We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mick Blankenship a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Mick thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
Yes, my loyal following has been super supportive. With donations and subscriptions, I have been able to tour and continue to make music.
Mick, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I became a full-time independent artist in 2017. I left corporate America and never looked back. I teamed up with music producer John Moyer (of the platinum metal band Disturbed) and released my first single in 2018. Since then, I have released 33 songs. Despite the challenges of the music industry, I remain independent. I still own 100% of my music.
I am most proud of my music catalog. In the last five years, I have released three albums and multiple singles.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
BUY THE DAMN TICKET!
Come to the damn show.
Always buy directly from the artist.
If they have a new t-shirt, hat, sticker, whatever… BUY IT!
Subscribe to the mailing list. Stay up to date. Get involved.
Independent artists need your support. Record labels do not.
They have millions. All we (Indie artists) have is YOU.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I have built my following over time by posting multiple times a day. Reinventing myself often and growing with the times. I learned from things that didn’t work and reinforced the things that did. You have to spend money to make money.
Learn how to use the platform to your advantage. Advertise and promote daily.
Never give up.
Be consistent and persistent.
Cultivate your community. Nurture the ones that are there.
Stay away from negativity.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/mickblankenship
Image Credits