Interview: Authentik Artists

Could you briefly describe what Authentik Artists does?

Authentik Artists is a small music company out of Los Angeles that acts as a digital label / publishing company hybrid. We offer emerging artists the opportunity to have distribution and marketing for their finished music while at the same time push for placements in key licensing opportunities in film, tv, apps etc.

How did this company go from an idea, to becoming a reality, and what steps were taken to ensure success?

Our CEO Scott Austin started the company after he left the major label system a few years back, the idea began as Authentik being a management company and over the first 2 years changed form into being a label/publishing company hybrid. He took the time to invest his own money carefully and craft a business plan that could bring success for the company and artists over the long term. The music industry is going through a huge change right now so taking the time to carefully develop a smart business model was exactly what needed to be done. Each day we are taking steps to provide services for our artists that benefit their career and create opportunity for their music to be discovered.

Is most of your work done online?  If so, what media outlets/social networking sites do you go through.  What physical media outlets do you go through if not done online?

99% of our work is done online through new media outlets that stream digital content (audio/video/text). Some of our primary sources are Facebook, Myspace, Vimeo, Twitter and Youtube. Maximizing our online territory is our priority and allows audiences to discover our artists naturally without being force-fed like traditional advertising models would push.

As far as marketing goes, how do you get the word out about the company?

We have most of our work being done online and we have been creating awareness for Authentik and our artists through social networking tools and blogs. Authentik focuses on building our brand and giving the artists the tools needed to promote themselves. On the publicity angle I do full servicing of every release to all major tastemaker blogs, new media sites, online radio sources and more. We usually prefer that our artists have a music video as well and we promote through retail pools and online sources like Youtube, Vimeo and online sites that promote music videos.

Does the musical style (ex: Rock, Rap, Pop) that you are dealing with effect the type of marketing that goes on when promoting a band?

Absolutely, every client is at a different point of their career and has different needs. In regards to genre my approach varies on the editorial side but with social networking most techniques are pretty universal.

With all of the challenges the music industry faces today, how does the company plan rising above these challenges and becoming a leader/success in the music industry?

Authentik places a strong emphasis on Publishing and strategic marketing opportunities, we are well aware that sales of downloaded music alone wouldn’t be able to help the artist or label ultimately succeed. In this economy and industry it’s about being creative and open minded to new ideas to promote the entire brand of the artist. Having a placement in a popular television show and video game can do a lot more for an artist today than a feature on a traditional zine or blog. Our plan is to be effective on all angles and get the artist publicity and over time many opportunities with placements in film/tv/video games.

What types of services do you offer to your clients/bands?

We provide publicity, marketing (video/audio) and some career consultation in regards to maximizing promotion of their release with Authentik. We are partnered with many music supervisors and retail pool networks that allow us to provide key tastemakers with major label quality music that wouldn’t be considered otherwise if the artist was on their own. Our services are comparable to the experience of being on a strong Indie label but without being held accountable for multiple albums.

What do you mean that to many firms take the “shotgun approach” to press servicing? And what exactly is the “shotgun approach?”

The shotgun approach to publicity is developing one pitch and servicing is to your mass list of editorial contacts. This can be effective at times but it’s always better to be personable and write your contact an individual email.  If you shoot an email to 2000 people and 10 people respond and work with you, that would be considered the shotgun approach.

The music industry has changed in a sense that whatever song you want is now a click away, anytime the consumer wants it.  How will the music industry take advantage of this and make a successful business model?  Will the music industry keep loosing money, or do you see a light at the end of a tunnel for the industry?

We see a light at the end of the tunnel and publishing without a doubt is key. Music sales could indeed keep slipping as people continue to download music. We are hoping new music companies that stream music such as Spotify will be able to offset the costs lost by pirated downloads. Streaming music for a subscription and/or royalty allows the labels and artists the chance to collect on their music. Many labels will continue to slip but others will rise during this downtime and develop unique strategies to bring income into the company.

What advice do you have to offer college students who are looking to getting into the music industry when they graduate?

Some of the best ways to snag a job in the industry is by interning and networking with the right people. If you have a good work-ethic and strong knowledge of music culture then usually within time you can find an opportunity to get in the door. It also helps to be in key music communities such as New York, Nashville and Los Angeles so you can meet the right people. My only other piece of advice will be to read and research as much as possible. Staying on top of tools music fans use to discover the next big thing keeps you relevant and on top of the industry.