Encore Musicians Stories is a blog series where we explore some of the background behind Encore’s top performers. This time we interviewed the singing guitarist Joey V, who savvy approach to marketing has completely transformed his experience using Encore.
Joey V is a solo acoustic performer and singer. Specialising in pop & rock covers as well as 90’s and 2000’s nostalgic hits.
What was your profile like when you first joined Encore?
I think in hindsight, it would fair to say that my old Encore profile was quite disjointed! I wanted to show off everything I could offer, so I filled up the profile with a plethora of videos and pictures. I basically grabbed the paintbrush and splattered the canvas with loads of promotional material without much consideration! However, there wasn’t much consistency and I didn’t feel my old videos actually represented what I could offer at an event.
Why did you decide to get a new showreel filmed?
In an effort to both increase the quantity and quality of my bookings, I pretty much gave myself a musical audit. Sometimes you just have to take a look at what you’re putting out there and think, ‘would I book me?’.
It can be hard for musicians to look at themselves through a critical lens, but it should be a constant process of wanting to improve. I felt like I had a lot more to offer and wanted a showreel to represent this.
How did you go about getting it filmed?
I thought really hard about all the aspects of the video, and spent a lot of time in securing the right location and videographer for the shoot.
The video was shot at Bromwich Park, a wedding venue in Shropshire. I found a lot of solo acoustic covers showreels to be a little bland in terms of the backdrops and spaces used, so I wanted something different and memorable. Bromwich Park is probably the quirkiest venue I’ve ever been in, from chandeliers made of various cutlery to giant walls of wooden doors, I knew that I just had to shoot the video there!
I was lucky enough to be able to work with videographer Joe Clifford on the shoot. Joe has a background in shooting music videos for some of my favourite bands as well as various other amazing projects. He completely understood what I wanted from the video and was able to bring that creative edge that he is well known for.
What did you want to emphasise in your video?
It was important for me to create something creative and cool, whilst simultaneously being reassuring. Booking a musician is meant to be an exciting process and you want to give someone that sense of excitement as they watch you perform, even on video. They should be able to watch it and be able to visualise you at their event!
Song choices were massively important as well. I think mash-ups and medleys are superior to putting all your eggs in one basket with a single track. I wanted to have a mix of songs to show some diversity, but not opt for the obvious songs that you see a million times over on showreels! To have Green Day, The Bangles, Eminem and Chaka Khan co-existing is a wonderful mix not too obvious but not too obscure. My set is usually quite eclectic so it made sense to show this off in the video.
How has your experience of using Encore changed in the last few months?
It’s night and day! A combination of things has led to a better experience overall. Of course, it always helps to get bookings, and refreshing my profile with the new showreel has had such a massive effect so I’m really happy.
The new app is absolutely fantastic too. It’s so easy to use and applying for the right jobs is lightning fast.
What tips would you give to any musicians using Encore wondering how to get gigs?
First impressions are everything. With this in mind, I think it’s important to take time on the written message you send along with your application. Try creating a really strong template and experiment with different ones! Better yet, try modifying them each time you apply to make them relevant to the job.
Talking of relevancy, you will increase your chances of getting booked if you try to apply for relevant gigs only. Take your time on these and show why you are the perfect act for the job.
Lastly, invest in your promotional material and show off what you do best. A strong video is essential these days so focus on creating something you can be proud of!