for EPKs with their artists - everything from formulating, to creating, to updating your EPK. We even go a little into how to write your own press release! And now we're here sharing that information with you too! For any indie artists who aren't sure where to start when it comes to creating your EPK, press play and let us do the talking.
The full presentation for our 'EPK: Best Practices' session is up on our Patreon! Head over to our 'Level Up Podcast' tier and subscribe for supplementary resources that come with all of our content.
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Boundaries are a tricky thing for artists. They're subjective, contested, and directly responsible for many an independent artists' mental health.  Yet as tricky as they may be, it's a conversation that HAS to be had in order to create a sustainable career as an artist. In this bite-sized episode, we share three tips for how you can create your own roadmap to establishing boundaries with audiences and stakeholders within the industry. Remember always that you too are human-so boundaries apply too-even if you're a public figure.
Links and Resources:
Subscribe to our Patreon ‘Level Up’ Tier for forthcoming ‘Level Up’ cheat sheets and materials Subscribe to our mailing list for access to the first three episodes’ cheat sheets! More about the podcast Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for Podcast updates Hang with us on Asian Pop Weekly  
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow our podcast if you enjoy levelling up with us! And please leave a review so we can keep helping even more artists!
 

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