Collaboration:
Artist Case Study- Lorde
Biography :
- Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, age 25, known as Lorde
- Elecropop/indiepop artist from New Zealand
- Grew up listening to American jazz and soul musicians like Sam Cooke, Etta James and Billy Holiday
- Influenced lyrically by her mother who is a poet as well as authors Raymond Carver, Wells Tower and Claire Vaye Watkins
- During the recording of her second album she said that she took inspiration from the melodic styles of Rihanna, Florence + the Machine, Tom Petty and Frank Ocean
Beginnings:
- Won a middle school talent show with her friend and a Universal Music Group scout Scott MacLachlan discovered a video, she signed with them in her early teens
- self-released her debut EP The Love Club November 2012 then commercially released with UMG and Virgin Records in March 2013
- Her song Royals was a major hit earning her two Grammy Awards and a Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Song
- Released her debut album Pure Heroine and sold 8 million records
Management:
- Lorde is with Crush Management also has a website https://www.lorde.co.nz/ where she promotes and sells her tour tickets and merchandise.
Longevity:
- Lorde has had several hits over that past decade and has a very big fan base now, with the consistent hits I don’t doubt that she will have a thriving music career for at last another couple decades
Repeatable:
- There are several artists who got noticed through videos/social media, if you put your content out there here is always a chance its going to get noticed, but it is a game of luck
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorde#Influences
- https://youtu.be/vt4OeI3Q6gk
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Love_Club_EP
Artist Case Study
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Open in new tab L.Dre – Artist Case Study
Biography:
L.Dre is a lo-fi hip-hop producer from South Central LA. He has a background in drums and guitar, alongside beat production. His influences include the likes of Monte Booker and Childish Gambino, and the soundtracks of cartoons such as Avatar the Last Airbender. He has nearly 1.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, 40k followers on SoundCloud, and 300k subscribers on Youtube.
Beginnings:
L.Dre got really into hip-hop around the age of 9-10 when his father bought him a copy of the album “Curtis” by 50 Cent. During middle school and high school he messed around with producing but it was not his main focus. During high school he released his first self produced LP “I Am A Table.” He then attended The Los Angeles Recording School for music production. This was the turning point of him changing to focus completely on producing. L.Dre started making it big when he began posting quick beat videos everyday on Instagram. He would also make remixes that would be reposted by the original artists. However it was his Youtube and TikTok tutorials that really picked things up.
Management:
He has a manager which can be contacted on https://www.iamatable.com/contact. However it appears that he runs all his social media and distributes his own music.
Longevity:
So far L.Dre has been experiencing steady growth on all platforms. With his chilled out personality and the increasing popularity of lo-fi chill beats to do homework and study to, the only way to go from here is up. One thing that could increase his longevity is more collaborations, especially with rappers.
Repeatable:
Persistence and consistency was fundamental to L.Dre’s entrance into the professional music world. However, it was also his education that gave him a foundation to build from. I believe this path is repeatable for most people.
References:
https://www.iamatable.com/home
http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-l-dre-table-south-central/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V2nd_YNSE4&ab_channel=CurtissKingTV
H.E.R – Artist Case Study
Biography:
Gabriella Wilson, better known by her stage name H.E.R., is an American R&B singer from California currently signed under RCA Records. She drew early inspirations in music from her father, who was a member of a local California band named Urban Bushmen and began a passion for music through guitar and vocals. Her first compilation album H.E.R. (2017), consisting of tracks from her first two EPs plus six additional songs, was nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Album. 
Beginning:
A big career breakthrough was made for H.E.R when she performed two songs at the ASCAP Awards and later that year was voted one among the three Radio Disney’s ‘Next Big Thing’. Sony Entertainment signed a contract with her when she was 14 years old. The song ‘Something to Prove’ was her first officially released song after which she took a break for 2 years. H.E.R was featured on Radio Disney, landed a record deal with RCA at 14 and received guidance from her idol, Alicia Keys. At 17, she emerged on the BET Awards stage with a performance of her debut single, “Something to Prove,” where she worked her way up to the Isley Brothers.
Management:
H.E.R manages her shows and sale promotions mostly through her personal website, https://www.her-official.com/ were her tour promotions are found, as well as her main streaming sources that are available through Spotify, Soundcloud, YouTube, and various Social Media sources. She also receives much of her concert resources through being featured in other artists shows and collaborations.
Longevity:
Since appearing in the ‘Today Show’, where she played piano for Alicia Keys, and also making an appearance with Alicia in the Grammy Awards at the age of 12., H.E.R.’s fame and recognition has improved allowing her to appear in collaborations amongst greater artists. With the likes of Daniel Caesar on the hit song Best Part, performing on the 2018 BET Awards, and landing a spot as an opening act on Chris Brown’s Heartbreak on a Full Moon Tour, H.E.R has gained much recognition and achievements throughout the industry and will definitely continue to evolve with the help of her supporters.
Repeatable:
To me I believe it was possible for this artist to kickstart and return to her career due to the support and chances that were brought upon her journey. Of course self dedication and ambition are the key components to continuing and starting a career in this industry, however once there is the guidance of idols, family, or anyone out there interested in your work, it becomes possible to achieve a spot in the field of this career for anyone, even for long-term matters, but cannot be done all on your own.
References:
- https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-en-ms-1218-her-rb-artist-20181216-htmlstory.html
- https://app.discotech.me/articles/best-her-songs-of-all-time-top-tracks
- https://onemusicfest.com/news/her-playlist/
- https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/h-e-r-on-her-influences-and-her-future-927691/
Jorja Smith Case Study
Biography
Jorja Alice Smith is an English singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Walsall, West Midlands, she has been writing songs since the age of 11.she got raised with her Jamaican father and her English mother.Her father Peter, a benefits officer, is a former musician who sang in a neo-soul group called 2nd Naicha before Smith was born, and her mother, Jolene, is a jewellery designer.Smith has a younger brother, Luca, and is the cousin of Rangers player Kemar Roofe.
Early Life
She began taking piano lessons at the age of 8 at the encouragement of her father.Smith earned a music scholarship at Aldridge School, where she learned the oboe and studied classical singing, before taking music for her A-level exams.She was scouted by a manager at the age of 15 after uploading videos of herself singing cover songs on YouTube.Shortly after, she began travelling to London for writing sessions with Maverick Sabre and Ed Thomas, while still in school.After graduation, she moved to London at the age of 18 where she supported herself by working as a barista at Starbucks, and continued to write songs.
Career
In Late 2015, Maverick Sabre co-signed Smith publicly.Jorja moved in with an aunt and uncle in London. She got a job at Starbucks and recorded lyrics into her phone on breaks, confidently telling customers: “I’m going to be a singer, you know.” In January 2016, she posted her song Blue Lights on to streaming website SoundCloud.
The track, about preconceptions among young black men, was later nominated for Best Song at that year’s Mobo awards.the song garnered 400,000 plays on the website within a month.Her second single “Where Did I Go?”, released in May, was singled out by Drake as his favourite track of the moment in Entertainment Weekly in July.Following the worldwide recognition and exposure Smith gained from Drake, Smith caught the attention of Guy Moot. Moot, an executive and worldwide creative at Sony/ATV with mainstream industry connections, signed Smith to a publishing deal in late 2016.In November 2016, she released her four-track debut extended play, Project 11.The same month, Smith was selected as one of the fifteen rising acts on BBC Music’s Sound of 2017 longlist, and finished fourth on the list.
Repeatable
Jorja Smith’s popularity seem to come from her talent in singing and songwriting and her journey is repeatable since she blew up on YouTube first and her songs got picked up by producers and even singers collaborating with her and leading her to a greater success.
links
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorja_Smith
https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6495948/jorja-smith-rise-to-fame-brit-awards/amp/
Drake Case Study
Biography:
Drake’s first hit was back in 2011 when he dropped his album Take Care, but his first release was back in 2006 with his mixtape Room for Improvement. He is a Canadian musician from Toronto that first started gaining recognition from a series called Degrassi: The Next Generation. He founded the OVO Sound record label in 2013 and became the “global ambassador” of the Toronto Raptors.
Beginning:
In 2009, Drake’s recognition started growing when he released his third mixtape So Far So Gone. It was made available for free download on his OVO website featuring Lil Wayne, and Trey Songz. Due to the success of his mixtape, Drake was the subject of a bidding war between various labels, but he ended up working for Young Money and Universal Motown.
Management:
Oliver El-Khatib is his manager, they single-handedly put Toronto in the map. They’ve partnered with the insurgent Toronto Raptors and launched a music festival called OVO Fest with artists like Stevie Wonder and Outkast.
Longevity:
I believe his career will last for a good amount of time-based on his money, and the name he built for himself.
Repeatable:
His entrance to the music industry is not easy to repeat since he has always been in the entertainment industry, but I heard him talking in an interview that when he first started making music and had no fame he literally had to “fake it until he made it”. This means he made videos for marketing with expensive cars, and jewelry that he didn’t have so he can look like the “famous” rappers.
References
https://www.gq.com/story/oliver-el-khatib-drake-manager-interview
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_(musician)
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/drake-mn0001035294/discography
search;_ylt=AwrUjHgCluRhxRUAjlgXFwx.;_ylu=Y29sbwNncTEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Nj
The Marias
A) A superb vintage pop/neo-soul group formed in Los Angeles in late 2016. A nostalgic, dreamy band with elements of jazz, soul, funk, psychedelia, and lounge music, female vocalist María Zardoy and LA-based producer Josh Conway. In addition to them, the band consisted of keyboardist Edward James, guitarist Jesse Perlman, and bass Carter Lee. Now they are one of the best-selling artist in the world today.
B) It all started when Maria(singer) and Josh (Drummer) met. They hit it off right away and started writing songs, and at the same time, gathered some of their closest friends and formed a band. Initially, they started recording their first album at home, and the result was their first album, Superclean vol 1. The Marias songs were instant hit, attracting many people and making THe Marias
C) They have been touring around the world. They are also streaming their music on YouTube, apple music and Spotify. They are actively using social media to increase their fan base. They also advertise on social media. You can always listen to their songs on youtube.
D) The Marias currently have 46 upcoming concerts and the streaming service has earned a lot of listens. They have 516k subscribers on their youtube The song with the most views has 16m views, and It has been downloaded a lot on spotify.
E) They started out recording and composing songs at home. With hard work and a little talent, the possibilities are endless.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mar%C3%ADas
https://www.vogue.com/article/maria-the-marias-frontwoman-beauty
https://www.onestowatch.com/artist/the-marias
Artist case study – Pop Smoke
Biography:
Bashar Barakah Jackson, who goes by the rapper name Pop Smoke, was born in Brooklyn, NY. Bashar started his music career in late 2018 but started composing music when he was only 16. He composed his first real song that blew the media away with “Welcome to the party” and “Dior” in 2019. Bashar started to gain his connection and collabs through other music artists that heard his music and reached out to him. The types of music he created was hiphop, drill and rap. He mostly created brooklyn drill and drill in general, UK artists started to collaborate with him and reached out to him.
Bashar was signed with Republic records, and Victor Victor Worldwide. Rico Beats was his major connection that introduced him to all the record labels and helped him get signed into the two record labels mentioned.
Early life:
Bashar was born on July 20th, 1999 with his mother Audrey Jackson, and his father Greg Jackson. Bashar attended 9 different schools growing up, he grew up in the rough streets of Brooklyn and grew up in the street life. He was expelled in grade 8 for possessing a firearm and was charged with illegal possession of a firearm, later on, Bashar took on the love for basketball and moved to Philadelphia for a basketball academy. Sadly, he was forced to move back to his home town and returned back to the street life due to his father being diagnosed with heart murmur.
Bashar dropped out of highschool and decided to do music as a career, he had a unique voice that many other rap artists don’t have, his raspy deep voice was one of the reasons people turned their attention to his music. Bashar simply learnt to produce and master all his composed music himself, with the help of his friends who also had the same interest in music. He used his gang life/street life emotions into music, expressing himself through his songs. He blew up mostly by accident, again, through his unique voice. Bashar didn’t have any connections through the music industry but mostly people reaching out to him, he posted his music through soundcloud, spotify, and youtube. From there, Bashar started his music career.
Career:
During a genius interview, Jackson stated that his artist name was a combination of poppa, the name given to him by his Panamanian grandmother. And smocco guwop was a nickname from his childhood friend.
His first attempt at rapping in 2018 was during a visit to Brooklyn recording studio with Jay Gwuaop rapping over a beat. Later, Jackson befriended producer Rico Beats who was acquainted with record executive Steven Victor.
In April 2019 Jackson was signed to Victor Victor worldwide and republic records. On April 23rd, 2019 Jackson released his first single “welcome to the party” That was produced by 808 melo and many other remixes of songs were later recorded too. Jackson later released his debut mixtape “Meet the Woo” on July 26,2019. From October to December 2019. Jackson released multiple singles including “War” with Lil Tjay and “100k on a calboy”
December 27th, 2019 Jackson appeared on Travis Scott’s Cactus Jack Records compilation album “Jackboys” on the song “Gatti” which also had a music video. Later Gatti made its debut on the Billboard hot 100 in 69 places. Giving Jackson his first billboard appearance.
Some of his other songs he released were “Christopher Walking”, his second mixtape “meet the woo 2” featuring Quavo and Boogie with da hoodie, Fivio Foreign and Lil Tjay. His second mixtape debuted 7th on the US billboard 200 earring Jackson’s his first top 10 hits in the US, five days later after its release.
Legacy:
Bashar made a huge impact in the music industry with the introduction of drill, drill has been out for awhile but didn’t blow away the industry more than what Bashar did. He made most of his money through concerts, music contracts, media links that played him and of course the illegal money through his gang life. Bashar was a crip member who was affiliated with the biggest gangs in the states.
One of the biggest impacts through the youth that he showed was his hard work for music, turning his emotions and uniqueness through music, well though many artists did the same, again, he blew the industry with the big introduction with drill. Though Bashars entrance in the music industry is a one time entrance but can somewhat be repeated.
Sadly Bashar, Pop Smoke, passed away from a home invasion back in February 19th, 2020. He was found dead in his home and was shot multiple times. Bashars death impacted the youth, he was an upcoming drill legend in Brooklyn, his music career only lasted for 3 years. His death was solved, from him being a part of gang affiliates, Bashar was killed by his own best friend who was jealous of his fame and money. Although he passed away, Bashar has many archive songs that are slowly being released from time to time. For now Bashar, Pop Smoke, is known as the legend of Brooklyn drill.
Bibliography:
https://www.hiphopscriptures.com/pop-smoke
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pop_Smoke
https://www.republicrecords.com/artists/pop-smoke
Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oorVWW9ywG0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo5hepNudl0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usu0XY4QNB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9pjm4cNsfc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSdAWQziQ8I
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
Biography:
IDKHOW started in 2016 consisting of lead vocals, bass, guitar, synthesisers, piano, ukulele, glockenspiel, programming, production Dallon Weekes with drummer, percussion, backing vocals Ryan Seaman and Anthony Purpura guitar and backing vocals joining in 2021. They are based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They’ve signed with Fearless Records.
Beginnings:
Before IDKHOW Dallon Weekes and Ryan Seaman were longtime friends who had worked together in the past. Seaman joined Weekes’ former band The Brobecks in 2008 and played drums for Weekes’ solo projects. Weekes had been writing and recording songs for several years while on the road with Panic! at the Disco. Seaman performed drums on these songs, which eventually became their debut EP 1981 Extended Play, and Weekes proposed that they present themselves as a duo.
Management:
They are managed through Fearless Records where they sell merchandise and sell tickets for tours. They also manage their own website where they have a music store selling vinyls and a merch store selling shirts etc.
Longevity:
IDKHOW have toured six times and have an upcoming tour starting Jan 18. They have 529k subs on youtube
Repeatable:
I believe that it is because they started out with a small band and soon moved to a bigger band to then star by themselves.
References:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Dont_Know_How_But_They_Found_Me
https://www.youtube.com/c/IDONTKNOWHOWBUTTHEYFOUNDME