How to Stand Out as an Independent Artist: Find What You Do Better Than Anyone

Why should someone listen to your music instead of someone else's?

A lot of artists can't answer this question. They say things like "I make good music" or "I have a unique life story."

That's cool, but so do millions of other artists.

What makes you stand out is the combination of three things:

• Your internal brand, meaning your story, values and personality. I shared 33 questions to figure it out.
• Your external brand, meaning how you look and how you show up.
• The things you do better than anyone else.

Yeah, I said it. You need things you do better than anyone else.

I know that sounds intense, and maybe even a little uncomfortable. But think about it. Why would someone choose your music over the millions of other songs out there?

There has to be a reason.

Here's the uncomfortable truth. Nobody ever became successful by shouting, "I'm in the bottom 50% at this and that." They showed the world what they have that others don't.

Your assignment

Look, I get it. Most of us think we're better than average at most things. It's called the better-than-average effect, and I wrote about how it tricks you into promoting songs that aren't ready.

So take a brutally honest look at yourself, and write down 10 reasons why someone would choose to listen to your music over someone else's.

Use this template:

"Because I ______ more than anyone else."

For example:

• "Because I care about mental health more than anyone else."
• "Because I write more honest lyrics about addiction than anyone else."
• "Because I blend jazz and hip-hop more smoothly than anyone else."

Caring isn't enough, you have to show it

• If you love tattoos more than anyone else, show it.
• If your breakup hit you harder than anyone else, show it.
• If you can play the piano better than anyone else, show it.
• If you feel more confident in front of a camera than anyone else, show it.

Once you have your 10 reasons, pick the 3 that feel most true to you. Those are your competitive advantages, and they're what you should be shouting from the rooftops.

The artists who get noticed are bold enough to claim what makes them different, and then they prove it every single day. Playing it safe in the middle gets you ignored.

So what are you going to shout about?

If you want help finding your 3 and turning them into a plan, we can go through it together on a 1-on-1 coaching call.