The Woman Behind Successful Indie Music Women Blog; Linda Garnett
After playing on social media for quite some time, you notice people; You notice their enthusiasm, commitment, dedication and of course, their passion.
Indie Music Women AKA Linda Garnett is one of those who always grabbed my attention, and although there are so many other blogs and radio platforms out there, trust me, there aren’t too many who put in the work on social media.
Quite some time ago, I remember posting to artists to never give up, keep posting your music and don’t worry about the likes or shares. Keep going, because you never know who’s watching. Well…dare I say, admittedly, I am one that watches without liking or sharing. (sorry about that;))
But the one person I have watched, (not creepy btw:))), is none other that the ever growing Indie Music Women.
From when Linda began some 3 years ago, I’ve been noticing an ever growing blog site turn into a larger platform transpiring to radio and so much more, alongside an ever growing fan base.
I thought it was time I approached Linda to find out more about her and her successful ‘Indie Music Women’. I hope you enjoy!
The Woman Behind Successful Indie Music Women Blog; Linda Garnett
MT: Hello Linda! So lovely to have you here. When did you begin your original ‘Indie Music Women’ blog?
Linda: Thank you, Tracey! Happy to be here! I began my original Indie Music Women blog a little over 3 years ago. Time flies when you’re having fun!
MT: What was it you were doing before ‘Indie Music Women’?
Linda: I owned Fuzzy Speakers which was a music information research company focused on providing timely information, historical perspective, candid analysis on the music industry, and music reviews. It covered all genres in both independent and mainstream music and both female and male artists/bands.
MT: Did you sing yourself or how did you become involved in the music business?
Linda: I didn’t sing as a profession but I did have vocal lessons to prep for one. I told my parents that I was going to be a rock star when I grew up, which horrified them. I did form a female 3 piece band in high school with friends and we did perform in front of 300 people for a talent show to win a bet.
The short version of how I became involved in the music business is that I initially found sound engineering was what I wanted to do, especially for radio. I was fortunate enough to have an informal mentorship at a popular San Francisco radio station with their sound engineer. I had written to and originally asked for advice for entering the profession and he offered to mentor me. But my experiences in the industry changed my perspective and I decided maybe it wasn’t for me.
Years later, I rekindled my dream of being a sound engineer and gained some “live” performance experience but I never gave up my stable corporate career. Later on, I worked toward a DigiDesign operator certificate in Pro Tools post-production. But, I retired my dream due to what I experienced and witnessed first-hand with the treatment women in the industry. I decided to marry my two passions, writing and music, and started my first music review blog in 2009.
MT: How do you find the uber talented indie music women?
Linda: I have an ear for good music. 🙂 Seriously, though, I find them through my social media calls for submission’s posts, when they submit their music for my playlists, and just asking for recommendations or receiving recommendations through social media or friends. I also love to explore Spotify playlists curated by indie artists and I’ve discovered some really wonderful women artists that way.
MT: Why do you feel it’s important to focus on the women in the music industry?
Linda: Women in the music industry, whether artist, musician, producer, or behind the scenes in any capacity, are not given the visibility, respect, or support and that needs to change. For example, here we are in the 21st century, fighting for country music women artists to be visible on the mainstream music charts, to be played more on the radio and to be respected more than as “the tomato on top of the salad”.
Women songwriters account for a small percentage compared to men songwriters in the industry, and along with artists, mixing and mastering engineers, and producers, aren’t being nominated in proportionate numbers for mainstream music awards, instead, they’re being told to “step up” their game. There are stories of the sound guy who treats the woman artist setting up her own gear like she doesn’t know what’s she’s doing, and the same in the studio for women engineers and producers.
Women in the music industry are being underrepresented, ignored, dismissed, and not respected. This is what fuels me to help women in the music industry get that recognition and support, break barriers, and level the playing field so in the end, we are all artists, producers, engineers, etc., first, without prefacing our job title with “woman” or “female”. And most importantly, never having to prove ourselves to anyone, in our professions.
MT: Is there anyone who inspires you as a writer/interviewer?
Linda: Yes! Investigative reporter and journalist Bob Woodward is my inspiration! I consider him the absolute master in the art of interviewing and investigative reporting. I took an online course he did on how to interview and investigate, and I came away with a much better understanding of how to interview by his breaking down of the investigations and interviewees he conducted over his iconic career. I learned how to dig deep, how to get in-depth with my interviewees, and researching, among other techniques.
MT: Who do you now enjoy listening to as a fan?
Linda: There are too many artists that I can’t just pick just one! I’m a fan of different genres, and I’m always discovering new artists through my platform that I’ve become a fan of.
MT: What’s a typical day for you? What other activities or hobbies besides running ‘Indie Music Women’, do you like to do that your fans may like to know about?
Linda: A typical day for me is that I work on specific projects or things I have scheduled for that particular day. When I take a break, I love to interact with my supportive social media audience.
Other activities I like to do is read books (the physical kind), which can be about business, music industry, or fiction, or a biography.
I like to write flash fiction (stories under 1000 words), and have had several of my stories published. I love to participate every year in the National Novel Writing Month (called NaNoWriMo) in November when you write a novel in 30 days.
I enjoy west coast swing dancing and attending dance conventions, and I used to compete as a swing dancer for many years.
MT: Apart from the interviews, you have your Spotify playlist and have recently began your own radio show; How many hours a week would you spend on the whole ‘Indie Music Women’ platform, and do have any help?
Linda: I also have a bi-weekly newsletter for indie music women artists — 5 Must Reads for Musicians, as well as creating the Indie Music Women’s Featured Artist of the Day on Instagram three times a week. I typically spend 40 hours a week on my platform. I know some people get the impression from the name that there is a group of women behind it, but it’s actually just me running Indie Music Women without any help.
MT: What has been your biggest challenge in running ‘Indie Music Women’? How do you overcome those challenges?
Linda: Time management is the biggest challenge I have in running Indie Music Women. I use what is called ‘batching’ to overcome it. This is a process where I create batches of similar work in one day that will be scheduled for weeks in advance. For example, if I had a once a weekly podcast, I would record a month’s worth of shows in advance. This process frees me up to take on other projects and I don’t have to be stressed about content creation. On the days that I don’t batch, I prioritize three things that need to be done and complete them. Taking on more than three leads to inefficiency and never getting anything completed.
MT: From what you have learned about your challenges in the music business, what advice would you like to give upcoming independent artists?
Linda: My advice based on what I have learned is to be you. Be strong. Be empowered. Don’t settle. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t compare yourself to other artists; this is your unique journey, not theirs. Don’t let anyone tell you what you should be doing with your career, your music, or your image. Surround yourself with a supportive network of people in and out of the music business. I believe it’s also important to connect with professionals in the music industry because those relationships you develop can help you to learn of opportunities or bring them your way.
Your music career is a business which means you must invest in it. Keep learning and improving in your craft whether that’s your instrument, voice, or songwriting, to be the best at what you do. Learn as much as you can about the music industry and the business side by attending conferences, webinars, taking courses, listening to podcasts, reading newsletters, books, etc. You never know when these could result in discovering opportunities for your music.
I’d also advise women artists to really support each other. There’s an empowerment in lifting each other up both professionally and personally in an industry that doesn’t offer either for them.
MT: I’ve noticed that you are in the process of creating ‘The Indie Women Community’; Can you tell us a bit more about this and what it will involve?
Linda: The Indie Music Woman Community will be a live online membership platform that provides a private online community that will give artists a place to share advice, support, and common experiences, and to lift each other up professionally, emotionally, and intellectually. It will be protected from public scrutiny to promote open dialogue so they can build new long-term relationships with like-minded individuals.
It will also welcome participants from all parts of the Indie Music industry, mutually helping everyone gain new opportunities.
My hope is that the community will be another vehicle that can help women artists grow in their career, break down barriers, and achieve greater success and satisfaction.
I invite anyone who is interested to mail me at linda [at] indiemusicwomen.com
MT: Has Covid 19 affected you at all and the running of your platform? What differences have you noticed since the isolation and lockdowns all over the world?
Linda: I have always worked from home so Covid-19 has not affected how I run my platform. I haven’t had to pivot in how I do things. The differences I’ve noticed however, are that I’m receiving a much higher number of music submission requests from artists, PR agencies, etc., as well as emails from musicians looking for advice on how to reach more fans, raise their profile, and so on.
I have noticed that the worldwide lockdown and isolation has unleashed a lot of incredible creativity among artists from releasing songs that depict dealing with the isolation and mental health, to remote collaborations, song/EP releases,
live streaming shows, to reaching out to fans to engage more than ever via social media.
MT: Thank you so much for your time Linda, All the best with ‘Indie Music Women’!
Linda: Thank you very much, Tracey!
LINKS TO INDIE MUSIC WOMEN
Website: https://indiemusicwomen.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/indiemusicwomen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indiemusicwomen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiemusicwomen/
IMW Radio Show: https://indiemusicwomen.com/imw-radio-show/
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4TqPAxeE6yhbuWfYOwlQZW?si=S2_zQJiSQwCErmZlrLZ0eQ
The Woman Behind Successful Indie Music Women Blog; Linda Garnett