Billie Eilish: How a teenager dominated the competitive music industry.
Image, competition, and the pursuit of popularity. It’s no secret that it is notoriously difficult to ‘make it’ in the American music industry, yet, Billie Eilish seamlessly rose to the height of stardom, before reaching the tender age of 16.
Much of Eilish’s success can be attributed to her talent and the ‘unique’ and ‘dream-like’ quality of her voice. However, it is ultimately Eilish’s unique social media presence, that has made her ‘make it,’ in an industry that is oversaturated with talent.
Does an Artist’s ‘Brand’ Matter?
Most mass media industries have shifted their marketing strategies in recent years, to respond to the engagement that consumers have in digital technology developments. In the music industry, the more an artist interacts with their fan base, using online platforms, the more connected fans feel to the person behind the music — ultimately giving the artist greater prospects in their pursuit of popularity.
The music industry is a business, (a very lucrative one at that!) and the priority of every business is to sell their products/services, to maximise their profits. As crude as it may sound, artists are the ‘products’ that a record label must sell to their consumers. An artist can appeal to consumers through their brand. Some even argue that an artist’s brand is more important than their music because without it, people wouldn’t engage in their content. Millions of people actively engage in Eilish’s content, and the singer’s brand is largely the reason for this.
Instagram.
Eilish is a visual artist, who uses fashion to express her artistry. When asked about her style, she has said, ‘I’m just trying to make people look at me.’ Well, Eilish’s aesthetic has certainly turned some heads! Her oversized streetwear is the antithesis of the typical ‘look’ of other pop stars, who are often hyper-sexualised to appeal to consumers. This has both grabbed the attention of her fanbase and established Eilish’s unique brand. Baggy clothes have become popular over the last decade, so Eilish adopting this trend has quickly gained her notoriety with her 108 million Instagram followers. More importantly, fans connect to Eilish’s style because she is ‘flipping the idea of beauty,’ and giving them the ‘courage’ to dress comfortably, in turn.
YouTube.
Eilish understands the importance of being fun and relatable, to her audience. She uses her presence on YouTube to showcase her personality, predominantly through her interviews. Unique concepts like her Vanity Fair, ‘Same Interview’ series, have amassed 174 million views and allows fans to watch Eilish’s emotional growth. Gen Z’ers value how open Eilish is with her emotions because they can see themselves in her — the key to relatability. The singer also doesn’t take herself too seriously and finds humour in most situations. Fans have compiled her ‘funny moments’ on YouTube and shared them via various fan accounts, making her charisma increasingly popular.
The success that Eilish’s brand has ushered in, can teach us all a lesson about ‘making it’ in the music industry. Talent + brand and popularity = success!
