Being Heard as an Artist is More than Just the Music
In this article, we will be taking a look into the lives of four different groups. We will be evaluating how these groups began their rise to stardom and how they’ve established, or attempted to establish, themselves. We will also be evaluating the styles of the artists and how they’re similar to one another, but also how they are different. We sent each of our editors out to trace the history of a new and emerging artist.
Us the Duo
Us the Duo is an up-and-coming Folk Pop duo that originated in Los Angeles, California. The two members, Michael and Clarissa Alvarado, met on-scene of a music video in February of 2011 and were married by April of 2012. Their story is a unique one in that Michael is actually from Carrboro, North Carolina and was just in California for a few days to help a friend with a music video. When he got back to North Carolina, though, he somehow knew he was going to marry this girl and ended up moving to California a short time later — all of this background information is relevant, I promise. After moving to California, Michael and Clarissa somehow crossed paths again and they soon began dating (without knowing that either one had actual musical talent). In a crazy turn of events, they both came across each other’s YouTube pages and were absolutely blown away, only to begin writing music together.
The beginning was hard, though, as Us was trying to find out how to make it big. Their initial videos were liked, obviously, but just couldn’t gain enough of a foothold to make it big. The group eventually caught a break by being re-vined by popular Viner Jerome Jarre. Jarre had over 4.5 million followers at the time and a video of Us the Duo singing began to gain traction. Buzzfeed started to become interested, and a month and a half later the duo gained a spot on Good Morning America. Just like that, Us the Duo was up and running with a very promising career path! Republic Records was quick to catch their rise and signed them onto a deal without hesitation.
Us the Duo has certainly been a popular story as they are the first group to gain fame from this app specifically, but gaining popularity from apps or other internet resources is not new by any means. Another artist, Kehlani showcased this by releasing her album on Soundcloud and having it receive more than a million plays in the first twenty-four hours. Soulja Boy also opened up the internet to musical sensations around 2005 with their hits being released on YouTube and made popular around the world.
Another thing to take into account with these internet sensations is, who is their target market? Each of these artists; Us the Duo, Kehlani, Soulja Boy, all are targeting a younger and inevitably more “hip” target market. The reason for this being, the popularity gained through this medium is taken advantage of mostly by teenagers and young adults. They use whatever app seems most convenient to them and they happen to see whatever pops up on their screen. If it’s not through app, there still isn’t much room to maneuver for the up-and-coming artists. These booms in popularity require the ideal circumstances, mainly being the right avenues for being exposed and the right timing of exposure. If these artists are popping up on the screens of kids and young adults all across the country, it is almost inevitable that those who are talented enough will be seen by someone. This is just what happened in the case of Us the Duo, they got noticed, and sometimes that’s all it takes.
Twenty One Pilots
Twenty One Pilots is one of those groups you either know or you don’t. To the alternative-loving audience member, the duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun is nothing short of the next big thing in music; comparable to the folk-pop duo, Us the Duo. Twenty One Pilots’ combination of rap, piano, and techno backbeats makes for a stimulating listening experience.
Then there are those completely unfamiliar with band, assuming Twenty One Pilots is just some collection of individuals in charge of controlling an aircraft. Internet music publication, Stereogum, accurately describes Twenty One Pilots as “the biggest band you’ve never heard of.” While the recent emerging duo has proved exceedingly successful among their fan base and the Billboard charts, the talent, let alone the existence, of Twenty One Pilots remains unknown to so many. Us the Duo stands in a similar situation. While their fame has appeared immense within their fan base, Us the Duo remains rather unknown on an international level. The question is why? How do groups such as Twenty One Pilots and Us the Duo become so successful in particular areas of the music industry, yet continue to be nameless to a majority of the fan base population? Joseph and Dun started out with nothing but a “grassroots” audience, consisting of merely those within their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. The duo’s fame gradually flourished through music festival appearances, radio debuts, and Internet/social media exposure. Eventually Twenty One Pilots signed with Fueled By Ramen, a record label that introduced the world to many notorious bands such as Fall Out Boy, Paramore, and Fun.
With Fueled By Ramen being associated with such huge names in music, you can not help but wonder why is Twenty One Pilots still so unknown? In fact, the group recently came out with a #1 album, Blurryface, yet continues to go unrecognized by such a large portion of listeners. The answer lies within their fan base. As mentioned, the group expanded their popularity through music festivals, radio debuts, and the power of the Internet. Similarly, Us the Duo tends to only utilize a small range of resources, such as sites like Vine and Buzzfeed, in order to promote themselves. In this situation, only a portion of potential audience members are being reached; specifically those preferring the alternative music genre.
So far, it seems as if Twenty One Pilots is primarily reaching out to an alternative audience because their label and listeners have designated them as an alternative music group. However, the music of Twenty One Pilots is so unique that it can hardly be classified under a single genre. With this being said, the group is undoubtedly capable of reaching an even broader audience. The music of Twenty One Pilots is a convergence of various sounds and styles, allowing their particular sound to appeal to a variety of individuals. Likewise, Us the Duo has covers ranging from Space Jam to Calvin Harris to Taylor Swift. Both groups have styles that would likely appeal to more than a single fan base. Have a preference for rap? Twenty One Pilots has that covered. Like a little piano tribute thrown in here and there? Upbeat tempos? Significant lyrics with deep, underlying meanings? Twenty One Pilots is the band for you.
Twenty One Pilots has the definite potential to become as renowned as fellow Fueled By Ramen groups like Fall Out Boy or Paramore. It is all a matter of how significantly they extend their fan base. Such a unique music style enhances the potential to engage a wider range of listeners with varying musical preferences. An increase in such an audience could be key in the rise of Twenty One Pilots.
Whether you a first-time or fairly religious listener of Twenty One Pilots, it is clear that their music is one-of-a-kind. However, apart from the sound itself, it is the profound meaning behind the lyrics that makes this group so extraordinary. Unlike most pop music today, focusing solely on rhyming words against a catchy tune, Twenty One Pilots’ lyrics are introspective. Do not let the upbeat tempos fool you, a large majority of the lyrics written by the group focus on depression and the internal struggles faced.
“Sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head.” Migraine
“I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink, but now I’m insecure and care what people think.” Stressed Out
“I’m forced to deal with what I feel, there is no distraction to mask what is real.” Car Radio
In regards to their most recent album, Blurryface focuses on the concept of the “war that rages inside.” While some could view the lyrics as dark and dispiriting, many see it as truthful and refreshing. Issues such as depression are not commonly addressed so explicitly within music. However, the manner in which Twenty One Pilots approaches such a topic is not meant to be vulgar, but expose an internal struggle. Perhaps, aside from the music itself, this is what makes the duo standout among the rest.
They address such a “touchy” subject that most artists tend to ignore; in fact, Blurryface moved 146,000 units in its first week, debuting at the top of the Billboard 200. Similarly, Us the Duo connects to their audience through the emotion behind the lyrics. Their first album, Us, is a testament to how the duo met, fell in love, and consequently started a music career. The whole album is a story. The rapid rise to fame of both Twenty One Pilots and Us the Duo can certainly be attributed to the music itself, but the significance and relevance of their lyrics is something that too can not be ignored.
Twenty One Pilots and Us the Duo seem to be stuck in the same boat. Amazing music with significant lyrics that are recognized by a fan base, just not to the extent that it should be. Both groups are categorized as alternative artists, however, they must take pride in the fact that they are so much more than that in order to expand their audience. Each group brings more to the table than just an alternative sound. A far greater fan base can be reach than simply those with a preference for alternative music. Twenty One Pilots and Us the Duo certainly have the potential to become well-known artists, the world just has not caught up to them yet.
Halsey
Due to the growth of social media, the fans are getting music at an all time high, music is coming faster, going in and out of ears quicker than ever, but same seem to break the mold and make it. YouTube has been the leading factor in most of the achievements, but thanks to Twitter, Tumblr, and even SoundCloud, we’re getting to see the artists in all sorts of light. 2015 may have been hectic, but one name to remember is Halsey.
“I’m 20, but I feel 40” says Halsey, wearing pink shades and a baseball hat that reads “I have to get rich… We’re all gonna die”. “Something about the success, I guess” as she sits hung-over.
Born in New Jersey, she is no stranger to the music scene, she’s been playing violin, viola, and cello since middle school and has been playing the guitar since age 14. At age 18, she had reached one rock of a bottom after being heavy into drugs and partying. After one last financial struggle, she decided music was her only way out and she began to play numerous acoustic shows in different cities under various names. Finally she chose Halsey, an anagram of her real name and a street in Brooklyn where she spent a lot of time as a teenager.
Things began to change when she started to post videos on YouTube in 2012, slowly but surely she began to write her own material and posted her work on SoundCloud in 2014. She met a man named Lido and soon they became an item, not only emotionally but also musically. He began to be her producer for her EP, helping her land a record deal with Astralwerks and soon releasing her debut EP “Room 93”
With the help of the record label, she landed an act as an opener for the The Kooks in late 2014, which helped her fan base grow steadily. In the early spring of 2015, she had a gig at South by Southwest, which tends to be the biggest gig for up and coming acts. It just so happened that Halsey was the most talked about person on Twitter. Halsey continued to grow through March and April co-headlining a tour and supporting Imagine Dragons in their tour.
By this time, it was obvious to see that Halsey was going to be the next one up, she was all over Twitter, Instagram, and even Tumblr, social media picked her up ridiculously quick, and rightfully so, because her music was impeccable.
Her debut album, Badlands, released on August 28th and sold 115,000 copies in the first week, which is beyond incredible. Now on her fall tour, she says that every bit of this is a surprise. “It’s not weird until your fall headlining tour sells out in a day” She doesn’t understand it as much as any of us do, but we know something is being done right.
She is a product of the social media age, where followers make the difference and where here connections are all from the web, but the kids love her, and they love her a lot. “I put so much of myself out there and make myself so accessible that sometimes I fear I make myself too accessible” she claims as she chain smokes Marlboro 27s. “I’m giving so much of myself now that there’s going to be a point where there’s nothing left to give”.
Just barely turning 21 a month ago, Halsey stands at the attention of a sold out crowd in Webster Hall, Oct. 22. “My name is Halsey, but I’m not who you guys came here to see.” Even then, that really doesn’t feel that true.
Kehlani
Kehlani Parrish is a 20 year old singer from Oakland California who has had a rough start in life but has made her a very strong artist. The talented singer would have been put into a foster home if it were not for her aunt who was willing to take her in. this is due to the fact that at a young age Kehlani’s father was shot and killed while trying to rob someone’s house when she was one or two years old and her mother was in and out of jail and running from the police.
In 2011, when Kehlani was 16 years old, the group appeared on the show America’s Got Talent. Poplyfe made it to 4th place which was just one place short of earning prize money. After America’s got Talent, the group parted ways and Kehlani was no longer as focused on music.
Before becoming a solo artist, she was put into a rapping group by Nick Cannon, he later realized rap and the group were not for her. Cannon ended up setting up a place for Kehlani to stay and gave her studio time in addition to that. Kehlani signed with Atlantic records in 2014. Kehlani had associating acts with G-easy, PartyNextDoor, Chance the Rapper, and her old group Poplyfe.
Kehlani’s first mix-tape Cloud 19 was ranked 38 in Complex’s 50 best albums of 2015. The majority of her songs on this mix-tape seemed to be based on love. Her song, “Till the Morning”, was chosen by Billboard as one of the “Emerging Picks of the Weeks” on November 7, 2014. In April 2015, she released her second mix-tape, You Should Be Here, which reached #2 on the Billboard R&B charts. Kehlani was named one of the “15 Artists to Watch in 2015” by Complex. She was also named one of the “10 Artists You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone. Billboard called Kehlani’s mixtape You Should Be Here the first great R&B album of 2015.
Kehlani’s second mix-tape, You Should Be Here, got over a million plays on SoundCloud within the first 24 hours of being released. This mix-tape took a very different approach than Cloud 19. Many of the songs in You Should Be Here showed a stronger, daring, and more independent approach which is very appropriate; although Kehlani is has a loving personality, the artist definitely gives off those traits in her own personality. She also is not afraid of using profanity in her music and everyday speech.
Kehlani prides her music on the quality of the sound and lyrics, she stated that she has no intention on having the main objective of making hit songs for the purpose of making a lot of money as she believes many artists do today. This very statement is clear in the majority of her music. She writes about very real and sometimes specific experiences. What I find to be so special about her music is although her songs are very personalized to her life they manage to closely relate to her fans which may very well be the reason why her fans are so loyal to Kehlani. Her back story, her music, and her courage to be very much uncensored about her music is what makes her a very unique artist.
Kehlani remains very present on social media with twitter @kehlanimusic and Instagram account @kehlani along with her consistent and frequent use of Snapchat @kehlanitsunami. She is currently on tour in California and will soon be touring out of the country in Paris, Sweden, Germany, and London during the months of November and December. Tour dates and information can be found on her website.
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