It’s the Wild Wild West out there.
The “rules” for breaking into the industry that applied 10 years ago changed 5 years ago – and those rules are different from what we’re doing now. At this point you just need to put your music out to as many sources as you can and hope the right outlet – someone who can truly help you – hears it. You’re one minnow in a gigantic pond.
Live interview
Episode #364 : A.V.A Live Radio Behind The Music with Jacqueline Jax : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2016/09/22/episode-364-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax
GETTING TO KNOW AIRWAYS
by Jacqueline Jax host of A.V.A Live Radio
Sanna Huerta, Lead Vocalist
Airways
It’s the Wild Wild West out there.
The “rules” for breaking into the industry that applied 10 years ago changed 5 years ago – and those rules are different from what we’re doing now. At this point you just need to put your music out to as many sources as you can and hope the right outlet – someone who can truly help you – hears it. You’re one minnow in a gigantic pond. There are a ton of avenues to get your music out to more ears but it’s not easy to figure out who really wants to help you and who wants to nickel and dime you. Everything is DIY and you have to be really careful about what you spend your money on. It’s a constant learning experience.
One good thing about the way things are today
is that it’s easier than ever to create a high quality recording on a budget. We don’t have a major label deal but we have broadcast quality recordings and that’s sick. The biggest con is that since everyone now has good quality recordings, it’s harder to stand out and get heard.
We live in a short attention span world so singles make the most sense.
You need to get to the point quickly when you’re promoting to people and then hammer down that point. We have an EP but we want to promote the songs one by one as singles. In certain genres, full length records may still have a certain appeal but we’re an indie pop band – and in pop music 2016 – the single is where it’s at.
Social media offers you the experience
of being able to interact with the listener personally and also reach a variety of people through more music specific outlets aside of the facebook and twitter sort – alternative music streaming outlets like soundcloud, reverbnation, bandcamp, YouTube and google plus that allow correspond quickly and more specific to interest groups.
There is and has always been pressure to sound current and trendy
but today’s industry with various online outlets has opened the listening audience up for artists and made the industry more fluid. It is possible now more than ever to break out if you don’t follow the current trends. The big issue, however, is figuring out how to get ears listening to YOUR music in a never ending ocean of artists. Personally, I think we walk the line between what sounds hot and what we like doing musically. We have a great producer, Derek Chafin, who has really helped us create songs with artistic integrity that are also marketable…because at the end of the day it would be nice to make back a little of the cash we’ve put into this project.
Well after being in the music biz for most of my life,
I know how to handle rejection really well. Joking! Sort of…Seriously though, since everything is DIY, we’ve had to learn how to do marketing, PR, video recording / editing and event coordination ourselves. Although it seems like more of a PITA than anything when we’re doing it because we just want to concentrate on music, if we ever do make it to the next level with this project, knowing how to do all that stuff already will be really helpful.
#15
Personally, there are a lot of ways I think I live life on my own
terms and one of those is being in a band – because only a crazy MFer would want to do that these days! As a band and writer you really only control the kind of music that you put out there – on the terms of what works in this amazingly saturated industy.
Right now that person would be Shirley Manson.
I am so in love with the new Garbage album. Of all the female artists I was inspired by when I first started out, I think Shirley has stayed the most true while growing the most creatively. Even after all her success, she is still who she was, just a little bit older and wiser. I love how she’s got the guts to speak her mind about anything and I’ve loved watching her artistry advance over the years. I saw Garbage in concert last month and it was a serious shot of inspiration. I can only hope to be as fabulous and rock some pink hair when I turn 50.
It’s always been in my blood.
I’ve been performing for as long as I remember. I used to throw little “talent shows” in my neighborhood for my friends and family when I was a kid and tried to form a girl group when I was 10 with some other kids. We gave up when we looked in the phone book for band managers and couldn’t find any. I wanted to be the next Madonna. For the guys in the band, it came through musical self-discovery and, well, what kid doesn’t want to be a rock n’ roller? Chick and checks.
“Spectacle”
I was at a point in my life where I was trying to be more realistic about things.
I always had my head in the clouds before – like I was gonna be this big rock star and then everything else was going to fall into place. The song is about seeing the good in front of you and appreciating what you have already.
When Adam and I wrote it, Spectacle was this gritty,
mid tempo rock tune that kind of drudged along. We decided to record it so we went to the studio for pre production and our drummer no showed. Seriously – we never heard from him again. We waited for him to show up or call forever and to pass time our producer started talking about Stax records and this documentary about Stax that he watched the night before. It’s like the spirit got into us or something because when we finally decided to go forward without the drummer, Spectacle turned into this funky, R&B influenced dance groove and it was so perfect.
Our EP has a little something for everyone,
no matter where you’re from or how old you are. We use some cool synth sounds like a lot of current bands do but we also incorporate live instrumentation. I think the lyrics are pretty universal and accessible. Musically, there are different moods conveyed that suit each song but a constant emphasis on hooks and melodies.
Philadelphia.
Philly is a big city, so there are lots of opportunities to perform – from small clubs to neighborhood festivals and such. There are a lot of entertainment options here and a diverse array of artists. There is a crazy scene for mid level artists, nationals who can draw 500 – 3000 people. There are so many venues that cater to these acts: Underground Arts, World Cafe, The TLA, Electric Factory, The Fillmore, Union Transfer, The Trocadero….The cool thing is that if there’s a touring band you like – they’ll probably pass through Philly at some point. Bands like us play smaller venues like JohnnyBrendas, Milkboy, Boot and Saddle, Grape Room or Connie’s Ric Rac.
Social Media Links:
Website: https://www.airwaysmusic.com
Bandcamp: https://airways.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDgbRrugeaY
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/airways-music/spectacle
Reverbation: https://www.reverbnation.com/AirwaysMusic