Out of conviction for a diverse music industry

Dear Florian, you are studying for a M.A. in Public Relations and Digital Marketing at the Media University, having previously completed the B.A. in Journalism and Corporate Communications here. What was the deciding factor in your choice of degree program?

On the one hand, a practical orientation and, on the other, a unique approach. For my bachelor’s degree, one thing was particularly important to me: applications and not just theoretical discussions. I also quickly made the decision for my master’s. The combination of digital marketing and PR is only available at the Media University in this way.

Besides your studies, you are running your own project. Please give us a brief description – what is behind KICKDRUM, what is special about it and how long have you been working on it?

Now you’re confronting me with the first challenge: a “short description” of KICKDRUM. I founded the online music magazine KICKDRUM in September 2020, so to speak, out of the Corona tristesse, because I wanted to bring together the three very different genres of hip-hop, metal and pop, a combination I hadn’t seen anywhere else before. I want to deliver music to my readers in a variety of easily consumable portions. That’s why I decided on Instagram as my publishing platform. Besides my studies and my day job, I’m currently putting all my energy into this project.

And it shows: in just one year, you’ve published numerous posts on the Instagram channel by and with artists, and the profile already has over two and a half thousand followers – how much work is involved in this project, and what kind of work is it?

From research to editorial planning and content and graphic implementation to data analysis and evaluation, I do everything on my own. In addition, there are areas of responsibility that are not visible to the outside world. Contact with the musicians and community management is one of the most time-consuming tasks, but fortunately it’s also one of the most fun for me. On top of that, I’m a very perfectionist and self-critical person. I want to make the KICKDRUM experience better for readers every day. This thought keeps driving me.

Which course contents have been incorporated into your work at the magazine by applying what you have learned in a practical way?

I think I was able to apply three essential aspects of the course content very well: (music) journalistic writing, marketing-oriented processing and the importance of sustainable PR relationships, for example with labels or other music journalists.

KICKDRUM covers topics that go beyond the purely musical, that are socially relevant and political – for example, equality, inclusion, solidarity and sustainability. What is your motivation and what does KICKDRUM stand for?

KICKDRUM is diversity. On the one hand, in terms of the genres covered, and on the other hand, in the exchange with the people behind it. The fact that you are asking me this question shows that we are not yet as far as we should be. Carolin Kebekus once said: “At ‘Rock am Ring’, the beer has more percentage than the proportion of women.”

But it’s not just the equal treatment of people that appeals to KICKDRUM, but also systems that can’t even get a word in. The environment, for example. Recently, I wrote about the sustainable ticket shop “ticketree”, whose operators combine climate protection with events and plant trees for every ticket sold.

The diversity is also reflected in your extensive KICKDRUM playlist, which contains everything from 80s classics to the latest hits by Dua Lipa or Zoe Wees. Final question: Which of these almost 140 songs do you absolutely recommend for the summer semester of 2022 and why?

The hardest question at the end, am I right? At KICKDRUM, I particularly value the focus on newcomers. Musicians who don’t (yet) have the same opportunities as Dua Lipa, Halsey or The Weeknd. So, to wrap up, I’d like to recommend newcomers who won’t be newcomers for much longer:

Easy Easy: the band comes from the heart of Cologne. The single “All I Need” is really great. The EP on which the song appears celebrates the beautiful things in life.
Diana Ezerex: the young singer volunteers to play concerts in Germany’s prisons. The single “Memory Lane” is highly recommended.

And I’ll save the best for last: the band philemic from Berlin makes the best indie pop I’ve ever heard. I really can’t pick a favorite single by the band. They’ve all got what it takes to be perfect.
One last anecdote to finish: there’s a song that only came about because of KICKDRUM. SALÒ and PAULINKO met through KICKDRUM and then wrote the song “Turboheiss” together. I would never have dreamed of something like that. Somehow that “has to” be my final recommendation, right?

Dear Florian, thank you very much for the interview – we wish you many more exciting stories and an enthusiastic audience!

→ Link to KICKDRUM-Magazin on Instagram

→ Link to the KICKDRUM-Playlist on Spotify