Three Questions: Charlotte Kohlberg

Participants in our Music Journalism Course are answering three questions related to music and writing. Once they respond, they post three questions for someone else. It keeps going like that. You can see all the questions and answers here. Tag, you’re it. 

Alessandra Guaneri posed three questions for Charlotte Kohlberg after she answered three questions from Tim Coffman.

AG: Do you think music would be different without social media and streaming platforms? In your opinion, would it be better for the industry or worse?

CK: I am not sure if music would be different, but I think that the access to music would be different. We are able to access countless genres, artists, songs, etc. so easily with streaming platforms that we are just constantly being presented with something new constantly.

I think we are spoiled for choice right now. I think that if there were no streaming platforms, then I think it would be more like when I was kid, when you went to a store and browsed through CD’s for hours until you found the right one.

AG: In the music industry currently, what do you think an artist needs in order to succeed? How can upcoming artists compete with those who are already established? 

CK: In the current music industry, I think that an artist does need social media platforms to succeed, whether a big artist or someone just starting out. It is a tool to get the word out to the masses, like flyers on your phone. I think that having a social media presence is the best way for an artist to make it big.

So many artists have started out in their living rooms and uploaded songs to YouTube and Instagram and have been picked up by a label. Some examples that come to mind are Shawn Mendes, Justin Bieber, Tash Sultana, etc. It’s like busking but on the internet 🙂

AG: Do you believe going to live shows, such as festivals or concerts, is something that will eventually die down when technically advances or will it live on forever? Why?  

CK: I hope live shows don’t die down! It’s one of the best things in the world, and i don’t think they will because of the social culture that has been developed around festivals like Coachella, Red Rocks, etc. They are no longer music festivals anymore, but also a social scene. I think that live shows will live on purely because I think a lot of people enjoy the adventure of going to a show and experiencing the music how it is meant to be experienced: live.

A study was done at Harvard University on the emotional effects of live music. Basically, “the emotional effect of a live music experience is enhanced by being among friends (41%), singing along with the crowd (41%) and watching your favorite artist perform (40%).” Based on these percentages of enhancement of live music experiences, I don’t think that live shows will die down, or I sincerely hope they don’t.

Now, Charlotte has three questions for Autumn Miller: 

1. If you could interview anyone from history who would it be?
2.  Do you think that music streaming platforms (Spotify, Pandora, etc.) is helping or hurting artists?
3. What do you think makes a great musician? Why?

Autumn’s answers are coming soon.