DIY Bio-Artist Questionnaire

This is a template artists can utilize in order to create their own bios. Please let us know if you have any questions or need assistance with this form.

The following are questionnaire type guidelines for writing a bio. Each of these questions needs to be addressed in some way.  Please take as long as needed to write a one page biography about yourself. You can choose to elaborate on the bolded headers (or a combination of them), and use those to guide your biography. This needs to be a creative expression of yourself, your image, and what you would like to represent with your music (and career). Remember, this will be seen by your fans and industry professionals, among others.

Basic Information about the Artist/Band Members

  • Who are you?
    • What is your government name?
    • What is your stage name?
  • Where are you from originally?
  • Where were you born?
  • How old are you?
  • When is your birthday?
  • Why do you live in NYC?

If you are not from America, please answer the following questions

  • When did you come to the U.S.?
  • How old were you when you left your home country?
  • Why did you leave your home country?
  • How did you get to America from your home country?
  • Did you come alone or with family/friends?
  • How long have you been in the U.S.?
  • Where did you move to originally after immigrating?
    • Where have you lived since your initial move?
  • When did you move to New York City?
  • Are you a legal U.S. resident/citizen now?

If you are from America, please answer the following questions

  • How old were you when you left your home town?
  • Why did you leave your hometown?
  • Did you come alone or with family/friends?
  • Where did you move to after leaving your home town?
    • Where have you lived since your initial move?
  • When did you move to New York City?
  • Why did you choose to live in New York City?

Basic Information about What Motivates You

  • Why did you start to do music?
  • Why do you continue to do music?
  • Why do you play backup for other musicians/ why do you pursue group (band) activities and not focus on solo pursuits?
  • Have you had another career that wasn’t in the music industry?
  • Have you ever thought about having another kind of career?

 

Basic Information about Influences

  • Who is your musical idol?
  • Who do you look up to in the industry?
  • What influences your music?
  • Who are your musical influences?
  • Have you ever met or played with your musical idol(s)?
  • What made you start playing music?

Basic Information about Your Experience in the Music Industry

  • When did you start playing music?
  • When did you start playing music professionally?
  • When did you know you wanted music to be your career?
  • When did you know that it was actually going to be your career?
  • How did you get started in the music industry?
  • How did you break into the industry?
  • Who helped you get (your foot in the door) in to the industry?
  • Have you ever released an album?
    • If so, when did you release your album/albums?
    • How many units did it/they sell?
  • Have you ever been featured on other people’s albums?
    • If so, whose albums were they, what were they called, and when were they released?
  • Who have you played with?
  • How did you get your gigs with popular musicians?
  • How do you get shows?

Definition of Your Target Market

  • Who do you sound like?
  • Who buys your music?
    • Who do you believe would buy your music?
  • What is so special about you/what differentiates you from the rest of people who do what you do?
  • Why should people care about you and your music?

Basic Information about What You Do

  • What do you do/what instrument do you play?
  • What other instruments do you/can you play?
  • What genre of music do you like to perform in?
    • What genre(s) of music can you perform?
  • Do you have your own band/ensemble?
  • Do you write your own music?
  • What is your reputation in the industry?
  • What other roles do you play in the  industry?

Basic Information about What You Have Done

  • What was the highest level of formal education you received?
  • What events have you performed at in the past 5 years?
  • How many albums have you released?
  • What albums have you been featured on?
  • What tours have you played on?
    • Whose tours were they and how long were you on tour with them?
  • What big name venues have you played in?

 

Awards and Accomplishments

  • What awards have you been nominated for/won?
  • What awards have you won?
  • What newspapers, magazines, tv shows, trade papers, or blogs have you been featured in?

Activities and Service

  • What do you do with your free time?
  • What other activities are you involved in besides music?
  • What are your hobbies?
  • What community programs/groups are you involved in?
  • What industry associations do you belong to?

Goals in the Music Industry

  • What are you trying to do in the industry?
  • What do you want to be known for/known as?
  • What do you hope to get out of your involvement in the music industry?
  • What do you hope to get out of your career in the music industry?

Personal Description

  • What is your favorite quote?
  • What quote/sentence would you say best describes you and your music?
  • What kind of music do you listen to?
  • What are your top 6 favorite songs (of yours and others)?
  • How does music effect your mood?

Current Industry View

 

  • What is your perspective on the current state of the industry?
  • What do you think will help the industry survive/what do you think the industry needs in order to stop its decline?

Current Events

 

  • When is your next show?
  • When was your last show?
  • When do you practice?
    • How many hours per day or week do you practice?
  • When do you promote yourself?
  • What are you currently working on?

What are some Notable Quotes popular musicians and business professionals, in the music industry, have said about you, your musical talents, and abilities?