For many artists, getting the music made is only one part of the journey. Once a song is finished, the challenge becomes finding the right audience, reaching the right publications, and creating a story that connects beyond the music itself. For Thibaut of sk8 PR, an independent music PR agency based in France, that behind-the-scenes work is where the real excitement begins.
Thibaut’s path into music publicity began with a trip to Berkeley, California, in 2010. Although artist management was initially his goal, he quickly became fascinated by the promotional side of the industry particularly the relationship between artists, music videos, media, and publicists. His interest was also shaped by music documentaries, movies, and the music-video culture surrounding films from the ’80s, ’90s, and early 2000s.
That fascination eventually evolved into sk8 PR, which was born partly out of frustration. After struggling to find opportunities with existing music PR agencies and following a difficult professional experience in 2019; Thibaut decided to create his own path. Having already worked with PR agencies and Germany’s KROD Records, he realized he had the experience to build something independently. The DIY philosophy became an important part of sk8 PR’s identity, with the agency’s name itself serving as a nod to Sk8er Boi.
The Reality Behind a Music Publicist
While the role of a publicist can sometimes appear glamorous from the outside, Thibaut describes it as a constant process of organization, communication, and persistence. His days involve tracking campaigns, maintaining PR reports, contacting journalists, following up with media, and keeping artists informed about the progress of their campaigns.
For him, representing an artist starts with the music itself. Does it stand out? Is it a good fit for sk8 PR? Beyond the music, he looks for artists who are willing to put effort into their online presence and promotion. Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and other platforms are important tools, but Thibaut emphasizes that artists also need to invest in their artistry and presentation.
His approach is ultimately about thinking creatively. Rather than simply sending music to media outlets, he works with artists to understand how they want to be perceived, what message they want to communicate, and what kinds of coverage they are looking for. The artist maintains the final say while the publicist helps build the narrative and find opportunities to bring that vision into the music press.
Forget the Instant Big Publication
One of the biggest misconceptions Thibaut encounters is the belief that hiring a publicist automatically means landing coverage in major publications such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, or Billboard.
According to him, successful PR doesn’t happen overnight. Building relationships and a strong media database takes years, while journalists receive countless emails every day. Instead of immediately chasing the biggest names in music media, Thibaut believes emerging artists can benefit tremendously from smaller and medium-sized blogs, magazines, zines, and independent publications.
His comparison of a PR campaign to a plant perfectly captures his philosophy: growth happens in different directions, and every campaign develops differently. Patience, trust, and consistency are essential.
Knowing When It’s Time for PR
So when should an artist actually hire a publicist? For Thibaut, it’s when an artist is ready to expand their audience whether that means reaching people locally or internationally. PR can also become valuable when an artist feels overwhelmed or stuck trying to manage promotion entirely on their own. But there is another important consideration: budget.
A professional PR campaign requires time, effort, relationships, and resources. Artists aren’t simply paying for a list of contacts; they’re investing in the experience, quality, and work that goes into building their campaign.
Creating Opportunities Across Borders
One of the most interesting parts of Thibaut’s experience has been working with European artists and finding unconventional opportunities for their music.
He recalls working with French pop-punk band Hightower while at KROD Records and coming up with the idea of connecting their music with extreme sports and video games. Rather than waiting for an opportunity to appear, he independently researched game developers and reached out. That effort eventually led to Hightower, along with South Berkeley and Cold Reading, appearing on the soundtracks of BMX FE3D2, Scooter FE3D2, and Skating FE3D 2. Their songs were also used in gameplay and promotional videos.
For Thibaut, the experience remains one of his proudest accomplishments as a publicist and it demonstrates the importance of thinking beyond traditional music media.
A Changing European Alternative Scene
Thibaut is also seeing some exciting creative trends across Europe’s alternative music scene. One that particularly catches his attention is the increasing use of movie references in music videos, whether through visual Easter eggs, movie-inspired plots, accessories, posters, or even appearances from actors associated with the films.
He’s also noticed a resurgence of music compilations, particularly within pop-punk and skate-punk. Artists are revisiting the compilation culture of the ’90s while putting their own spin on cover songs, creating a bridge between nostalgia and the current alternative scene.
Why Social Media Isn’t Always the Answer
Despite social media giving artists unprecedented control over their own promotion, Thibaut believes it has actually made breaking into international markets more difficult.
The sheer volume of content makes standing out harder. Artists need consistency, strong music, compelling visuals, professional press photos, and memorable music videos. Rather than relying entirely on algorithms, he encourages artists to look back at European musicians from the ’80s and ’90s who managed to cross borders through the strength of their music and visual identities alone.
Ultimately, Thibaut’s perspective on music PR comes down to one central idea: there is no shortcut to building an audience. Good publicity isn’t about promising instant fame. It’s about understanding an artist’s identity, finding creative opportunities, building relationships with media, and giving a campaign the time and attention it needs to grow. For independent musicians trying to navigate an increasingly crowded industry, that message may be more valuable than any promise of overnight success.
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