Music Lesson: Tiggy Hawke

Hello, I'm Tiggy Hawke, a singer-songwriter here at Taliard Studios.

Overview of My Income

I make most of my income from a variety of sources:

• Writing Camps: I run a lot of writing camps for my own project. Many of the songs that don't get used are often pitched to other artists.

• Collaborations: Collaborating with artists is always beneficial. While the income from streaming takes time to materialize, working with others allows for diversification.

• Streaming Limitations: Although streaming is fantastic for access, it doesn't provide a consistent monthly income. That's why I believe in not putting all my eggs in one basket; it helps me maintain upward growth.

A Successful Collaboration

Current Project

One collaboration that's working well for me involves partnering with another artist. We are exploring a clothing and music collaboration. Although I don't know much about clothing, my collaborator has substantial knowledge in both music and fashion. Together, we're pooling our expertise and engaging both of our fan bases in this innovative approach.

Promoting My Latest Single: "Remedy"

I'm particularly excited about my most recent single, "Remedy." To maximize my budget, I brainstormed ways to blend Instagram with the promotional strategy. Instagram has been a fantastic discovery tool for music and artists.

• Targeted Marketing: Rather than spend too much on advertising, we thought of reaching out to our supporters directly:
  • Thank You Packages: We created small packages to express gratitude to those supporting the project.
  • Merchandising: Each package includes a thank-you card and some merchandise based on "Remedy."

Going through spreadsheets to price the packages helped ensure we could send these out affordably. Although we never explicitly asked them to post about it, we aimed to encourage continued support and engagement.

Networking & Support

There are numerous people who have helped me along the way. Beyond friends and family, having a solid emotional network is invaluable. Here are a few key takeaways:

• Recognizing Skills: It's essential to know what you're good at and what you're not. This isn't a criticism; it's about finding someone to complement your strengths.

  • It could be a manager, a mentor, or someone with exceptional social media skills, areas that I openly admit are not my forte.

• Building a Reliable Team: My managerial team has been incredible. Knowing they have my back when mistakes happen is priceless.

Setting Expectations

Throughout the years, I've learned to temper my expectations. Looking back at the first song I ever released, I genuinely believed it would catapult my career. However, I made the mistake of putting all my hopes into that one song.

• Lessons Learned:
  • Expectation Management: While it's crucial to have expectations and work hard towards them, spreading out your efforts is vital.
  • The saying about not putting all your eggs in one basket holds true.

In summary, the journey of a musician is a rollercoaster, filled with ups and downs. Understanding your strengths, building a strong support network, and managing expectations effectively can pave the way for sustainable growth.