At first, it sounds like a nice idea:
"I want to release my song before the end of the year."

Maybe you've been working on your music all year. Maybe it's a personal track. Maybe you're thinking, "If I don't release it now, everything feels incomplete."

But December is not a normal release month.
People are tired. Feeds are full of mulled wine, snow photos, and gift ideas. Playlists are dominated by Christmas songs—and even the biggest names are fighting for attention.

So what should you do if your release is still scheduled for December, or has to be?
Here are three clever strategies you can actually use:

When the year comes to a close, something magical opens up:
The time between the years, known as the Rauhnächte, is for many merely a spiritual phenomenon. For me, it has become a powerful space for artistic clarity.

For years, I have been working with musicians who doubt their direction. Who don't know what their next step is.
And I always say: "The answer doesn't come from doing. It comes from listening."
And that's exactly what the Rauhnächte are for.

December is more than just lights, mulled wine, and last-minute stress.
It is a turning point, also (and especially) in the music business.

Many musicians experience this month as tough or "lost." Hardly any gigs. Little reach. No feedback from organizers. And inside, that quiet question:
"What has this year actually brought?"

If you work as a freelance musician, one sentence is particularly difficult to say:
"No, that doesn't work for me."

Why? Because we have learned that opportunities are rare. That you have to be grateful. That you should always be available for gigs, collaborations, booking requests, feedback discussions, content productions and promo campaigns.

It took me a long time to understand:
Every yes to something that isn't right is a no to yourself.

You've written a song, recorded it, mixed it and now it's finished.
But how do you get it out into the world?
And how do you stay with yourself while making it visible?

For many musicians, this is precisely the biggest challenge in the music business:
How can I market my music without burning myself out or becoming an advertising robot?

Especially as an independent musician, perhaps from Munich or somewhere between the USA and Germany, the topic of music promotion is often associated with pressure. But visibility doesn't have to be fake.

Many musicians know this feeling: you're about to perform, your hands are shaking, your heart is racing - and suddenly you just want to leave. Even though you've been rehearsing for weeks. Even though you love your songs.

I often hear this in my music coaching sessions:
"Why am I so nervous, even though I want to be a professional?"
And then I say: Stage fright is not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of importance.

It has become quiet. The release was a few weeks ago. The posts are out. The comments have died down. And then it comes - this quiet thought:
"I should post something again."

Maybe. But maybe not.

We live in a music business that celebrates output. More reels. More content. More visibility.
But your music doesn't need more visibility - it needs depth.
And sometimes depth comes from silence.

"What would you charge for a gig like this?"
The question often comes up in coaching sessions, rehearsal rooms and WhatsApp chats with musician friends.

And usually the answer is: "Phew, good question... Depends."

It depends. On whom? On the budget? On the fear of being "too expensive"?
Or on your own value?

When we talk about pricing and fees in the music business, we're not just talking about numbers. We're talking about what you dare to do for yourself. And what you dare to stand for.

I remember it well: my first moment when I proposed a proper fee was not confident. I hesitated, my voice got softer. I thought the person on the other end was about to laugh.

Now it's starting again: the big wave of applications.
Festivals, promoters, cultural centers - they're all planning their 2026. And now is your chance to get your music talked about.

But many musicians don't know how to present themselves professionally and clearly.
Some send an email without any information. Others send an overloaded PDF that is meaningless. And then you wonder: why doesn't anything come back?

Today I want to show you how to apply for a job - with attitude, heart and strategy.

November has its own gravity.
The days are short, the gigs are fewer, the year seems almost over - and yet it's still not quiet enough for a real retreat.

Many musicians tell me during this time that they have doubts:
"Am I still on the right path?"
"What am I doing all this for - when it feels so empty right now?"
"I give so much. But where is the response?"

Autumn is getting darker. The days are getting shorter. And you can feel your energy changing.
Perhaps you want to retreat. Maybe you're tired from the year. Maybe you just want to take a deep breath.

That's okay. And important.

Autumn is planning time in the music business. Promoters are putting together their programs for 2026 - and your chances of getting gigs, festival slots and press features increase enormously if you have a good press kit.

But what is a good EPK (Electronic Press Kit)?
And how do you really stand out as a musician without a lot of money and a PR agency?

You've spent months writing, producing, tweaking, discarding, hoping - and now it's here: the moment before your new single or album is released.

And suddenly everything feels different.

What was just euphoria now becomes a knot in the stomach:
"What if nobody hears it? What if it's not good enough? What if I disappoint?"

Almost all musicians know this emotional rollercoaster ride.
And it's not wrong - it just shows how much your music means to you.

Stage presence - this word sounds big, professional, almost intimidating.
But it's often much simpler: it's what happens when you are completely yourself - and are seen to be.

Many musicians ask me in music coaching:
"What can I do on stage to really reach the audience?"
And my answer is usually: less is more. Presence doesn't start with a gesture - it starts with your inner attitude.

"I played the gig - but the fee never came."
"There was nothing in the contract about accommodation - so I slept on someone's couch."
"I recorded a song - and suddenly it was online without my name."

These are all real situations from the music business.
And they often happen because many musicians have never learned how to protect themselves legally and economically.

That's why I'm sharing concrete basics here that you can implement immediately - without studying law, but with real effect:

Many musicians tell me in music coaching: "I don't want to come across as pushy. I want my music to speak for itself."
But here's the reality of the music business:
If you're not visible, you'll be overlooked - even with great music.

Self-promotion doesn't mean constantly posting, shouting or bending over backwards.
It means making what you really do tangible for others - with clarity, authenticity and structure.

It's Monday morning. You open Instagram, scroll - and see:
Everyone else is posting. Gigs. Studio sessions. High-quality videos. Success stories.

And you?
You have nothing planned. No energy for a post. No desire for visibility. You feel small, compared, overwhelmed. And then you think: Maybe I should just not post anything at all. Maybe I'm not needed out there.

Do you know this moment?
You come back from a gig - it was okay, maybe even good. People were clapping. And yet you sit alone in the kitchen afterwards and ask yourself: What am I actually doing all this for?

You are exhausted. You've invested - time, money, heart and soul. And yet it feels like you're treading water. Your release is out, but nothing "happens". There are no booking requests. Things are only mediocre on social media. And slowly the thought creeps in: What if I'm just not good enough?

"I want to be visible - but it feels so uncomfortable." I hear this sentence in almost every music coaching session. And I understand it. Because social media for musicians is not a sure-fire success. It takes courage, clarity and, above all, a real inner drive.

If you want to use social media not just as a duty, but as a stage for your values, your music and your energy - now is the time to rethink.

I love this moment in late summer when everything quietens down a bit. For me, it's the perfect time to take an honest look at my music year - and decide how I want to grow in the coming months.

Many musicians think of planning as pressure, structure and rigid deadlines. But for me, planning is an act of self-empowerment. You take your creative business into your own hands - and actively shape what you really want.