Indie Musician Keeley Valentino Finds Uses Of Music Tech That “Feel Organic and Natural”
These days, as an artist builds her team and finds people to work with, she should be sure to find someone whose skillset includes the ability to recognize appropriate web and mobile tools and platforms that fit the artist and support connecting directly with fans. Keeley Valentino seems to have found that match with Charles Alexander and Outside the Box Music who handle Valentino's management and marketing. Together they've explored creative uses of Instagram for music videos, concert crowdfunding through Rabbl and even direct investment in her work.
Charles Alexander of Outside The Box Music wrote about Keeley Valentino's first Instagram video project last year after Instagram introduced video. The results can be seen below:
Keeley Valentino – Don't Forget Me Tennessee
This year Alexander and Valentino are back with a more participatory Instagram music video app for the song "Little Things."
As Nate Rau at The Tennessean explains:
"Valentino's fans submit short videos on the social networking site to create a crowd sourced real-time evolving music video. By adding the hashtag #keeleyvideo, their submissions automatically flow into a master video for Valentino's new single 'Little Things.' The app was built with the help of ShepMedia."
Rau also notes Valentino's use of Rabbl to test demand for a concert and then continue in presales mode.
In addition he mentions what is probably the most radical move, depending on your thinking:
"Outside the Box and Valentino went a step further and used a model more common for a Silicon Valley startup by offering investors a percentage stake in future revenue she generates on her new project."
Though Rau doesn't go into more detail this element is the least developed of the options Valentino's pursuing. How such deals are structured and how they ultimately do over time are worth closer examination.
Keeley Valentino and Charles Alexander seem to have found a good working relationship. Alexander emphasizes connecting Keeley with her fans through projects like the participatory Instagram video.
And Valentino seems satisified with his approach stating that it "works really well for me because it's important for it to feel organic and natural as possible."
Of course, good working relationships, though precious, can be found everywhere. Perhaps more important in this case is to recognize that technology can be used in ways that "feel organic and natural" when direct connections between artist and fan are emphasized.
[Thumbnail image cover of Keeley Valentino's self-titled EP.]
Hypebot Senior Contributor Clyde Smith (@fluxresearch) recently launched DanceLand. Send news about music tech startups and services, DIY music biz and music marketing to: clyde(at)fluxresearch(dot)com.
Clyde,
Thank you for this well written article. I hope what doesn’t get lost in this whole thing is that Keeley Valentino is a wonderful, authentic artist with an incredible sense of self. Everything we did was to serve that!
Warm regards,
Charles