Be Your Own Star With Help From Music Coach Christina Baur

Currently based in Munich, London, and Los Angeles, Christina Baur is well-connected with the global music scene and has experience working at all levels of the industry. She first got her foot in the door of the industry at just eighteen years old, interning at a German radio station. This is where she was introduced to artist liaising and realized her path for a music career. From there, she studied events and tourism management across Germany and the United States, organizing festivals and concerts, truly honing her passion for the touring side of the artist business. Christina then moved on to artist management, even touring with an artist before the pandemic put a halt on the live music industry.

While managing artists, Christina saw an opportunity to put her skills and expertise into a different side of the business: artist coaching. Working in management, she came across many artists who needed to go back to the basics–setting up social media accounts, getting tracks on Spotify, and developing a fanbase are crucial steps to growth that many artists overlook. The best and really the only way to tackle some of these important foundational steps is with the guidance of an artist coach.

Christina Baur’s Be Your Own Star program invites not only musicians but all types of artists to move their careers toward the direction of success. Christina notes that she’s worked with magicians and actors in addition to your transitional musician-type artist. In the music space, she primarily works with pop, rock, jazz, indie, Americana, and EDM genres. However, one of her favorite success stories involves a country musician.

Christina began working with a country musician who had a plethora of gigs under his belt, but none of them paid. He was a master at his craft but did not have an online presence, which was holding him back. Now, he has social media platforms, and songs on Spotify, and has been able to develop and connect with a larger fanbase. Most importantly, he’s now playing larger paid gigs, like festivals. Christina’s favorite memory of this client is when one of his fans sent him a video of her asking Alexa to play his song. She said, “And I was just like…my heart!”

For artists who aren’t ready for management or prefer to work independently, having someone in their corner is crucial, especially during that make-it-or-break-it point in their careers. Christina notes that some artists just see the value in having another person hold them accountable.

Lucky for her clients, Christina Baur is not only extremely knowledgeable in her subject but she’s developed a large network of music industry experts and professionals. Although she is responsible for the coaching element of her business, she works with contractors like graphic designers, copywriters, vocal coaches, and much more. Whatever weakness Christina pinpoints in a client, she either has the tools to help them or knows who does. Plus, having relationships with trusted music professionals allows her to provide the holistic coaching experience that every growing artist needs to nurture their young career.

The first step to working with Christina Baur would be to book a free 45-minute consultation. In her words, “People can go to my website, schedule an appointment, and have a 45-minute conversation, which is a little bit of coaching already. So I talk to them, I find out what their issues are, I see if we fit together, and determine what is right for them–do they need one-to-one coaching, a management company, a label? Or is it more that they need one of my group projects because they would like to save some money? Or is it that they would fit better with another artist coach?” 

Following the initial consultation, Christina will answer all of these questions and be able to point the artist in the right direction, even if it ends up being beyond the scope of her coaching program. “I’m very happy to show them other artist coaches, management companies, or other labels they can apply for,” she says. “It does not always have to be a perfect match.”

The next step is dependent on each artist’s unique situation. Christina works with a diverse clientele at all stages of their career and is prepared to support artists who are at a grassroots level. 

One thing that sets Christina’s Be Your Own Star coaching program apart is her live coaching sessions. Rather than relying on recordings or recycling lessons, Christina finds that face-to-face interaction provides the most efficient road to success and the best possible outcome for her clients. This approach allows her to really grasp what each individual artist needs at that moment and provide a hands-on solution. She notes, “The transformation can only happen if you’re actually live with someone. That’s why everything I do is 100% live.”

There are many facets that go into building a sustainable music career, and these will vary significantly from person to person. Some common pain points Christina works on with clients are social media, brand design, paid gigs, music distribution (getting your song on Spotify, Apple Music, etc,), and even visa applications. Many artists live in the US and wish to tour in Europe, or vice versa, which can become a challenge. Christina is familiar with this obstacle and can tackle it within a coaching program. 

In addition to being the driving force being Be Your Own Star, Christina also works with a management company, M.W.O. Management. Her connections to the management company afford her client a unique opportunity to excel in their careers, should management be part of their path.

Baur encourages artists and anyone else looking to get professionally involved in the music industry to have a conversation with her. Visit her website for more information.