In the dynamic world of independent music, songwriter and artist Lindsey Sweat, better known as Trella, stands out with her unique approach to music creation and promotion.
This spotlight delves into Trella's journey, exploring her artistic evolution, impactful live performances and insightful strategies in music marketing.
The challenges of being heard
Trella's story is one of turning life's ebbs and flows into musical expression, resonating deeply with her audience. As she navigates the music industry, which now sees over 10,000 new songs daily, Trella focuses on creating genuine connections with fans. Whether through live shows, social media engagement on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, or sharing her musical influences through monthly playlists, Trella's approach is as multifaceted as her music.
“It's either you play the game and you play it well or you choose not to play the and you choose to do something completely different.”
Trella’s top three artist promotion strategies
Trella's promotional tactics are as multifaceted as her music. Her primary strategy involves playing live shows, especially as an opening act for more established artists, offering a direct connection with the audience.
“I've been touring more and opening for bigger artists than me. I'm at the stage in my career where I'm not headlining tours, but I am the opening act.”
Additionally, she leverages social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, noting the significant impact of Instagram stories and reels.
Instagram stories and reels have been really big”, says Trella.
“TikTok in general feels like a huge way to engage with your fans. I can't necessarily say that it's my number one way of engaging with my fans, but I'm trying to become more consistent in a way that feels genuine to me. Which has been tough, but I think I finally started to get the hang of it.”
Lastly, creating and sharing monthly playlists allows her to engage fans and share her musical influences, blending her own songs with those she admires. “I've found that that's a really fun way of, like, engaging with my fans, showing the music that I love.”
Balancing creativity and artist marketing
As an independent artist, Trella faces the challenge of balancing music creation with self-promotion. She acknowledges the difficulty but embraces the process as part of the independent artist's journey.
“I think if you ask any independent artists about balance, they probably laugh because … you're always trying to find your balance. At least that's my experience and a lot of my friends who are also artists. [...].
I try to create a schedule for my days. When I'm home, I try for half of the day to be creative and write.[…] and then I allocate 2 hours in the afternoons, for creating and posting on TikTok and Instagram.”
The joy of live performances
Trella shared her enthusiasm for returning to live music, emphasizing its significance.
"There's something about playing live, the way it connects people. It's a life-giving experience, for an artist", she says.
The artist views live performances as a crucial part of her connection with fans, allowing her to share her experiences and affirm that no one is alone in their journey.
Navigating artist branding
Trella has found a harmonious balance between her artistic identity and branding, viewing her brand as a natural reflection of her authenticity. After overcoming initial hesitations about the concept of branding, she now sees it as an invaluable asset for showcasing her true self.
"I've recently come to appreciate that branding can be a positive, authentic expression of who I am," she explains.
A key tool in Trella's branding toolkit is Linkfire's artist bio link. The bio link landing page allows her to consolidate various aspects of her artistic presence – such as tour dates, new releases, and playlists – into one easily accessible link. She especially appreciates the bio link’s versatility.
“I love that I can make it look the way I want it. And I can constantly add different things to people can see everything that I'm up to”.
The time-saving aspect is crucial, too, as it allows her to focus more on her creative process.
Previously, Trella had a less engaging bio link. Now, with Linkfire's user-friendly interface, she enjoys the freedom to adapt her branding elements in one place, reflecting the dynamic nature of her career and creative output.
"It's so useful to have everything in one place, looking just the way I want it. It's not just a link – it's a window into my world as an artist," she adds.
This streamlined approach to branding through Linkfire has become an integral part of Trella's artistic journey, enabling her to devote more energy to her music while maintaining a cohesive and authentic online presence.
Leveraging Tools: The role of Linkfire
The Brooklyn-based songwriter and artist, has found a vital tool in Linkfire for enhancing her online presence and artist branding, particularly praising its artist bio link feature. This streamlined approach not only bolsters her branding but also significantly frees up her time, allowing her to focus more on the creative aspects of her music.
A key component of Linkfire that Trella emphasizes is its analytics capabilities. "I check my analytics once a week or once every other week to see who's listening, what are they listening to, where are they listening from", she explains.
Trella highly recommends Linkfire to fellow artists for its user-friendly interface and its ability to merge personalization with practical analytics. “I would definitely recommend Linkfire to all my musician friends, and I do all the time." she concludes.
In closing, Trella's story is one of resilience, adaptability, and the relentless pursuit of artistic expression. Her journey from 'Highlight Reel' to her debut album showcases the evolution of an artist who is as authentic as she is talented.
Get Linkfire’s curated tips straight to your inbox and become smarter in music marketing. Subscribe to our newsletter.
