Meet Kylie Cobb, the creative genius and driving force behind Australian music publicity agency Kitty Kitty Bang Bang.
Affectionately known as Kitty to her friends and colleagues, Kylie started the Gold Coast-based Kitty Kitty Bang Bang after leaving the corporate sector and discovering a niche within the local music industry assisting emerging artists with business strategy. “I was really passionate about working with emerging artists,” Kylie says.
"Phil Barlow was the first musician I worked with and we worked together really closely, and it became really obvious just how difficult it can be and that a lot of artist who aren’t ready to pay for professional services yet are told to go away and come back when they’re ready. What does that even mean?
“That’s where my passion started in the beginning, I wanted to be able to help artists and not close the door in their face.
"That’s when we started running workshops as well, because it was another way to help artists prepare and get themselves ready for those doors to open.”
Kylie’s educational background and extensive corporate experience brings a business-savvy mindset to the creative process. “It’s been a real journey,” she says.
“Like a lot of people, we weave around to find out what you’re really good at and also what people need, and when you can match the two up that’s when you hit the sweet spot.
“In the past we’ve done marketing and graphic design as well, but now we’re really focussing in on publicity because we’ve found that’s something we are really good at and it’s something artists really need.
“We work with them on strategic planning with releases: when to release, what to release, who to release it to and through; short-term and long-term planning and executing PR campaigns to get their music out there through the media.”
In addition to providing services to artists via Kitty Kitty Bang Bang, Kylie is also heavily committed to sharing her knowledge and experience on a wider scale.
The following months will see her speaking at several key international industry conferences, including Break Out West in Canada. “There are a few people from Australia going from different disciplines in the music industry,” she says.
“I’m taking over the publicity point-of-view, so talking about how to get their mugs in the media and bring[ing] an Australian slant about our music industry and media here and how it works. That’s going to help Canadian artists who are thinking about coming here to tour.
"It’s so powerful having some cross-cultural understanding of how things work, because we can learn from each other.”
Assisted by an equally passionate team of professionals, Kylie and her company are a much-needed positive presence in what can be a cut-throat industry.
For Kylie though, the overriding ideal is a stronger and more united approach to the music business. “It’s all about sharing information,” she says. “There is nothing to be gained by people holding what they know close to their chest. I think we’re a much better and healthier music industry if we all know what we’re doing, so let’s help each other.
"I never hold back from helping others, even doing publicity, because it doesn’t mean they’re not going to want to work with me in the future if I tell them how to do it.”
Visit Kitty Kitty Bang Bang for more info about the services Kylie and her team offer indie musicians.
