For those of you who are not yet aware of our new series Aspire to Inspire, here’s a little introduction on the project. We at Your EDM believe that there are a lot of inspirational figures in this industry. Some of them are well-known, but many are undiscovered. Therefore, we want to give everyone the chance to speak their voice. Every Tuesday at 6 PM EST, we will feature advice or words of encouragement from someone in the music industry. In addition, every last Thursday of the month, we will ask someone to share their story or even just speak their mind through a guest editorial. For both versions of Aspire to Inspire, we will be choosing from all realms of the dance music industry – artists, fans, management, PR, etc. This is your opportunity to connect with others, gain insight on the industry, share your story, and let your voice be heard.
As the chart-topping new single #Selfie and its charming music video continue to take the world by storm, we felt the need to debut this new project by featuring one of the biggest up and coming electronic duos… The Chainsmokers. While it’s true that #Selfie is currently hitting #1 in countries all over the world, we believe that this duo, consisting of Alex Pall and Drew Taggart, has even more to offer. By no means did either member begin this journey at the top. However, we view both Alex and Drew as extremely inspiring individuals who are bound to leave a lasting impact on this industry. 
That being said, The Chainsmokers have provided us with the following advice, which does not just apply to aspiring musicians, but to everyone. These three points have proven effective for The Chainsmokers themselves, along with many other industry employees.
1) When reaching out to someone who doesn’t know you or barely does…be personal, be polite, and be brief. People don’t want to be sold on stuff or mass communicated to and then think, “Wow I must be one of 1000 people doing this”, so keep that in mind.
Kiera: Considering working in the music industry tends to be a 24/7 job, it is important to understand that everyone has a rather busy schedule. In addition to receiving numerous texts and/or Facebook messages, a good amount of employees receive hundreds of emails per day. Not to mention the fact that the length of some of these emails are probably excruciating. If you keep things concise and get to the point, people are much more likely to respond. Also, as Drew and Alex mentioned, you want to make these emails or messages very personal because it is unlikely that someone will respond if they feel that it’s just an email blast to everyone. Lastly, be polite. I think that’s something we’ve all been taught from the very beginning of our existence. It’s important to show respect to everyone because you never know what connections or power a person may have now or in the future.
2) If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. Don’t be afraid to reach out to anyone for anything. You might not get a response or maybe they say no, but more often than not you will get the answer you want, as long as you follow rule #1!!!
Kiera: So true. As the saying goes… ”there is no such thing as a stupid question.” Asking questions is how we learn and if you are too afraid to ask, you might be missing out on an incredible opportunity. When you do ask questions though, be sure you are crafting them well. If someone doesn’t respond, it’s okay to follow up with them and remind them to answer your question. Just be sure your persistence does not cross the line and become annoying. On the other hand, I wouldn’t exactly ask for favors from people until you have built up a solid relationship with them because a lot of times people will introduce themselves by sending over a track and asking someone to check it out, feature it on their site, or provide them with feedback. Not always the best idea. This goes back to being personal. Let people know who you are first and then ask them if they’d be interested in helping you with whatever you need.
3) Less is more. This applies to music making, marketing, design work, everything… except sex…
Kiera: Quality over quantity. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this saying in my three years in this industry. When it comes to making a product (of any sort), you want to be fully satisfied with the result before releasing it. In the beginning, especially if you are an artist, it’s often essential to release an abundance of music in order to establish a fan base. Each track you release though must be quality. When you release quality products, you build a good reputation. Same goes for booking shows. I recommend really thinking about a show opportunity before committing to it. You want to perform at a show that will benefit your brand, not diminish it. If the opportunity doesn’t seem worthwhile, you have the right to say no. It’s important to be selective with everything in this industry.
As far as sex goes, well… lets leave that to your own interpretation.
