It’s funny how our experiences in life slowly steer us toward the careers we eventually seek. I’m sure most of you can remember a time in your youth when you sat in the back of your parents’ car on a summer day and sang along with whatever was playing on the radio. Metallica, Spin Doctors, Britney Spears, it did not matter who came on next as long as you could sing along (or at least pretend to), preferably at the top of your lungs. That’s an experience almost every child goes through, and it’s something most parents reflect on later as a ‘golden memory’ of their children. For some children, however, it’s something more. They do not know it at the time, of course, and neither do their parents, but for a select few those first car ride sing-a-longs are laying the foundation for a career in music that will likely impact thousands, if not millions over time.
Todd Kunsman remembers those car rides, and from a very young age he knew he wanted to be involved in the world of music. Unfortunately, due to college, work, internships, and the tasks of every day life in between he found making time to do so incredibly difficult. Anything worth doing is worth doing to the best of your abilities, after all, and realizing this Todd waited to begin his journey in the world of music criticism until he had finished school and found time in his demanding schedule for a new project. When that day came, he bought the domain OhSoFreshMusic, and in no time began developing a following passionate about new artist discovery.
Today, OhSoFreshMusic is a hub for people who want to know about the latest trends in music. Through timely news, engaging editorials, interviews, and an ever-expanding collection of unique features Todd has managed to carve a unique niche in the world of music discovery that stands apart from the rest of the blogging world in all the right ways. You can read any article on OhSoFreshMusic and feel the passion the creator of that content had for their subject. If that is not the sign of a truly great zine, I do not know what is.
We spoke with Todd earlier this month about everything he experienced while starting his site, and he was kind enough to offer an in-depth look at everything he went through to get where he is today. If you would like to learn more about Todd and his efforts in music criticism, please take a few moments to follow OhSoFreshMusic on Twitter. Additional questions and comments can be left at the end of this post.
H: Before we begin, please tell everyone your full name, job title, and the site you’re here to discuss:
T: My name is Todd Kunsman and I am the founder, editor, and social media person for Oh So Fresh! Music blog.
H: Thanks for joining us, Todd. I’m a fan of your site, but must admit I have never learned the story behind its name. Would you please tell us the origin story of ‘Oh So Fresh,” and when the site came into existence?
T: I’ve actually wanted to start something music related for a long time, but with College, interning, and working, there really wasn’t much time. However, back in 2010 a few months after graduating college I decided it was time. And to be honest, the name was something that first came to mind and the domain was available so I snagged it. I just had in mind that I wanted a place to find fresh new music and post about fresh faces that might not be getting notice.
H: Now let’s take a step back and learn a thing or two about you. When you think about your earliest memories with music, what comes to mind first?
T: Probably singing in the car as a young kid to all sorts of different music. My parents listen to a whole mix of stuff, so I’d be jamming out to MC Hammer then Spin Doctors. Pretty embarrassing now that I think about it haha.
H: Who is the first musician you can remember obsessing over, and how did you originally discover them? Feel free to share any early fan-boy moments you’re able to remember.
T: Man, I would say Bradley Nowell of Sublime. A friend had showed me some of their music back in in middle school because his older brother was a fan and I instantly became addicted to them. I know almost all the lyrics of Sublime’s catalog just because of the constant replays. I’m still a big fan today, especially of Brad.
H: On what format was the first album (or single) you bought with your own money?
T: Hmm, I know was fairly young and it was probably Will Smith’s Big Willie Style, who didn’t have that album in the mid/late 90s?
H: Do you remember your first concert experience? Go on, paint us a word picture:
T: I’m quite sure my parents dragged me to some Hall & Oates concert at a local music festival in my town. Not really my type of music, but those guys know how to put on a good show.
H: Let’s turn our focus to writing. Can you pinpoint any specific moments in life when you realized your abilities in writing could be put to good use in the world of music criticism?
T: I took a journalism elective in College and surprisingly enjoyed it, which then lead to my communications minor. Since music was always a big part of my life, writing gave me a way to talk about the music I love. From there I just kept pursuing different outlets where I could write about music.
H: Who or what inspires you as a writer?
T: Good music. Every time I hear a song that just catches my attention, the writing just flows easier. It basically gives me more thoughts and passion in the writing when music clicks with me.
H: How would you describe the content offered on your site to someone who may have never visited your blog before reading this article?
T: I think the site description says it best: “The freshest music posted on a daily basis. We share some of the best tunes before the mainstream even knows about it.” But, I would also say if indie. hip hop, electronic, and EDM are genres you enjoy, then you’ll find what you are looking for at Oh So Fresh. There is the occasional interview and feature as well to mix it up.
H: There are a number of sites covering similar areas of entertainment. What is it about the content offered on OSF that separates you from the competition?
T: I think that we don’t always rush to post the latest track as soon as it comes out. Some blogs really compete with each other to be the “first” sharing a tune. Granted, that can get you more traffic, but I like to listen to a song a few times before sharing. So while a song might of just come out, we might write about 3 hours later or maybe a day later. The music we share are songs that we indeed really like and aren’t just posted for the sake of seeming cool or to be the first ones.
H: Out of curiosity, how large is the writing team at your site?
T: It’s varied over the years, currently it’s 5 other writers and at one point I had 7. Typically they write a few times a week, but I post multiple times a day.
H: Are you currently looking for additional team members? If so, what should those interested in contributing to your site do to apply?
T: Sure, I can always use writers or people interested in marketing. All you have to do is email me (osfeditor@gmail.com), tell me a bit about yourself, music you love or currently enjoying, and a bit of your experience. Simple as that!
H: When you were first starting off, who were some of the first labels/publicists to give you a chance and/or take you seriously in the music industry?
T: There were very limited interest from labels at first, but PR people were there from day one. The one I recall really reaching out first was the Planetary Group, who still send me things today via email and to my home. Really nice group of people right there.
H: What advice would you offer to someone reading this now who may be considering pursuing a career in the world of music journalism/criticism?
T: Just go for it. It’s a crowded market, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give it a go. If you are really passionate about it reach out to bloggers or others in the industry. Sure some will ignore you, but others are also willing to share some knowledge if they sense your passion and enthusiasm.
H: You have featured a number of up and coming artists on your blog, in addition to national headliners. Where do you turn when hoping to discover new music, and what should indie artist looking to appear on your site do to get your attention?
T: There are a ton of places I discover new music. One being my email, I get sent 150+ a day and while plenty are not my style, there are always a few gems in there. Soundcloud has been a big one too because it plays similar songs to something you just listened to or the artist shares tracks of other artists they like. And I occasionally find some great material from other writers out there.
An artist can grab my attention by an original email, not some mundane robot-like paragraph. it’s more personable and you can get a better sense of the passion they have for their craft.
H: When it comes to receiving music for review/feature consideration, which digital distribution services do you prefer and why?
T: I like Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and Audiomack. They all have clean designs and are easy to embed when we create posts, which is perfect for blogs.
H: How many articles do you write in a week?
T: I tend to write 4 a day, and maybe like 2-3 during the weekends. Typically it will be between 20-25 a week.
H: What are your current career goals?
T: Currently I’ve been interesting in doing more freelance/consulting work in the music/entertainment industries. Whether it’s social media, marketing, blogging, design, or A&R related things. Trying to get as much experience as I can.
H: What are your goals for the site, and how have those goals changed since launch?
T: I would love to keep seeing the site grow. I’ve had my ups and downs with it (almost quit back in Summer), but I’m glad I stuck with it because I would miss writing and interacting with the music industry. Before it was just a place for me to share music and my friends to check out, now I have more of an audience so I keep them in mind as well.
H: If you could change one thing about the music industry today, what would it be?
T: I’d say some labels pushing generic sounds out there for a quick buck. It’s no wonder there is a decline in album sales (Besides the Internet causing that as well) and that many artists are getting their music out there without a label. Look at Macklemore winning Grammys as an independent artist. I think a lot of labels need to rethink their strategies and many are starting to realize that.
H: Who is one artist you think is severely underrated?
T: That’s a tough one because there are a few I could name, but I’ll go with Jhameel on this one. He’s grown tremendously since he first reached out to me back in 2010, but deserves so much more attention. He’s a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, choreographer, and a generally interesting artist. Think Michael Jackson meets Prince meets modern pop.
H: What can we expect from your site in the remaining months of 2014?
T: We’ve rolled out a new feature to get College radio stations involved with our site. We just started it so hopefully more will get on board in the next few months and this potentially could be a great feature. Otherwise, great content will continue and hopefully pushing more great artists to the readers.
H: Okay, I think that covers everything. Before we go our separate ways, do you have any finals thoughts or observations that you would like to share with our readers? The floor is yours:
T: If you are thinking about starting a music blog, just do it. If it’s on your mind go for it because many bloggers are friendly and willing to help with questions you might have. I’ve learned a lot along the way, made plenty of connections, and realized this can be a great resume booster. I’d like to thank anyone who visits the site daily or even if it’s only one time, I’m still surprised people actually have such an interest in my site. I also want to thank anyone who has written or is writing currently because they enjoy the site and love music as much as I do. We all have busy schedules but they still make time to work on posts and emails. Also, I’ll be launching a lifestyle and culture site in late Spring called THVT GOOD, check it out!
Thanks for interviewing me James!
