One Fan At A Time

What’s the best way to build your fanbase? 
It’s not through algorithms, viral moments, or “hacks.” 
It’s through people. 
One fan at a time. 

A few days ago, I saw a post from Dynamitri, who runs the Music Industry Drip WhatsApp channel. He shared a simple story — one that perfectly captures what real fan-building looks like in 2025. 

He said: 

“I ended up seeing Roya — a Danish electronica duo — last night. They have 1.2 million followers on Instagram. I uploaded a Story from the gig and tagged them. 
This morning I got a DM from them (or someone on their team, doesn’t really matter): 
‘Thank you so much for an amazing night in London 🥰’ 

1.2 million followers and they’re still reaching out personally. That’s the hustle. That’s how you build communities.” 

That story says everything. 

In an age where most artists are chasing virality, the ones who build real momentum are the ones who still care. Who still take the time to make fans feel seen. Because fans aren’t numbers. They’re people — each with their own story, emotions, and reasons for connecting with your music. 

A Little Story From 2010 

Back in 2010, I’d just started reaching out to artists, offering to help them with their marketing. I discovered one of them on a long-lost episode of Simon Pursehouse’s old Sentric Music Podcast. 

After hearing the episode, I liked a couple of artists’ Facebook pages — which was pretty much all you had back then. And that’s when something interesting happened. 

One of them sent me a message. 

It was a short, simple thank-you for liking his page — a copy-paste job, maybe, but still personal. It included links to his Bandcamp, MySpace, iTunes, and even his email list, which at the time was literally a Word document you had to email to join. 

And it worked. 

Because that small act — a personal thank-you — made me care more. It turned a casual listener into someone who felt part of his story. 

That was direct-to-fan before the term even existed. 

Fast Forward to Today 

Fifteen years later, I still think about that message. 
And about what Dynamitri shared this week. 

The landscape has changed — platforms have come and gone — but the principle hasn’t. Artists like Roya, with over a million followers, are still doing what that unsigned artist did back in 2010: showing up personally. 

Because this is what scales authenticity. 

Algorithms can amplify you. Ads can accelerate you. But only connection sustains you. 

The artists who win in the long run are the ones who see marketing not as manipulation, but as communication. They understand that each message, each comment, each DM — is a tiny act of community-building. 

A Quote That Stuck With Me 

When Taylor Swift told her then-manager Rick Barker that she wanted a Gold record (500,000 sales), his reply was simple: 

“Then let’s go meet 500,000 people.” 

That’s the truth of it. 

You don’t need to reach everyone. 
You just need to reach someone — deeply — and then do it again. 

The Modern Takeaway 

If I were to reframe that idea for today’s artist, it would be this: 

“You don’t need to go viral. You just need to go personal.” 

Whether you’re DMing fans, replying to comments, or thanking someone who tagged your show — that’s the work. 
That’s the stuff that actually builds a career. 

Because every follower is a person. 
Every stream is a moment. 
Every message is a chance to connect. 

One fan at a time. 

Do it differently → Start with one fan.