"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.

I know you may have had this thought too: "What if my song really makes it into the charts?" Maybe you've immediately pushed it to one side again because it sounds too big, too unrealistic or too "mainstream".

But I'll tell you something today: you can have this dream. You can keep it. And you can work on integrating it into your very own music business - whether you're from Munich, Berlin or a small village, whether you're an independent or have a small team.

The summer was loud, full of impressions, perhaps also a little chaotic. And now? Sitting there with your to-do list, a few open booking emails, your half-updated EPK - and asking yourself: Where do I start?

This is exactly the moment when you come back to yourself. The transition from summer to fall is like a gentle reminder: you can find your way back into focus. Not with pressure, but with awareness.

I recommend this gentle restart. For you as a musician, for your creative business, for your inner clarity.

Many female musicians find booking difficult. Not because of a lack of quality, but because they don't know how to present themselves. Especially in the music business, where dozens of requests come in every day, it takes more than a good song - it takes connection.

In music coaching I often say: don't write an application, write an invitation. If you're looking for booking tips, start with your language. Who are you as a musician? What do you want to say musically? And how do you want to come across as an artist?

Fall is the most important time in the music business if you want to get booked. Promoters are now back at work on their calendars and planning the next year. If you want to be noticed as a musician in booking, September is your chance.

Many musicians ask me in music coaching: How do I even write to promoters? How does music promotion work without management? And the honest answer is: You don't need a big team - you need clarity.

It's the end of August and you might already be feeling that tingling sensation: fall is coming, event organizers will soon be approachable again - and you want to be booked.

Now is the perfect time to prepare for the booking phase for 2026 in a structured and relaxed way.

First, look at what you already have. Maybe a good live video, some nice feedback from a gig, a few new photos. You don't have to reinvent everything. Sometimes it's just a matter of sorting through existing material.

Summer is coming to an end. The loud festival weeks are slowly coming to an end and the calendar is pointing to fall. Maybe you had a tour, a few good gigs - or maybe it was quieter than you thought. Either way, now is the right time to take a little break.

I like to call this a creative check-in.

I see it again and again in my coaching sessions: musicians who make great music but fail because of a single PDF document. Not because they can't do it - but because they feel it has to be perfect.

But your EPK - your Electronic Press Kit - must do one thing above all: make you tangible. Not glossy, not marketing gobbledygook, but clarity.