Nahre Sol - an inspiration

1. Identify an arts icon whom you respect and admire. Linking back to specific insights gained in the lessons under the theme ‘Marketing and Production’.

a. what are some publicity and marketing strategies that your chosen arts icon employs? b. How would you adapt these strategies for yourself at the present moment?

An artist who I admire is Nahre Sol, who is widely known for her engaging videos on her Youtube Channel. As of this post, she has 549K subscribers on Youtube, which showcases her popularity in on the internet.

I would like to highlight a few publicity/marketing strategies she has employed to promote herself and her brand.

#1 She has a strong social media presence.

Already as a content creator on various social media platforms, she has redefined the role of a classical musician to be only confined to professional album recordings or concert halls, where being a musician is not just about playing music but also knowing how to share it in an interesting manner. Using social media allows masses of people from all over the world to get access to her work. She maintains an active presence on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, where she shares her music, teaching, and personal insights. She also engages with her followers by responding to comments and questions, which helps to build a community around her brand.

#2 She collaborates with other artists to expand her connections

Nahre Sol collaborates with other musicians and content creators to expand her reach and attract new audiences. For example, she has collaborated with other musician Youtubers such as Adam Neely (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABQ_0ys3It0), David Bruce (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWDITMZW1XE) and many more, discussing various topics and bringing each of their audiences together.

#3 Her brand’s content is creative and entertaining

Most of her content is posted on her Youtube channel, where she posts music arrangements, interviews, video challenges etc. Thus, her brand does not just revolve around her musical artistry but also her own personality as a content creator. For example, she talks about what real-world skills are required as a musician in this video, citing many personal experiences and advice, covering the topics of context, finances, management, pedagogy, practicing, life and decisions. (7 REAL-World Skills I Wish I Learned in Music Schoolhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDjI8iphbhU&t=0s).

As for her music content, they are often creative because she rearranges classical music into new styles and also includes many visual aids which enhance the viewer experience.

#4 She gains revenues not just from videos but also selling her compositions/arrangements in these videos to increase her source of income

On her website, she has a “STORE” page, selling her original compositions and arrangements. I think this is a great way to promote herself as people who buy and play her music are also doing an indirect form of publicity for her.

#5 She also has a membership club on Patreon to allow fans to receive access to exclusive content

The separation between public content and exclusive content on Patreon allows her to charge for certain content and thus increase her revenue.

#6 She is a frequent live performer

Nahre Sol performs live concerts and events, which helps to increase her visibility and credibility as a musician. She also participates in music festivals and competitions, which can lead to press coverage and media exposure.

For example, her website showcases the upcoming dates of her performances, where audiences who may not necessarily come from her social media content would also get access to her and might eventually follow her online too.

How would I apply these strategies to myself at the present moment?

While I must admit that many of these strategies require a certain level of expertise in order to be as successful as Nahre Sol, I think I can apply some of them at a smaller scale. For example, collaborating with other artists is especially important to bring different groups of audience together to garner more support. I will make a conscious effort to take up collaborative work with my peers in YST or even other artists/musicians outside, so that we can expand our reach. I would really like to work in interdisciplinary settings such as combining music and dance/visual arts/drama/musuems together so that audiences from both areas can come together.

As for social media content, I am not someone who would post online regularly. However, I am quite interested to create educational videos like her once I have a gained a certain level of expertise on my musical skills. I really like how she uses different visual aids, clear shots and simple explanations to bring her message across, so I would try that if I am to create my own videos.

As I am also interesting in composing and arranging, I may also consider selling my work online if I am comfortable with doing that one day.