Collaborations are one of the most fun kinds of videos you can produce. As the old saying goes, “two heads are better than one.” However, the thought of asking another YouTuber to work with you can be intimidating. Here’s how to do it in three simple steps.
1. Have An Action Plan
Before you ask another musician to collaborate with you, have an idea in mind of what you want to do with the video itself. Will it be an original song? A mashup of songs you’ve already recorded separately? A cameo in your music video? Having an action plan will show your potential collaborator that you’re organized and dedicated. Make sure that your video plans will benefit and showcase each of your unique talents equally. When James Maslow collaborated with Tiffany Alvord and Megan Nicole on a cover of OMI’s “Cheerleader,” they decided that while James would sing the lead, both girls would play a part in the music video.
2. Choose Collaborators Wisely
Be sure that you pick someone whose talents will complement yours, and vice versa. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t think outside the box. But be careful in choosing someone whose work you admire and respect. The purpose of the collaboration is to gain exposure to each other’s audiences, while making something worthwhile. Cimorelli and James Maslow’s collaborative cover of “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake showcases the talents of both artists, because they harmonize so well together.
3. Go To Them
What social media platform do they use the most? This is the area in which you should request a collaboration. Be polite and be personal. Resist the temptation to copy and paste the same message to several different artists. Be sure to use their name and compliment their channel. Tell them what videos you like best and why you admire their work. Then, tell them a little bit about your channel and how your styles could work together well. Finally, suggest your collaboration idea. Don’t expect them to respond immediately, but don’t spam them, either. Wait a few days until you follow up. James Maslow and Matty B connected through YouTube itself and met up before recording “Never Too Young” together.
YouTube collaborations can help you expand your audience as well as your knowledge. Other musicians will see and hear the world from a different perspective than you do. When you come together, great things will happen.
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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.
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