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Looking for some badass music venues to visit during your next trip to NYC? Here are some of the best venues New York has to offer, according to our staff here at Symphonic. Social media can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives you a direct line of connection to your fans, a platform where you can share your work, and the chance to build a loving community around your art form. On the other hand, it can be a confidence killer, energy drainer, and a negative influence on your mental health if you aren’t careful. Between the pressure to stay relevant, the endless scrolling of people’s best moments, and the chase for likes and shares, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why it’s so important to set boundaries and protect your mental health when you’re online.

If you’re looking to foster a healthier relationship with your social media usage, I get it. (You and me both.) Here’s everything you need to know to create a relationship with social media that benefits your artistry, not takes away from it. Let’s dive in…

How to Protect Your Mental Health on Social Media as an Artist

Comparison, Imposter Syndrome, and Validation Loops

Social media puts both your work and life on full display, and that comes with a whole set of emotional challenges. Seeing other artists’ highlight reels can make your own journey seem smaller, less worthy, even. That’s the comparison trap in full swing. The constant measuring of your own success vs everyone else’s best moments.

This comparison fuels what we call impostor syndrome, that nagging feeling that you aren’t good enough, don’t deserve the success you’ve earned, or that you’re an impostor faking your way up. Even if you’re killing it, doing the best you ever have, imposter syndrome tells you that you’re not as talented as you think.

Not only that, but then there’s the validation cycle. Chasing likes, comments, and shares to feel seen and valued. It’s easy to get hooked on these digital affirmations, but relying on them for your own self-worth is the last thing you want to do. You aren’t alone in feeling this way. And understanding these patterns is the first step to breaking free of these self-imposed limitations.

From there, it’s all about shifting your approach and posting with intention, not obligation. How can you do this? The next step is getting intentional about how and why you show up online in the first place.

Intentional Posting vs. Chasing Engagement

Before you post, ask yourself one simple question… “Why am I sharing this?” Is it because you genuinely want to express something, or are you just looking for validation in the form of likes? (Too real? Your Story Starts Here is a series dedicated to capturing these journeys. For this chapter, we handed Naomi Jane a disposable camera and asked her to document the world behind her music. Her snapshots offer a glimpse into a life shaped by coast-to-coast influences, raw emotion, and a deep love for storytelling in all its forms. Alongside the photos, we spoke with her about how songwriting became her outlet, the meaning behind tracks like “Little Miss,” and what she’s learned while turning her diary into a debut EP. Running an independent label requires the finesse of a well-oiled machine. It takes a team that knows their roles: what they’re doing, when they’re doing it, and how it all fits together. Without clear guidelines, roles get blurred, communication breaks down, and things start slipping through the cracks. But with a solid structure and the right tools to support your efforts, you can create a workflow that keeps everyone aligned and actually working together.

Splitting responsibilities isn’t just about divvying up the work; it’s about building a system where each person has defined ownership, clarity, and room to thrive in their role. Whether you’re running a tight-knit crew or managing a fast-growing team, here’s everything you need to know to create the team of your dreams…

How to Split Responsibilities Within Your Label to Build the Ultimate Team

Define Every Role as Clearly as Possible

Before you dive in too deep, start with the basics. Every member of your label’s team should have a clearly defined role, and more importantly, a clear scope of what that role includes. That means outlining not just the job title, but what success looks like in that role, which decisions they own, and how they collaborate with others.

For example, if someone’s handling A&R, are they also managing communication with artists? Are they expected to hand off releases to marketing, or are they involved in campaign planning too? The more clarity you can provide upfront, the fewer mix-ups you’ll run into down the line. Defining roles also helps avoid the dreaded “too many cooks in the kitchen” situation, where everyone’s chiming in, but no one’s actually responsible.

Once you’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to take it a step further by breaking down exactly how responsibility is shared across tasks… and that’s where a responsibility matrix comes in.

What is a Responsibility Matrix?

Once you’ve defined everyone’s roles, the next step is to get specific about how your team works together on individual projects and who’s involved at every level. For indie labels, especially where team members often wear multiple hats, having a simple framework to clarify responsibilities can make a huge difference. That’s where a responsibility matrix like RACI works wonders. What’s that, you may ask? RACI stands for:

Responsible: The person doing the work
Accountable: The person who owns the outcome
Consulted: Anyone who gives input or advice
Informed: People who need to stay in the loop

Let’s say you’re prepping for an upcoming single release. Your marketing lead might be Responsible for building the promo plan, the label founder is Accountable for the release’s overall success, A&R is Consulted to make sure the messaging aligns with the artist’s brand, and the artist’s manager is Informed along the way.

Even with a small team, mapping out tasks this way helps prevent confusion and ensures nothing falls through the cracks. You don’t need fancy software either, just a shared doc or spreadsheet works just fine. The goal is simple: make sure everyone knows exactly what’s expected of them and how their role fits into the bigger picture. Easy enough, right?

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Want to learn more about the world of indie labels? Check these out…

Sync Licensing for Indie Labels: How to Prep Your Catalog the Right Way

Smart Budgeting Basics for Indie Labels That Actually Work

Label Funding: Self-Funding vs. Grants vs. Investor Capital

How to Support Artist Mental Health as a Label or Manager

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How To Keep Everyone On The Same Page

Once everyone’s responsibilities are clear, the next challenge is keeping everyone on track as projects progress. Especially for indie labels where people may be juggling other jobs, working remotely, or switching between creative and admin tasks, regular check-ins and simple project management tools can make all the difference.

To start, consider scheduling quick weekly meetings with the team. Even just 15-30 mins is enough. Use this meeting to review what’s in progress, what’s coming up, and if anyone needs any support. To keep the meeting focused, use a shared agenda or tracker (like a Google doc/sheet) that everyone can update beforehand. It saves time, keeps priorities clear, and makes space for more strategic conversations rather than just status updates.

But outside of meetings, task management tools can help make sure things stay on track between check-ins. Personally, I’ve used (and love) these, especially for small teams:

Here at Symphonic, we’re proud to announce a brand-new feature in our SymphonicMS to help make managing royalty splits faster, easier, and more accurate than ever. Introducing… Auto-Assign Splits.

As you watch the GRAMMYs each year, it seems as though the only people who win are always the Kanye’s and Beyoncé’s of the industry. What you may not know is that there are tons of other winners not shown on tv, most of which are talented independent artists who have been working just as hard as you are now. If you’re a talented musician, it’s not as hard as you think to get nominated for a GRAMMY, and it certainly is possible to win as an independent artist. Want to get yourself on the list of nominees? The Online Entry Process (OEP) for the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards begins on July 16, 2025! Here’s how to get involved…

How To Get Nominated For The 2026 GRAMMYs

Being able to flex your GRAMMY win is not only a personal flex, but a major win in the eyes of this competitive industry we call home. Adding this accomplishment to future press releases, EPK’s, and more is a huge selling point that can definitely secure yourself more interest in your work as you move through your career than you would without.

Even now, when the mainstream isn’t always so mainstream and the landscape of this business is continuously changing, the legitimacy and prestige of a GRAMMY will always be impressive.

To be eligible for submission, your release must meet these requirements:

Release Date //You can now submit recordings released from August 31, 2024, to August 30, 2025, for GRAMMY consideration.

Length // To be considered for album submission, a recording must contain at least five different tracks with a total playing time of 15 minutes, or a total playing time of 30 minutes with no minimum track amount. Singles have no such requirements.

Format // A submitted recording must be available for sale either in physical “brick and mortar” stores or online via digital download, or via a recognized streaming platform. A recording must meet the industry minimum standard 16-bit, 44.1 kHz rates. Each submitted song must have proper metadata credits (songwriters, producers, etc.) and International Standard Recording Codes (ISRCs) for each track.

Original Material // Starting with the 2023 GRAMMYs, an album must contain greater than 75 percent of newly recorded (within five years of the release date), recordings that have not been released prior. Currently the rule is 50 percent.

Are other credited personnel also eligible?

Yes!

For the 2026 GRAMMY ceremony and all ceremonies in the future, all credited artists (including featured artists), songwriters of new material, producers, recording engineers, mixers and mastering engineers are eligible to be nominated and win, at least in the Album Of The Year category.

Previously, all artists, songwriters, producers, recording engineers, mixers and mastering engineers were required to be credited with at least 33 percent or more of playing time. Now they’re eligible as long as they’re credited.

How are entries submitted for the GRAMMYs?

To be submitted for GRAMMY consideration, a recording must be entered by members of the Recording Academy who are either Professional or Voting members. How it works is each member of the Academy has an account on the GRAMMY website they can log in to and submit entries during the submission periods.

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