The Silent Instrument - Why Networking is Every Musician's Best Skill
In the music industry, who you know is often just as important as how you sound.
Music is a collaborative ecosystem: producers need songwriters and singers, artists need managers and promoters (and vice-versa!).
Building connections is often a neglected art, but it’s the primary factor that separates those who struggle from those who succeed.
I’ll use myself as an example. I am Killsam, a music producer, songwriter, and sound designer. I’ve been producing music since 2010 and have dived into many EDM subgenres, becoming a "jack of all trades." But even though my technical skills were very high, I always struggled to get my name out there. I made so many great songs but never contacted anyone. At one point, I was making music and never releasing it because I didn't want the pressure of being "stuck" with low numbers. I had a small following on SoundCloud during its golden era, but that was it.
The Turning Point
Everything changed in 2021 when I discovered how vital networking truly is. At that time, I decided I didn't want to be an "artist" anymore; I wasn't interested in the fame, but I still loved producing. I had also started listening to K-Pop, so I tried to match those two interests. Today, networking is the reason I work with multi-platinum songwriters and artists every single day.
How did I do it? How can someone new to an industry work with the best songwriters in the genre?
1. Bring Value First
First things first: I studied the K-Pop song structure and focused on producing high quality demos so I had something real to showcase. (Networking works best when you bring something of value to the table!)
2. Targeted Research
Then I jumped on Spotify and checked all the credits of K-Pop songs I really loved, because I was sure those songwriters were the ones that were the most suitable for my tracks, then searched them all on Instagram.
3. The Power of Volume
At that time I cold messaged around 400 people (with the max respect for all of them, I didn't spam them; I told them specifically why I liked their work before showing them mine. Many are some of my best friends in the industry now!), from Songwriters to Producers to Publishers to A&Rs.
I was so hungry to work. Many did reply (and many didn't, don't take a 'no' or a 'no-reply' personally; it's just part of the process), they did give me their email contacts and many even got to write on my music!
Surreal Results
As strange or amazing it may sound, the first ever vocal I mixed was from a multi-platinum songwriter who won UK's X Factor in 2016, all because of Networking!
It didn't end there. I wanted to work with the absolute best in the industry. Even if some didn't reply to my first message, the stars eventually aligned, and I ended up working with them through publishers years later.
Networking even allowed me to travel to Seoul in the first half of 2025 to work on K-Pop on-site with the best people and publishers in the scene. I will always remember the feeling of walking into a major publisher's studio for the first time; I remember telling myself, "This is where I belong."
The Takeaway: Contact People
I know many of you are DJs and producers who would love to play at clubs. Have you tried contacting the owner of the club? Have you tried reaching out to a DJ who played there and asking, "How did you end up landing a gig at [Club Name]?"
It may sound goofy or naive, but networking is the literal reason I am still able to make a living out of music today.
Networking opens doors you can't even imagine. The career you want is waiting on the other side of a conversation you haven't had yet.