Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and other streaming services all have dedicated emerging-artist programs, so why would YouTube Music be any different?
Ahead of its launch this week, the service has announced details of its Artist on the Rise initiative. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it’s already a section on YouTube’s ‘Trending’ tab, serving up three tracks a week from new artists.
However, what was announced on Friday is a monthly program which will “promote a diverse lineup of music’s most important new voices across all genres, connecting them with fans worldwide through in-product promotion and programming, out-of-home, social and fan events at YouTube Spaces”.
So, a fully-fledged artist-development scheme, akin to Spotify’s ‘RISE’ and Deezer’s ‘NEXT’. The first to benefit from YouTube’s version will be Colombian-Canadian artist Jessie Reyez – “signed to Island / FMLY and known for her smoky voice, outspoken lyrics and soulful R&B hooks” as YouTube put it.
She has already won a Juno award for Breakthrough Artist in Canada, and has nearly 280,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…