From Solo Act to Powerhouse: Assembling Your Support Network

As an independent artist in 2025, you’re the CEO of your own music career. You write, record, release (with a distributor like Hankad!), and promote your music. But as you grow, trying to do everything yourself quickly becomes unsustainable. To truly scale your career and focus on your artistry, you’ll need to build a reliable music dream team.

This article breaks down the key roles you might need as you advance in your career, explaining what each team member does and when it might be time to bring them on board. Remember, you might start small, with some roles overlapping, but understanding the full ecosystem is crucial for long-term success.

publishing administration

The Core Roles (Beyond Your Distributor)

  1. Artist Manager:
    • Role: The general contractor of your career. They oversee all aspects, help develop strategy, handle day-to-day business, make introductions, and help make big decisions. They are typically the first “major” team member you bring on.
    • When you need one: When you’re consistently getting opportunities you can’t handle alone, feeling overwhelmed by the business side, or need strategic guidance to reach the next level. They usually take a commission (e.g., 10-20%) of your gross music-related income.
  2. Music Publicist:
    • Role: Responsible for getting media attention for your music – securing features in blogs, online publications, podcasts, radio interviews, and reviews. They craft your story and pitch it to relevant media outlets.
    • When you need one: When you have a new release (single, EP, album) that you want to promote widely, or a significant announcement (tour, sync placement) that needs press coverage. Publicists often work on a project-by-project retainer fee.
  3. Booking Agent:
    • Role: Focused solely on securing live performance opportunities (gigs, tours, festivals) and negotiating performance fees, contracts, and logistics with venues and promoters.
    • When you need one: When you have a solid live show, a growing local fanbase, and are ready to play outside your immediate area or secure larger venues/festival slots. They work on commission (usually 10-20% of your live performance fees).

Specialized & Supporting Roles

  1. Music Publisher / Publishing Administrator:
    • Role: While Hankad offers Publishing Administration, it’s a critical role. They register your musical compositions globally, license them for various uses (sync, mechanical, print), and collect all songwriting and publishing royalties you are owed worldwide.
    • When you need one: Immediately! Many artists leave significant money on the table by not having their publishing properly managed. A service like Hankad’s Publishing Administration can fulfill this vital role from day one.
  2. Entertainment Lawyer:
    • Role: Advises on all legal matters – reviewing contracts (record deals, sync licenses, management agreements), protecting intellectual property, and resolving disputes.
    • When you need one: Before signing any contract, when dealing with copyright issues, or when forming partnerships. It’s often better to consult early than fix problems later. They typically work on an hourly rate or a flat fee per project.
  3. Business Manager / Accountant:
    • Role: Handles your finances – managing income and expenses, paying bills, budgeting, and tax preparation.
    • When you need one: When your income streams become complex, you start touring, or your earnings grow to a point where professional financial management is needed.
  4. Creative Director / Visual Artist:
    • Role: Helps develop your visual identity, oversees album art, music videos, social media aesthetics, and overall branding to ensure a cohesive artistic vision.
    • When you need one: When you want to elevate your visual brand beyond DIY, especially for major releases or campaigns.

Starting Small & Scaling Up

You won’t need all these roles at once. Many independent artists start by managing themselves, focusing on their music, and leveraging services like Hankad for distribution and basic analytics. As your career gains momentum, strategic additions to your team will allow you to delegate tasks, open new doors, and focus your energy on what you do best: creating.

Building your dream team is an investment in your future. Choose partners who are passionate about your music, share your vision, and have the expertise to help you achieve your goals.

Hankad is your essential first team member, handling your global distribution and offering powerful publishing administration. Start building your career foundation today at hankad.io!