How to get a local artist on your podcast
To get a local artist on your podcast, lead with their upside and make the ask easy: tell them who your audience is, what they will get out of it, and exactly when and where the recording happens, so saying yes takes five minutes. Reach the artist directly instead of routing through a manager, and offer to promote their latest release. Local artists are reachable if you make it simple and worth their time. On iKonX you can find and contact artists in your city directly, discovery is free, and any paid collaboration keeps the artist on 100% with 0% commission.
How the conversation gets made
Find by sound
Search verified music artists by the sound your audience already loves · no publicist gate, no cold list.
Contact direct
Message the artist on-platform. The conversation starts with the person who will sit in the chair.
Book the slot
Agree the terms and lock the date. The artist keeps 100% of what they set · you pay a flat 10%.
Getting a local artist on your show should be easy and somehow is not. Your DMs go unanswered, the artist's manager is a wall, and you cannot tell who in your city is actually open to an interview. The gatekeeping is access: the people who could connect you sit behind layers, and a cold message with no clear benefit is the easiest thing in the world to ignore.
So new podcasts chase the same few names, get ghosted, and overlook the local talent that would make the best, most authentic episodes.
The fix is to make the ask irresistible and easy. Lead with what the artist gets: exposure to your audience, a chance to promote their new release, and a real conversation about their work. Spell out the logistics so there is nothing to figure out, who you are, who listens, when and where you record, and how long it takes. Then reach the artist directly rather than fighting through a gatekeeper.
iKonX is where you can find and contact local artists without a buried request. Discovery is free, so you can scout your whole city and reach the people most likely to say yes. If the relationship turns into a paid collaboration, the artist keeps 100% of the price they set, iKonX takes 0% platform commission, and the buyer pays a flat 10% on top. That direct access is what fills a season with great local guests.
The whole network lives in one app.
iKonX puts every side of the music business in your pocket. Artists set their own price and keep 100% of it · iKonX takes 0% platform commission. Browse, message, and book straight from the app.
The best guest isn't the most famous · it's the one your audience discovers here first.
How to book a local artist as a guest, step by step
How do small podcasts land notable guests without a booking agent or a budget?
- Scout your city first. Find the local artists making noise right now. The freshest, most authentic episodes come from your own scene.
- Lead with their upside. Open the pitch with what they get: your audience, a release plug, and a real conversation, not a favor.
- Make the logistics effortless. Tell them when, where, how long, and what to expect, so saying yes takes five minutes.
- Reach them directly. Contact the artist on iKonX instead of fighting through a manager or a buried DM.
- Confirm and remind. Lock the date in writing and send a friendly reminder a day before so they actually show.
- Promote the episode together. Tag the artist and time the drop with their release so both audiences tune in.
Where you reach the guest
| How you reach the local artist | What it costs | What the artist keeps on a paid collab |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Instagram DM | Free, but cold-outreach reply rates are in the low single digits | No deal in place |
| Through a manager | A gatekeeper, and management commissions of 15% to 20% on any paid work | The fee minus the manager's cut |
| Direct contact on iKonX | Free to discover and message; a paid collab adds a flat 10% buyer fee | Artist keeps 100% of the price they set, iKonX takes 0% commission |
Cold-outreach reply rates in the low single digits are widely reported across direct-message and email studies. Management commissions of 15% to 20% are the commonly cited industry range (Berklee Online music business resources). iKonX fee model: artist keeps 100% of the price they set, 0% platform commission, buyer pays a flat 10% on top, withdrawals under 5%, discovery free.
Direct contact. No publicist. The artist keeps 100%.
Local artist podcast guest FAQ
How do I get a local artist to say yes to my podcast?
Lead with their upside, your audience and a chance to plug their release, and make the logistics effortless so saying yes takes five minutes. Reach them directly rather than through a gatekeeper.
Should I pay a local artist to come on my podcast?
Most local guests come on for the exposure, not a fee. If you do agree to pay or run a paid collaboration, do it where the artist keeps 100% of the price they set.
Where can I find local artists to interview?
On iKonX you can discover and contact artists in your city directly. Discovery is free, so you can scout your whole local scene before reaching out.
Explore the connected sides of the network
Your next guest is one message away.
Scout your city, make the ask easy, and reach artists directly. Download iKonX and start where the gatekeepers used to stand.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF TODAY:
The Music-Guest Booking Kit
Outreach DM templates + a sound-fit guest-vetting checklist for landing music artists as podcast guests.
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