Artist and viral video sensation Bryan J: Marketing, connecting and becoming a star in the new era of the music industry

In this interview, Redzone and Island/Def Jam distributed artist Bryan J discusses his success with social media. Bryan has enjoyed visibility from millions of views of his YouTube videos, and is looking to parlay that into a lasting career within the new era of the music industry. Having recently been signed to the label by Grammy award winning producer and songwriter C. “Tricky” Stewart (Blu Cantrell, Brittany Spears, Janet Jackson, and Celine Dion), Bryan understands the value maintaining relationships with fans. Not only does he accomplish this through various online social media platforms such as Twitter and Ustream, but he also makes it a point to perform live as much as possible. Besides attaining the attention of fans with new media hit videos for his songs, including “Let Me Take You Out,” he also maintains their attention by posting videos expressing his everyday thoughts. In many ways, his online activities have become a variation of a reality show that he creates and controls without the need of a television network.

Bryan is eager to explain the importance for artists to appreciate their fans and display this not only through direct communication, but also by cultivating those connections through regular interaction. However, ultimately, it’s his voice and talent as a performer that will get their attention in the first place. In this discussion, Bryan also shares his thoughts on the state of music and its perceived value among the Millennial Generation. He’s optimistic that despite the current industry environment of declining music sales, he will be able to continue on his path to the top of the music industry. -Israel Vasquetelle

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