How to Get a Famous Newcomer Singer into Your Next Festival Event

For an artist new to the music scene, performing at a festival is a dream come true. Aside from boosting their career, festivals are also an opportunity to expand their fanbase and establish connections in the music industry.

But booking a newcomer singer can also be risky. Many festival organizers prefer getting the biggest artists because, for them, it guarantees sold-out tickets.

Sure, they may have been famous because they went viral online for having a good voice, but most of the time, the safest bet for festival organizers are those artists who have already established a reputation for attracting massive crowds.

But times are changing, and as top talents get even more famous, it is also getting more competitive and expensive to book them. This is why getting up-and-coming artists is the next big thing in the live entertainment industry, and here is how you get one to sign in to your next festival event:

• Look for your artist.
• Reach out to them.
• Talk about fees.
• Plan your budget accordingly.
• Sign the deal.

Look for your artist.

Obviously, you need to find one before you can book one. In this day and age of online music streaming services and even TikTok, it is now easier for young emerging artists to put out their music for the world to listen to.

But it is for the same reason it can be challenging to find one for your festival event. Many talented individuals are wanting a big break, and as a festival organizer and music enthusiast, you have your favorites for sure. Pro tip: do not choose an artist just because you like them. The thing is, choosing your favorite can make you overlook other factors that you need to consider before booking a talent for your event, and this can be one of the many reasons your festival might fail.

Do you know how they deal with people they work with? Do they match your goals as an organizer? Are there any other potential performers you would like to consider? Are you certain your target audience likes them enough to buy tickets? Assuming they have been to other festivals before, what is the feedback of the organizers behind those events? Can you actually afford them?

These are just some of the things you need to carefully decide on before booking an artist, so choose wisely.

Reach out to them.

Once you have chosen your singer, it is time to reach out to them.

If they work independently and manage themselves, you can simply go to their website or personal blog (if they have any) and call or email them using the contact details provided. You could also DM them on whatever social media platform they are in.

If they are under management or have a booking agent, like Booking Agent Info, communication should be made through them.

In both instances, always include in your message your role in the event, its date and venue, set length, and other relevant event details.

Talk about fees.

Because you are looking for a new artist, you should expect them to not cost as much as artists who are already household names in the music industry. However, that doesn’t mean they come cheap.

Once the artist or booking agent reaches out to messages you back and expresses interest in being part of your event, you can now negotiate fees.

Do not tell them how much your budget is straight away. If they find it too small, they can simply not bother with negotiations anymore. If they think it is too big, they can charge you more.

What you should do instead is to ask for a quote, make a counteroffer if it exceeds your budget, and keep bargaining until you reach an amount that is fair to everyone.

Plan your budget accordingly.

Aside from the talent fee, there are other artist-related costs that you need to factor into your budget.

For instance, you need to know if the artist you are trying to book needs specific lighting and audio equipment in their performance. If they do, you should ask if they will be bringing them. If they don’t, ask if the venue will provide those. If not, then you might need to have a third-party contractor to provide these equipment.

You also need to consider the artist rider in your budget. This is a set of personal requirements like food, travel, and accommodation costs that your talent will likely ask you to cover, so be prepared for these additional expenses that will affect your budget.

Close the deal.

When drawing up a contract, never forget to include the most basic details such as the date, venue, time, and length of the performance.

For you and the artist’s protection, also include clauses that guarantee you, getting a full refund if your talent cancels for whatever reason and if your artist still gets paid if the event gets canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.

Once everything is sorted out, have the artist or their booking agent sign the contract and close the deal.