Press Kit
DJ Press Kit Maker: What to Include and How to Build One That Gets Results
A professional DJ press kit is non-negotiable for landing festival slots, label attention, and media coverage. Here's exactly what to include and how to build one that works.
By Sophie · · 12 min read
When a festival programmer shortlists you for a slot, the first thing they'll ask for is your press kit. When a music journalist is writing about emerging talent in your scene and includes you on a tip-off list, they'll request your press kit. When a booking agent is pitching you to a venue they work with, they need your press kit materials.
Not having a press kit is an immediate mark against your professionalism. Having a bad one — poorly formatted, with blurry photos and a generic bio — is nearly as damaging. This guide covers exactly what a DJ press kit needs to contain and how to build one that gets results.
The Essential Components of a DJ Press Kit
Three-length biography
Short (50–75 words) for programme listings and social captions. Medium (150–200 words) for press features and website descriptions. Long (400–600 words) for in-depth features and major press. Each version is not a summary of the previous — it's a different piece of writing for a different context.
High-resolution press photos
Minimum three photos: at least one landscape-format performance shot, one portrait-format studio or environmental shot, and one versatile portrait that works in both orientations. Minimum 2MB each, 300 dpi for print use. JPEG and PNG versions of each.
Selected discography
Not a comprehensive release list — a curated selection of your most significant releases with label names and years. If you're on major labels or well-known independent labels, lead with those. If you're self-released, list your strongest-performing tracks.
Notable past performances
The shows and venues that signal your level. A 200-capacity club in your hometown matters less than a set at a 10,000-person festival, even if both happened in the same year. Be selective and honest — don't include shows that overstate your profile.
Press quotes
Real quotes from music media, blogs, or notable industry figures — not comments from fans on Instagram. Even a quote from a respected niche blog is worth more than 1,000 social media compliments. Track your press coverage and add quotes as they come in.
Music links
Direct links to your key music: primary Spotify profile, SoundCloud page, Beatport artist page, and your best representative mix. The press kit is not the place to list every platform — focus on the ones journalists and industry contacts will actually use.
Writing a DJ Bio That Actually Works
The bio is the most important part of your press kit and the one that DJs struggle with most. Here's why most DJ bios fail and how to write one that doesn't:
The framework for a strong DJ bio:
- Open with a concrete positioning statement — name, base, primary genre, and level of activity (not adjectives)
- State two or three of your most significant achievements — specific venues, festivals, labels, or milestones
- Describe your sound with reference to specific artists, genres, or scenes — not claims of originality
- Include a notable press quote or two if you have them — let someone else say how good you are
- Close with forward momentum — an upcoming release, a tour, a residency
Press Photo Mistakes That Undermine Your Kit
- Using photos under 1MB — fine for web, useless for print
- Only having photos of yourself behind a DJ booth at an angle — industry needs clean portrait options
- Heavy Instagram filters that don't represent how you actually look
- Backgrounds that clash with your brand or are distracting (messy rooms, obvious tourist shots)
- Photos that are more than 2–3 years old if your appearance has changed
- No variety — three almost identical photos from the same shoot
How to Build Your Press Kit with bass.fan
bass.fan includes a complete, structured press kit builder — built specifically for how music industry professionals actually read and use press materials. Unlike a PDF or a Google Doc, your bass.fan press kit is a live, always-updated page that formats everything correctly out of the box.
Once you've set up your profile at bass.fan, navigate to Press Kit in your dashboard sidebar. Everything you build there becomes instantly available at a clean, shareable URL:
- Sign up at bass.fan/signup and claim your profile URL — this becomes your permanent press kit address
- Open the Press Kit section from your dashboard sidebar
- Add all three bio lengths in the structured fields — short (50–75 words), medium (150–200 words), and long (400–600 words). bass.fan displays the right length automatically depending on who's viewing
- Upload your press photos — bass.fan stores them at full resolution with a one-click download button for media contacts, no login required
- Add your discography entries with label name and year — curated, not exhaustive
- Add past performance highlights with venue and date — these auto-format in the way festival programmers and bookers expect to read them
- Add press quotes with source attribution — they display in a dedicated, clearly formatted quote section
- Link your music pages — Spotify, SoundCloud, Beatport, your best mix — displayed as a clean widget, not a list of raw URLs
- Enable PDF export if you need a static version for any contacts who prefer it
The press kit page is publicly accessible — no login required for the person viewing it. You can share the link in a cold email to a booking agent, in a press release, in your social media bio, or in a booking enquiry response. Whoever opens it sees a professionally formatted page, not a file they have to download and open.
How Often to Update Your Press Kit
Update your press kit immediately when: you play a new venue or festival that's worth listing, you receive a press quote worth adding, you release music on a new or more prominent label, or your photo selection needs refreshing. A press kit that's clearly out of date undermines the credibility of everything else in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DJ press kit (EPK)?
A DJ press kit — also called an Electronic Press Kit or EPK — is a structured collection of professional materials about you: bio in multiple lengths, high-resolution press photos, selected discography, notable past performances, press quotes, and music links. It's the document (or live web page) you share with journalists, festival programmers, and booking agents who need professional information about you.
How long should a DJ bio be in a press kit?
You need three versions: short (50–75 words) for programme listings and social captions, medium (150–200 words) for press features and website use, and long (400–600 words) for in-depth profiles. Each version is a different piece of writing for a different context — not just a summary of the previous.
How many photos should I include in my DJ press kit?
Minimum three: at least one landscape-format live performance shot, one portrait-format studio or environmental shot, and one versatile portrait that works in both orientations. Each should be minimum 2MB, 300 dpi for print use. Don't include more than 6–8 — curate your best, don't dump your entire photo library.
Should I send my press kit as a PDF or a link?
Always share as a live link — bass.fan/yourusername/press-kit — not as a PDF attachment. A link is always current: when you add a major festival to your performance history next week, everyone who has the link sees the updated version automatically. A PDF is frozen in time and creates maintenance headaches.
How often should I update my DJ press kit?
Update it every time something significant happens: a notable new release, a major festival or club booking, new press coverage, or a significant career milestone. At minimum, review it every 3 months. An outdated press kit with stale events and old releases tells industry contacts you're not actively managing your career.
Do I need professional photos for my press kit?
Yes — at least one set. Amateur photos with poor lighting are worse than no photos at all. A single session with a decent music photographer costs £100–400 and gives you material that lasts 2–3 years. If budget is genuinely an issue, a well-lit photo at a live show from a photographer friend is better than a selfie or a blurry club shot.
What should I include in the performance history section?
Be selective and honest. Include shows that signal your level: named festivals, capacity venues, supporting notable headliners. A 200-capacity club in your hometown matters less than a set at a 5,000-person festival. Don't include shows that overstate your profile — industry people verify claims, and exaggeration damages trust permanently.
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