Freelance Music Marketer & Publicist – Rock Opera Album Launch & Stage Concept Proof

We are seeking a sharp, highly autonomous freelance music marketer/publicist to spearhead the release campaign for “Mary & Joseph,” an ambitious, original rock opera concept album. Tracking wraps up over the next two months, aiming for a mid-November release to leverage a loose holiday tie-in. Musically and structurally, the project is heavily inspired by Jesus Christ Superstar, The Who’s Tommy, and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It explores the dynamic, untold love story behind this iconic biblical couple. We already have cover art and character illustrations completed. The Dual Goal: While this album is designed to be a standalone commercial product for music fans, it is also explicitly serving as a high-quality proof-of-concept to generate industry interest for a future stage version. The right marketer will help us leverage this release to catch the attention of theater producers, directors, and arts industry professionals alongside everyday listeners. PLEASE NOTE: Production is currently underway and wrapping up over the next 60 days. We are hiring a manager NOW to consult on the rollout strategy, build media lists, and align assets, with the official campaign kicking into full gear in late August/September. Rough mixes/demos are available for vetting. The Target Audiences This project sits at the intersection of four passionate groups. Your strategy will need to speak to: 1. Musical Theater & Broadway Enthusiasts: Fans hungry for new story-driven, theatrical concept albums. 2. Classic / Progressive Rock Fans: Listeners who love sweeping, dynamic instrumentation and grand sonic worlds. 3. Faith-Based & Holiday Audiences: People drawn to unique, artistic retold biblical narratives, particularly leading into the Christmas season. 4. Theater Industry Professionals: Producers, creative directors, and venues who track independent concept albums to find the next big stage project. Core Responsibilities - Subculture & Grassroots Marketing: Identify, seed, and can-cultivate online communities (theater forums, Broadway subreddits, Discord servers, and holiday music groups) where our target demographics gather. - Targeted PR & Pitching: Draft a compelling press release and pitch the project to niche media outlets, progressive rock blogs, musical theater publications, and independent industry reviewers. - Industry Outreach Integration: Help position the release copy and press kits to highlight the project's viability as a stageable property, targeting theater industry blogs and trade publications. - Pre-Save & Funnel Strategy: Build and optimize a lean pre-save campaign, utilizing existing cover art and character illustrations across short-form organic video or micro-targeted digital ads. - Asynchronous Project Management: Maintain a single shared dashboard (Trello, Notion, or Google Sheets) with weekly progress updates to respect communication boundaries. Required Qualifications - Proven Track Record: 2–5 years of experience launching indie music, crowdfunding campaigns, or independent theater/fringe projects. - Niche Alignment: You understand how to pitch characters and a plot line, not just a single track. Experience or interest in the commercial theater world is a massive plus. - Resourcefulness: Ability to maximize a lean budget by focusing on high-conversion, organic, and grassroots relationships over expensive, broad-market agency PR plays. Compensation & Structure We favor a Base + Performance Bonus or a Phased Milestone structure to ensure cost certainty: - Phase 1 (Flat Fee): Asset setup, media list compilation (including theater industry contacts), press release creation, and community mapping. - Phase 2 (Milestone-Based): Bonuses tied directly to high-value deliverables (e.g., targeted publication features, verified playlist adds, or hitting specific pre-save/streaming goals). How to Apply Please submit a brief, tailored proposal including: 1. A link to your portfolio or 1–2 case studies of indie music, arts, or theater releases you have managed. 2. Your initial, 2-sentence thought on how you would hook a commercial music fan vs. a theater industry professional for a project like this. 3. Your preferred project-based rate or milestone structure. Note: Automated, copy-paste agency applications will be immediately discarded. We want to work with a real human who connects with epic, independent storytelling and wants to help lay the groundwork for a future stage production.