This past week, A3C [All 3 Coasts] Festival & Conference went live with MICXSIC (pronounced Mike Sick), of Savage Fam Productions,and Marc Gianni, A&R Consultant with A3C, to check out Sonicbids submissions and share their insights on what makes for an effective Electronic Press Kit (EPK). Here are some of their insights on a great EPK and how to make your submission for A3C in October stand out.
So, what makes for a standout submission?
It’s all about first impressions — having a complete and well-put-together EPK is the key to standing out in your submission to A3C or any other gig you may encounter. In the process of reviewing submissions for A3C, both MICXSIC and Marc Gianni made it clear that first and foremost, it’s about the music.
When it comes down to choosing between artists, however, promoters want to do just that: promote you, and that means you need an up-to-date, clean, and comprehensive EPK. We’ve made a break down of tips, tricks, and red flags to help you out.
6 Tips to Make Your EPK Great from MICXSIC and Marc Gianni
1. Put your best songs up front
In reviewing submissions, the very first thing MICXSIC and Gianni did was listen to the artists' sounds, so make sure to put your best three songs at the top of the list in order. Even if they only listen to 30 seconds of your first song, having extra material can come in handy later in the selection process.
2. Add some killer photos
Your press photo is the very first image they should see, so it needs to be high quality, aesthetically pleasing, and match your style as an artist. They also highly recommend including stage photos to demonstrate your performance style, passion, and stage presence.
3. ...and a few videos, too
Videos are necessary to demonstrate that you are a legit artist. Include a high-quality, live performance video first, then a well-edited and representative music video. The more comprehensive the content, the more likely they are to consider you.
4. Showcase your following
Link any and every social site you can. Show off how many fans you already have and what makes you unique. In an Instagram-heavy market, don’t forget to curate your YouTube channel, SoundCloud and Facebook pages, and keep posting new content! Weird discrepancies between play count and engagement on your posts: huge red flag. Archive those low-quality photos, too.
5. Keep everything up to date
Don’t keep old songs, photos or videos in your EPK that no longer represent who you are as an artist, period.
6. Spruce up your bio
Don’t lose them on the final turn. They want to use your bio to promote you to the public, so keep it short and sweet.
About A3C 2018
The 2018 A3C Festival & Conference takes place in Atlanta from October 3-7 and is the biggest hip-hop event in the world. Past performers including J. Cole, Action Bronson, Ghostface Killah, DJ Premier, B.o.B, 2 Chainz, Young Thug (Sonicbids), Trinidad James (Sonicbids), and Rhymefest (Sonicbids).
The annual five-day event has been thrusting artists into the spotlight since 2004 and showcases 1,500-plus artists from emerging talents to certified rap gods. Since its inaugural year, A3C has featured over 130 Sonicbids artists.
Ready to apply for this year's A3C festival?
A3C 2018 is booking at least 50 Sonicbids artists and is open to all genres of hip-hop, with US and international acts welcome. Each week, two artists will be voted onto the 2018 stage through the #ThisIsMyYear campaign, and at least two of the selected acts will receive $500 for their performance.
Check out the gig and apply here. Be sure to apply early; submissions officially close September 19!
