Every month the free Bandsintown Artist Community spotlights an independent musician member who is in the trenches making things work. This month it’s Seattle-based Kuwaiti bilingual songwriter Plus Aziz.
via the Bandsintown Artist Community
Hailing from Kuwait, this month’s member spotlight features +Aziz, a bilingual songwriter expressing his take on what it means to be Arab today. Read on to learn about this fascinating story.
Hey +Aziz, we’re excited to get to know you in this month’s member spotlight! Have you always known you wanted to be an artist?
Thanks for having me! I became interested as a teenager growing up in the 90s watching music videos. Many people around me thought pursuing music was a waste of time, so I made it my mission to focus on my music and let that be my guide for better or worse.
It says a lot about your dedication and stamina as an artist that you continued to pursue your passion despite the people around you. Tell us a bit about how the band you formed, Kuwaisiana, came to life.
Oddly enough it started with a concept event commemorating the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina (2015). I was collaborating with yoga instructors to do an all-day yoga event with live music. So I ended up using that as a way to meet new musicians and build a group. At one point, the band was 6-8 people and we managed to release a trilogy of 19 tracks. I wanted to do things differently after COVID, so I ended up moving to Seattle and now I’m re-establishing the band as a trio.
19 tracks, that’s incredible! What’s your process been like as a bilingual songwriter putting together an album?
On Kuwaisiana’s Chapter 1, I kept my Arabic and English songs separate. Over time, I fell in love with the idea of code switching between languages because that’s how my mind works and how many Westernized Arabs like myself talk. Now I do both. Part of it is just trusting your intuition and what sounds good, but my process has also evolved to incorporate feedback/collaboration from my humble base of Patreon supporters, especially when it comes to how I’m articulating my Middle Eastern side. Many of them are actually Khaleeji Arabs and make very constructive observations. I know community is huge for everyone right now, but it’s especially critical if you’re going to be working with a language as complex as Arabic is.
It must be rewarding to bridge those cultures, especially with such constructive involvement from your community. How does that feel when it all comes together?
I love the little moments where I feel like I’m shifting someone’s perception. The best part of this is definitely being able to code switch and weave between types of communities. Like I’m OK to perform outside a mosque or at a dive bar with a massive Trump sign. Bridging cultures can be a very niche thing, but it can also drive you to be more universal and inclusive.
It sounds like you’re creating a real sense of belonging among your current fans, but also reaching new audiences, which is quite an accomplishment. We noticed you have a background in marketing. Would you say that has helped you build a stronger fan base?
Building a fan base is a multi-pronged mission and marketing is a very tiny piece of it, but people really hate doing it. I worked in ad agencies from 2008-2018, right as tech was transforming the marketing paradigm with search. Anywho, I’ve been freelancing since then as a brand strategist (project-based) and social media manager (retainer) and that’s had its ups and downs. A degree or a full-time job in marketing will give you the tools to iron out your content plan, develop a clear brand, define your target audience, and (yup) even community management, all of which help articulate and connect with a fan base. Some artists make it look so effortless; I am always learning from them. Others really struggle and I try to help. Honestly, marketing is fine but it’s better to focus on fine tuning your work ethic, being more consistent, using a project management system, evolving your people skills, etc. Marketers are all talking about storytelling, being personal and authentic. And you don’t need a degree to learn Meta Business Suite or Hootsuite, you just need to know how to focus!
Focus is great advice for marketers and musicians alike! What advice can share with independent artists starting their careers?
Start with good foundations. Make sure you like the people you’re working with, encourage everyone to get on ASCAP or explain to them what a DAO or smart contract is if you’re going into web3. This will create an environment of transparency and fairness. I also think it’s important to study artists like Frank Zappa, St. Vincent, Sonic Youth who really pushed the boundaries. You might only find a small sliver of songs that you actually connect with, but your knowledge of what artists have done can help inspire (or perhaps even rationalize creative decisions with) your collaborators.
That is great advice. We really appreciate your support on Bandsintown for Artists. Is there a particular tool you find especially helpful in your own music marketing and promotion?
The posts you can make on the platform are great. As a band that used to be in another city pre-COVID, I was glad to see that the messaging can be geo-specific. I might look into the premium campaigns to reach out to fans of similar artists next
Before we wrap up, are you currently working on any projects you’d like support on, or have anything else to add?
Right now, we’re just ramping up in Seattle. The most important touch points are Spotify (please subscribe!), Patreon (support me!) and TikTok (check out @kuwaisiana).
Also, please Google solarpunk. It might change your life like it changed mine.
To connect further, you can find +Aziz in the Bandsintown Artist Community or through the links below.
Learn more about the free Bandsintown Artist Community here.
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Meet +Aziz: the latest Bandsintown Artist Community spotlight artist - hypebot.com
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