Singer-songwriter, producer and pop princess @allolamusic (a.k.a multi-musician Alex Latham) is mesmerising listeners everywhere with her vibrant, electro-pop tunes. Teaming edgy vocals with ambient sounds + 80s inspired synth-tronica, Allola’s no stranger to floatin’ all over the triple j airwaves with her catchy, sparkling tracks.
When she’s not catching ears with her uplifting pop tunes, this Insta savvy gal is catching eyes left, right and centre with her colourful content + aesthetic AF Instagram feed.
We convinced the princess to take off her crown and chat to us about pursuing a creative career, standing out from the crowd + being BOLD on Instagram…
How did @allolamusic come about? What motivated you to start posting about your music on Instagram?
I started this pop project a couple years ago and some cool things started to happen for me. I wanted to share it with my friends and anyone else who was interested. Because Instagram is a very visual platform I found it a perfect way for people to see what I was doing musically.
How has Instagram helped you to grow and build your career as an Entertainer?
It has really allowed me to connect with people outside of my Melbourne bubble. People just seem to find you on Instagram and BAM! just like that you have a new listener that could be half way across the world. I think that’s kinda cool.
Having the business feature on Instagram has also been really handy for gaining insight into where my audience is located. This helps me tailor my future music releases and tours to these areas.
“Having the Business feature on Instagram has also been really handy for gaining insight into where my audience is located. This helps me tailor my future music releases and tours to these areas.”
It’s also an awesome tool to connect with other creatives in your area. I’ve worked with bands, photographers, producers, mix engineers, lighting artists, and graphic designers all found through Instagram.
What are your top Instagram features or tools for marketing your music?
Stories are a great way to connect to people. It’s one of Instagram’s more “real” features and is pretty personal – and fun! It’s also a great way to get multiple ideas across at once, like info about gigs. I’ve found Sponsored Ads have also been a great tool when I have a release or a show coming up and ensures your followers see that content.
How do you think Instagram has changed the music scene?
I don’t think it has necessarily changed the music scene itself a great deal, but it gives a face to the people who write the music. It has been an awesome tool to create your own world as a musician and invite people into that world.
What’s your favourite pop song lyric?
“Watching me is like watching the fire take your eyes from you” – Purity Ring, Repetition.
What’s your go-to way of getting inspired?
I normally just put my headphones in and go for a walk. I’ll be 5 minutes down the road and have to turn back because I’ve just thought of a new idea I need to explore. Listening to music always gets me inspired as well.
What are your top 3 Instagram hacks or tips?
- Make sure you stay connected with your followers, answer their DMs as best as you can and take the time to answer any questions they have. It goes a long way and can build good connections down the road.
- If you don’t have a photographer, friend or bae nearby for a photo op, self timer on your phone can be just as good, find a spot near a window with good lighting and you’re good to go.
- There are so many apps out there that pair with Instagram to further help you to personalise your page. They can do things like schedule posts, create templates, spice up your Stories or completely change how you look in photos (remember everything we see on the gram is not necessarily what we see in real life!) Some apps I’ve loved using are… Milkshake! (of course), Canva, VSCO, Later, Squarespace, Unfold, Over and Magic Eraser.
What else do you do when you’re not killing it on Insta? Any other creative projects in the works?
I’m part of a fun band called Zuma which takes up a bunch of my time touring and playing shows. I also make coffee, which is fun… and delicious!
The entertainment industry is so saturated. What’s your advice for creating content that stands out from the rest?
I think you have to be a little different. I love colour so a lot of my pics are bright and vibrant. Also, don’t be afraid to show a bit of your personality… a fun caption can go a long way and get your followers on your level.
“Don’t be afraid to show a bit of your personality… a fun caption can go a long way and get your followers on your level.”
You have such a unique and recognisable brand on Instagram. How did you develop your visual branding?
I have always loved anything bold, out there and a little different. I wanted to create this fantasy world around my music. It’s where I sort of sit within Allola as well – she is me, but not me at the same time. She allows me to be this really extra version of myself.
How did you find your niche, both musically and on Instagram?
I think it definitely stems from the music I love listening to. I really get down to tunes with a fun, uplifting beat so that’s the type of music I wanted to write. Everything after that just sort of fell into place on Insta, I had a vision in my head about what I wanted my aesthetic to be and went with it.
What’s the key to building an engaged following?
Posting regularly enough for people to want to know what’s next. You want to be there and make your posts count with wholesome content. Also not being afraid to have a chat to people who reach out to you.
How do you connect with your community? What’s your best advice on how to do this?
Personalising your posts is a biggie. Keep the brand up, yes, but I think it’s important to show a real side of yourself as well. People seem to connect more with that.
What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made with Instagram? What’s your advice on what not to do?
At one point I had major posting anxiety. I’d fuss over a pic for ages and after an hour of editing not end up posting and wasting an opportunity to promote a show or something else important. I realised the message behind the post has just as much importance as the image itself.
“I’d fuss over a pic for ages and after an hour of editing not end up posting and wasting an opportunity to promote a show or something else important. I realised the message behind the post has just as much importance as the image itself.”
What do you wish you could tell yourself when you were just starting out?
Brace yourself, you’ll have to work for it… hard. This is not going to be easy. Also be prepared to no longer care about what others think of you, throw that out the door RIGHT NOW.
How do you use Instagram Stories + Highlights?
Stories are a fab way to get down to your audience on a more personal level. It’s a great way to show your day to day life, and things you’re working on at the moment, whether it’s recording, shows or rehearsals.
Highlights have been helpful to create a collection of cool things you’ve done. Its a quick way of showing people what you’re all about.
What’s your advice for other women wanting to build a creative career on Instagram?
Seriously girls, you gotta just go for it. I know this saying is kinda lame but you really do only live once. Let’s look back on our lives and think… hey, I did good. And you don’t have to jump into it all at once. Take it one step at a time, do one thing a day, or one thing a week. Listen to podcasts that interview others that got them where they are today, it’ll inspire you and give you insight into how to go about the next step.
