When artists peter out. - Editor column with guest Andrea Krakovska

The word peter isn’t used often anymore It has to do with artists that get bored and no longer care about the interviews they receive. The expression is more serious than it sounds. Refer to the actual definition.

Peter Out - To gradually stop or disappear: The fighting which started in the night had petered out by morning. The track petered out after a mile or so. “Coming to an end.”
Are you an artist that “Peters Out? If you have given an interview with lack luster, then you could be Petering out. Think about your last interview. Did it lack intensity or excitement? Was it less informative and more repetitious?

Reason for Petering Out:

I personally find more flavor and excitement behind interviewing artists that do not get the same attention. Yes, it is reasonable to believe that they don’t get the same amount of attention, thus they are happy with what they get. Which is not necessarily true. The lack of attention in detail into an interview affects any artist. Despite how long they have been in the music industry.

Call it “a sense of entitlement”. Maybe it’s a “lack of understanding”. No one ever explained how important an interview is to their music career. Therefore, they take it with a lack of interest. Contributing to the interview as a mere formality. I guarantee, that you get back what you put into any interview. Remember your fans are reading the interviews. Music lovers may be on the fence about your style of music. There is one deciding factor that could make them a follower, client, fan, buyer, etc. That is the contribution that you make to an interview. If you are a music fan and reading this article, I feel your pain and frustration. I have spent countless hours writing articles and interviews. Just to receive back short responses with half hearted communication. It is the first sign of a problem. There is something in the “psyche”, that has enabled to devalue the importance of an interview. I agree that there are some interviews that are boring and ask the same questions repeatedly. However, not everyone is going to read the same interview each time. Therefore, repetition is necessary.

Trust me, your reputation for giving poor interviews is circulated within the music industry. It may be the fault of your publicist. It could be the artists fault as well. Maybe they simply “puttered out”. This is where the Publicist needs to have a discussion with the artist. Every good publicist will talk to their client about the importance of interviews. Regardless of what you are working on in the studio, or where you are currently performing. Interviews are a must. Technology has provided the flexibility to honor or represent yourself in the most effective way. Providing short and unmeaningful answers is irreprehensible. Regardless of who is giving the interview.

Unfortunately, I have seen publicists fill out the questions for written interviews. This could be one reason why interviews are short. The publicist is without knowledge of who they are representing. Therefore, they give the bare minimum for an interview.

Another issue is distribution of the interview once it has been released. I have seen some fantastic and creative ways to publish interviews by artists. I have also seen pathetic posts to say, “hey look what was written about me”. No matter who you are, and what you achieved, you will never be interviewed by Guitar Thrills Magazine again. If there are inconsistencies in your interviews, in comparison with previous interviews, you will no longer be invited to interview with Guitar Thrills Magazine. In fact, we have called out popular artists for allowing their publicists to fill out interviews on their behalf. It happens to every platform or media outlet. Not even video or podcasts are immune to the puttering of artist interviews. Artists get distracted, bored, and lack enthusiasm for the interviewee. It feels embarrassing for both parties.

As you know our guest today is Andrea Krakovska. I have followed the career of this guitarist for several years. She has quite a compelling story if you, that we are willing to highlight in a future issue of Guitar Thrills Magazine. For now, we she has agreed to be our guest today.

What do you think about the topic of “petering out”? Is this terminology new for you?

Andrea: Thanks for having me again! It’s certainly an interesting topic, I’ve always loved getting to know more about my favorite bands/musicians through their interviews! As musicians/artists many of us have to take on multiple roles – writing/recording/performing is only a small part of what we do! There is a lot of work behind the scenes and publicity/media is of course a big part of that. Behind many successful artists is a great team that works tirelessly on publicity and promotion. Relieving the artist of those duties allows them to focus on their music which is what they do best!

I have had you as a guest or interview on several occasions. I have always received a detailed response to my questions. What makes you different from some of the other artists that are not so detailed in their answers?

Andrea: I can’t compare myself to others however in my situation I don’t have a big team behind me. Although I’ve been playing in bands for many years I’m only just starting to release my own original music as an independent artist. I’ll be taking on many roles including media/publicity myself all while learning about the whole process. I always want to give my best whether it’s an interview, recording or a live performance. I hope that people find my responses interesting and insightful!

Do you believe that it hurts their reputation with other media platforms?

Andrea: I think as an artist you have to put yourself out there, and we are fortunate that today we have so many media platforms at our disposal! The downside is that artists risk spreading themselves too thin, and this combined with all the other duties we must take on can impact our ability to do all of those things well.

What is your suggestion to any artist that is given the opportunity to interview?

Andrea: Interviews are a great promotional tool for artists, but they are also a great way to connect with your audience and let me know a little bit more about you. Some people are naturals when it comes to interviews and could write/talk for days, but believe it or not many artists and even actors go through media training to become better at it! Think of it like learning an instrument, the more you practice and perform the better and more comfortable you’ll become with it!

Andrea Krakovska doesn’t provide answers that we want to hear. She will provide her honest opinion despite the popularity of her viewpoint. This is exactly our expectations for artists, no matter how long they have been in the music industry. There is absolutely no reason to give half-hearted answers. My suggestion is to prepare. Think about the answers and take time to ponder over them. No matter who you are interviewing with, do not become distracted. Give your attention to the host and offer up your best. After all, the readers, listeners, and followers are your fans. An interview is a gateway to the ears and eyes of those that buy your music, concert tickets, and merch.