#shows and behind the scenes and check out what random festival they’re performing at next week

[bomnun]

not a very relevant post at all, once again just talking to myself, but I really feel my interest in the kpop industry and checking up on many groups fading so fast. wkly and lghtsm were the two “next generation” groups I liked the most and was the most attached to, and, idk, my enjoyment of them has become really … stunted mostly after the members leaving, and the obvious display of the fact that neither company wants to keep working on the (good) sounds and concepts they had going that I really liked … wkly’s next comeback (if ist decide to give them one at all) will probably not be in the same genre and style as ven para was, but I don’t think they’ll care to go back to bubbly, fun, songs sounding more like after school or tag me because that’s considered “too childish” and ist clearly doesn’t do that. with lghtsm it’s obvious a 180 is coming, and considering cube’s most popular group these days I don’t think it’ll be a 180 with…music enjoyable to me… plus idk the removal of the two members makes me feel so off. I like all eight, and I want to see the remaining six flourish too, but even if I end up liking the new stuff it’s going to feel…wrong.

[chocoluckchipz]

A Bride for the Prince - 4

A03  ~  < Previous  ~  Next >

“I hate this thing,” Nino grumbled, shifting the mask on his face. “I really, really despise it. And why am I the only one who is uncomfortable with it?”

Adrien chuckled and took a stance, ready to attack. “I’ll check if they have a different style that’ll fit you better.”

“You know, you could’ve offered me amnesty and allow me to drop the whole thing altogether,” Nino scoffed halfheartedly. “I mean, I am your best friend. That should come with privileges.”

Adrien laughed, raising his sword. “If I have to wear it everywhere apart from my private quarters, don’t you think it’s only fair that you, as my best friend, should support me and do the same?”

“As if I have a choice.” Nino lifted his sword, taking a stance as well. “Remind me to strangle the person who came up with this ridiculous idea.”

Adrien smirked. “Sure. That’ll be you, Alya and I. Who would you prefer to unleash your revenge upon first?”

“Seeing as we are baring swords at each other at this very moment...” Nino returned Adrien’s smug look. “Get ready, Your Highness, because I’m about to kick your royal butt.”

“I’d like to see that happen.” Adrien lunged forward with a chuckle. Nino blocked his attack effortlessly and immediately pounced forward with a return assault. 

“I see you’re more pissed about it than I realized,” Adrien said, diving away. 

“You have no idea,” Nino replied, determination firing up in his eyes as he leaped back to avoid Adrien’s swing. “I’ve been saving it all day.”

“Good.” Adrien smirked. "This whole ‘choose a bride’ thing is exhausting. A good battle is just what I need now to relax."

Swords crossing, blocking and dodging, avoiding and attacking, they spared on par for some time before Nino, not stopping their battle, asked, “So, did anyone catch your fancy yet?” 

“Nope.” Adrien hindered Nino’s attack with his sword. 

“Why not? So many pretty ladies around.”

“Pretty—” Adrien launched another attack, “—isn’t everything I’m looking for in a wife, and you know it.”

“That’s why—” Nino retaliated, not losing his concentration. Raising his sword, he prepared for the next assault, “—I keep telling you: start talking to them. Observing from afar will only get you so far.” 

Adrien quickly ducked away and attacked from a different angle. “Soon. The ball is coming. The Prince will have to attend in person.”

“Oh, right.” Nino deflected Adrien’s sword, turned around and plunged forward from the side. “Without the mask, I assume? The rumours about your unearthly ugliness will be put to rest as soon as you walk in the room, you know that, right? And I don’t think you’ll justify your perfectly handsome face by claiming to take plenty of beauty rest. What was the point of starting the rumours?”

Laughing, Adrien took advantage of Nino’s momentary pause and lightly poked his chest with his weapon. “Sorry to disappoint, but the prince will arrive in a mask. Just not a black one - it won’t go with my white outfit.”

 “Of course,” Nino smirked, taking a step back. “How could one of the most fashionable princes around appear in a mismatched getup? Speaking of the rumours,” he added, preparing for another round. “There is one lady who refuses to believe anything bad we, mere servants, say about you. Quite passionately as well, if I may say so.”

“Oh really?” Adrien quirked an eyebrow. “Do tell.”

“Actually—” Nino relaunched an attack, “—it’s your little commoner lady friend. She almost made a scene today, scolding Lady Bourgeois for saying you were an idiot for making your guards wear masks.”

“She did?” Adrien froze for a second too long, just enough time for Nino to put his sword to Adrien’s chest. 

“Yup.” Nino smirked. “Said the prince must have a good reason to do what he did, and no one should judge anyone for anything until learning of their intentions and motives.”

“Interesting.” Adrien stepped back, lifting his sword and pointing it to Nino. “What did Lady Bourgeois reply?”

“She said she knew the reason perfectly,” Nino chuckled. “And proceeded to repeat the exact words I whispered to Kim today about your hideousness after a supposed accident you were in.” 

Adrien leaned into a stance. “Somehow, I’m not surprised in the slightest that Lady Bourgeois believed that so easily even if she’s the one who knows me here the best. On garde.” 

“You speaketh the truth, my friend,” Nino chuckled, reflecting Adrien’s attack. 

“So how did it end? Did Marinette say anything back?”

“Hm. Well, your little lady replied that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and told Lady Bourgeois to stop measuring people’s worth by their looks. Apparently, it speaks volumes of her character.”

Adrien paused again, a dopey smile threatening to surface on his lips. 

“She also said that the true value of a person is in their soul, and she would never believe any rumours until seeing you by herself.” Seizing the opportunity of Adrien pausing once more, Nino lunged forward, stopping his blade short of Adrien’s throat. “You are off your game, Your Highness. Is something distracting you?”

“Um, not really.” Adrien rolled his eyes and shifted Nino’s blade to the side. “I’m just surprised Marinette is still the same girl I knew back in the day. Just as fierce, fair, and kind. Haven’t changed a bit, which is quite rare.”

“Oh, really?” Nino quirked an eyebrow. “Well, you’re lucky we use wooden swords for this, or you'll be dead by now.” Suddenly, he frowned, looking past Adrien’s shoulder. “Speak of the devil. What are they doing?”

“Huh?” Adrien turned around and groaned. On one of the further paths, Alya and Marinette were obviously trying to sneak out of the castle because, seeing as he frequently sneaked out to the city himself, Adrien knew quite well that that particular trail led nowhere the pair of women would be needing to go at the time when other ladies were preparing for their sleep. And it’s not like Alya was a stranger to sneaking out, but Marinette’s commoner outfit spoke volumes on its own to betray their intentions.

“Don’t tell me they’re trying to sneak out,” Nino echoed his thoughts. “And using our route for that. What the- Why is she walking backwards?”

“Don’t know but—” Adrien pointed to the further left corner, “—those guys will catch them in a few. Alya either forgot that Father ordered more guards around while this whole ‘Pick a Bride’ thing is going on or she didn’t know about it in the first place.”

“I doubt there is anything in this castle Alya doesn’t know. That woman,” Nino groaned. “I’m sorry, Adrien, but I have to step in and rescue her. Again. I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Adrien chuckled. “You take care of Alya. Leave Marinette to me.”

Shielded by the darkness and trees, they were able to get close to the girls undetected, and just in time, because for whatever reason Alya decided to run backwards, it didn’t end well. His skills polished by years of practice, Nino caught his girlfriend right before she splattered on the ground. 

Adrien followed suit, soon finding himself holding Marinette against his chest. The guards they saw earlier were about to pass them from around the corner, so uttering the first thing that came to mind, Adrien quickly picked Marinette up in his arms and headed into the shadows behind the trees to where Nino had already pulled in Alya. As if on a command both men put their hands over the mouths of the ladies to silence them, quietly motioning to the guards that were already in view. All four froze.

“I see you’re an incorrigible flirt, Chat Noir,” Marinette whispered when he removed his hand from her lips. “I was just falling. I wasn’t falling for you. You weren’t even supposed to be there.” 

Chat chuckled with an amused smile. “Neither were you, Lady Bug. And certainly not in such a pretty, commoner dress. Makes me wonder as to what you two were up to.”

Her face downcast, Marinette glanced over at Alya who was glaring at Nino with her arms crossed over her chest. Adrien could practically see something snapping in place on Nino’s face.

“Alya, no,” his friend groaned. “Is this festival so important that you have to risk not only yourself but the lady over there? You’ve been to dozens of festivals—”

“It is important,” Alya retorted, putting her hands on her hips. “May I remind you that since it’s Prince’s twentieth birthday soon, this festival was promised to be exceptionally good. Mme Chamack heard that Nightingale and Stone troubadours will perform and that Couffaine Troop will put on their new musical. How often does that happen? Not to mention that there will be more games and dances than usual, and something called the light show at the end. Mme Mendeleiev said it will blow people’s minds. Also, the beauty competition which you know I wanted to enter; and you, Nino, promised to take me there! But no! Apparently, guarding a dozen lazy ladies is more important to you than the promise you made to your girlfriend a few months ago. So, don’t blame me for taking someone who cares about me and wanting to go out and have fun!”

Nino frowned, crossing his arms over his chest, “You wanted to enter that beauty pageant even though you knew I wouldn’t be there? You do realize the winner will have to kiss the knight who wins the joust?”

“So?” Alya quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something wrong with that?”

“You’ll have to kiss some random stranger if I’m not there to win!” 

“So, what?” Alya puffed. “The rules don’t specify how I am to kiss him. A cheek kiss should suffice.”

“Alya,” Nino groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Alya, please, you know that’s not how it works. Why do you even insist on entering? It’s not like you care about winning in the first place—”

“Well, not for the beauty queen title,” Alya shrugged. “But I do need to forge new connections in the city—”

“Should we step aside,” Adrien whispered to Marinette, nudging her elbow. “Let them argue in peace.”

Marinette nodded and followed him a little deeper into the forested area to remain away from the trails where they could be spotted. “Are they always like this?” 

“Nope,” Adrien chuckled, leaning on a tree trunk. “Usually they’re disgustingly sweet... unless Nino touches Alya’s dream. Then she’ll eat even him alive.”

“Oh.” Marinette blinked, leaning on a neighbouring tree. “I guess I should be more careful then. Would you enlighten me as to what not to touch to stay alive?”

“She wants to become a royal messenger,” Adrien explained. “And as you know, it’s practically impossible for a woman—and a commoner at that. So, she’s taking every step possible to get noticed, even if it means entering a contest she’d be absolutely ignoring if one of the judges hadn’t had a family connection to one of the King’s scribes.”

“Oh, wow,” Marinette breathed out. “That’s some serious determination.”

“You don’t know Alya yet,” Adrien chuckled. “She’ll stop at nothing if she really wants something. She even taught herself to read and write a few years back. Most commoners don’t bother with such a thing, but she insisted that she had to be literate.”

“That’s amazing,” Marinette gushed. “To be honest, after knowing her for a few days, even I could tell she is quite ambitious but to aim for such a prestigious position? Admirable.”

“I’m not surprised.” Adrien smirked, cocking his head to the side. “It takes an ambitious person to recognize one.”

“What do you mean?” Marinette’s eyebrows knitted in a frown.

“Well, coming to the castle to play a lady when you knew you’re lacking in skills and would be under constant surveillance is quite ambitious, no?”

“More like reckless, but thank you,” Marinette giggled, then paused. “If you meant it as a compliment because sometimes—”

“It was certainly a compliment, my Lady.” Adrien smiled at her. “Not everyone would be brave enough to do that, and I hope one day when we’ll have more time, you’ll tell me the whole story.”

“Thanks,” Marinette replied, a light blush descending on her cheeks. “I can certainly tell you the story one day, but for now, just so you know, not all commoners as illiterate as you think. I can read and write too. One of my friends had taught me.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes,” Marinette gave him a nostalgic smile. "He would visit my town during summers and bring the most interesting books with him. At first, he just read them to me, but the last year he visited, he taught me how to read and even left me my favourite book of his. I reread it probably a thousand times since then."

“Is that so?” Adrien couldn’t help but grin. “A good friend, I assume.”

“The best,” Marinette sighed wistfully. “He was an amazing friend, so kind and happy all the time, silly, carefree and made the most annoying, poorly-timed puns. Still, we had so much fun. I’ll never forget that…” Her voice getting quieter with every word, Marinette suddenly found the hem of her sleeve to be really fascinating as she started to fiddle with it. “I just wish I knew why he stopped coming. He promised to bring me more books on his next visit, but he never came back. I kept waiting for him for years. Sometimes, I think I still am…” 

Adrien looked away. “Maybe he didn’t know he wouldn’t be able to return when he promised you that?”

“That’s what I assume as well.” Marinette gave him a bittersweet smile. “I just hope he’s alright and happy somewhere.”

“I’m sure he is.” They stood in silence for a few more moments until it got so awkward, he blurted the first thing that came to his mind. 

“You are doing much better with being a lady. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d say you a legitimate noble.” 

Inwardly, Adrien cringed. What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he filter his words around her? Marinette would probably slap him for being such a jerk. Instead, she laughed. 

“Thank you, Chat Noir. Alya’s been a tremendous help with that.”

“Ah, Alya. Yes.” Chat chuckled. “She’ll spend days of helping you to stay undetected only to risk it all because she wants to go to that festival. You know, you could’ve refused and stayed in, instead of succumbing to her wishes.”

“Um...” Marinette looked to the side, then shifted her eyes to the ground. “You see… I wanted to go too.”

“You did?”

“Yeah,” Marinette whispered, her voice nervous. “It’s rather boring here?”

“Boring?” Adrien quirked an eyebrow. 

Marinette sighed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong: the castle is beautiful, and gardens are amazing, and Alya's doing everything possible for my stay here to be enjoyable, but… all those lessons and rules and schedules and even some of those ladies… and especially Mme Nathalie. It’s all just—ugh! I’m exhausted, Chat. I just want to take a break and have some fun without having to watch my every word and move. Plus, Alya promised we won’t be risking anything because she sneaks out all the time and has never been caught, and dressing me as a commoner was supposed to help so no one would suspect who I am or who I pretend to be. By the way, thank you for not blowing my cover, Chat. I really owe you, and—” She paused, noticing an amused smile on Chat’s lips and a spark in his eyes, “—and I’m rambling. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Chat chuckled. “I find it refreshing for someone to think it’s boring here. However, while I do understand your reasons, do you really think in your specific situation the risk you are taking is worth it?”

Marinette’s eyes snapped to his, then dropped down, her face saddening. 

“I apologize for the intrusion,” Nino suddenly appeared by their side before Marinette could respond. “But do you mind if I accompany Alya to the damn festival? She is a stubborn one.”

Chat chuckled. “How can I keep a jealous man from protecting his lady’s modesty.”

“I’m not jealous,” Nino grumbled. “She just doesn’t realize what she’s getting herself into. Someone has to be there to protect her.”

“Of course,” Adrien nodded, shifting his gaze to Marinette. “Should I escort you back to your room, then?”

“Why can she go with us?” Alya asked, coming up from behind Nino. “Give her a break. She’s suffered through enough the last few days.”

“That’s fine, Alya,” Marinette said, her voice quiet. “Chat Noir is right. I shouldn’t risk it considering the situation I’m in. That’s fine, really. I’ll go back and…um, work some more on my curtsies and... such.” Marinette tried and miserably failed to give them a smile.

“Now see what you’ve done?” Alya frowned at Adrien. “You made her sad. As if she hadn’t had enough on her plate already.”

“You know,” Adrien protested. “Even if we forget that she needs to keep a low profile, do you think third-wheeling you two is fun? Take it from someone who’s done it countless times.”

“Better than sitting alone in her room doing nothing!” Alya glared at Adrien, who didn’t give in, glaring back at her.

“Which is better than being caught and sent to prison. You've got to put your priorities straight, Alya. Do you want her to make it safely to the end or not?”

“You are no fun,” Alya puffed, turning away a few moments later. “In fact, you are so stuffed and boring that I won’t be surprised if you end up alone and bitter at the end of your safe life.”

“I am fun.” Adrien straightened up. 

“Not in the slightest.” Alya glared back at him. “Marinette was excited to go to this festival until you and your boring ways came across. Now, look at her! You don’t even know the definition of fun, and you certainly have no idea how to have it! All you do all day—”

“I know how to have fun,” Adrien interrupted, his face flushed. “And I’ll prove it! And since you are clearly failing to make sure that Marinette is safe taking her out, I’ll escort her to the festival myself, and we’ll have tons of fun. More so than you!”

“What?” Nino yelped, taking his attention away from the satisfied smirk on Alya’s lips. “I thought you said no sneak outs while this thing with the Prince and his brides is on?”

Adrien inwardly groaned. He could’ve sworn he got better about playing right into Alya’s hands. But then again, it was Alya Cèsaire, and she has been improving her skills every day for the past few years, shamelessly practicing on everyone, especially Nino and him. She really did deserve to become the royal messenger she wanted so much; their kingdom’s external relationships would greatly benefit from it. 

But what he was to do now? Take his words back? He didn't want Marinette to risk so much, but then her hopeful expression as she looked at him, her big blue eyes sparkling with excitement and worry at the same time made it impossible for him to refuse.

“I can make an exception once.” Adrien pouted with a frown. “I know the guards’ new schedule better than Alya, anyway, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

He walked over to Marinette and offered her his hand. “Should we, my Lady?”

Bright crimson, Marinette stared at everyone for a few moments without replying until Alya prompted her. 

“Let’s go, Marinette. You'll love it. Our festivals are way better than anything in DuPont in the first place, and this one is promising to be spectacular." 

Marinette shifted her eyes to Adrien, who was still holding his hand out to her. “Um- I don’t know- I shouldn’t- You said it yourself—”

“You’ll be fine with me.” Adrien smiled at her. “I promise.” 

Marinette blinked, her mouth slightly ajar. Adrien lifted his hand a little closer, and she couldn't keep a smile off her lips as her cheeks turned crimson again.

“Okay. I trust you.”

*       * *

The festival did look absolutely amazing. Not that he was allowed to attend many, but there were a few he’d sneaked out to in the last few years. This one, however, put all of those to shame. The lights, performers, music, multitudes of people and aromas… oh, the smell of food that flowed around… Adrien could taste it already. The tenderness and sweetness as it would melt in his mouth…

“So,” Alya intruded in his reverie. “I have about an hour before the beauty competition starts. What do you want to do until then?”

Adrien glanced at the direction of the food stalls, but when he looked at Marinette, her eyes were on fire as she watched the games on their right.  

“Games,” he stated without hesitation. They could always do food later, preferably when Alya would leave for her beauty pageant and leave them alone to enjoy the deliciousness in peace.

“Excellent.” A sly grin split Alya’s lips. “Ready to lose to me again, Chat Noir?”

“In your dreams!” he retorted. 

“Girls, girls relax,” Nino suddenly added. “Cause we all know who’s the real champion here.”

“Who?” Alya quirked an eyebrow.

Nino suddenly wasn’t as confident as before. “Me?” 

“We’ll see about that.” Adrien smirked and, taking Marinette by her hand, pulled her towards the first game: an easy enough for everyone “put a ball into a basket” game. Even Marinette should be able to play this.

Ten different games later, Adrien was ready to eat his thoughts and bow down to the Queen of All Games Marinette Dupain-Cheng as she completely and utterly obliterated the three of them in all the games they’ve tried, except the brutal strength ones, but even there, she scored decently enough. Accurate, smart, skilled; there were no bounds to how amazing Marinette showed herself to be. Adrien smiled a nostalgic, heartwarming smile. There was a reason Adrien had chosen to spend all of his time with Marinette above the other kids he could have played with back in the days: Marinette was amazing and beautiful in every conceivable sense of those words.

“Yay!” The girl on his mind jumped after knocking all six jugs with a ball from her first try. 

“No fair,” Nino pouted. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

“Plenty,” Marinette responded with a smirk. “But most of them have to do with grace and patience.”

Alya snorted a laugh. “Sounds just about right. You did amazingly, girl! I’m so proud.”

“Yes,” Adrien added. “You did awesomely.”

“Thank you,” Marinette replied with a curtsy and turned to Alya. “What prize do you want?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes, you,” Marinette said. “I already have plenty. Plus, I need to thank you for helping me out with the whole ladyship debacle. So, choose whatever you want.”

Alya’s eyes lit up as she lunged forward and gave Marinette a tight hug. “Thank you, Marinette! You are the best!”

“No problem.” The girl giggled.

“Chat,” Nino suddenly whined, rubbing the skin under the edge of his mask. “Can I take this thing off? I bet I can do much better when it isn’t bothering me. It’s not like we are at the castle, so we don’t really have to wear them, right?”

“Yeah,” Alya chuckled. “You should take it off, Nino. Maybe then my knight can win something for me too.”

Adrien stilled. The thought to remove the mask didn’t even occur to him, seeing as Marinette was with them and because they didn’t really stand out in the festive crowd with quite a few people from multiple troops and circuses wearing their own masks. But Nino famously hated his mask, and to be honest, Adrien couldn’t see a reason for him to still wear it. He, on the other hand, was a different case… 

Or was he? 

The only purpose of the whole mask idea was to prevent the ladies who knew his face from recognizing him. Marinette, as far as he knew, had never seen “the Prince” and had always thought that Adrien she played with as a child was the son of Mme Bustier, the late Queen's personal maid. That was the only condition his mother gave him when allowing him to play with commoners: they were to never find out his actual social status. Claiming Mme Bustier as his mother was perfect. Being a son of the Queen's personal maid could explain why he was always coming to visit when the Queen did and why he had such easy access to her private quarters. Furthermore, there was a huge chance that Marinette wouldn’t recognize him. It’s been ages since they’ve last seen each other, and it wasn’t like his blond hair and green eyes were as unique as Marinette’s beautiful features. He had a legitimate excuse to recognize her right away; there weren't many girls he'd met who was as pretty as Marinette was. She didn’t have that excuse. Plenty of men had blond hair, green eyes, and a fit figure. 

“Ah, why not?” Adrien shrugged and reached for his mask. “Just promise not to faint, ladies, when you behold our unearthly beauty.”

Alya puffed. “As if.”

“Finally,” Nino sighed with relief, his mask already discarded. 

Marinette curiously looked at his face.

“Isn’t he handsome?” Alya cooked, immediately looping her arm around Nino and giving him a lovesick, playful grin. “My fair knight Nino.” 

“He is quite handsome indeed,” Marinette chuckled and curtsied. “Nice to meet you out of your mask, Sir Nino.”

Feeling a little left out, Adrien pouted. Back in DuPont, Marinette had always used to tell him how pretty he was, and considering their conversation about her childhood friend at the garden, Adrien was sure she’d like to see how he grew up. Perhaps, she’d even like what she saw… even if she wouldn't recognize him. Somehow the thought of that made him sad, but brushing it away, Adrien leaned closer to Marinette and purred, “What about me? Do I tickle your fancy as much as Nino does?”

The moment Marinette shifted her eyes to Adrien her smile dropped. With her lips slightly ajar, she carefully looked at his face, her hand reaching forward on its own before she stopped and pulled back.

“Marinette?” Adrien frowned. “Is everything alright?”

Her eyes instantly blew wide as she squeaked, “Adrien?!”

[evenstevensranked]

#6: Season 1, Episode 18 - “Movie Madness”

Louis takes a stab at directing a short film in hopes of winning the Sacramento Young Peoples Film Festival and it is absolutely incredible. Not the film, the film is god awful. But Louis’ blatant, unfiltered narcissism -- THAT is something to behold. The subplot follows yet another one of Ren’s attempts to approach Bobby Deaver for the first time but somehow results in some glorious miscommunication between her and recurring character Ivan.

This one opens in history class with a teacher named Todd Zanders who only appears in this one episode. I kinda love this guy and wish we saw more of him. He’s a total hippie and is making the class take “deep, cleansing breaths -- in with the good, out with the bad” when Louis comes running in late and disrupts the peace. Louis is clearly excited about something so Todd pulls the old “why don’t you share with the rest of the class” card, probably hoping that will intimidate Louis and shut him up, but this is Louis Stevens we’re talking about here. Todd technically gave him the floor, so ya know Louis is gonna run with it. He gets up on his chair and announces to everyone that he’s going to be entering his currently non-existent film in the Sacramento Young Peoples Film Festival. 

“I, Louis Stevens, will be entering my film in the Sacramento Young Peoples Film Festival. And after I win first place in the festival and get my million dollar movie deal... I will, sadly, be moving to Beverly Hills to a sprawling ranch home.” -- The narcissism is already in full swing. I love it. I also love that Louis says he’ll be moving to a ranch home because he already stated in Episode 15 that he’s “always liked ranch style!” houses. Good continuity. 

Louis goes on to say he’ll be needing a limo driver, a gardener and even suggests that Todd should be his personal chef. Oh my god. He tells Tawny, Twitty, and Tom to meet him at his house after school to discuss the logistics of the project and its million-dollar plot.

It cuts to the subplot where we meet both Ruby and Bobby for the first time! Ruby is reporting to Ren with her latest gossip column and the two of them end up checking out Bobby Deaver from across the hall. I just gotta include a gif of Bobby’s first appearance because the level of intentional dramatic cheese is hilarious. 

Ren is gushing over Bobby from afar saying things like “He’s so cute. Look at his hair... It’s perfect. Look at his walk! He’s so cool!” and for whatever reason, everyone’s favorite lackey Ivan is within earshot and assumes Ren is crushing on him. He’s flying solo in this episode and I guess this shows us why he’s a hanger-on every other time we see him. Ivan on his own is pretty sad and shy. 

Ivan under the impression that Ren’s compliments are directed at him. 

Ruby inspires Ren to talk to Bobby but warns Ren that she should write down everything she wants to say to him beforehand to ensure their first conversation will be absolutely perfect. We get a bit later on where Ren is in her room trying to come up with an ideal icebreaker and oh my freaking god. This has got to be one of my favorite Ren scenes in the entire series. Good LORD! She imagines how each scenario could play out in her head and I die laughing every time. Two brilliant ideas she comes up with are to walk right up to Bobby and say “Hey, Bobby. Nice belt!” or my personal favorite: “Hey, Bobby! Oh, I wouldn’t try that Salisbury steak if I were you!” The writing on this show is so incredibly random sometimes that it only ever results in greatness. Also “Nice belt!” is so disturbing. She says it in the most suggestive way too. Why are you staring at.. that... region, Ren?! Each ridiculous scenario ends with Bobby making the most irritated and confused face and completely ignoring her... because, I mean... would you know what to say to someone who walks up to you, creepily smiles, and tells you to avoid eating Salisbury steak with no further explanation? 

I just realized that this show often depicts girls as being the first ones to make a move or initiate a relationship, which is kinda cool since we’re pretty much conditioned to sit around and wait. 

After everything, Ren ultimately decides that marching up to him and saying “Hi, Bobby! I have a big crush on you and I just wanted to let you know how I feel!” is the best way to go. 

It cuts to Louis’ room where he’s having that meeting with Tawny, Twitty, and Tom. Once again, we see Louis determined to find his "thing." That’s pretty much what the overall theme of the show originally set out to be. In addition to our lovely bickering siblings, of course. Here, he’s super optimistic that he’s finally found his “thing” in writing/directing. Sweetie!!! Your thing is comedy!! We all know this already!!!! But, still. I really enjoy the idea of Louis constantly searching for something to excel at. He explains to them that “Everyone has their thing. Twitty has his music! You’ve got your poetry! Tom’s got..... his... parents!” HAHA. Poor Tom. 

Louis goes on to brief the gang on the plot of the movie which he describes as “the classic love story about an alien (Tawny) and a cowboy (Twitty).” An instant classic, honestly. Louis truly believes that they’ll “walk in as nobodies, and walk out as stars” after appearing in his movie. Well, everyone except Tom -- who he relegates to the role of his assistant. 

”I see stars.” 

It cuts straight to filming and boy do things really get going now. Louis has transformed part of the living room into a tinfoil explosion, which I’m assuming is supposed to be the inside of a spaceship. (see cover photo.) This episode is FULL of amazing dialogue and quotes from Louis. It’s insane! So, as usual, it’s going to be very difficult for me to not quote every single one. Twitty decided that his cowboy should have giant mutton chop sideburns and speak with an English accent without consulting Louis, Louis gets insulted because “that’s not in the script” -- which Twitty and Tawny haven’t even been given yet. Once they get their scripts, however, they’re confused as to why it’s only one page. Louis, being the informed and gifted director he thinks he is, condescendingly explains “We’re only shooting scene 27 today. We shoot out of order. It’s called filmmaking.” Except everyone knows that films shoot out of order due to the availability and scheduling of the sets/locations and actors, etc. Louis Stevens has only two actors at his indefinite disposal and seemingly one set location. He’s literally shooting out of order for no reason and is completely oblivious. It’s great. 

Louis can’t be bothered with rehearsals, blocking, or any other necessary steps towards making a movie and jumps straight to filming. Tawny is unsure of what he wants her to do because “all that script said was ‘the spaceship lands and the alien looks around.’” Louis has no time for her valid confusion and snaps “THAT’S RIGHT. YOU’RE CONFUSED AND FRUSTRATED. DID YA READ IT?!?!” I love this so much. Louis starts recording and Tawny vents out of character/as herself: “This is ridiculous. I don’t know where I am! I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M DOING!” and Louis praises her ‘performance.’ HAHAHAHAHAHA. 

“GENIUS! THAT IS GENIUS! RIGHT ON THE MONEY, BABE! RIGHT ON THE MONEY!”

I’m not even sure how to review the next part of the episode because the performances truly speak for themselves and I gotta stop myself from typing out a transcript of the whole thing, lol. Basically, Louis goes into full meltdown mode. Freaking out over Tawny saying “Hi, Cowboy” instead of “Hello,” Twitty’s unauthorized addition of a gold tooth for his cowboy, and Ren interrupting a scene. “PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT A DEMOCRACY. THIS IS A MOVIE. IT’S MY MOVIE. WHICH I WILL NOT LET YOU MESS UP!” He instructs Twitty and Tawny to meet him outside for a saloon scene. Except Louis doesn’t have saloon money: 

Twitty: “Louis! What is this, man? Where’s the rest of the saloon?!” Louis: “CUT! Twitty, it’s a close-up. No one’s gonna see the saloon!! Let’s try it again. But this time, give me a little more.” Twitty: “More what?!”  Louis: “JUST MORE!!!!!!”

-- Louis Stevens, everyone. The greatest director of our time. 10/10 would recommend. 

We get possibly the greatest line in the whole episode when they start filming and a lawnmower revs up as soon as Louis shouts ‘action.’ He cannot believe the audacity of his neighbor and shouts “WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS THE NOISE?! WHO MOWS THEIR LAWN ON WEDNESDAY?!?!?!” Things only get worse when the sprinklers randomly turn on too. At this point, Louis is #confirmed crazy. 

“TOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I also love Louis’ little toilet paper roll that serves absolutely no real purpose. 

The next day, they move on to filming the big finale scene where Zenobia the Alien takes off in her spaceship, leaving her cowboy lover behind. Louis originally intended for it to take place during a harsh winter blizzard and assigned Tom the responsibility of making convincing snowflakes. Tom shows up with this: 

“TOM, YOU CHOWDERHEAD! I ASKED FOR SNOWFLAKES, NOT DOILIES!”

Louis has no choice but to ditch the blizzard and changes it to “a blazing desert windstorm in the middle of fall.” Okay. Zenobia’s spaceship is a tiny tinfoil thing way up in the trees and Tawny’s like “......how am I supposed to get up there?!” and Tom arrives with a “harness” that’s actually just a freaking elastic luggage rope as if that’s going to handle Tawny’s weight. But Louis assures her “of course it’s safe!!!” because he had Tom test it on a 20-pound sack of potatoes. Sounds legit. 

Is he gonna add that “blazing desert windstorm” in post, or? 

They start filming and sure enough, the “harness” breaks and Tawny falls a good 8 feet to the ground. Louis couldn’t care less though and the gang is D O N E with him at this point. They all quit the project on the spot, leaving Louis to finish the movie himself. Tom was the last one to quit and it’s pretty sad. Louis immediately looks to Tom as a last resort and expects him to step in and help finish the movie, but Tom flat out says “you’re only nice to me when you want something” and Louis has no remorse like “yeah, so?” -- This is the only part of the episode that kills me. But even so, you can tell that Louis is realizing the error of his ways pretty quickly. 

Louis left sad and deserted. “I CAN FINISH THIS MOVIE BY MYSELF!!! .....It’s my ‘thing’.”

Unfortunately, finishing the movie himself includes having to play every role himself as well. Louis is confident that if he shoots at the right angle and disguises his face and voice, no one will be able to tell the difference: “It’s called Movie Magic.”

Ren: “I’m sorry, little three-eyed girl, but do you know where my brother is?”

It cuts back to the subplot. Remember how Ren wrote a hypothetical note to Bobby just to get her thoughts down? Well, she gave it to Ruby to read and Ruby proceeded to stuff it into Bobby’s history textbook without Ren’s permission. Great job, Ruby. Unsurprisingly, Ren is livid. I would be too. Ren is a mess during history class, sweating the moment when Bobby will take out his book. So she crawls on the ground and tries to sneakily retrieve the note from his backpack. This is pretty funny. Her teacher is the same hippie guy, Todd, and this time he’s making Ren’s class do stretches “for knowledge, focus, and concentration.” Once Ren is spotted on the ground lookin’ like a weirdo, she makes up some bogus excuse that she was “squatting for truth!” HAHAHA.

She’s unable to get the note back in time, but amazingly... the note isn’t even in Bobby’s book! Turns out Ivan and Bobby bumped into each other in the hallway earlier and accidentally swapped books in the process. Therefore, the note was delivered to Ivan. You guys know I love a good miscommunication plot. They never fail to make me laugh. Ivan dramatically approaches her later and says “Ren... It needs to end. The looks in the hall, love notes...” I really love Eric Jungmann’s performance here. He’s pretty hilarious and obliviously arrogant, thinking that Ren is in love with him. One thing I never understood was how Ivan could think the note was written for him though? Because I’m SURE Ren must’ve written Bobby’s name somewhere on there! Unless she was keeping it super mysterious for whatever reason. Anyway, Ivan says “Please, Ren. Don’t speak. I’m gonna walk away now. Try not to watch me.” I love it. That’s the end of the subplot. Much like in Surf’s Up, I wish this miscommunication plot had more layers!! 

Ren just stares at him all ~fake-emotional~ and lets him believe what he wants to believe lol.

CUT TO THE FILM FESTIVAL!!! Which takes place at the real-life Vista Theatre in Los Angeles. (Another filming location I’ve added to my bucket list, tbh.) Louis is clearly anxious while waiting around for the festival to kick off and is kinda dreading the ~big premiere~ of his million-dollar movie. He’s sort of standing there rambling random things off to people like ‘have your people call my people!’ and at one point walks alongside a guy and says “yada, yada, yada... let’s just talk about somethin’!” -- Seinfeld reference, anyone?! Crazy to think that the “Yada Yada” episode first aired a mere 4 years before this at the time. I just thought that line was another awesome, subtle thing to throw in and makes for a cool connection to Louis’ Kramer poster. Of course, Louis Stevens would casually quote Seinfeld! I bet it was an ad-lib, honestly. Shia’s the best.

In the end, Twitty, Tawny, and Tom eventually show up in support of Louis and his movie. Louis apologizes for acting like a jerk and Tom even vows to put  “the snowflake incident” behind them. It’s a nice moment before the premiere of what might be the best worst movie ever made, only in competition with Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. 

Let’s just say, “Three Eyes Wide Shut” premiered to... mixed... reviews from the audience. It's very embarrassing. We never actually see the finished product. They only show us a few scenes, which always bummed me out. So I took it upon myself to edit together what “Three Eyes Wide Shut” might’ve turned out like given everything we saw Louis film. And it’s... something:

The intro alone kills me. You know a movie’s gonna be a doozy when the opening credits are typed in Comic Sans. Notice how at the very end Tom mispronounces his own name?! He definitely says “Tom Griblaowski.” Really weird. 

Needless to say, Louis is absolutely mortified by how awful his movie was. He tries hiding by attempting to blend in with some cardboard cutouts in the lobby, but... you can kinda see him there. 

Fun Fact: I was recently binge-watching “That’s So Raven” in preparation for the “Raven’s Home” spin-off, and I was so shocked to discover how many actors they recycled from Even Stevens. Beans, Cynthia Mills, The Asian radio announcer guy, the “Look Smart, Be Smart” instructional tape guy, Beans’ cousin Chris, Mr. Crappizi the school photographer -- the list goes on and on. And if that wasn’t enough... THEY EVEN RECYCLED THESE CARDBOARD CUT-OUTS!!!!!

I DIED LAUGHING AS SOON AS I SAW THIS. Oh my god. I obviously recognized it right away. All of this recycling makes sense though, as both shows were produced by Brookwell/McNamara. But, like... wow. Amazing. After the movie, Twitty and Tom try to make Louis feel better by telling him “You got into the festival, didn’t you?! And they only took the Top 10 entries!” Which would’ve been nice... except Louis explains “Everyone got accepted. There were only 9 entries.” HAHAHAHA. As Twitty and Tom head home, Tawny emerges from the theater and her mind is still reeling from the movie. She’s the only other person on the planet who understood the message Louis was trying to convey which is apparently “feeling like an outsider and wanting to be accepted by your peers.” Yeah, right. 

I always thought it was a nice touch that Tawny wore a green shirt with eyes on it to the premiere of the movie. Definitely feels like a little tribute to Zenobia, lol. 

This is really great though because it sets up Louis and Tawny again nicely. It further establishes that Tawny understands Louis better than anyone else. She got the point of his film when no one else did. She asks if they can watch it again and after they do, all we hear is a sultry voiceover of Tawny saying "I liked it even better the second time" - Oh, God. This always made me really uncomfortable lol. The episode ends with fake “bloopers” from the making of the movie and I can’t deal with it. Interestingly, I watched this episode on TV not too long ago and they cut out Tom's rapid-fire accented quote "Taco burrito, nacho's premio, $1.89 for a limited time, you know what I'm saying?" -- Is that considered offensive or racially insensitive now? I’m assuming. I have no idea but, I thought that was weird and suspicious. 

And that’s it!

I love this episode. So, so much. There’s an aspect to it that is very ahead of its time. Like I mentioned, quality quotes are flying left and right in this one! The humor is ON POINT and the performances are stellar. Especially from Shia! I always say that this is one of the episodes where Louis is at his most ‘Michael Scott.’ There’s just this level of hilariously endearing narcissism that Michael exudes all throughout The Office’s run mixed with that signature dry humor and I get those vibes from Louis so strongly here. It makes me SO HAPPY. I mean, yeah, I usually don’t like it when Louis’ ugly side makes an appearance, but it’s beyond tolerable for me in this one because the plot is just so hysterical. As entertaining as Michael’s narcissism was, it also got him in a lot of trouble as well. Often resulting in very cringe-worthy moments or people resenting him, which we see happen to Louis here. Idk. I just love finding similarities between my favorite shows. This episode also reminds me of when Michael wrote and directed his own terrible movie “Threat Level Midnight.” HAHA. 

I love Ren’s side story, too. It’s one of her stronger/funnier ones for sure. The miscommunication always gets me and the plot is also pretty important because we’re introduced to Bobby and Ruby! I’m ranking this one juuuuust shy of the Top 5 due to it having two separate plots. My Top 5 are all episodes that interweave A and B plots because I feel like Even Stevens just works better that way in general. But, still. That doesn’t take away from how solid this episode is. It literally meets all of my criteria: Personal favorite, quality plotline, quotable dialogue, hilarity, iconicness, overall entertainment value, and there’s even some character development too! So good. 

Thanks for reading!!

Just so y’all know, I actually managed to get “Three Eyes Wide Shut” listed as a legitimate short film on IMDb. I am not kidding. Please feel free to leave a sarcastic review. It’s currently boasting a 6.0. LOL! 

For this episode’s Redbubble design, you can get a reproduction of the Three Eyes Wide Shut theatrical poster!! Omg. This is one of the first things I designed and it’s been sitting in my Redbubble drafts for months. I’m so excited to publish it! haha. The poster can be seen on Louis’ bedroom wall throughout the series! I also made a little “A Louis Stevens Production” design (Comic Sans and poor capitalization and all) with Louis as the MGM Lion, lol. 

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16 Accessible and Affordable Music Marketing Tips

If 15-year-old Conor were around—with curly hair down to his eyes and a sweaty Minor Threat t-shirt on his back—he would argue that marketing isn’t punk rock.

And perhaps he’s right. If there’s a Dead Kennedys deep cut about long-tail keywords, I’ve not yet had the pleasure of hearing it.

But, that perspective is naive. The music industry is immensely competitive, and good marketing is essential for anyone looking to turn their art into a successful career. After all, artists can expect to make only about 70% of a penny per play on Apple Music, and a little more than half that on Spotify. A song with a million streams will earn you well under $10,000. Plus, touring is expensive.

As such, we’ve taken the time to create an accessible music marketing guide to help you reach as many unjustifiably angry 15-year-olds as possible.

Let’s begin!

#1. Keep it old school.

Sure, we may be living in a digital era. Streaming platforms are dominant, and CDs are useful only to anthropologists. But, there will always be music lovers who appreciate all things vintage. Plus, over the past 12 years, annual sales of vinyl records in the U.S. have surged by 15 times!

Go to record stores and advertise your band however you like—posters, stickers, buttons, etc. You can also ask an employee if they’re willing to play your latest music. I was in a record store when I first heard Australian prog outfit King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since!

#2. Get on social media…

Americans spend roughly 24 hours per week on the Internet. 33% of that online time is dedicated to social media. That comes out to over an hour per day of social media consumption.

So, is social media an important part of your strategy? Is Radiohead’s In Rainbows criminally overlooked because people think it’s edgy to say Kid A is their favorite album?

Twitter is a great platform to promote new music in a casual way. Check out this tweet from Car Seat Headrest, posted the day the band’s most recent album dropped:

Facebook is terrific for organizing and promoting upcoming concerts. Each month, hundreds of millions of consumers use Facebook Events to find stuff to do in their cities and neighborhoods. In fact, Facebook Local, a standalone app, is designed to direct users to nearby Events based on their locations.

And, as of August 2018, Facebook enables you to sell concert tickets directly through the platform. Before, you had to hope that someone who saw your Event would remember to search for tickets on line. No longer do you have to worry about losing that concert-goer.

#3. …and create an awesome cross-platform community.

People often generalize hashtags as spam. But, did you know that your band can use them to bring fans together and create a super fun online community?

The amazing thing about your fans is that they want to spread your music to new listeners. If you create a hashtag for the release of your newest single, EP, or album, you can rest assured that your loyal followers are going to use that hashtag as well. And each time one of your fans shares it with their social media circles, tons of people you’ve yet to reach are getting exposed to your band.

A BROCKHAMPTON fan shares the group’s new single via hashtag.

Hashtags also allow you to find the people who are talking about you online and interact with them. Every music fan fantasizes about getting the chance to have a conversation with their favorite artists. Be the artist who thanks fans for listening and answers their random questions! This does wonders for your public images.

#4. Use contests to get more people to your shows.

Music—particularly live music—is all about community. One of the best parts of seeing your favorite band live is reliving the experience with your friends immediately afterwards.

Your band can tap into the social aspect of concerts by launching a contest! When you create a Facebook Event for your upcoming show in Seattle, let your fans know how it works. Whoever invites the most new people to the Event gets a prize of your (or her) choice—a backstage pass, a free item of merch, and so on.

Running a contest like this is a fun, engaging way to get more people at your shows. Plus, you can do it for as many or as few shows as you want!

#5. Play a free show.

If there’s one thing that beats live music, it’s free live music. Of course, from an opportunity cost perspective, it’s expensive to give up a night that you could be using to make money from a regular concert. However, if you have the flexibility to occasionally play free shows in parks, town commons, and coffee houses, it can be a fantastic way to get your music out there and find new fans.

Plus, in an era when ticket vendors charge exorbitant fees for no apparent reason other than turning a profit, putting your music out for free is a surefire way to brand yourself as a cool, down-to-earth artist.

#6. Play your new stuff on a radio show.

Much like vinyl, great radio is never going to die. Maybe I’m just in denial, but I truly believe that music consumers will always find value in the local (often college) radio stations that play stuff you wouldn’t otherwise hear over the airwaves.

Sunshine Brothers Inc. promoting an appearance on the UMass Amherst radio station.

If there’s an awesome indie station in your hometown, or if you have a show booked in a city with such a station, reach out and try to organize an album release appearance. Ideally, they’ll have a set-up that allows you to play live in the studio. But, if you’re limited to simply spinning a few tracks and providing commentary, that’s perfectly good, too.

Either way, local radio stations offer a way for your band to generate buzz and reach a captive audience that can (most likely) get something out of your music.

#7. Go on tour with other artists.

What better way to get new listeners to hear your awesome music than to play a show for an entirely different fanbase? Opening up for a more popular band—ideally one with a sound similar to yours—guarantees that you’re reaching audiences who want to listen. One amazing set is all it takes to get hundreds, if not thousands, of Spotify users to look up your profile before the headliner comes on stage. If you can get new fans out of every show, your band will be the one looking for openers some day soon.

#8. Play at genre-specific festivals.

When you think of music festivals, the ones that come to mind are the major players: Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Governor’s Ball, and so on. While it’s no small achievement for a small indie outfit to get on the bill at one (or more) of these festivals, playing them may not generate as much buzz as you would hope. Your band may be superb, but if the majority of attendees are there to get wasted and bop to Travis Scott, they’re probably not going to pay much attention to your dream pop songs.

Alternatively, you can focus your festival energies on the festivals reserved for artists within your genre. For folk artists, there’s the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island. For literary types, there’s Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City, IA. For indie artists, there’s MAHA Festival in Omaha, NE.

By opting for more niche festivals, you’re playing your music for audiences that truly want to hear it. You know the attendees are there for more than the food and the booze; they’re there because they love the genre and want to discover more artists within it.

#9. Document your existence.

For whatever reason, we’re a little obsessed with the personal lives of the artists we admire. We hate to break it to you, but your most dedicated fans probably wonder what you eat for breakfast and which Netflix shows you love. A little creepy? Sure. Something you can build on? Absolutely!

You can use a blog as a platform for tons of different stuff. Provide inside looks into your songwriting process. Tell funny stories from the road. Recommend other artists that you love. Publishing content like this makes you a more likable persona and creates opportunities for people who have never heard of you to find your website while poking around Google.

If you’re not a wordsmith, vlogging is another great option. It allows you to give fans the behind-the-scenes content they want and opens the door for finding new listeners through popular video platforms like YouTube and Facebook. California surf-punk band SWMRS does this well with tour diaries:

#10. Incorporate your fans into the process.

Yes, they’re interested in weird stuff like your dietary habits and entertainment preferences. But, the connections your fans feel with your band and with your music go a lot deeper than that. Like we said under tip #3—they want to help you succeed. An email newsletter is an excellent way to incorporate them into certain processes: naming songs, creating album covers, writing liner notes, etc.

Iconic cover art for Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures.

You have to give them an incentive. Maybe you reward the first 100 people who download your newest single by adding them to the newsletter. Or maybe you want to emphasize your live performances, and the newsletter recipients are the first 100 people to buy tickets to your next hometown show. Whichever way you slice it, this is a great tactic to drive downloads and ticket sales. Building your fans into the album release process is certain to keep them engaged.

#11. Make awesome music videos.

I know, I know. We may as well advise you to make good music while you’re at it. But, hear us out.

Nearly one-third of all Internet users watch videos on YouTube. Over half a billion people watch Facebook videos every day. Between the two platforms, 45% of people watch at least an hour of video content every week. More and more every day, video is the form of content people want the most.

Creating super compelling music videos is a stellar way to grab Internet users’ attention and introduce them to your music. Plus, people love to share videos with followers, friends, and family members.

The best part: you don’t need a huge budget to make a great music video. The music video for the Strokes’ “Someday,” one of the biggest hits off their debut album, is literally just the band and their friends hanging out and smoking a staggering quantity of cigarettes.

(Note: WordStream does not endorse tobacco use. Even though Julian Casablancas makes it look super cool and fun and artistic.)

#12. Reach out to critics and music writers…

As much as people like to poke fun at music critics for being too self-serious, a lot of them exert serious influence over which artists and albums get the time of day. For example, Anthony Fantano publishes tons of album reviews on his YouTube channel, theneedledrop. Earlier this year, he eclipsed 1.5 million subscribers. The visibility an artist gets following one of Fantano’s reviews is immense.

It may not be realistic for your band to get featured on such a popular channel. Regardless, you should email bloggers and magazine writers and ask them to review your latest material. In the same vein as opening for bigger artists, getting reviewed on a reputable website will undoubtedly direct music fans to your streaming profiles. Plus, if the writers are kind enough to link to your website, those blog posts you’ve been writing will inch higher and higher up the Google search results.

#13. …or write your own freelance reviews.

Now, assuming that your efforts to take your band to the next level are rather time-consuming, you probably don’t have the time to hold down a full-time staff writer gig.

But, making the time to write occasional guest reviews for music magazines could give you some great exposure. If there’s an EP or album you feel qualified to review, reach out to the editors at music publications like Pitchfork, The Wire, HipHopDX, and XXL. Put together an author bio and mention that, when you’re not writing reviews, you’re single-handedly keeping the indie rock genre alive.

Directing music publications’ readers to your streaming profiles is the obvious benefit. Plus, working as a freelance writer enables you to develop relationships with the editors who decide what gets reviewed. This boosts your chances of getting your music reviewed and generating serious buzz around new releases.

#14. Feature your music prominently on your website.

Under tip #2, we mentioned that Facebook is now encouraging artists and businesses to sell tickets directly through their Events. This is huge because it makes it a lot easier for consumers to purchase tickets to your shows. Nobody wants to catch wind of an exciting concert and then dig around a bunch of different websites for a ticket. The underlying principle is that you want to make consumers exert minimal effort.

This principle applies to your website design. If you bury your songs under a “Music” tab, you’re forcing the people who visit your site to click at least once to find your material. That sounds like nothing, but it makes a difference. Regardless of which streaming platforms you’re on—Bandcamp, SoundCloud, Spotify—make sure to embed your newest music prominently on your homepage. This way, when someone visits your site, they don’t have to lift a finger in order to hear your music.

#15. Get interviewed.

Generally speaking, people will listen to anything that sounds good. Unfortunately, we, as a society, have a nasty habit of supporting artists who do bad things in their personal lives simply because their songs are catchy.

That being said, music listeners really love artists who make great music and demonstrate some kind of moral compass. Getting interviewed—whether it’s on camera at a festival or in print on a website—is your best chance to show people how awesome and likable you are.

Even if someone has never heard of your band before, one fantastic interview could be all it takes to convince them to give your new single a spin.

And speaking of singles…

#16. Take your time.

Justin Mares and Gabriel Weinberg are two dudes who wrote a book titled Traction: How Any Startup Can Achieve Explosive Customer Growth. Their principal argument is that most startups fail because they dedicate all their time and resources to product development, neglecting to develop their core distribution channels. These companies go to market with a shiny new product and have no mechanisms for building a customer base.

The music industry equivalent is a band that drops an album before anyone has ever heard of them. It’s understandable, of course. The creative energy is high and you’re cranking out the best material of your life—that’s awesome. But, unless you generate a healthy amount of buzz with some killer lead singles (and perhaps an EP), your debut album release is going to be a disappointment.

Take your time and build up a library of stellar songs that could fill three albums. Keep the momentum going while you gradually release songs and let the hype build.

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