MUSIC INDUSTRY WORKSHOP: How to Write a Bio

Sep. 5, 2005 - Here are some pointers to help you come up with a unique attention grabbing artist bio that will stand the test of time.

1. Don't worry about writing a book. One page or even a few paragraphs is fine. In fact, most people don't want to read any more than that.

2. Emphasize your strong points while minimizing areas where you lack. If you have played gigs with well-known bands, be sure to list them. If you haven't played many gigs, don't bother mentioning the fact. Go on to your recording, or your other musical experience. Also, while it's okay to "hype" a little bit, never tell any lies or make a boast you might not be able to come through on. It will come back to haunt you, and then you will lose all credibility in the reader's eyes.

3. When creating a bio, you want to write something that will endure for years--so don't say things like "next month we will go on our biggest tour yet!" Think timeless and be vague about the future.

4. Don't say your band's music is "not able to be classified". Aside from the fact that a million other bands say the same thing, the music industry contact reading your bio wants and NEEDS to know whom you are comparable to. For instance, if someone recommends a movie, you probably need to know whether it’s an action flick, or a romantic comedy before you decide if you want to pay for it.

5. List all of your major musical influences. This goes along with trying to give the person an idea of what you sound like. It can work great to help you come up with a unique description of your music. For instance, " From the band Christafari comes Avion Blackman with a sound described as Sade meets Norah Jones with world music undertones."

6. DO NOT say you are the coolest, best, or greatest band around, or anything even remotely close to it. Don’t say that God has anointed your voice. Music buyers, DJs, press and others in the industry want to decide for themselves if you are good or not. Avoid the flowery adjectives.

7. Of course you want to list all your major accomplishments; any recordings, awards, education, or whatever.

8. Unless your band has former members of the Wailers or Third World in it, it's probably not a good idea to do one of those story bios. "John was playing in Joe's band until the singer quit. Then John met Nigel, who was playing with the Nobodys. They formed a band called The Losers. When the drummer quit, they changed their name to The New Losers", etc... This is irrelevant and, well, boring. Not to mention it shows your lack of ability to keep a band together. It is okay to use an interesting line or two about how the band got started, or how songs are written. It's also okay to add any interesting facts, like maybe your band donates all proceeds from their CD sales to charity.

9. A quick concise listing of each member is good. If any members have played in well-known bands, it's good to mention it here, but don't make a big deal out of it.

10. Your bio should be written with a specific audience in mind. You may need to create a Christian bio (for churches and Christian festivals) and a secular bio (if you are trying to get shows in clubs and secular reggae festivals). If you are writing your bio for the artist section of gospelreggae.com, your bio should be clearly Christian. But please stray away from specific denominational attachments or speaking Christianese. We don't need to know how "anointed" you are, when you were "baptized in the holy spirit" or whether or not you "speak in tongues." And we know that you love your pastor, but you don't need to mention them or your church by name. If you truly want your music to influence as many as possible then don't limit it to your single denomination.

11. After you have finished writing your BIO, find the most attention grabbing sentence/paragraph and start your bio with it. If you want your reader to endure your bio, you have to hook them from the first line. For example: "Swimming with alligators sounds a lot more dangerous than it really is," said Avion (while twisting her dreads and describing her adventurous days as a tomboy living in a tropical rainforest with 17 brothers)…

12. Read other bands' bios. Compare and rewrite. Have other people read and comment on what you have written. Make sure it is grammatically correct, with no typos. If you really feel yourself lacking in this area, consider hiring someone to write your bio for you. A good bio is part of the press kit that forms the first impression of your band. It could last you for years so don't mess it up.