Takeaways from South By Southwest 2023
This post is loosely based on Gab & Jam, 282
(video: https://bit.ly/282atsxsw2023vid and podcast: https://bit.ly/282atsxsw2023podcast )
Hey, Prejippie Nation! We just came back from attending the South By Southwest 2023 conference, so we thought we would check-in with you all and share a little of what we experienced.
See the episode for the full discussion.
We're so excited to be quoted in @Variety_Cynthia "Voices of SXSW: How ‘Adult Spring Break’ Helps Keep Austin Weird" 🥳 #sxsw #sxsw2023 #diyrockstar #prejippie #bloomingprejippie https://bit.ly/featuresxsw2023
6 Takeaways from SXSW 2023:
1. Things come to you when you are ready
I am saying this, because we have met people elsewhere –that MAY have been assets to help us expand our reach—but we did not nurture these relationships. We did not keep in regular contact with them. Instead, we relied on following each other on social media, for instance, as a way to connect, but did not make the extra effort to call, email, or text them periodically. Therefore, I feel like we would have squandered these opportunities had we had had these introductions in 2019. –As you know, we signed up for over a dozen one-on-one mentoring sessions that we plan to reach out on a monthly basis to check in and to share at least one piece of content that we think they may be interested in (for sync or music licensing). By doing so, we are hoping that we can build out our resume of music placements and make “friends with muscle” in these areas. This is quite a different, more pro-active approach that we were not considering in earlier visits. However, after having emailed our couple of email lists—for the blog (http://bit.ly/bpblogsubscribe ) and for the band (https://bit.ly/BPJstreetteam )—we have established a regular practice of monthly “check-in” emails, and realize that it would not be off-putting to add one more. We are ready to implement this into our networking practices, and KNOW that we would have NOT even thought about doing this previously.
Here's last year's blog post for our South By Southwest 2022 Experience:
2. Music sessions seemed paltry
Maybe it’s because we crammed our schedules with these in 2019 and maybe because we feel like it’s hard to tell us ANYTHING we haven’t heard—or have talked about! 🤷🏽♀️—in these last few years AND/OR because the titles weren’t a draw for us. 🤷🏽♀️ Whatever the reason, we found it hard to fill our free time with music-based sessions, so we often ended up opting for the film and podcast-focused sessions. –I mean, we were so fucking busy with mentoring sessions most days that it was OKAY to have a nice break in the action, actually, but typically we would have had to choose between which sessions to attend, because there would have been SO many to choose from! –So, we adapted to this change, but we felt it in our souls that we weren’t filling our cup with music-related content…..
3. Live music wasn’t prevalent (at the MAIN SXSW areas)
We’ve talked about this last year, but part of why ANYBODY would come to SXSW is to discover—and hear live—music. So, NOT to hear it piped-in and drawing us into rooms and knocking us over is a little disappointing. —And I KNOW what you’re saying—that we should take our asses out at night to find it—but the FIRST year, we DIDN’T have to do all that, so I guess we’re spoiled.
4. Happy to connect with fellow artists
Yeah, I KNOW, but we’ve been very coy the last two times we came and so doing things like ACTUALLY attending the meetups they ALREADY have set up (so that like-minded souls can coalesce) was new to us. However, THIS time, not only did we attend a few of the pre-scripted meet ups, but we also took the time to exchange cards with folks who seemed to take a shine to us—which we hadn’t done in previous years—and took the time to say “Hey!” to folks that we kept seeing different places. –We were SO convivial that a reporter from Variety Magazine –one of the major sponsors—stopped to interview us, after having run into us a few times. (Here’s the article we are quoted in, if you’re interested.) –So, I am patting us on the back for doing more than looking cute this time; we actually made some connections that we hope will be our peers from now on, instead of falling off the face of the earth (as is normally the case).
5. Folks excited about Detroit 90s House Music
It was delightful to realize how many of the music licensing and sync professionals were excited about Detroit 90s House Music (of which we were a part. We are also a part of her podcast episode: https://bit.ly/sxsw23podcastvariety ) –In fact, after a while, mentioning our involvement became our opening to our mentoring sessions. –All and all, it was nice to see that there is an appreciation for the artistry of the folks that worked on this record with us—from the late Kelli Hand, to Stacey “Hotwaxx” Hale, to Underground Resistance.
Here's what music supervisors where so excited about. :)
6. Upleveling our professional networking
We know we mentioned it in the Preview for South By Southwest 2023, but with 11 mentoring sessions, our plan was to spend more than just a fun week in Austin; our plan this time was to make some REAL professional connections. –I will be HONEST, one of my big regrets was NOT hanging around for the 5 minutes it would have taken to ACTUALLY meet Big Joanie, because I was dismissive of what this could mean long-term. I SWORE that, if had the opportunity to do something similar, I would not waste it, which is how I had my mind all set for WHATEVER opportunities to create a longer-term connections. –Having said all THAT, our plans were to ask for as many email addresses as folks would give at every mentoring session and with any fellow artists that wanted to connect—with plans to continue to nurture these relationships through a monthly “check-in” email. This is a radical new beginning for this next phase of our D.I.Y. Rock Star journey.
What about you?
What business-related travel adventure are YOU attending this year?
Did you know that along with putting together our next album, we are working on our first book?
Here’s the link, if you want to pre-order: https://bit.ly/prejippiebklanding
Here’s what we’re into now:
· One of our videos for our song, “Tell Me What You Want,” is going gangbusters in Vietnam! https://bit.ly/tellmewhatyouwantvid
· “Faith in Me” on Union 999 Independent Playlist: https://spoti.fi/3Jusm2Q
· “I Miss You” got picked up for a Spotify Playlist! https://spoti.fi/3jha4HP
· Tom Ray’s Art Podcast: https://bit.ly/tomrayspodcast2june2022
· “Sugar Fit” on Darkest Corners of the World Podcast S2 E3 http://bit.ly/sugarfitdarkestpod
· “Flying High” (from “Sugar Fit” album) on Toes in the Sand Playlist http://bit.ly/toesplaylist
· “Sugar Fit” on his Spotify “Indie: Undiscovered But Brilliant: Vol. 3” http://bit.ly/SugarFitonPlaylist2
· “Sugar Fit” on No Sugar Radio http://bit.ly/nosugarradiosugarfit
If you like this, you might enjoy:
· Blooming Prejippie Travel Adventures playlist: https://bit.ly/travelplaylistvids
· Basic Recording Studio Setup: https://bit.ly/246basicstudiopost
· What to do when real life interrupts your artistic process? https://bit.ly/241reallifeblog
· 7 Strategies for rebounding from creative burnout: https://bit.ly/239digoutofburnoutblog
· How to give better interviews (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/236betterinterviewsblog
· How to give better live performances: https://bit.ly/219betterliveblog
· How to collaborate better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/Ep163collaborateblog
· How to write quicker, but better (for D.I.Y. Rock Star): https://bit.ly/228writebetterblogpost
· Should you ever play for free? https://bit.ly/214playfreeblog
· 17 Tips for taking better band photos—ESPECIALLY if you taking them yourself: http://bit.ly/betterbandphotos
· First Music Video? 10 Best Websites for Free Stock Video Footage: http://bit.ly/freestockvideosprej
NOW: Funk album, “Sugar Fit,” by Bourgeoisie Paper Jam http://bit.ly/BandCampPMG and
follow on Spotify at https://bit.ly/bpjspotfollow
More Ways to experience B L O O M I N G P R E J I P P I E :
· All things “Sugar Fit”: https://bit.ly/SugarFitlanding
· Blog: http://bit.ly/bpblogsubscribe
· Shop: https://bit.ly/prejippieshop
· Patreon: https://bit.ly/PMGPatreon
· YouTube: http://bit.ly/youtubesubprejippie
· Gab & Jam podcast: https://bit.ly/gabandjamhq
· Soundcloud (music): https://soundcloud.com/prejippie
· Join the Bourgeoisie Paper Jam Street Team! https://bit.ly/BPJstreetteam
· Be the NEXT D.I.Y. Rock Star Handbook Pre-order: https://bit.ly/prejippiebklanding
· Funky Happy People (Who Listen to a Variety of Genres of Music) Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/funkyhappyjoin
· Be the Next D.I.Y. Rock Star Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/diyrockstarjoin
Please subscribe. Thanks. http://bit.ly/youtubesubprejippie
Until next Monday, here’s wishing love, peace, and chicken grease!
