1. This blog is about the Aussie music scene. 

Are you an Aussie artist/music industry professional? Or are you a foreigner actively participating in the Aussie music scene? Or do you have a significant following in the Land Down Under even though you aren’t from/don’t live there?

If you can’t answer “yes” to any of these questions, you’ll be better off investing your time and resources elsewhere.

Soz, but if there’s nothing Aussie about you or your music, I’m definitely not your target publication.

But don’t despair. You can always check on my socials if I’m currently running projects for non-Aussie artists.

2. Bcc is a no-go.

I feel you. I used to be a band manager, too.

You wanna reach out to as many music curators as possible. And you’d rather be making music than emailing individual journos for hours.

But I’ll be brutally honest with you – I’m just not a fan of mass emailing.

So, don’t blind-copy me, please. Ever.

If you want me to read your pitch, message me – and not me and 500 other people.

3. A li’l personalisation has never killed nobody.

Trust me, this is my experience talking.

I know you’ll copy-paste most of your pitch to me. But throwing in something you’ve learned from my blog, podcast, or socials is surely not going to hurt, is it?

It shows me you respect what I do and have done your research, too.

So, make the effort.

My name is Saba, for example.

4. Soz, and who are you again?

For a music curator like me, there’s nothing worse than having to Google you for hours, especially if your moniker is fairly generic. (Do you know how many artists called King Cobra are currently on Spotify??? How do I know which one is you?)

I like to have all the info at hand from the get-go.

If you want to appear mysterious, fine. But you gotta give me something. Preferably: a short bio, description of your release/project, at least one decent press shot, maybe the artwork for your project, and definitely links to your music and socials.

If you intrigue me, I’ll reach out for more. But if I can’t easily find you online based on what you send me, I just won’t bother.

5. You do you.

Generic press releases are boring. ChatGPT-produced content reads artificial (again, speaking from experience). So I’ll let you in on a secret.

I value authenticity. I don’t want to hear from another Kylie (even though I luuuuv your music, Princess!) or Vance Joy (because, quite frankly, there’s no way you can imitate his sound).

I’m not here to judge your grammar or level of education, either. (But – by all means – please put a spellcheck on your email before hitting send!)

If your personality shines in your pitch, that’s what counts for me.

So, be yourself.

6. I’ll take originality on the rocks, please.

Yes, I’m also looking for that “something”. It’s hard to describe, but I’ll do my best.

Considering that over 100k songs are uploaded to streaming services every day, it’s super hard for you to stand out. And it’s close to impossible for me to know you even exist.

So – surprise, surprise! – it’s not only about your music these days. Sad and unfair, but true.

One way you can make sure your music/artistry/craft gets noticed is by having an angle or story behind your release/project. Maybe you play the didgeridoo, like Xavier Rudd? Or maybe you’re a climate activist, like Montaigne? Or your lyrics are partially in a local language, like Baker Boy’s?

You tell me.

7. Your EPK can get you reeeeeaaaally far.

If you want me to get info from an external EPK, please – have mercy.

Like other music curators, I’m a busy person. I need to access info quickly and efficiently. And as much as a PDF doc looks nice and polished, it’s a frigging nightmare to copy stuff from.

There are soooo many ways to share your files these days: Google Drive, Dropbox, a dedicated one-page link, etc. I don’t care about the format, as long as I can get where I need to be in no more than 3 clicks.

And please don’t make me sign up to your page to get a press release, or ask you for a password to open a doc with your bio.

The bottom line is this: make your resources easy to access and editable.

I know I said seven, but you’ll want to hear this one as well -> How much does it cost?

As much as I’d love to run this blog out of the goodness of my heart, it has turned into my actual job. And work is normally remunerated. So, depending on what you want me to do with your pitch, keep these rates in mind, please.

0️⃣ Inclusion in either the weekly #FoundYou segment on my FB page or #lyricsofthweek in the IG stories + inclusion in the Spotify playlist for either of those segments – FREE

💰 A news-style post on the blog based on your press release and resources, like this post about Yung Milla – AUD 20 (plus VAT if applicable)

💰💰 A comprehensive feature for the blog based on your press release and resources, and my input (i.e. a write-up of the chat with you, my review of your music, etc.), like this post about Neardean’s new single – AUD 50 (plus VAT if applicable).

💰💰💰 An extended interview for my Silly Talks Music podcast or YouTube channel, like this episode with Peak Park – AUD 80 (plus VAT if applicable).

💰? Any other format? Let’s talk about it.

A few notes here as well:

• Let’s get one thing straight – you paying me to feature your project on my channels means I’ll be objective. And that sometimes might involve constructive criticism. So please don’t expect an automatic pat you on your back for a job well done with praise only. But I won’t trash your release, either. If your pitch is not my thing or if I feel like I don’t have much to say about it, I probably won’t accept it in the first place.

• I’ll issue you an invoice for the service and request payment through official channels. Bear in mind, please, that I’m based in Europe.

• I won’t just send you a dry, impersonal form to complete. If possible, I’ll chat to you or at least exchange emails/DMs. I know what it means to try and break through in the music business. So we might not be in the same boat, but we’re definitely in the same storm. I got you 😉

You have my word that I’ll always do my best to support you and your music.

Feeling even more lost than before? Then keep on readin’.

If you’re a total newbie to this whole pitching thing and have no clue what you’ve just read through (like, “What the hell is an EPK?”), don’t sweat it. Everyone starts somewhere.

Let me give you a hand with your first steps in this tricky music PR world.