Robyn Cage is working hard on her third studio album in Utah, but the established singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress took some time out of her busy schedule to speak with us about sync licensing. She recently landed a placement in the movie trailer for Fries! The Movie, a documentary created by Anthony Bourdain's Emmy-award-winning production company Zero Point Zero and Chrissy Teigen's Huntley Productions.
Sync licensing can be a confusing niche within the music industry for newcomers. Answering questions like how to get your music heard, how to navigate credits and metadata, and how to find projects that need music are just some of the basics. Robyn's passion is creating original music – but her journey with sync licensing is one worth sharing.
As part of a broader partnership with Songtradr, Digital Music News' Ashley King sat down with Robyn to discuss how she approaches sync deals, her best tips for musicians that create darker-sounding music, and her favorite project that features her music.
ASHLEY: Hi Robyn, thanks so much for agreeing to speak with us. Can you tell me a bit about what your process was like as you got started with Songtradr?
ROBYN: I'm just an artist, so I make the music I want to hear. I know a lot of artists are interested in creating music specifically for sync licensing deals. The extra step for me was making sure I had the proper metadata for my instrumentals and backing tracks. Going through the submission process with Songtradr is pretty straightforward after that. Don't get me wrong, there's a good amount of setup time that goes into it. You have to plugin credits for your music to make sure everyone is fairly paid. But when I do get a license, the funds are automatically divided between all of my collaborators.
The process is extremely easy, and it's non-exclusive. I've been with Songtradr for about three years now, and it's been a great source of supplemental income for me.
A: Getting your music in front of music supervisors can be one of the most daunting tasks of getting yourself heard. What's the best way to approach that, in your experience?
R: Well, having a home studio set up where you can turn around music really fast is probably the most beneficial. If I wanted to do music licensing as a full-time income pursuit, that's the way I would go. You can check the project breakdowns daily in the Songtradr dashboard. You'll also need to be flexible to create tracks within a few hours, based on what those music supervisors want to hear.
A: Speaking of promotional tools, what's been the most effective promotional tool for your music?
R: Definitely Songtradr. I have a reminder set up on my phone that tells me every day to check Songtradr. I'm looking at breakdowns to see what music supervisors might need. Sometimes I see opportunities stay over multiple days – but that's not always the case. Projects are changing daily and sometimes hourly; they go really fast. I like to check every day and submit my music to any projects I feel might be a good fit.
A: One thing I've noticed is that upbeat music with positive vibes tends to get licensed more. Do you have any licensing tips for musicians who focus on darker compositions?
R: Oh, that's a great question. One of my songs that is licensed quite frequently is very dark if you listen to the lyrics. But the instrumental track is quite bubbly and fun. I'd say for artists who focus on darker, somber music – think about the genre. Anything with a Latin sound or a hip-hop sound is really in high demand. If that's your wheelhouse, any artist that does that will be in good shape for licensing deals.
For darker music, my recommendation would be to reach out to music supervisors who are curating sounds for TV dramas, like “American Horror Story.” The timeline on music submission is also wildly different than what you might expect. A few months ago, there were lots of requests for Christmas-related stuff. Music needs for holiday productions can run anywhere from three to six months ahead of the holiday – so having music ready to go for that is a great way to get established.
But for darker music, my recommendation would be to reach out to music supervisors who are curating sounds for TV dramas, like “American Horror Story.” The timeline on music submission is also wildly different than what you might expect. A few months ago, there were lots of requests for Christmas-related stuff. Music needs for holiday productions can run anywhere from three to six months ahead of the holiday – so having music ready to go for that is a great way to get established.
A: What personal projects are you working on right now, outside of your licensed music?
R: I’m currently working on my third studio album and a podcast rock opera. It’s kind of like an audio drama with scenes and songs in each episode – like those old-fashioned radio broadcasts from the 1930s.
A: Do you have a favorite film or TV project that features your music?
R: Oh wow, that’s a tough question to answer.
I think it would have to be the trailer for Fries! The Movie. It’s a weird one to pick probably, but I really like the placement and how the trailer uses my music.
I also had a song that was used in Tyler Perry’s “Nobody’s Fool.” That was a top ten grossing movie in theaters, so that was really fun. That song got lots of exposure from that licensing deal.
A: Thanks so much for discussing the ins and outs of sync licensing with us, Robyn. Before we go, do you have anything else you think artists interested in sync licensing should know?
R: I’ve had my music placed in commercials before, so I have some connections with ad agencies in my local area. Someone who doesn’t have those connections might need to reach out and make them since the local ad market is different no matter where you live. It’s a highly targeted local thing, but if a particular agency needs something created, they may reach out to you personally to see if you can turn it around in a few hours. If I were just getting started and looking to get my foot through the door, that’s where I’d start.
Read more in our Behind the Sync series
- This Dominican Artist Landed A Sync Deal In A Hit Fox Show
- Rodello’s Machine Discuss The Advantages of Non-Exclusive Sync Deals
- Learn How Future Royalty Secured a Coveted Sync Licensing Deal With Samsung
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