How to find music influencers to share your song?

The short answer: Don't start with influencers. Start by being a fan first. I learned this the hard way — when I was building that crowdfunding platform, I'd reach out cold to people and get ignored. You gotta find creators who actually make content that fits your vibe. Not the big guys with a million followers — they won't see your message anyway. Look for the ones with 5,000-50,000 engaged followers who post about music discovery. Then, here's the trick: engage with their content for a week before you ask for anything. Comment genuinely. Share their stuff. Build a real connection. I still do this today with my electronic worship tracks — I find DJs or playlist curators who share similar spiritual themes. When you finally reach out, make it personal. Reference something they posted. Show them you're not just another spammer. Most importantly, have music that's actually good enough to share. If it's not, no influencer in the world can fix that.

Look past the follower count. The real game is engagement, trust, and niche. Start a real conversation, not a pitch. It's that simple — and that hard.

Stop looking at follower counts first

I learned this the hard way. When I had my record deal at 21, I thought big numbers meant big results. They don't. Not even close.

Here's what I do now when I'm looking for someone to share my electronic worship music. I look at their content first. Not their follower count — their actual posts. Do they talk about music? Do they share things that feel real?

I'd rather find someone with 5K followers who posts daily about worship playlists than someone with 50K who posts random lifestyle stuff. That's the first filter.

Then I check if they've actually engaged with artists like me before. Have they shared indie worship tracks? That tells me they're not just a billboard.

I learned this busking on Tenerife — you don't play techno to a crowd that came for acoustic ballads. Match the messenger to the message.

How to approach them without sounding like spam

I don't pitch. I start a conversation. That's it.

I'll comment on something they posted — not 'great content,' something specific. Like 'that breakdown in your video at 2:13 hit me.' Then maybe I'll DM and say 'hey, I'm working on something that fits your vibe, wanna hear it early?'

No links. No 'collab opportunity.' Just genuine interest.

When I was busking, I never walked up to someone and said 'give me money.' I played a song they connected with first. Same thing here. Build a real moment before you ask for anything.

Here's a story I don't tell often: when I was building Selah.fm, I reached out to a creator I admired. I was nervous. But I just said 'hey, I love what you're doing with worship covers. No pressure, but I'd love your honest take on something I'm working on.' No attachment. No ask. They replied within an hour.

Because it felt human.

Three red flags that scream 'run away'

I've seen a lot of bad deals. Here's what to watch for:

• They ask for payment upfront. That's not an influencer — that's an ad slot. Real creators build relationships first.
• Fake engagement. 50K followers but 12 likes on a post? That's a bot farm, not a community. Run.
• No niche. One day it's skincare, next day it's crypto, then a worship album. If they've got no focus, they've got no real audience.

I learned that the hard way with my own platform Dream or Donate. We grew fast but had no focus. It collapsed. Don't make the same mistake with your music promotion.

Engagement rate beats follower count every time

Every time.

I'd pick a creator with 2K followers and 15% engagement over one with 50K and 1%. Why? Because those 2K people actually trust what they say.

When I was busking on Tenerife beaches, I'd rather have 20 people who stopped and listened for ten minutes than 200 who walked past. Those 20 might buy a CD or tell a friend. The 200? They're just noise.

Follower count is vanity. Engagement is connection. And in Christian music especially, connection is everything.

I still struggle with this sometimes. I see a big number and my brain goes 'wow.' But I've learned to look deeper. You should too.

Make your pitch about them, not you

Most artists send 'hey check out my track' — that's spam. I send something different.

'I saw your post about finding new worship music. I made something that reminds me of that vibe. No pressure, but I'd love your honest take.'

Short. Personal. No attachments. Maybe a link to a private SoundCloud.

I also always include a specific reason I thought of them. If I can't think of one, I'm not ready to reach out. That's the bar.

When I quit smoking after 15 years, I learned that real change starts with a specific reason — not a vague 'I should.' Same with any pitch. Be specific or don't bother.

Can I be real with you for a second? The biggest mistake I see artists make is sending the same copy-paste message to a hundred people. I can spot that from a mile away. 'Hi [name], I love your content' — that's not love, that's a mail merge.

It's lazy and it shows you don't respect their time.

Key Takeaways

• Ignore vanity metrics: Follower count means nothing without real engagement. Focus on connection.
• Start with conversation: Don't pitch. Build a genuine moment before asking for anything.
• Watch for red flags: Upfront payment, fake engagement, and no niche are dealbreakers.
• Be specific in your pitch: Generic messages get ignored. Show you actually know their content.

FAQ

How do I find influencers who share Christian music?

Search for worship playlist curators, Christian reaction channels, and artists who cover worship songs on YouTube and Instagram. Look for genuine engagement, not just big numbers.

Should I pay influencers to share my music?

Not upfront. Start with relationships. If they love your music, they'll share it because they want to. On Selah.fm, you can set your own CPM — as low as $0.10 — so creators earn when they actually help you.

What's the best platform for finding music influencers?

YouTube and Instagram are the biggest. But look at TikTok too — lots of worship music communities there. And check out Selah.fm's marketplace where creators are already looking for Christian music to promote.

Honestly? I'm still figuring this out myself. I don't have all the answers. But I know this: people can smell inauthenticity. You can't fake connection.

So don't try.

Just be real. Everything else follows.

Ready to find creators who actually care about your music? Start here.