Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hari Bernstein. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hari , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

In today’s troubled world, people need musicians more than ever – not only because music expresses that which cannot be put into words but which cannot remain silent (to quote Victor Hugo) but because musicians have a unique perspective on the world that enables their fans to see their own lives through a different lens.

But the problem is, so many musicians are unable to share this side of themselves with their fans because when they try to connect with audiences OFF the stage… they panic!

In music school the emphasis ends up being on technique, craft, musicality, and gear. Musicians aren’t taught how to speak about themselves or their music in a way that feels good and makes fans feel good too.

Which is where I come in. So many musicians want to change lives through their music, but they’re unable to craft a message that gets them heard above the noise.

I help musicians discover their written voice so that they can turn ordinary fans into a ride-or-die tribe… through email!!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My journey in music began with two sticks in Central Park. That turned into a full ride to Juilliard and a tenured chair in the viola section of the Nashville Symphony.

But soon I realized that I was having more fun making music happen BEHIND the scenes.

Today, I harness my talents to support musicians and arts organizations through soul-aligned language, storytelling, and heart-centered branding tailored specifically to music and musicians.

As a creative multi-hyphenate (serial entrepreneur, interior designer, musician, dancer, and copywriter), my life experience enables me to address the unique set of challenges facing artistpreneurs who want to change lives through their music AND get paid.

These days, being successful in music takes a lot more than showing up and playing great – and there’s a lot more to it than what we learned in music school.

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We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

This is a hot take – I see so many musicians spending hours and hours on reels that DON’T GET SEEN.

The statistics shows that the average Facebook post gets seen by 2.2% of your followers – so figure about 2-3 people out of 100.

Email, on the other hand, has an open rate of 30-40% (and it can be even higher). Which means that 30-40 people out of 100.

So that same message sent via email 15Xes your reach, immediately.

Every musicians, artist, and creative needs to cultivate their own email list. You’ll save time on reels that don’t get seen (and only make Zuck richer), you won’t be at the mercy of tech overlords, you’ll connect more effectively with your tribe, and you’ll have more time for what you got into this to do in the first place – CREATE!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I joined the Nashville Symphony at 23 – I was rather young.

As much as I loved playing viola, loved music, and loved Tennessee – I felt more and more like something was missing from my life.

I began flipping houses in my spare time and in it I discovered an outlet for my creativity that wasn’t being met on stage. Over the years, I’ve pivoted again and again to maintain my higher personality needs for growth and variety. I became an Attachment-certified dating coach, a realtor, a dancer, and a vanlifer.

It took a decade to admit but ultimately, I’d changed so much internally that I had to accept it was time to leave the orchestra – though it was certainly the hardest breakup of my life.

Having gotten through that period, I never looked back. I look back on those years with fondness and gratitude for what being on stage gave me and for what I am now able to help other artists achieve as a result.

(Sidebar – I’m a big fan of the gradual pivot!)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://haribernstein.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hariunfiltered

Image Credits

Laura Rockett