How To Write A Perfect Artist Bio for Musicians [+ Best Practices]

A strong and engaging artist bio, or ‘About,’ is often the connector to landing blog write-ups, booking a show, enticing interviewers, and establishing a well-rounded introduction to what you and your music are about. Media personnel and new listeners want to hear your unique story, even if it’s just beginning!

The Goal of a Bio

There are a few things to remember when writing an artist bio.

Your bio should act as your written elevator pitch. Think of your bio as a conversation starter; a VIP backstage pass into your creative universe. You'll often have ONE chance to draw your reader in, so you want to be sure you're effectively highlighting who you are and what makes you stand out from the crowd in one minute or less. Remember that your bio is a pitch, not a memoir.

The Three Types of Bios

You’ll need three different versions of your bio written and ready for you to use:

Social Media Bio (1-3 sentences)

You’ll use this for your Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

You can keep this short, sweet, and casual. Give a brief intro on who you are, highlight any quick hitters about your most recent song or album release, or write an intriguing one-liner. Use a One link, Link Tree, or Venice Marketing Link within your bio to direct visitors to your website, streaming profiles, singles, and more.

Short-Bio (250-350 words)

You’ll use this bio for Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Facebook, and most online platforms.

In this bio, you can include:

• An engaging introduction
• Background information
• Career Highlights

Long-Bio (500-750 words)

You’ll use this bio for your website, electronic press kit, and Wikipedia page.

In this bio, you can include:

• An engaging introduction
• Background information (i.e., how you got your start in music)
• Career highlights and achievements
• Media quotes
• Up-to-date information (i.e., your current city, how many full LPs you’ve released, etc.)

Venice Artist Partner Thuy's Wikipedia Page

How to Start Writing a Bio

First and foremost, take a deep breath. Writing a professional bio can be overwhelming, but who better to do it than you? Once your mental health is in check, try writing a draft of how you’d like your long-form bio to be structured (once you’ve written your long-form bio, your short-form bio should be easy to knock out).

Your structure can look something like this:

1. 1-2 sentences introducing yourself, the city you’re from, and how you got your start in music. This part should grab the reader's attention and pull them in, so take your time here and look at other bio examples!
2. 3-4 sentences describing your music and accomplishments. Paint a picture of your sound and style, then highlight some of the festivals you’ve performed at, award nominations, or prominent headliners you’ve opened for. Use any relevant media quotes here.
3. 2-3 sentences highlighting what you’re currently doing (new studio album, touring, recording, etc.)
4. 1-2 sentences closing your bio. Include any callbacks from your introduction, describe a goal you have for your music and career, or direct your reader to a new album or single release.

With this structure, start writing out drafts of your bio by section. Play around with your writing style, tone, and delivery, and remember to ALWAYS write in the third person. Third-person writing will make your bio more readable, allow media and bloggers to copy and paste your bio, and help with search engine optimization.

Best Practices for Writing Your Bio

• Always write in the third person
• Include the city you’re from
• If you’re in a band, mention your bandmates and what instruments they play
• Include any Spotify playlist placements, awards, festivals played, or media mentions
• Mention any past tours or more established artists you’ve opened for
• Give a brief description of your start in music (how old were you, what sparked your love of music, who inspired you, etc.)
• Summarize your music’s style and genre
• Include any prominent or well-known musical influences
• Link back to your website or social accounts
• End with what you’re currently working on (i.e., a new album, tour, collaborative projects)

When you finish writing your bio, always check and proofread your writing. We recommend using a free tool like Grammarly to automatically review and suggest edits to your writing.

Need Feedback on Your Bio?

There's a reason why authors and writers have editors. What may sound great in your head could be a chaotic read for others. Before you hit "Publish", whether you're writing a bio or distributing a song, you should always seek professional feedback to gain outside perspective. Fortunately, you don't need to go far for expert guidance.

Venice's Grow+ and Professional memberships give musicians of all career stages access to the Venice team and industry professionals in recurring digital office hours, feedback sessions, and forums. In the past, our members have learned from experts like Troy Carter, Amber Grimes, Hitmaka, Tunde Balogun, and more.