Photo by Luis Barrera
As an independent artist, partnering with a huge brand like Popchips or Supercuts and having your music exposed to its audience seems entirely out of reach. So how did Xavier Toscano, an unfailingly positive pop musician based out of San Francisco, get on their radar and make it all happen?
With the help of the licensing opportunities he was selected for, Xavier has garnered up quite an impressive following (he's got over 40,000 fans on Facebook!), and he’s smart about keeping his fan engaged and wanting more. So, let’s find out more about Xavier has been able to champion his brand partnerships and amass such a large following.
Tell us about your experience having your music selected by Popchips through Sonicbids. What was your favorite part of scoring that opportunity?
Popchips selected about 10 artists from several major cities. I was one of the few selected in San Francisco. We were asked to attend a meeting in San Francisco, where we met some of the Popchips executives and marketing staff. They rolled out their presentation, letting us know that our songs would go live as downloads on their website and social media. They then asked us to promote to our fanbases. Had it not been for Sonicbids, I wouldn't have been able to reach this high-profile opportunity.
It was great to see people commenting on and messaging me about the opportunity. The best part was having people send me a message saying they heard the song, liked it, and then took the time to let me know.
You made yet another brand connection through Sonicbids when Supercuts reached out to you for their "Rock the Cut" campaign. What was that process like, and what came out of it?
The Sonicbids platform made it easy for me to communicate with Supercuts, and the submission process was very simple, clean, and effortless. They explained to me that they would be giving my music away and asked me to promote it to my listeners. Sonicbids helps you and the promoter make a quick connection, so soon enough, they had my MP3, and we worked together to spread the word about my music. Again, had it not been for Sonicbids, I don't think I would have gotten such an opportunity.
It gives an artist commercial legitimacy when a major brand decides to work with them. I received a flood of congratulatory messages from people saying how much they enjoyed listening to the song.
You've also been featured by some of the companies that have licensed your music. How did that extra spotlight attention drive new fans to your music?
It was a cross-promotion. The brands were exposed to my fanbase, while I was exposed to people who cared for the brands. It was win-win, and the feedback from people who enjoyed the song was the most rewarding. For example, my video for "To the Sky" was placed in restaurant retail outlets all across America. I replied to a Sonicbids listing for Pulse Records, and they picked up my video to be played at fast food restaurants (Carl's Jr., Denny's, etc.). It was cool to see that it happened. Again, it was Sonicbids that made that possible, and the platform was easy to use.
Having worked with several brands, what's your opinion on musicians using their music for advertisements – is there a line where it becomes selling out?
I don't believe in selling out. I have to eat just like everyone else, and criticism doesn't bother me at all. In the end, I am happy and always grateful when a company or an individual pays me the highest compliment by feeling like I am cool enough to be associated with. I call all of my followers "friends of X," because they are my friends in my eyes, as well as any company who decides to come along for the ride.
When you make new professional connections, what’s your advice on how to champion on those connections and create new opportunities? Do you have any tips on how to keep the relationship two-sided?
This is a very good question! It is always tempting to go forge a new relationship based on what you can get from a promoter or company (since when you first start out, you feel like you have nothing to offer and need a helping hand). But I want to tell everyone to resist that temptation and rack your brain a little to see how you can be of assistance. Most new connections will remember this, and I have had connections come back months or years later with great opportunities. What goes around really tends to come back around.
What do you do to retain new fans who are exposed to your music? How do you keep them interested and coming back for more?
You know, for a long time, this mystified me. I just did not know how, and consequently, I think I lost some people along the way. However, now I know better, and I know to use humor to keep people interested. I read somewhere that in order to keep people interested, you have to make an emotional connection, and it seems to me that laughter is good way to start. I make fun of myself a lot, and since I am a dog lover, I post a lot of funny dog photos on my Instagram. I think it keeps my followers interested and engaged. Plus, I love a good laugh and go to comedy shows pretty often.
What's the best piece of advice you could give to a fellow aspiring pop artist trying to find licensing opportunities and share their sound with new audiences?
Be easy to work with, and make sure you're honest with yourself when it comes to your music. Most people don't care about the mechanics of making music, but they really do care about how it makes them feel. If you're an artist who writes depressing songs, don't pitch to Coca-Cola, and if you're a very happy kind of artist, make sure you're not trying brands that cater to an audience that loves metal. The same goes for fans: try to find a following with similar artists.
Learn more about licensing your music:
- 4 Ways That Getting a Sync License Can Jumpstart Your Music Career
- Breaking Down a Music License Agreement: What You Need to Know Before You Sign
- 5 Steps to Music Licensing Success
- Should Artists Accept Gratis Licenses for Film and TV Placements?
- How to Write a 'Licensable' Song for TV
