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In my last article, What’s Your Artist Archetype? The Key to Icon Status, we explored the archetypes behind cultural icons like Tyler, The Creator, Sabrina Carpenter, and Karol G. These artists didn’t stumble upon their personas by accident—it was a process of self-discovery, strategy, and authenticity.
In this follow-up, I’ll walk you through how to discover and refine your artist archetype with actionable steps, self-reflection exercises, and tools to help you build a persona that resonates deeply with your audience. If you’re serious about carving your lane and amplifying your impact, this is where the work begins.
Before we dive into aesthetics and branding, it’s important to understand what drives you as an artist. Your archetype starts with your story, your truth, and what you want to share with the world. Grab a notebook or open a notes app—these questions will help you unearth your artist story:
What story are you telling with your music?
Is it one of heartbreak, rebellion, resilience, healing, or celebration? Understanding the central theme of your artistry will help clarify your direction.
For example: Bad Bunny’s latest album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos ("I Should Have Taken More Photos"), is a heartfelt tribute to his Puerto Rican roots. Through a blend of reggaeton and traditional Latin beats, the project feels like a time capsule, filled with nostalgia that resonates across generations. But this isn’t just a vibe—it’s a statement. The album addresses critical issues affecting Puerto Rico, such as over-tourism, gentrification, and the island’s political struggles.
The cover art tells its own story—a love letter to Puerto Rico’s cultural heritage. The iconic white plastic lawn chairs featured in the imagery evoke memories of simpler times: family gatherings, neighbors swapping stories, and conversations held under the warm Caribbean sun. These visual symbols ground his narrative in a deep sense of place and belonging.
Bad Bunny’s archetype—The Cultural Champion blended with The Rebel with a Cause—shines through in every detail. By unapologetically centering his roots and reflecting his personal connection to Puerto Rico, he’s not just entertaining his audience—he’s inviting them to reflect, connect, and feel pride. His music becomes a bridge between past and present, between personal memories and collective identity.
This authenticity resonates deeply, as seen in the TikTok trends sparked by the song DtMF. Fans have turned Debí Tirar Más Fotos into a viral moment by sharing their own emotional memories tied to the song's. The simplicity and universality of its message—cherishing the fleeting beauty of life and relationships—have inspired a wave of personal storytelling across platforms. These moments highlight the cultural power of music to unite and evoke emotion.
Pro Tip: When you get real about your personal struggles—let’s say, getting over a painful breakup—and dive deep into the specific, even minor feelings you’ve experienced, it breathes life into your story. Did you stay up all night replaying memories? Did a random smell make you cry unexpectedly? These personal, granular details make your narrative rich and relatable.
When you pour your truth into your work, your fans won’t just listen to your songs—they’ll see their own stories reflected in yours. Like Bad Bunny's nod to his Puerto Rican roots, your most authentic self creates a mirror for your audience, allowing them to feel connected through shared emotions and experiences.
Getting to the heart of your story is like finding your North Star—it will guide your brand, your aesthetic, and your connection to your audience. Whether you’re embodying The Cultural Champion like Bad Bunny, The Visionary Creator, or The Confident Dreamer, your archetype should reflect your most authentic self. The deeper and more specific you get with your story, the more your archetype becomes a natural extension of your truth. Fans don’t connect to surface-level personas—they connect to the soul of the story you’re telling.
Now that you’ve tapped into your story, let’s bring it to life visually. Your mood board is where your ideas begin to take shape—it’s the map of your aesthetic and brand. Whether you prefer Pinterest, Canva, or an old-school corkboard, this is a powerful step toward defining your artistic identity.
Here’s what to add to your mood board:
Pro Tip: Don’t limit yourself to visuals from the music world. Think outside the box—films, books, poetry, architecture, even everyday objects that evoke emotion. This will help you avoid copying trends and instead stay true to your unique vision.
Remember: This is a "show, don’t tell" moment—where you speak to your audience through your visuals. Think about how your mood board can become a storytelling tool that whispers, "This is who I am," without you needing to explain.
The most fun part? Watching fans interpret your visuals and create their own content to break down your aesthetic—seeing your story refracted through their own perceptions. This is where your art becomes a conversation.
Once your mood board is filled, take a step back and look for patterns. What do you notice?
This exercise will help you spot your natural tendencies, which are often the first clues toward identifying your archetype.
Self-discovery tools like personality tests can reveal traits and tendencies you may not have consciously noticed. Here are a few tests tailored for artists:
Take the quiz here
Take the quiz here
Take the quiz here
These tools won’t tell you who you should be—but they’ll provide a helpful starting point for understanding what makes you, you.
One of the most overlooked steps in building an archetype is identifying your audience. Your archetype isn’t just about you—it’s also about who you’re connecting with. Consider the following:
Knowing your audience helps you fine-tune your archetype so it resonates with the people who will support your journey.
Once you’ve done your self-reflection, mood board, and audience analysis, it’s time to craft your core archetype statement. This isn’t just a tagline—it’s the essence of who you are as an artist.
A great way to frame this is:
“I am [your archetype(s)]—an artist who [insert purpose] for an audience who [insert connection].”
Here’s how it could look for different archetypes:
Keep it concise. This will become the anchor of your brand—guiding your music, visuals, and interactions.
Here’s how to implement your archetype across your brand:
Pro Tip: Create content
For the next seven days, take small, intentional actions to refine your brand:
By the end of the week, you’ll have a clearer sense of how your archetype shows up in the real world.
Remember, your artist archetype isn’t a rigid box—it’s a fluid reflection of your evolution. Tyler, The Creator’s archetype shifted from chaos to maturity while still staying true to his core. Sabrina Carpenter evolved from ingenue to confident storyteller. As you grow, your archetype can deepen and expand, creating new dimensions for your artistry.
In the next article, we’ll explore how to use digital marketing strategies to build your brand further and ensure your archetype shines across platforms.
Got questions about branding, digital marketing, or artist development? Send us your question—you might see your question featured in the upcoming ‘Ask a Marketer’ segment!
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