The music industry is always changing and has been impacted heavily by technology and social media. There are not many people who have a firm grasp on how to successfully build a following on the internet, but 19-year-old Harvard graduate Ryan Leslie is one of them. Through his text-based marketing application Superphone, which allows artists to send mass texts to their audience, Leslie garnered the support of 15,000 fans. Although a small following compared to those of associated acts such as Kanye West, Chris Brown, Cassie, Fabolous, and Rick Ross, Leslie earned over 2 million dollars in a one album cycle. This is a huge revenue stream, especially when considering how much more Leslie will be able to pocket due to him being independently signed.
Leslie also provides 1,000 fans with a song every for subscribing to an exclusive list that he approves of. Contrary to many public figures, who hide their phone numbers and keep communication to a minimum, Leslie encourages fans to text him, and even gave out his phone number to anyone who wants to reach him. As a Grammy-nominated producer and well-respected creative director, Leslie is not only changing the music game, but also created a new way for creators to market to fans with Superphone. These are just the first projects of a young entrepreneur with a lot of potential.
Great post, I love the way Leslie has thought of changing the music industry. He’s shown he’s very personable and that’s huge as a public figure. His text-based marketing is a great way to reach listeners.