Cut the Red Tape #2: TikTok Dances, Authenticity, and What Labels Really Want
Straight answers to messy music questions: a recurring Q&A series by Nat Cummins of Red Tape Music.
Welcome to the second instalment of Cut the Red Tape - the Q&A series where I answer questions from musicians, friends, or anyone just curious about how the music industry actually works. If you do have a question you’ve been too scared to ask please feel free to drop me a line and I’ll queue it up.
The format for these may change depending on the type of questions asked. Last week was a very technical question about covers and legalities so was straight up educational content. This week’s question is a little more subjective, so I’ll start by saying this is my opinion based on my experience and the language is definitely not what you would typically find in an educational piece. You have been warned!
Disclaimer: I’m not sponsored, affiliated, or involved with any of the tools or campaigns mentioned in this post - including the Bon Iver example. These are just things I rate based on experience, not ads.
Q: Is there a way to achieve true connection with fans whilst staying authentic? Are labels interested in that or is it more, "you should do a funny TikTok video!"
I love this question. The last part genuinely made me laugh out loud.
Now I have to caveat this with a couple of things. First of all, I’m an operations person by trade - the one who makes sure the release goes live, the links work, and the paperwork gets sorted. I’m not a marketer, so my marketing colleagues may hate me for some of what I’m about to say. But I’ve been around artists, inside labels, and in enough campaign meetings to have a pretty firm opinion.
Second caveat: I’m a geriatric millennial who would rather gouge my eyes out with a rusty spoon than do a dance on TikTok.
Right. With that out of the way, let’s get into it. As always, it starts with a few questions you should ask yourself before worrying about content or platforms.
What genre of music are you making? A punk band and a mainstream pop act are going to have completely different strategies.
Who is your target audience, and where do they live online? Are they scrolling TikTok? Living on Instagram Stories? Hanging out in Discord servers? Or still hanging on to Facebook?
What are your goals? Do you want millions of streams? To sell records? To tour and fill rooms? All of the above?
There are tools to help with figuring this out - some decent free ones too, if you’re not ready to invest in platforms like Viberate or Chartmetric (music industry specific data analytics tools). Try Social Blade for follower tracking, TalkWalker to keep an eye on buzz, and Buffer if you want help scheduling posts and seeing what performs. None of them will magically grow your following, but they will help you understand what’s working, and where.
Can you stay authentic and still connect with fans?
Yes. In fact, I’d argue it’s the only way to build genuine connection. You’ve actually answered your own question - the way to connect with fans is by staying authentic.
I honestly believe the era of putting artists on pedestals is on the way out, outside of the ultra-mainstream. Most people don’t want a hyper-polished, overly curated version of a musician any more. We’re so bombarded with unattainable ideals every day that it just becomes exhausting. We want to see people being real.
There’s something called the 1,000 True Fans Theory, coined by Kevin Kelly in 2008. It suggests you don’t need millions of fans or viral fame to have a career - you need around 1,000 people who genuinely care. Fans who’ll buy your vinyl, come to the shows, tell their mates about you, stick with you long term.
And how do you build that kind of following? Not by chasing trends or pretending to be something you’re not. You do it by being yourself - consistently. Let people in. Share the wins, the mess, the bits in between. That kind of connection doesn’t come from being overly strategic. It comes from the scrappy, honest, human side of making art.
When people feel like they know you, they’re far more likely to support you - through merch, shows, pre-saves, crowdfunding. It builds trust. And funnily enough, that’s also what makes you stand out. In a world obsessed with manufactured relatability, actual honesty cuts through.
So… what about labels? Are they really interested in that?
This is where it gets a bit messier. The short answer is: it depends on the label.
Like it or not, content creation is part of the release cycle now. TikTok is still one of the most powerful discovery tools in the game. One viral moment can completely change the trajectory for a new artist. But trends fade fast. Today’s viral track is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper, to paraphrase a very British idiom.
Platforms like Instagram and Facebook (via Meta ads) still drive massive amounts of streaming activity. So yes, having good content helps. And being active online is the easiest way to reach people beyond your local scene - especially if you’re looking to build something internationally.
But here’s the important bit: a good label will talk to you about all this early on. They’ll ask what you’re comfortable with. They’ll help you find ways to show up online that feel like you. Because when content feels forced or awkward, people can tell. And it’s a turn-off.
A supportive label should help you come up with ideas, bounce around concepts, build a calendar, and figure out what kind of stuff works for your personality and your audience. They can’t take the phone out of your hand and film it for you, but they can lighten the load.
Do labels care about things like follower count and engagement? Yes, kinda. It’s a hands-off way to see how your audience is developing, how active they are, and whether you’re seen as a good bet for long-term growth. But numbers aren’t everything. I’ve seen artists with 3,000 Instagram followers sell out massive rooms, and I’ve seen artists with six-figure followings struggle to draw 30 people to a gig. Neither one is better or worse - their audiences just live in different places.
A decent marketing team will always have more than one strategy. Not everything has to be a TikTok dance or a thirsty trending audio. And a lot of people in the industry are actively talking about moving away from viral-or-bust thinking. Real-world interaction is coming back in a big way.
Case in point: Bon Iver’s SABLE, fABLE campaign
For the recent release of SABLE, fABLE, Secretly Group launched a combined digital and real world experience called Fable Spaces. Fans could listen to the album early in a park or outdoor space near them, using geo-fencing to create location-based access.
“With Sable, Fable, we wanted the listening experience to echo the album’s thematic arc, from solitude to connection,” said Robby Morris, VP of Creative Marketing at Secretly, in Music Week. “We developed a webpage powered by geofencing... to encourage individual reflection, but also guide people into shared spaces... The response on Reddit and in other fan communities was incredible.”
No trending sounds. No influencer dances. Just a beautiful, intentional campaign built around connection - and it landed.
Final thoughts
Yes, labels will want you to be active on socials. It’s part of the job now. But a good label will never push you to do things that feel fake or forced. If they do? If they start insisting on cringey, cookie-cutter content that makes you want to crawl out of your skin? That’s your sign. Keep one eye on the door and find a partner who fits better.