Why You Should Change Your Artist Name
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Why You Should Change Your Artist Name // One of the first steps an artist should take when turning professional is to pick the right name.
Don’t brush away the importance of picking a name that is going to represent your music. Once you choose your moniker, your music will forever be associated with it.
This video will breakdown: Why You Should Change Your Artist Name
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• Why You Should Change ...
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I struggle with this for a couple reasons. One, I think my own name sounds uninspiring. Two, I like keeping a hard line between my public artist work vs my day job life. That is, I don't want everyone at my job to dive into all of that stuff, not that there's anything to hide. I'm just a private person, and I like to keep these two worlds in their own boxes. Would value your perspective.
Great Points!
#1- Think of it this way. Your name doesn't have to be inspiring to you. But you do need to own that. What makes your name cool isn't solely the name itself...it's that people believe YOU are cool and that YOU are inspiring. Taylor Swift isn't a super special name, but her talent is what makes that name ring.
#2- I can understand wanting to have certain things private. But my question to you would be: Why would you want your career to be private from your co-workers? They may end up being your biggest fans!
#3- Remember, as an artist, singer, rapper, musician, etc... You can be a private person --- but understand you can't have a private career. You can have the GREATEST song or album ever... but if no one knows about you or the release...it won't matter.
@@MikeSarge my friend, as always you cut straight to truth. I appreciate your good work.
No Problem at all!
You live in between two worlds, like a super-hero/vigilanti - Eventualy those worlds collapse, I think it would be worth to fall in love with the idea of joining both sides of you
Update on this: I found a solution that I feel comfortable with, an artist name that is a slight variation of my real name. It involves my middle name and a fragment of my last name. The result gets the job done, but also doesn't sound too left field. This was also a good compromise given that I really couldn't think of a full pseudonym that didn't sound really cheesy to me.
Also, I was very surprised to discover that my new artist name is barely used by anyone else, so that really closed the deal.
Recently took this risk. I have a pretty small but active following and was worried about this negatively impacting me but I'm so glad I did it. Loved this video. Made me feel better about my decision.
+Momoru glad I could help!
I decided to change my name from Jordan Baywood to Baywood. I looked at my peers in the EDM world and having a shorter name works better on Festival line ups and promotion. It also is cooler to say "I'm going to see Baywood:" and then my real fans will know my first name is Jordan. but it took awhile and I have to make a whole new artist profile but it's worth it to me in the long run.
Absolutely!! you have to look at what sticks and what makes it easier for you audience to digest it
I had projects and videos that hit bet jams revolt ect. From 2018-2020 and I just changed my artist name to my REAL name in 2022… I feel good about it b/c of rebranding… had to do it accross all platforms… I was hesitant about it but I feel good about it… I recently got incarcerated so my traction slowed down.. the rebrand is a new me and I didn’t lose any fans and my music transferred over
I was thinking about, as of late, going by my chosen personal name, but once you made the case for having a website and a catalog and blog mentions and google SEO and all that, it just made me say "UGH.... fine." LOL. I've been thinking about the change lately because the vibe of my music is gradually shifting, and, while my current name was made with an intention, I don't know if it's hitting the same way with the vibe of what I'm looking to make like it does for Hip Hop. Open, to feedback on this, brother, thank you for this great video. Subbed!
+PATH P you could definitely use your real name as your artist name! there are plenty of artists that do. if it's a super common name, just make sure to make it unique somehow 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
I didn't come up with a very creative name, as you can see. I regret my name every day and wish I had a name that stood out more.
Last week I decided to go for it, and actually did it. Then I got really cold feet and immediately knew I shot myself in the foot because I would have to start from scratch. I immediately sent an email trying to abort the name change, and changed it back. So now I'm hoping that went smoothly, and that no releases are pending to be taken down and reuploaded from scratch. I hope I can pretend nothing ever happened!
Definitely never ever going to attempt this again, and will make sure that any new artist name I go by sounds unique and decent to begin with
I have been Djing under my real name for years but since with my real name i do youtubing & modelling too & getting into acting too so to isolate my artist side i am started this new dj/producer project named RAZRR. Plus there is a slight change in style too more towards clubs, festivals EDM etc . Hence now when i future if i want anyone searches RAZRR i only show up. Note that i named it RAZRR not RAZOR (the blade). But ya i am doing the change gradually so that my audience is informed.
This finally gave me clarity after days and nights of pondering. Just wanted to say thank you so much!
+Aly Jett glad to hear! Be sure to check the other videos on the channel as well. 💥💥💥
im starting as songwriter artist, and i finally chose " Muv! " as my stage artist name, but then recently i found out, that a lot of artist already uses , Muvi, or around that,
now i feel im in dilemma, i wanted to differentiate myself, and change the name again, but i already uploaded song to spotify with that name and the process around that is so long, that i hesitate to,,
like should i use my real name " Muvi naufal" or not.. confusing for me
We had this same issue bro. We we're the only one with our original name for a few years. Fast forward and there’s so many people with similar names.
I would recommend a name change again since you’re only a single in.
Also if you’re still undecided, I recommend uploading your music with the cover art only listing the "titles". It gives you the flexibility of keeping your cover art in the event that you do change over
I know I’m a few years late to this post but when I first came up with my name I was confident about it. People say that it reminds them too much of juice wrlds name, some people also give me extra pressure simply because of the name. Some time has passed and my following hasn’t blown up yet so I’m wondering if I should take the chance to change my name or not.
Decided on the name change. We only average 20 monthly listeners.
If you have distrokid, I’d email them directly to have all your releases changed.
Apple Music specifically requires you to re upload. But we're not known so it’s cool. Not worried about stats either.
What surprised me is that our listeners followed over to the new profiles.
But yeah, our major reason for the band change is because multiple artist we're using the name or similar names. Just wasn’t worth getting lost in the mix for those that did know us and for potential new listeners
Thank you, Mike. I have decided do not change my name. But the thing is that, if I Google my first and last name - there is almost zero results with my music, but if I search for Elena Walter music - then almost all search results go to my music, my social media and my website. This way I am satisfied, just not sure how to improve Google search results for my first/last name only.
+Elena Walter hey there! continue to get blogs and other sites to post about your stuff. Over time, Google will catch up lol
@@MikeSarge thank you, Mike!
Thanks for reminding to keep my name lol
Any time!
Respect for fact-checking yourself in the video. ❤
my rap name is Lil Beach, i think it's got a ring to it
a good reason to change a name: if your name is racist or dubious in any other fashion.
e.g. lady antabellum had a racist name which was uncovered for being racist, but they sticked to it for long enough to recieve major backlash. they changed it eventually to lady a, but the damage has already been done and the new name is too similar to do any reparation to the damaged reputation... change your racist artist names before someone makes articles about it :I
Thanks for watching! What are reasons YOU change your artist name for? 🤔
Lady Antebellum changed their name to "Lady A" because I guess they thought people would associate the word "Antebellum" with racism. Then again, during the anthrax attacks of 2001, the band Anthrax felt like they should keep their name - didn't seem to hurt them.
That's a valid point for sure. But what i would say is that 2001 wasn't as racially aware as today. At that time, they were still viewed as minority issues - so if i was them I wouldn't have changed either lol
I plan on releasing my music in the next few years or whenever it meets my standards of quality. I need that artwork where people around me will know how much I put into it, then they will show their friends same with someone who finds it on Spotify or another show platform, and from there it’s only up. People where I’m from make alright music but there’s never much substance and I want to show that I am the difference. The only thing I’ve struggled with is changing my name on Instagram and such. I honestly don’t care to have a personal IG because I don’t like posting or anything. But with music I could post whatever I want about music or anything I like in general. But I feel like completely changing my first and last name is a little weird for the people that follow me I guess😭 I love the name I’ve chosen and I think it fits my style music well. the IG handle should be available still in a year or 2. When I’m ready to release Should I do like a 2 week/1 month introduction with IG stories and saying I’m changing my name for music and have worked for years on some music I’m finally releasing etc?
+Isaac Nelsen if you haven't released any music, why would you need to announce you're changing your name? you technically could just change it without saying anything
Thank you for making this video. I’ve been really struggling with this. I’m originally from Poland, but live in the U.K. I always write my songs from the heart and tried choosing different stage names but I can’t find a peace of mind for some reason. I’m worried people will be mispronouncing my real name yet I want to be authentic. What are you thoughts please?
Hey there! So I can understand you struggle for sure. What names have you tried so far?
@@MikeSarge Hiya thank you so much for responding. I've tried Leena but I just didn't feel myself, plus it means "rope" in Polish, I kept missing the beginning of my name, I've tried Eveline but I've seen quiet a few people already with this name. Evelina is already a famous singer. The other option would be to stick with Ewelina but I keep getting my name mispronounced.
@@everayofficial Keep the V. Maybe add an initial to the end, or a word that evokes an image of your style?
That is a good suggestion!
@@everayofficial it's close enough to Evelina for people to be able to make the connection globally, especially if your brand recognition grows. it's also spelled different enough for you to get search results. i would say stick with your original.
What are your thoughts on people who branch out into separate artist identities for the different styles they approach? For example, indie rock bedroom producer branches out to some other very different genre, their name might not fit a certain aesthetic they're trying to achieve. I think about this because a lot of my stuff fits into 1 of 2 contrasting styles, and it might be a question I have to answer for myself sooner than late.
Great question! I believe Producers have more room to pick whatever they want as a name lol For example, if there is a producer that wants to work with me but their name isn't related to hip-hop...it doesn't really matter - Me working with them is based on if I like their beats, not if their name is cool. 😅
creating multiple artist names also results in double the work on marketing... the type of work that most artists feel is the toughest work in the music industry and that the largest part of us hate the most. what makes most struggle.
i personally see the ability to produce diverse sounds as something positive. it indicates your abilities as a musician to be able to cross into various genre's of music and indicates increased artistic skills. one can divide the various styles of music by releases instead of artist names.
Super excellent video. Especially that into. 👌💯 Keep up the great work.
+arkieologist thanks for the support! Hopefully it was beneficial 🙌🏾
appreciate you.
If a group wants to changed their name after putting out 1 ep on TuneCore . Is thar hard to do?.....what is the process.?.... Will the group still be able to keep their streams?
I was recently very frustrated. I felt i had a perfect name for when i eventually (imminently) publish my music to spotify. I discovered that my artist namenis already being used by several other artists. Spotify apparently has 12million+ artists and every name i tried to come up with is already in use. I dont want to use my real name, i would ideally like to release anonymously, mostly so that my music is available to anyone who may be interested, but with no commercial ambition. Its annoying because even with names that arent "known" are already being used by obscure artists out there somewhere. What to do...
It can be difficult. We opted for just making up a name. (no real words) most people seem to pick two syllable phrases for names.
It’s just easier having something freshly invented
Looking at changing my name because there are too many damn Mikes in the world taking my name 😂
So i had a question if anyone would know lol.
I’ve been known as Penwell for years and years ppl know me by that from my music and local shows. This year i been writing lots of music and thinking bout uploading to platforms like Spotify n stuff. Looked up on Spotify someone had the name PENWELL, he isn’t even popular just some random and it said he had 1 monthly active listeners 🤣 so should i keep my name penwell or should i come up with new.
If it’s only one person I wouldn’t worry too much. But check up on it every now and then. Also recommend uploading your cover art only using "title" tracks so you have the flexibility of using the same covers. That is of course if they’re just singles.
Also logos help so long as the designs don’t use a name either
That’s what we did for our album and just listed the album title along with our logo.
Ive been thinking really hard about this and I'm afraid that it's still unclear 😅... I was setting my eyes on one name but when I checked it up I saw that someone else has that name and now I'm lost and confused
There isn't anything wrong with someone having that name. The question is, does that person have a strong following with that name? If not, keep pushing forward with your and dominate that space!
I use my first name and middle name
My rap name is MINIMAN. I also trademarked it. But there is another Miniman doing dub music for 20 years. He shows up in google and Spotify and has a big following. Is this a big problem? Should I change my name completely? Or add something to it? My slogan is Grow Or Die Trying. But that’s to long to add right? What’s your opinion? My real name is Fabian Kochendoerfer. That is a long and complicated name right? Thank you so much 😊 I am learning and watching your video. I need clarity on my name. Thanks 🙏
+MINIMAN if you asked me - I would change your name especially considering someone is already dominating that. what's wrong with Fabian K? or some kind of variation from that. it's short and to the point 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
@@MikeSarge thanks for your feedback. I invented MINIMAN myself. I like it in connection with my slogan Grow or die Trying. I think Fabian K is not so entertaining and fun with a message. Do you think it will be possible to have another Miniman doing rap music. ? Since it’s a different audience? If my fans really want to find me and follow me - they will. Appreciate your honest opinion. Thank you 😊
Hey! So I'm from India, and my name sounds Indian, but my dream is to become a pop singer and release songs in English. What I mean is, I want to be known internationally as a singer but I tend to think my name doesn't have a good ring to it for the career I want to build.
1. Do you think I should come up with a stage name for the genre of music I want to sing?
2. Also, can my stage name sound anything that sounds like it is from a different country? For example I came up with a good name but it sounds Japanese. Is it okay if I use it even though I'm Indian?
I would like to hear your thoughts on this. Also nice video!
Hey there! In my opinion, I think you should keep your name even if it sounds Indian. You don't want to distance your music identity from who you actaually are as a person. Think of it this way... Great music travels! There are plenty of artists that people enjoy but can't actually pronounce their name lol When they love your music enough, they'll figure out how it's pronounced lol
I was thinking about changing my artist name due to people's reaction when I show em I'm Viciouz The God
What if your name sounds like a someone else's name? mine is Quaalo but you have Quavo
Hey!
What do you think about "SHANGELS"
People say I should change it, but I actually like it.
+SHANGELS 24 pay attention to the reasons why they say it should be changed. if they have legitimate reasons, you should consider it. but if it sounds like hate, keep it moving lol
@@MikeSarge Yea they say it sounds bad and doesn't fit me... That could be their opinion... But most of the people are against me haha. I'll stay true to myself tho
@@shangels2495bad idea. there is a STD called "Shingles" that caused by herpes virus. and your stage name sounds like a STD.
I'm so conflicted! My artist name is "audrey" all lowercase. I LOVE the way it looks aesthetically - it's my real name, And one of my songs has over 1 million streams on Spotify and Ive been placed on a Spotify playlist! The problem arises since it's a hard name to search on other platforms since it's so simple and there are so many audreys. My full name is audrey gaytan, which people rarely ever pronounce right - but I also love the way it sounds, and i know it'd be easier to find me. I just have no idea, for now, I'm leaving it alone, but I hate to think I'm missing out on an audience just because I'm hard to find, but I'm hoping the songs would be popular enough on their own to search along with my name. Opinions?
+audreythealien Hey! I like the name and it can definitely work! Where you'll need some variety is for social media usernames. For example: audrey gaytan music or Audrey sings. just something to help people find you.
In my country theres already an well established artist with the same as mine, I am basically forced to changed
+Lo'Ranzo I can understand that for sure
What if other artist have the same name as me?
+GRABBA MUSIQ how big is the artist?
@@MikeSarge not big
do you think xoriad is a good name?
how would you pronounce it?
@@MikeSarge zor ee ad
@@MikeSarge i don’t know if that was a good pronunciation haha😅
Who likes my name
i’m thinking LV AIDAN. but idk whether that’s cringe or not
+Aidan Elve I think it's a good name!
What u think about my artist name it's "Foodstamps"
I don't believe that's a strong name. At least not with it being spelled that way.
Do you think some names are more marketable than others?
+Cami Cakes I would say it this way:
#1- if your music is amazing/dope, your name doesn't matter as much.
#2- However, there are genres norms. You could be a singer with a rapper style name in R&B. But that may not go as well if you're a singer with that same name in country/pop.
Does that make sense?
@@MikeSarge yea see that’s what I was thinking because at first I came up with the artist name mamigetthemoney but it was more geared towards my rap music... then once I started making music it was more R&B and pop style so now I’m thinking to change it to CamillaCatt... in your opinion which one do you like?
The first one sounds very Hip-Hop driven. The second one is more versatile in my opinion and can fit with R&B, Pop, & Rap. 👌🏾
@@MikeSarge thank you for your help!
i chose Laura Oliveira as a name, as it's my real first name and the last name represents my brazilian roots.
i feel like it is hard to pronounce in german (even though my friends etc. told me i'm just overthinking and no one ever criticized it online).
but i still feel forced to change it.
also, even the english pronounciation sounds weird.
but i already have set up my spotify artist page and my release is on it's way.
i don't wanna change it all now without a proper alternative.
what do you think about it?
+laura I think it's a good name!! 👍🏾
Is "Eskilate" a good name?
+eskilate! I don't think that's a bad name! 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
What if you battle rap..and no longer battle rap...battle rap fans don't really convert over to other media and genres even music..? And the community is a tad toxic..
+Sobernetic Scout fans do translate well depending on the artist. it really depends on if your music is similar to your battle rap style. fans want to hear good music! 🔥
@@MikeSarge thank you for taking time out your day to reply..means alot..
Name is way too common.....