How Do I Look: The Importance of Your Image

As self-managed artist, every aspect of your career is up to you and there are few things more fundamental than your image. The wrong image can stop you before you even get started. Likewise, constantly changing your image can leave your fans dazed and confused. That is why it is so important to commit to an image and work with it.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

First, you should narrow down what you want to present to the world. This is important and sounds relatively simple however, think about things like the type of performances you will likely have. Think about the genre of music that you are trying to break into. Think about whether the image you are contemplating is sustainable and comfortable for you. Understand that the farther your image is from the real you, the harder it will be to sustain. Look at artists like Brandy and Whitney Houston who had difficulties transitioning to images that better suited their personalities. Each was given a very polished image that soon became hard to maintain under the pressures of life.

Second, you must pay attention to trends and how they influence the industry. Missing a trend could end your career. However, you must develop a balance because following every trend could be just as detrimental. Understand that you must have a certain flexibility while still establishing a firm foundation. Many artists work beyond this concern by becoming trendsetters. This requires the ability to consistently think beyond the present.

Finally, understand what works for you from other people’s perspective. Take input from others about what they understand as your best traits. Often what we see in ourselves does not equal what others see in us. Consult with others that you trust about what they think your image is and take those things into consideration. Their input might help you hone in on aspects of your image that you can develop. Further, it can help you find areas that you may do best to leave as a figment of your imagination.

You can read more about the importance of image here. Additionally, you can get a copy of This Business of Artist Management by Xavier Frascogna and H. Lee Hetherington to read more.