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“Who Is Sukey Rose?” coming at you July 14, 2009
Author: mia
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VOTE ON THE ALBUM COVER!
Author: mia
Album Release Date Pushed Back 1 Week
Author: mia
So I haven’t heard back from the album art designer yet so I’m preparing for the worst- which is, that I do indeed, have to design the album art myself so that it’s done by Tuesday. There was also a deadline tomorrow of getting the album cover to Tunecore for posting on iTunes but that’s not going to happen on time, so I pushed the album release date back one week from July 7th to July 14th. It’s really no big deal, and it’s actually better because we have more time to set up some web promo and interviews for the album release.
*sigh* so I actually wrote a lot of that last “Many Hats” blog not only to share what I’ve learned in the past but also to remind myself that “If a deadline isn’t met, it is NOT the end of the world.” That is definitely not the motto for signed artists. Oh no. So another perk of being indie! But you really don’t want to go changing deadlines. Annie and Jo started doing some press and promo and they have to contact the publications they emailed to let them know about the changed date. I hesitated about that, about not looking professional, but decided in the end that it was NO BIG DEAL. What is the use of having flexibility of running your own business if you don’t take advantage of it? And honestly, I’m on very few radars right now, so it shouldn’t make much of a difference. (BUT I WILL BE ON A LOT OF IMPORTANT PEOPLE’S RADARS VERY SOON!) 
I’m just SO EAGER to release this thing and get the album OUT THERE for everyone to hear!!!!!
Wearing Many Hats as An Indie Musician
Author: mia
If you want to be a successful independent musician, you need to wear many ‘hats’. You need to be the ARTIST, PRODUCER, PROJECT MANAGER, TOUR MANAGER, BOOKING AGENT, MARKETING MANAGER, ART DIRECTOR, sometimes GRAPHIC DESIGNER, ACCOUNTANT, etc. If you’re blessed, like I am, you have people who are willing to help with some of the tasks listed above. But there are two things I’ve come to learn after doing this for a few years. First, even if you have people helping, it still gets overwhelming. If you are independent and unsigned, YOU are your business and YOU are the one that has to keep it going. The details can get a bit stressful. Case in point, right now I’m dealing with manufacturing and artwork deadlines for the album. Read the rest of this entry »
I LOVE IT!
Author: mia
To be a successful unsigned musician you MUST work your ARSE off. For the past year I’ve been in the starting gate, ready to blast through. I couldn’t do anything without an album in hand but the album is now in HAND! And now that I have clear things TO DO, I’m lovin’ it (Having clear goals that I can go after)! Here’s my to-do list for today:
LISTEN TO MASTER #2 CD!!!! and send Priority Mail to Manufacturer.
pay for Tunecore Rush Promo, email Annie and Jo confirm 7/7/ on iTunes
do basic template press release, email to Annie: “Indie Musician Mia Kim Announces Fan-Funded Album Release Date, July 7, 2009. ”
ADD ALBUM TO CD BABY AND GET BAR CODE
FOLLOW UP/ CONFIRM iTUNES/TUNE CORE RUSH PROMODO ALBUM ART!!!
SHORT RUN INTO PRODUCTION: DROP OFF MASTER as soon as you get 3rd master
New Songs on Myspace and BANDBOX!
Author: mia
Ho-hum, every Tuesday night until 7/7/09, a new song up on Myspace. Two up already. Yeah!
ALSO! You can NOW PURCHASE THE PREVIEW TRACKS via My BANDBOX on my myspace page. Bandbox is a service that favors indie artists by providing them a way to sell digital tracks and keep 100% OF SALES. I’ll be doing a future blog post on Bandbox and what it means for me, the independent musician.
Album Release UPDATE
Author: mia
I’m still on STEP 1 of Section 1, but I’ve done step 2 and 3! So that’s progress!
After recording steps:
1) Album Art (<-- I am here. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.)
2) Album Duplication Choices (<--DONE!)
3) Album Distribution Choices; Digital and Hard Copy (<--DONE!)
The Album Cycle Explained
Author: mia
So an example of an “Album Cycle” for a PERFORMING MUSICIAN is as follows:
#1 Go into the studio and record your album. Ideally finish it within 6-8 weeks. Release date is set as nearing the end of the album is made clear.
#2 When you near the end of recording and have an album title, the ‘marketing dept’ (i.e. me myself and i) is supposed to get the album art ready and start setting up pre-release press interviews and reviews.
#3 Finish recording the album. Send the album away for replication, do a short run of a couple hundred CD’s to send to press for reviews, radio, pre-release promo etc. For indie artists, the short run step is skipped due to lack of funds, or done home-made CD burning ghetto style or just skipped. Your ‘booking dept’ (i.e my myself and I or a management team, i.e. friends who are willing to help) starts booking gigs and performance dates for a couple weeks before the release thru to a month after the release date. They/we are also ideally setting up a more substantial ‘tour’ or grouping of shows for the next touring season (Fall or Spring). Your ‘marketing dept’ is setting up some live tapings and web promo.
Read the rest of this entry »
getting the album OUT
Author: mia
Here’s where the real HARD work starts for the unsigned musician who is serious about getting their music OUT THERE and to the NEXT LEVEL. That’ll be me folks.
I had too much bouncing in my head last night so I quickly wrote down all the things I have to do in the next few weeks. Are you ready? This is just a summarized list and doesn’t include everything. Lucky for me, I’m an artist who enjoys administration and business (except booking, not so much). Right now I’m on Step #1 of “After Recording Steps”. Here’s the trick: BABY STEPS, TAKE BABY STEPS and thus, move forward.
After recording steps:
1) Album Art (<-- I am here. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.)
2) Album Duplication Choices
3) Album Distribution Choices; Digital and Hard Copy
Pre-Release Promo/Buzz
1) Pre-release reviews, interviews, press with select publications
2) Post preview mp3’s MySpace Streaming Track, etc.
Business:
1) LLC or DBA? $150 (had on East Coast, need to do for CA)
2) US Copyright, PA/SR $400
Then Full-On Marketing and Promo!
(send out Cd’s to Project Members)
1) new mkonline.com udpate srp.com, update myspace, facebook, bebo, reverbnation, lastFM, iLike, all new web 2. sites, etc. etc. etc.
1) send out CD’s for reviews
2) let everyone know about the release
3) press release, interviews, promo, etc.
Release Party Planning
1) opening band
2) food
3) my band, practicing
Booking and Playing Out
1) send out CD’s
2) follow up with Venues
3) open mics
4) active booking
and document it all on SRP and twitter.
done
Author: mia
done done doneeee done done done done done, done done donnnnnnne done done done done done.. donnnnne done done done done donnnnnnnne donnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeee.
this is a new song i just wrote called ‘done’. I kid. the album is done! I just emailed Mr. Producer the final track listing. It’s done done done! done done finished, alive, real, breathing, done done done!
I HOPE EVERYONE LIKES IT!!!! I sure do.
Tentative release date is JULY 7, 2009, and “Miss Regret” is going to be your SONG of the SUMMER.
Yup
Author: mia
Yes, by the end of this week, I should have a finished CD in my hands. Well the music part of it that is. In the end, it’s such a small thing compared to all that’s going on in the world, but for me, it’s a big goal accomplished so, I take that back, it’s a BIG thing! and I couldn’t have gotten this far without every single person who has supported/funded/encouraged me doing exactly that.
I plan on taking a little breather this weekend then it’s time for PHOTO SHOOT, ALBUM ART, (stay tuned to vote for your fave album cover pic), DISTRIBUTION STUFF, SENDING CD’S OUT FOR REVIEWS (and to INDUSTRY PEEPS), BOOKING SHOWS, NETWORKING, PRAYING, WEB PRESS/PROMO, oh and planning and practicing for a RELEASE PARTY. I”m thinking, real party, with disco music and all. No ‘artist sings a whole hour of their new stuff’ and people just sit there, no. Maybe I’ll sing a few songs, and then everyone will EAT and there will be cool music playing and maybe, I dunno, games like twister? Do I know how to throw a party or not?
Otherwise, I really have my work cut out for me. Though I must say, I’m REALLY blessed to have people (my peeps, I have peeps!) who are willing to help me with some of the above.
Twittering the Last Dayz
Author: mia
Hey y’all, if you’d like to follow along, I’m twittering the last few days of recording!
The Home Stretch
Author: admin
One month from now. The album should be done. This is both scary and frightening, disappointing and exhilarating. Just think of this as the quiet before the happy amazing big promotional storm to let the world know about the album! Head’s up Grey’s Anatomy music supervisors… we’re on our way.
Happy 1st Birthday SR Project!
Author: mia
I can’t believe it’s been a year since we launched the Sukey Rose Project! I’ve learned so much and that’s GOOD, even though it was painful and frustrating most of the time (oh yes). At first it hit me as a depressing fact that, even after a year, the album is not complete. But I realized something that assuaged my downcast heart. You see, the main inspiration for this project, Jill Sobule, launched her album fundraiser only a couple months before me. And she just released her album a couple weeks ago sooo it took a bit over a year too! Check out the CNN feature on her new album release (which also mentions that this will be the first time that she will ever make a $1 from CD sales -being unsigned does have its perks). Thanks Jill- for showing that it’s possible to survive as a musician on the support of kind friends and strangers.
Happy 1st Birthday to all of us and to YOU who are reading this for being part of this project. I’ve finished tracking 5 out of 11 songs. Part of it is waiting for Mr. Producer to have free days, another part of it is me just getting my head/heart/arse/faith/strength/noodle/focus IN LINE. Hopefully two more songs will be done in the next couple weeks and then the rest after that this month. I’m reallllly happy and excited about the songs I’ve done so far. Verrrrryyyy relieved and excited for everyone to hear me rock out with a sort-of-new-sound! SRP members get one of the songs emailed to them tonight. That’s RIGHT. STELLAR!
huh?
Author: mia
I don’t understand. how is it May already? It’s basically summer, it’s getting warmer, it’s getting cooler, look it’s already winter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, happy 2015!
time is moving freakishly fast. I won’t lie, it’s upsetting and I wish Time would just put itself on pause, just for a bit. Please… how lovely that would be. ‘||’ <– that’s the pause button. push it.
very interesting
Author: mia
but sort of bizarrrrro too: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/04/07/second.life.singer/index.html
is this indie music of the future? what would I name my avatar? Sukey Rose? Rukey Sose? On the other hand, I could finally do that world tour I’ve always wanted to do. Not really.
But I truly do admire the ingenuity and creativity of Second Life. $10,000 in resulting sales! That’s serious. Read the article for an interesting read!~
into the studio
Author: mia
So I’m going into the studio tomorrow and possibly Thursday. Probably will record Marionette and a couple others. Mr. Producer works fast and we’ve established a synergy. General day in the studio is: choose a song, load in files, record lead vocals, build over vocals and base tracks with Mr. Producer laying down electric guitar and keys. Throughout the day we listen for where there needs to be a bit more layering of parts (usually in the chorus to make it bigger compared to verses). Then I add background vocals. Then we call it a day, and let the songs sit, then come back to a song to tweak parts another day. At first I was a bit scared at how fast we built the songs, but Mr. Producer is a genius, and it WORKS, and I really love what we’re coming up with. He just makes my odd-but-rocky-angsty-pop-singer/songwriter songs cooler. He is also very open to hearing my feedback and for me to say “can we try this?”. Album is slowly slowly approaching completion. 4 songs down, 8 or so to go!
On another vein I was contemplating releasing this album primarily as a Digital Album, but then I realized, I have to send out hard copies of the album to my dear Sukey Rose Project members, so I’ll be doing at least a 1000 unit run. So many industry peeps are saying that indie artists should forego the hard copy and just sell digitally, but CD’s are BIG sellers at shows, especially for Indie artists. People like to take a piece of the music and the experience home with them, a tangible piece, i.e. CD. A CD marks a supportive relationship between a fan and artist. Especially when you can shake the hand of the person supporting you through the purchase of your CD and sign a kind note on their CD as well. It’s personal. and real.
Recording and Life Update
Author: mia
Soooo I was half joking in my last post, half… not. I started working 5 hours a day during the week. So now I have two part-time jobs and that sort of equals one full time job. Though I’m grateful to have employment and to be making money, (all of which is going to bills and to finishing the album) I’m a bit sad at not having leisure time to practice songs and write on a whim like I used to. I’m convinced I can learn to do it (work and play music). It’s tough though. I never realized how long it takes to eat, and exercise (3 hours of the day there). Then pray and do a workbook exercise from an artist’s workbook I’m doing (1 hour). Answer emails and tend to my weekend job (2 hours). Run errands and catch up on all web stuff (FB, MySpace, News) (2 hours). Do that and basically it’s 11pm and it’s time to go to bed. We’ll see how long ‘reality’ and I last together. I have a feeling it’ll be like one of those celebrity marriages.
But I did take 2 days off last week to go into the studio to work with Mr. Producer. We did THREE songs in two days and I’m really excited with what we did. I think fans of my first album may be surprised at the new sound. But if you keep in mind my some of my favorite bands and musical influences (like Death Cab, Mute Math, and Eisley) then it sort of makes sense. Not to mention I’m a big fan of Mr. Producer who is amazing at making excellent pop-indie-rock. So the tally stands at 4 songs 90% done and 8 songs to go. I’m going to leave you with a snippet of “Safe” that we did last week. It’s an unmastered rough mix but, yeah that’s me singing, asking if you’re “Safe”! What do you think? I can’t wait till this is DONE!
“Safe” snippet
the ‘real world’
Author: mia
“Mia, welcome to the real world. You are now an official member of the common work corps that makes up a majority of the population. Where you don’t get to sleep in till.. ‘11am’. Where you don’t get to plan your day leisurely and decide to go to the beach for a contemplative walk. Welcome to self-drugging yourself with unlawful amounts of caffeine to stay awake past 2pm. Welcome to ‘it’s time to start paying off your credit card debt’. Welcome to a life where you don’t have the time nor the energy to play the guitar beyond strumming the one on the wall as you walk out the door. Oh YES. The real world. WELCOME.”- BEEP BEEP BEEP-
What’s that sound? Oh it’s the alarm clock. What time is it? Oh, it’s 9am! I have to get up to go to the studio. I’m recording this week! Oh thank the Lord. It was just a dream.
or was it?
Future Goals
Author: mia
A lot of people assume that my dream as a musician is to perform everywhere and sell tons of records. Especially the performing part. But that’s actually not true. It’s not that I don’t like performing, I do and I’ve come to realize it’s a very natural part of who I am. But I definitely have other specific goals that I am pursuing after I complete this record. So I thought it would be nice for me to share some here in the blog!
1) The number one goal right now for me is to be a professional, paid songwriter. And I’ll be using this new album as a ‘portfolio’ to show people when I knock on doors. Being a professional songwriter means that I would sign a publishing contract with a publishing company to be a contracted writer. This company would do their best to get the songs I write for them recorded by artists and songs that I’ve recorded placed in media. A contracted writer is usually paid a set weekly or monthly stipend and is required to hand in a set amount of ‘recordable’ songs per year. Every company varies. Bottom line. Being a professional songwriter means someone pays you for your songs and those songs, hopefully, are recorded by artists who are signed to labels. There’s also income from royalties but that’s a whole ‘nother blog entry.
2) The next goal I have for this album is to place songs off this album on network TV. You know, all those songs that play in the background during scenes on most shows? This is called ’song placement’. I’m determined to work hard and do my best to make this happen. This means building relationships with Music Supervisors and those in the industry who are looking for quality music. They have a need, and I want to help them by sharing the specific songs on this album that I know would fit their needs. “Marionette” during a particularly emotional scene on “Gray’s Anatomy” anyone? Maybe “One Tree Hill”. Hmmm… I can see the scene now and someone is definitely crying and breaking down. Right now, the door to song placement is OPEN to unsigned indie artists. Payment for placement can be from a pittance, “hey it’s amazing publicity for you!” to $500-$1000 on average for unknown artists. I haven’t literally read this but I suspect some labels also pay to have their artists prominently featured. “Promotional consideration provided by…. ARTIST NAME HERE, LABEL NAME HERE”. Haven you all seen that?
3) The sales goal I have for this album is to sell 5000 copies total, including digital and hard copies. Now that’s actually not an unrealistic number and if I get TV or Movie placement, it might be easier to surpass. But for me, it’s within reach but a bit higher than would happen normally, so it’s just a number to reach for. If I don’t reach it it’s ok, if I surpass it, that’s great too. Did I mention I’m not good with numbers?
4) Finally… a ‘performance’ goal! Besides visiting all the places in the good ole’ USA where people already are familiar with me and my music, I want to play all the usual ’singer/songwriter’ venues that everyone plays in LA. The Genghis Cohen, Hotel Cafe, etc and wherever else will have me. I’ll do this with the help of my booking reps. We’ll send a CD to these venues then call and call and call. Professionally and completely politely, with confidence of course! Then I’ll invite everyone I know in the LA area and I’ll pack out the joint! Gar, I need to start practicing more!
So, I’m hoping for a lot from this album, ya know?