So you’ve recorded your banging new single or put together an EP that’s ready to set the world on fire (or at least, your local venues). Congratulations! Now, if you want people to hear it, you need to shout about it. And what better way to shout than with a press release? I know, I know. “But Cassie, writing a press release sounds way too professional for a DIY band like us!” Well, friends, strap in. It’s easier than you think, and I’ll show you how to do it in the most punk-rock way possible—without selling your soul or hiring a PR team.

Funk music is too often viewed as a male-dominant genre. But plenty of female artists, from Lyn Collins to Janelle Monáe, have torn the roof off just as hard.