Business Spotlight: From Mic to Magic: How I Turn Musicians into Branding Legends

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Zenith Blog

🎭 Let’s Roleplay Your Brand: My Journey from Musician to Character Designer

Hey, I’m Kathryn Holeton, your friendly neighborhood character designer for musicians. No, I don’t design fantasy characters for D&D although that would be epic. I design musician brands that feel like characters you’d actually want to play.

In the music industry, everyone talks about branding like it’s this magical force you should understand, but no one really tells you how to do it or what it actually means. And for new or growing artists? It’s overwhelming, vague, and honestly kind of annoying.

That’s where I come in.

🎤 From the Stage to the Studio 

Before I became a brand designer, I was you. I wrote songs, lyrics, and dabbled in music production for over a year. I loved the creative side but the business side? Not so much. The “pay to play” vibe wasn’t just discouraging, it was exhausting.

So, I shifted gears and leaned into another passion: poetry. Over a year, I published around 40 poems in literary magazines and even released my first poetry book👉 You’re a Deity: An Inspirational Poetry Collection

But the music industry kept pulling me back in. I was obsessed with how it worked, what made an artist stick, and why so many talented musicians were struggling with branding. So, I did what any obsessed creative would do. I invented my own way to make branding make sense.

🧙♀️ Branding But Make It RPG

While everyone else is relying on astrology and Jungian personality types for branding (no shade, I love a good birth chart) I felt like it was all getting a little stale.

Enter the 13 RPG archetypes

My musician branding system is based on character roles you'd find in a roleplaying game. You might be a Bard (duh) or maybe a Sorcerer, Druid, or even a Rogue. These archetypes guide everything from your onstage style to how you interact with fans to the vibe of your social media.

If you want the full breakdown, check out my blog📖 Ready Steady Archetype Time: How Character Archetypes Makes Branding for Musicians Fun

🎧 A Few Fun Facts About Me

I can’t write without blasting music in my ears. Seriously, it’s my creative fuel. I looooovvee coffee. Like, to an almost spiritual degree. If I ever build a brand temple, it will have an espresso altar. Shinedown is my favorite band. Attention Attention was a turning point in my creative life. My sticker collection is out of control, and I love it!

🚀 Let’s Build Your Character

If you're a musician who’s tired of the branding fluff and ready to find out who you really are in this industry (like what class, you would be in a fantasy band) I’d love to help.

👉 Book a free call Let’s roleplay your way to the stars