Music & Social Media – Just Good Friends?
glamglare newsletter #11
Social media work today is an essential part of being a musician. Careers have been built on the ability to connect with fans – something that was not possible before the ubiquitousness of social media platforms. Then, communication was a one-way street from artist to fan through traditional media.
If fans wanted to reach out to an artist, they had to be creative. A friend and big Michael Jackson fan managed to get into the same room with him by persistence and cleverness. Today, feeling close to your idol can be just a tweet or Instagram comment away.
But has social media made the life of musicians easier? And what does an artist actually need to do to make it work?
First, let’s get the elephant out of the room: the number one social network for musicians is supposed to be TikTok. I have to admit that I don’t know much about it. Despite several attempts to become familiar, it never clicked with me. Some say that you have to spend some time with TikTok to “train” the algorithm, but I don’t even know what I want to train it for. There are some people who I always enjoy seeing on screen, but spending significant time on that does not make much sense to me.
Also, TikTok feels like the bottom of the internet rabbit hole, where content and attention frantically spin around themselves without lasting impact.
For those reasons, with glamglare we still focus on the classic social media trifecta of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Collecting the socials for an artist is an almost daily chore for us, so we have some insight into what works for musicians.
Instagram is undoubtedly king: I cannot remember a single musician who does not have an account. That is curious because Instagram severely restricts what can be shared on the platform. To direct fans to the actual music, you have to use the link in the bio and tools like Linktree. But the scene is buzzing on Instagram, which is probably the best place to connect with your favorite artists.
Most musicians also have a Facebook page, but not many put their heart into it. Facebook has probably already seen its best times in music, as in other areas.
On the other hand, Twitter seems to be all or nothing for musicians. Many don’t even have an account, but others constantly engage on the platform. You need a thick skin for the latter as things can get nasty there.
Social media can be time-intense, frustrating, and even mental-health-deteriorating. But it also gives us a platform where we can continuously engage with the music we love and don’t have to wait for the occasional record release.
So check out our latest seven Song Picks of the Day and click on the artist name, which takes you to a handy little page with all the social links.
Song Pick of the Day
Listen to all our daily song picks on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.
PVA - Hero Man
"Can't eat, can't sleep, can't get to work" - London trio PVA delivers this state of utter inability as a high-energy synth-pop track that reminds us how emotionally engaging well-crafted electronic music can be. Ella Harris, Josh Baxter (both vocals, synths, guitar), and Louis Satchell (drums) are said to put on a fantastic live show, so maybe you can catch them at one of their gigs in the UK and Europe (tour dates).
PVA will release their debut album "Blush" on October 14 via Ninja Tunes.
Listen to our Song Lock of the Day, "Hero Man," below:
Florence Arman - Stupid Heart
Aren't we all tempted from time to time to think of our feelings as having a stupid heart? Falling in love with the wrong person but also believing in a person's words and getting fooled, two just name two examples. I think it is easy to relate to "Stupid Heart," the new beautiful song by Florence Arman.
The British singer/songwriter, who took our hearts by storm last year with "In A Heartbeat" and "Naked," says about her newest release:
"Stupid Heart" is the first song I wrote about family stuff. Being the youngest in my family I think I’ve inherited a bit of baggage, which is normal I think and totally fine, but then again I still want to be able to write very dramatic songs about it.
Listen to "Stupid Heart," our Song Pick of the Day:
Connect with Florence Arman here.
Sister Wives - Greater Place
“’Greater Place’ is our love song to joy," said Sister Wives, the Sheffield, UK-based band of Donna Lee (vocals/keys/synths), Rose Love (vocals/bass), Liv Willars (vocals/guitar), Lisa O’Hara (vocals/drums). But don't expect soaring chorales or jubilating string arrangements. The four women stay true to their roots in gritty rock and show you a more down-to-earth version of joy.
Singer Liv Willars explains where the song comes from:
“My son was born a few weeks before the first lockdown, and we spent the first year of his life almost in isolation. Even being alone at home during such a dark time, joy still managed to tear through."
Sister Wives will release their debut album "Y Gawres," Welsh for "giantess," on October 28 via Libertino Records. Watch the joyful video below:
JoJo Worthington - Win Butler
Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer JoJo Worthington isn't afraid to tackle one of her biggest inspirations head-on. Who dares to call her new song "Win Butler?" Must be someone who's not only out for short-lived buzz but someone who can back it up with substance. And oh, is there substance in JoJo Worthington's music!
Her new single "Win Butler" comes on the heels of her just-released EP BAPTIZED I, produced by herself and William Crann, and brims with gorgeous music. Front and center are JoJo's bright and enchanting vocals, paired with exquisite (synths) instrumentation and an overall splendid production. Asked about "Win Butler," JoJo says:
Win Butler" is a cacophony of feelings. It's about the juxtaposition of wanting to succeed in the music industry and make art while there are adverse and tragic events happening everyday, all around me. Over the pandemic, it felt like the last thing anyone needed was more music (especially from me).
We beg to differ, but since we only recently discovered JoJo's incredible talent ourselves, go on, please:
When I was in high school, I loved Arcade Fire (I still do), and I romanticized moving to Montreal and making amazing music. When I did finally move here, I was living downtown, and was heartbroken by the housing crisis and how many people were living on the streets here. Pursuing my dreams seemed like an incredibly selfish and insignificant thing to do, while people outside my apartment were just trying to get their basic needs met. The lyrics are inspired by some of the conversations I've had with those people, and the conflict I feel as I pursue a career in music in this broken world.
At its core, this is very artistic because that is what artists do - they wrap what they see and hear into something the general public, the less artsy souls, can understand and love and maybe even act upon. Music with meaning doesn't have to be a protest folk or punk song, it can come in many different forms and shapes, and in the case of "Win Butler," it comes in an exhilarating package. More of this, please.
Listen to "Win Butler," our Song Pick of the Day:
Connect with JoJo Worthington here.
Abby Sage - The Florist
"The Florist" is a metaphor for a person who dispenses happiness to others, which is something that L.A.-based singer/songwriter Abby Sage strives for in real life. But the song comes with a curious restraint in production and vocals that hints at a darker side in the life of a "florist," too.Abby says about the song:
“I’m someone who’s so protective of their friends. When something is broken, I want to fix it. And a florist is someone who through their actions makes a room prettier – because flowers always manage to do that.”
"The Florist" is the title track on Abby Sage's upcoming EP, scheduled for October 21 via Nettwerk. Listen on your favorite streaming service or below on YouTube:
Arny Margret - sniglar
The new single "sniglar" by Icelandic singer/songwriter Arny Margret is nothing short of utterly gorgeous. From its soothing vocal delivery to its mesmerizing and simply beautiful production. While 'sníglar' is Icelandic for 'snail," Arny Margret sings in English and clearly knows the language very well as her lyrics are powerful and captivating. With "sniglar" she released the second track from her upcoming album they only talk about the weather, out on October 21st via One Little Independent Records.
Asked about "sniglar," Arny says:
I was in a place where I hadn’t been in for a year, so I was getting a lot of déjà vu and remembering a lot of stuff from that time. All the places I had been in, the conversations I had, things that I could have done better and so forth. It’s one of my favourites on the album, it’s simple and honest.
It's the disarming simplicity which at the same time is almost overwhelmingly hypnotic, that drew us immediately in!
Arny was born and raised in a small town called Ísafjörður, which is part of The Westfjords, a large peninsula in northwestern Iceland that faces the east coast of Greenland. There's a reason why Arny likes to muse about the weather on her upcoming album and explains:
I like to use the weather, in one of my songs I even make it a person, I sing “I am blinded by the light of winter, but it comes and goes away, I don't like her very much, you can't depend on anything she'll say."
We can't wait to hear that song and look forward to listen to the entire album.To get an idea of what weather in Iceland looks like but also how fascinating this country is, watch the music video, with cinematography by Ívar Kristján Ívarsson, grip by Hákon Hjartarson, and editing by Gudmundur Kristinn Jónsson and Arny Margret herself. Check out "singlar," our Song Pick of the Day:
Connect with Arny Margret here.
Asha Gold - Up To Me
At first, "Up To Me" may sound like an obsessive relationship. But the airy, bouncy production and the repeated use of the far too familiar word "lockdown" hint that London-based singer/songwriter Asha Gold does not mean it that seriously. In fact, the song is not even about a specific person, as she explains below:
"I had a lot of fun writing 'Up To Me' - the quicker tempo pushed me to be inventive with melody and challenged me to tell a story without crowding the space with too many words. The lyrics encapsulate a sort of playful nostalgia: it's about growing up and entering the real world, and therefore losing the freedom to carelessly spend hours upon hours with my favourite people. I play on the idea of wanting to keep someone trapped inside so that I can have 100% of their time. Louis hints at this needy, childlike behaviour in the production - the beat is incessant whilst the instruments and samples are super playful. I'm so excited to have this track out, in time for a (hopefully) sunny August!"
Listen to "Up To Me," our Song Pick of the Day, on your favorite streaming service or below on YouTube:
What we are listening to
Brijean - https://glamglare.com/album/brijean-angelo
Meet Anastave
Originally based in NYC, the singer, songwriter, and producer Anastave moved to Berlin to find new inspiration to follow up her 2016 excellent debut album "From the Other Side of the Fire." Life is rarely straightforward, so a few years went by until she was ready to release new music. The eclectic synth-pop track "Cover the Dust," marks the first in a series of new songs. We wanted to celebrate this occasion, and Anastave was so kind to answer a few questions about where she is coming from and where she is heading with her music.
How did you start with songwriting?
I've always been a writer. I've always used journals, poetry, and short stories as a place of comfort — to express what was going on in my head.
The magic of songwriting is that sometimes you write things that you had no idea you were feeling until they came out of you. I played piano until I was 12 and stopped playing for some years, but even when I stopped playing, I kept writing. I started playing piano again when I was studying fiction and poetry in university. That's when I started writing my own songs.
When did you realize you wanted to produce your own music?
I realized I wanted to produce my own music when I was having trouble expressing what I wanted. I didn't have the right terms or the right language to describe what I heard in my head. I started producing and it was such an amazing feeling — the things I thought, I could create. It's very healing — being able to make something out of the dark and weird corners of your mind — and the same goes for songwriting.
Your 2016 album From the Other Side of the Fire takes cues from 1990s trip hop. Did you have specific influences when you wrote the album?
Certainly, I was inspired by the Bristol sound of the '90s trip hop scene — Tricky, Portishead, Massive Attack, and the like — they're all artists that have helped me a lot in one way or another. They've given me comfort when I was at my worst, and inspiration when I was at my best. I was also inspired by Burial, Aphex Twin, existentialism, addiction, Sylvia Plath, and crime films. These things will always be in my DNA, but I'm taking things in a slightly different direction now.
You moved to Berlin in 2018 from New York City. What did you expect from this move, and did it come true?
I wanted a deeper connection with music and I found it. Not in the way I had initially intended, but I got there nonetheless. I found it when I let go of what I thought I wanted, or needed, to find.
Your latest song, "Cover the Dust," is a new chapter for Anastave. Did your approach to music change since From the Other Side of the Fire?
Absolutely. This particular song was written in isolation. I wrote and produced it during the lockdown when I was feeling quite alienated and detached from a lot of things. My approach to music, in general, has changed in that I'm a lot less afraid of myself than I used to be. I don't fear my voice the way that I used to. Lyrics have always been so important to me, but I was afraid of being judged for how good of a singer I was. Fortunately, I've been able to let a lot of that go. I think that's how I've changed the most — being more comfortable and confident in myself — knowing that not everyone has to understand me or believe in me, and that's totally fine.
Tell us about the making of “Cover The Dust.”
Cover the Dust explores themes of perception, vanity, and greed. I wrote this song after watching videos of people going to hospitals to make charitable gestures followed by a video crew to announce their altruism on Instagram. I wondered how often people made such gestures with no audience in mind. Can a deed made public be unblemished by exploitation? Do people make things public that they don't plan to capitalize on in some way?This song also touches on media aimed at making us feel like we're not enough, and the people who take advantage of that — who steer us in the direction of buying what they're selling so that we can 'feel whole'.
We tried hard to have you on a glamglare showcase when you were still living in New York, but your move to Berlin came in between. Do you have plans to perform your new material live?
For sure. My focus right now is on releasing these songs and finishing the others I have in development, and I look forward to performing them after they're out.
"Cover the Dust" is only the first of a series of singles you want to release this year. Can you give us a sneak peek of what is next?
The next song is called Sacrifice and the following song is called Sympathy.These two were also written in isolation. I'm excited to share them.
This article was originally published on March 1, 2022, on glamglare.