19 and 22 year old sister duo, known as the Command Sisters, have been performing together for over 10 years. No strangers to the music industry, the young duo have been on many adventures with their career! Touring Shanghai, being invited to meet Prince William and Princess Kate, and performing at our She Rocks Awards!

As indie artists, social media fanatics, and overall music lovers – they have learned lots in their short career span.

Here are 10 tips for aspiring musicians by the Command Sisters!

1.) Never doubt your age.

For years, people told us we were too young. Now, they are warning us about getting too old!!

When an older musician/industry individual looks down on you because of your age, laugh it off and move on.

Charlotte and I really started getting inspired and motivated when we focussed solely on ourselves and our own vision. Blinders on and move forward!

Everybody has the same opportunities. It’s up to you to go up and grab them! Regardless of age or gender!

2.) Two words: social media.

Almost every second day we have musician friends asking us about social media!

It can be hard as an artist to dedicate the time and commit to a strong social media presence.

But I promise you, it has transformed our career!

Think about this: how many famous artists do you know of that you’ve never seen physically in person? Feels like you know them, right? That’s the power of the media!

There are millions of fans, friends, and inspiration at your fingertips! You should definitely utilize social media.

3.) Treat your music as a business.

For some, this can be the most stressful part of being an musician. But trust me, it can be fun!

I would suggest going to the library and picking up multiple music business/branding books.

Read your favorite artists success stories and get inspired!

The reason why I say branding books is because that’s how we found our identity.
How will people remember you? Do you dress a certain way? Do you look like how your music sounds? Maybe you always wear this one type of hat or wear sunglasses!

Basically: How can you make people recognize you in a crowd of other musicians?
I like to push out this brand on social media 24/7! It’s a great way for people to know what kind of artist you are at first glance.

4.) Business may be cool, but the music is always #1!

At the end of the day, you are using social media as a free advertising tool for one thing: YOUR MUSIC! Prioritizing your time to fit in the important stuff is key. I would write down a list of 3 things you need to work on in order to get to that next step. (Whether thats guitar playing, vocal practice, or songwriting!)

Everyday work a little bit on these skills simultaneously with social media. Use social media to push out the talent you’ve been working so hard on! You cannot have just one or the other.

#5: DON’T TAKE IT SO SERIOUSLY!

OK – so to totally contradict everything I just said: don’t take everything so seriously.
Minus the stress, being an artist can be so exciting. You’re able to be constantly creating!

Music videos, photo shoots, branding, music, yourself!

You can create an alternate universe that people can get excited about! How amazing is that!

Have fun creating your world so your friends/fans can live in it!

If you aren’t having fun, they won’t!

#6: Always. Thank. Everyone.

If someone says good job on a new cover or messages you a compliment, try to make time to appreciate every single one of those people!

Everybody has their own life to worry about. It’s amazing when someone takes the time out of their day to support you and your passion!

It always blows my mind.

Make them feel appreciated/loved as much as you can because without them music just isn’t as fun!! Why release your music to a crowd of 1!

#7: Surround yourself with open minded people 🙂

As musicians, we’re weird. Like, really weird. Super expressive, we always say what’s on our minds, and we love geeking out over people like Hanz Zimmer or Joe Satriani.

Growing up, we surrounded ourselves with people who didn’t understand the music industry. It was really hard being understood and accepted.

Being in a community of people that inspire you is key! Try finding like-minded friends by joining a local music club or going out to open mics!

#8: Decide the “why” in your career.

Let’s face it… this has got to be the hardest one of all.

The truth is: for us (and many many musicians), we aren’t creating for “fame.”
Forming projects and writing music is something that we’re programmed to do.

Music has so much purpose, and it matters. Your music can matter too!

#9: Take constructive criticism but be VERY cautious.

There has been so much (potentially dangerous) advice that we have been given over the years.

If you know yourself, your heart, and your vision – that’s all that matters!

With that being said, advice is awesome! Take what you want and ignore the rest. Again, don’t take it so seriously!

#10: It’s up to YOU!

So many people (including ourselves years ago) think that if they will get signed that’s when their career begins.

No different than people going to university, you need experience.

Play a million shows, record albums, work on your social media, and have a BLAST!

Don’t wait for industry to find you before you start taking your career seriously. Because, they will see that you ​aren’t ​taking your career very seriously! Work hard, love what you do, and strive to make every day more productive than the last.

Connect and learn more about the Command Sisters on their social media platforms:

● Instagram: ​http://bit.ly/2ipJAi1

● Facebook: ​http://bit.ly/2lEisxs

● Website: ​www.commandsisters.com