At the ripe old age of 21, British indie pop singer/songwriter Jerry Williams has found significant DIY success, reaching over 6 million streams on Spotify. Here she sat down to chat with the folks at ReverbNation about her challenges and successes and what the future holds.
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Guest post from the ReverbNation Blog
British indie pop, singer/songwriter, Jerry Williams, draws inspiration from her life and the lives of others around her. At just 21 years old, Jerry has racked up over 6 million streams on Spotify and has been supported from the likes of Radio 1’s Adelle Roberts, Cel Spellman, Huw Stephens, BBC Introducing locally and Nationally, KCRW, and Amazing Radio. She has also supported sold out tours with Nathan Sykes and Vanessa Carlton.
With all of these accolades under her belt, it’s no wonder she’s been selected for past opportunities with ReverbNation and is now a part of our CONNECT program. We chatted to her about songwriting, her biggest challenge as an indie artist, and what’s up next for her.
Tell us a bit about yourself. How did you start, how long have you been making music/performing, what kind of music do you play, etc.
I’ve loved music all my life. I’ve always grown up with it around me in the house and when I was 12, I started learning Classical guitar! I made it all the way to Grade 8 standard, but my true passion that whole time was songwriting. I was so shy so I didn’t play my first show until I was 17 and I haven’t stopped since. My music is quite eclectic and narrative with a slight quirky edge – Indie pop.
Without the help of a big team what has been the biggest struggle for you as a DIY artist?
The money side of things is hard at times. I was lucky enough to be awarded a grant from PRS for Momentum Music Fund, which was a lifesaver. But before that I would work two jobs and literally just pay things out all the time.
What has been your biggest challenge as an artist, and what have you done to overcome it?
In terms of the industry, people would always comment on the fact I didn’t have a ‘sound,’ but I quite liked that about myself, that each song was different. I just naturally as I’ve got older my sound is becoming more rounded and more ‘cut from the same cloth.’ So I guess I just carried on as I was and let nature do its thing.
Any advice for new musicians just starting out? How do you get your name out there, find new fans, keep fans engaged, etc?
I’m still learning all the time. I think just follow your gut. Be yourself and be happy. Write the music you want to write and be in it for the right reasons. Being active on social media is important to keep people engaged with you. I’m still trying to get myself into a routine.
How did you hear about ReverbNation and our opportunities for artists?
It was always something I’d seen floating around, but I found out what it truly was when I went into music head first. I think it’s such a great way to find under the radar music and a platform to get people’s names out there.
Any advice for new musicians just starting out on ReverbNation? How do you get the most value out of ReverbNation once you join?
I would say that embrace the platform and everything it offers, especially the premium account which gives you the chance to pitch your music to A&R’s, Labels, Blogs, and so many other music related opportunities. Also make sure you keep uploading music, photos, and videos as much as you can and when you gain subscribers to your mailing list, be sure to send out regular updates.
What’s up next for Jerry Williams?
I’m currently writing, which I love. New music is coming out soon and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Check out Jerry Williams’ self-released single ‘Grab Life’ out now!