Thoughts from a PR Diva

Will Whitney Make a Comeback? A Study in Imaging

2009-07-24T15:58:00.014-05:00

I'll be upfront and honest. I'm rooting for Whitney Houston to make a comeback. Whitney has always had a talent that few would argue was God-given. She grew up singing in church, and her mom is well-known for her gospel roots. Her first radio single, "I Look to You," resembles a contemporary Christian song. So from a personal standpoint, I hope she succeeds.

But from a PR standpoint, what will transpire over the next few months will be a good study in imaging. Whitney was, for many years, America's darling. Music fans loved everything she did. She had top hits left and right and even gave us one of the most stirring performances of the National Anthem we had ever heard. We all watched as this stunning woman with so much talent, fame, and fortune, married someone that we all could see would be bad news. Past behavior dictated future behavior for Bobby Brown. And as I have heard Metro Ministries' leader Bill Wilson say many times, "People change...but not much."

Drugs, violence, odd spiritual quests, horrible personal appearances followed. Whitney quickly got a reputation for being a Diva to the 2nd power and invitations for her to perform on tv shows and events became fewer and fewer. America's darling was falling apart, and although we wanted to do a giant intervention, we were helpless to do anything. The music began to suffer. And we, as consumers, moved on to other singers while her life came unraveled.

So how does someone recapture a tarnished public image? Much of the work of rebuilding her persona is, of course, squarely on Whitney's own shoulders. The most extraordinary of publicists can only do so much. Ultimately, Whitney will be the one answering questions during interviews and interacting with fans. But I do hope her PR people are giving her good counsel and helping her understand that even before the camera turns on, she will be scrutinized by those around her. If she becomes a Runaway Diva, it will be reported. If she gets upset over a question or is simply late for an interview, it will be talked about. She needs to realize the microscope will be on full power.

Ultimately, she needs to come across as sincere, humble and grateful for another chance. The good news is Americans are typically a forgiving bunch, and we love survivors. Here's hoping Whitney becomes one.

Biographies-- Getting Beyond Facts & Figures

2009-06-24T12:01:00.003-05:00

I have a different view of biographies than some of my counterparts. Namely, I think bios are fairly boring. After reading so many -- and media people do -- their eyes glaze over and they can usually "insert artist's name here" because the copy is so redundant to every other bio. So how do you capture their attention?

First, think of your bio as more than facts and figures. Do you want to include awards and achievements? Maybe. If you can make them flow into the copy. Or maybe you should think about a quick Fact Sheet for those type of things, SEPARATE from the bio. In essence, your bio should read like a magazine article. It should be your story.

You might say, "I don't really have a story." Yes, you do. If you're over 12, you have one. Maybe you've never thought about sharing it before. But in truth, aren't you sharing it, in part, through your music? So why not go one step further and flesh out your story in bio form?

Your story may not be as dramatic or compelling as some others, but it will be unique to you. And being unique is never boring.

When the Story Meets the Song: Why Susan Boyle is so Loved

2009-04-19T21:43:00.017-05:00

Thirty-two million hits and counting on YouTube. The kind of numbers most artists would die for. And Susan Boyle isn't even quite sure what YouTube really is. Why has this woman struck such a chord with the general public?

A quick three minute clip prior to her performance let us know all we THOUGHT we knew about this shy woman from Britain. We all made a gigantic assumption before she opened her mouth to sing. And we were all very wrong.

The shock on Simon's face said it all. We didn't expect this woman -- whose looks were forgettable and whose obvious backwardness we found slightly amusing -- to sing the way she did. But it wasn't just the fact that she could carry a tune -- a BIG tune -- from Les Miserables. It was the lyrics of the song itself that captivated us. "I Dreamed a Dream" was more than a song Susan chose -- it could have easily been her life story.

This is what A&R departments at record labels are designed to do -- to find not only the Artists, but help them define their Repertoire. Susan Boyle needed no A&R executive for that. She found a song that she could pour her very soul into singing. She found a song that proclaimed what she was feeling. And she made us feel it with her.

"My life has killed the dream I dreamed..." she sang softly in the closing stanza. And in that moment, we knew that each word she had sung had been the absolute truth. Her life of poverty, obscurity, loneliness and ridicule had killed her dreams. But the song that she chose to represent her life story gave her dream one last chance to be fulfilled. And that's what happens to an artist who marries their voice to the perfect song that best describes their personal journey. It is the authenticity of that moment that has made the whole world fall in love with Susan Boyle. It is what every artist should strive for.

There really is such a thing as Bad Publicity

2008-08-06T11:16:00.005-05:00

You may have heard the old saying, "There's no such thing as bad publicity." Mmm. Really. Real quick-- what's your first impression when I mention Michael Jackson? Paris Hilton? If you had positive impressions, well, I'll pray for you. Most people will have negative. So the question then becomes--has bad publicity helped these people? The last time I checked Jackson was running out of money and places in the world that wanted him. Paris has money, sure. But is all her money going to buy her any respect or admiration?

I admit a lot of my colleagues disagree with me. They operate on the premise that any placement is good even if they have to bite, claw and scratch to get it. They believe a publicist's role is to simply get placements -- no matter how, now matter what. I simply don't subscribe to that notion. I recognize that I am often the first impression people have of my clients, and I can taint that impression quickly with my behavior. I believe in the power of relationships. I am accountable to my clients. But my ongoing relationships with the media are paramount. If I lose their trust or respect, I won't have any clients. Nor should I.

This is especially true when representing a Christian artist or author. I may be the very first impression that the media has of someone. And if that impression is ugly, rude, pushy, abrasive or any other character traits people often associate with publicists, then I have failed. When I represent someone, I am an extension of their ministry. And I take that seriously.

Eddie Is Right

2008-05-09T16:38:00.004-05:00

I was listening to Eddie Degarmo and Dana Key (a.k.a. DeGarmo & Key, one of the first rock bands in Christian music) doing a radio interview during Gospel Music Week. I love those guys. I remember doing PR for them back in the day when I was Senior Publicist at Benson Records --when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Anyway, they were sharing stories of their career, and Eddie remembered a concert they did in Arizona back in the 80s. D&K were wildly popular back then, and at the time of the story he was telling, had been featured at a gathering of hundreds of thousands of people who had come to see the Pope. But here they were in Arizona, coming out on stage, and seeing 8 -- count 'em -- 8 people in the audience. Eddie bemused about how difficult it is to play to such a non-crowd, and how it affects performers (especially POPULAR ones) to see NO ONE show up for a concert. But at the end of the evening, one of the 8 people accepted Jesus as Savior. Eddie looks back at that concert now with great fondness; not as a failure, but as a grand success. I mean, that's a whopping 12% of the crowd getting saved!

He was being funny, but he was also making a valid point that every artist in Christian music should hear. Sometimes, you'll have those moments when the crowd is large and loud and smiling and totally in awe of your talent and music. But sometimes, you'll walk into a situation where the audience looks like cows staring at a new gate. It can be discouraging; even causing you to wonder if God has truly given you a music ministry. But in all situations, do what you do with excellence and humility, and let God work out the percentages.

When Should a Local Artist Go National?

2008-01-24T11:41:00.001-06:00

This is the question I probably get asked most often. Christian artists typically start out singing in their local church, and will often become a favorite regional artist in their hometown and surrounding cities. They put together a CD, book themselves into other churches and venues, and at some point, they begin to think about trying to break themselves nationally. So how do you know if your music is ready for the national stage? Here are some questions to ask yourself:

1) Is my music radio-ready? If you don't know the answer to that, its probably not. Most artists have home-made cds that may be acceptable in concert, but are not ready for a national radio push. Sometimes it may be possible to simply take what you have and get a good mixer to fix things. But most of the time, you need a professional producer to not only bring out the best in your musical style and vocal quality, but also to help you with songwriting and overall focus of your ministry. We highly recommend Paul Marino (http://www.paulmarinomusic.com/). He has a passion for independent artists, and has helped launch the national careers of several indies. We also recommend Creative Promotions, an independent radio promotions firm. Its owner, Wendell Gafford, is truly one of the top experts in Christian radio airplay and his knowledge and input can help an artist achieve a hit radio single on the national charts. Visit http://www.creativepromotions.net/ for more info. (In both cases, feel free to drop my name!)

2) Is my website ready for prime time? The good news is music downloading has leveled the playing field. With the right marketing and publicity campaign, indy artists are capable of selling just as much music over the internet as Steven Curtis Chapman or MercyMe. The RIAA has already designated a "Gold" status category for a song that gets a certain number of downloads. Your website needs to be compelling, yet user-friendly. You need to have both single songs and complete cds available for download. Your website is your storefront, and should be a central focus to getting your music to the masses.

3) What's my story? Even if you have the most fabulous voice in the world, people connect to singers on more than just a music level, especially in Christian/gospel music. They want to know who you are, what you've been through and why you sing Christian music rather than something else. You can SING, but what can you SAY to people? Your testimony must be genuine and sincere; people can spot a phony a mile away.

4) If I have a great cd, I can just pitch myself to magazines and tv shows. Why do I need a Publicist?" You can certainly try. But more often than not, unless it comes from someone the media knows and has worked with before, it will go into File 13. The media gets hundreds of pitches every week, and yours will be one of many. Publicists help legitimize your ministry because the media knows us. Our company has worked with the Christian media for 20 years, and they know if we pitch them someone, its because WE have done our homework and know the artist/author is a good fit for them.

Obviously, these suggestions require heavy monetary and time investments, and that's certainly not feasible for everyone. But if you're a successful regional artist, your ministry is no less valid and no less appreciated than someone who has a national appeal. God needs Generals, but he also needs Privates on the front lines, and He may be calling you to a specific area for now. As the age-old saying goes, "bloom where you are planted."

To learn more, visit: http://www.christianpublicityservices.com/.