By Mariska Ariya, Founder, Riffidum
Our favourite singers started off as indie artists – Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Adele, the list goes on. Being independent is equal parts exhilarating and exhausting. You’re the CEO, the creative director, the social media manager, and the artist manager—all rolled into one. The rise of AI is allowing the artist to manage their time more effectively and amplify their music, making life easier, marketing smarter, and a music career less daunting.
Know Your Fans Better Than They Know Themselves
When I was starting out in music I had no idea where to begin or what to type into Google? So much of the industry felt gatekept and it was difficult to break through – questions like how to build an audience? How to get music heard? Is why I started my company ‘riffidum’ to give artists the know-how in launching their music.
Today, we have AI tools like Spotify for Artists and Chartmetric, to analyze streaming data telling artists who’s listening, where they’re based, and even what playlists they’re adding songs to, it now gives the artist data that can tailor their approach – data we wouldn’t otherwise have access to or know where to look for it.
Indie artist Rina Sawayama (before she blew up) used data insights to discover that her music was unexpectedly popular in the LGBTQ+ community. Armed with this knowledge, she tailored her marketing to connect with her audience. You don’t need a major label to do this—just a free Spotify for Artists account and a little curiosity.
Social Media Made Simple (and Maybe…Fun?)
Social media can feel like a second job. The everchanging algorithm remains a mystery. It’s a difficult world to navigate and understand – but AI tools take some guesswork from the automation of it. Scheduling posts, editing videos, transcribing them to create multiple use content. The ability to analyze an audience’s behavior and tell artists the best content pieces to create, so they’re not shouting into the void.
Indie musician Chloe Lilac uses these tools to schedule her posts and track her engagement. She uses Canva’s AI design features to create visuals for her Instagram stories. The result? She spends less time stressing over captions and more time making music.
Personalized Fan Connections
Fans don’t just want music—they want connection. There is a reluctance to utilise AI for connection because how can you re-create it, without the personal touch – what it can do however is point artists in the right direction, make their targeting precise to avoid juggling a thousand other things. Like using Mailchimp’s AI tools to analyze email lists and segment those lists for superfans to get exclusive content, while casual listeners get gentle reminders about an artist’s new single.
Indie folk artist Sufjan Stevens (okay, he’s not exactly indie anymore, but he started that way!) is known for his quirky, personal newsletters. While he’s not using AI to write them (his wit is all his own), tools like AI can help you automate the boring stuff so you can focus on adding your unique flair.
The Bottom Line: AI Is Your New Bandmate
AI isn’t here to replace creativity or authenticity—it’s here to amplify it. Whether we’re using it to understand our audience, create social media posts, or even write music, AI can save time, money, and stress. And let’s be honest: anything that gives us more time to focus on making music, is a win.
AI Apps to help artists manage their music:
Riffidum
What it does: A music marketing and career growth platform with a database of 500+ music journalists & radio DJs, a press release generator, email templates, a step-by-step marketing plan, and a social media content generator.
Why it’s great: Automates music PR and marketing, helping artists get press, playlist placements, and exposure.
Songtrust
What it does: AI-powered platform that helps musicians manage royalties and copyrights.
Why it’s great: Ensures musicians get paid for their work.
Zebr
What it does: AI-powered playlist pitching and music analytics platform.
Why it’s great: Connects indie artists with playlist curators and influencers to help their music get discovered on streaming platforms.
Vampr
What it does: A social networking app for musicians, producers, and industry professionals.
Why it’s great: Helps artists find collaborators, industry connections, and potential business opportunities.
Chartmetric
What it does: A music data and analytics platform that tracks streaming, radio, social media, and playlist performance.
Why it’s great: Gives indie artists insights into their audience, helps with playlist pitching, and tracks competitor growth.
LANDR
What it does: AI-powered mastering, distribution, and collaboration tools.
Why it’s great: Delivers professional-quality mastered tracks and helps distribute music to all major platforms.
Loudly
What it does: AI music generator that offers customizable tracks and loops.
Why it’s great: Ideal for social media, ads, and video projects.
Musiio
What it does: AI-driven music tagging, playlist curation, and song discovery tool.
Why it’s great: Enhances music discovery and helps artists optimize their music for streaming algorithms.
LALAL.AI
What it does: AI-powered stem separation tool that isolates vocals and instruments.
Why it’s great: Useful for remixes, acapellas, and sampling.
Descript
What it does: AI-powered audio and podcast editing tool.
Why it’s great: Great for creating voiceovers, podcast content, and promo material.
Hooktheory
What it does: AI-assisted chord progression and melody tool.
Why it’s great: Helps artists write better songs with strong hooks and progressions.