Cara Williams is the founder/ director of Slow Clap, a music company specialising in artist, project and campaign management.
Cara is one of the many speakers who'll attend BIGSOUND 2024 in Brisbane; this year's conference will reflect on the ongoing disruptions within the music industry, providing a platform for innovative conversations and creative breakthroughs.She is the manager of dance-punks Gut Health and works with a range of clients developing and delivering multichannel marketing and communication campaigns.
Cara is also a music industry mentor, lecturer, project manager and consultant, and guides emerging artists in developing comprehensive marketing, content and promotional strategies to complement their releases and special projects.
What do you do and why do you love it?
I am an artist manager, project manager and marketer. Sinking my teeth into new projects and working from conception to activation really lights me up. Working on fresh projects with a regularly rotating cast of colleagues keeps work interesting and rarely tedious, which we love.
Why should people in the music industry attend BIGSOUND?
BIGSOUND is a highlight because it caters to industry at all levels. It is an ideal entry point for emerging industry to connect and discover new acts, and it's compact enough to be easy to navigate without overwhelming.
What are the rewarding aspects of working in the Australian music sector?
It's nice to feel like you're contributing to something fresh and innovative and inspired that the Australian music community really needs to hear.
How vibrant is the local scene compared to other parts of the world?
I'm from Naarm/ Melbourne, and the music scene here has always been progressive and exciting. There are other pockets in the world that are similar, but there is certainly something special about our scene.
What are a couple of challenges currently facing independent artists in Australia?
Commercial opportunities are shrinking across the board, and while this might be scary for some, it can be a powerful driver to develop grassroots initiatives with no financial objective in mind. Building an active and engaged community of supporters and a genuine artist-to-fan relationship is something that can't necessarily be bought, but everyone needs.
With the digital media landscape saturated with so much content, people constantly scrolling through their feeds, how do indie artists make sure they standout from the pack (not just with their music but also marketing etc)?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to standing out and marketing yourself, but ultimately artists need to be true to both themselves and the audiences their trying to engage.
For some people digital marketing or online communities are the most logical choice to reach their audiences, but for others this might be completely off-brand. It is important to remain authentic in your approach and talk to your audience via the appropriate channels they engage with and build communities from there.
A piece of advice for emerging talent looking to build their brand both locally and nationally?
Ensuring your brand personality is authentically you will help attract the type of community you want to speak to and help building out a loyal fan community, which is one of the most important.
