Coursework: Print magazine research and planning

 1) Research music magazine cover key conventions. Look over the magazine cover key conventions notes sheet and write which of these you will use for your magazine cover. (This is a film magazine example but the conventions still apply).

2) Find at least five music magazine front covers (either current or former magazines as many have stopped their print editions) aimed at a similar target audience to your project (mainstream music audience). For each one, pick out one design idea or convention that you could use in your own print work. A few examples to start you off:

Colour scheme

Simplicity

Use of geometric shapes

3) Find at least five double-page spread features from music magazines on Google images. How are they designed? How are text and images displayed? What design tricks can you borrow from your examples?

One large image used in either side of the page

The title has a fancy font

Page number

Quote from the article

4) Find at least five band/artist tour posters on Google images. How are they designed? What conventions do they all feature? How are text and images displayed? What design tricks can you borrow from your examples?

Artist touch

Colour scheme

Name of tour or artist

Location and date

5) Read at least three example music interview features from newspapers and magazines to learn the format, writing style and content for a music magazine interview. You may wish to use the following to help you:

An upcoming artist who has broken into the mainstream industry who has created a new single which has hit all the charts for its honesty and the harsh r
eality of its lyrics. CLI has released her third album and is about to embark in the Breaking Free Tour. Her latest song, "Living Dead" has shot her to internet fame from its cleverly written lyrics to the melody. The music video has hit over 50 million views and has boosted her fanbase and given her a large amount of support.   

Tell us about your latest single. What inspired you to create and what influenced the lyrics?

The song itself was quite unexpected, the melody was created as an experiment and I had no intention for creating it to a song until I continue to work on it till it became a great melody. The lyrics were inspired when I visited Yambaru National Park and reflected on my own life I released only after taking a break from my busy life how we get so caught in our own lives and therefore I felt like creating a song which makes us reflect who we truly are.

How did it felt for the music video to be a huge success and for the single to hit the billboard?

Truly surreal. I had never believed in miracles but I felt like I could have never imagined this to happen in my life. Although I will give all my credits to my fan base for the gigantic amount of support I have received. I believe I will continue to put as much hard work as I possibly can and return my favour to my fans. Thank you Stars!

Can you tell us a bit about your background story? What made you become such a successful artist and write amazing lyrics?

Ever since I was 10 I absolutely loved writing lyrics. I truly believed so much could be expressed in the way one writes their words and joins them together. Music has always been my home and since I was young I love to combine my music and lyrics to sing and express my emotions through that medium. 

How do you feel about the new tour, Breaking Free, you are going to embark and what will your fans be expecting this out?

I am very thrilled for this tour and COVID has meant we have had to delay are tour for a year so I'm very excited and grateful that the tour will finally happen. I promise to give my fans the very best experience they can possibly have and I can't wait to meet them.

What makes an artist? Is there a secret?

There is no set definition of who an artist is and who an artist. If there ever was a criteria it will truly depend on how passionate you are about your music. Does the music you create feel like it's apart of you? If it does then you are on your way to becoming an artist but remember there are no limits. 

What message do you hope people take from your music?

To be completely honest I want everyone to interpret my music to the own accordance and experiences so I know different people will take it differently but I do hope that at the end the receive the positive energy from my music because that's all I could ever ask for.

Planning, sketching and writing

Smaller images used from Aman and Yasmin's photoshoot

Slogan 'We bring the life back into music'

Selling lines 'ways to overcome writers block', 'fleur lee talks tour and video', 'tips writing lyrics'

Location and venues

London - o2 forum Kentish town

Nottingham- rock city

Birmingham- o2 institute Birmingham

Cardiff- tramshed

Manchester- academy 2

Glasgow- tv studio