Bills: September 2014

My artist in a fictitious music magazine

Cover

Contents

Double page spread

Artist Profile

Name: Corinne Bills
Stage name: Bills
Age: 18
Occupation: Singer/songwriter
Appearance: Natural, ginger hair, indie clothing
Personality: Sweet, charming, charismatic
Leisure/hobbies: Reading, embroidering
Ambition: To become a successful, highly regarded singer/songwriter
Fears: Failure and excitable fans
Family: Mother owns an embroidery shop, father is an accountant
Past/secret: Spends a lot of her time procrastinating
Style of music: Indie/alternative

Audience Profiles

Name: Jess Adams

Age: 18

Interests: Music, art and photography, blogging, going to concerts with friends.

Brands they like: Converse, Vans,The Quietus, Soundcloud, BB Records, Cheap Monday, The Stool Pigeon, Rough Trade.

Occupation: She works in clothing retail which provides her with disposable income. She is a full-time art student so some of her money goes to supplies.

Fashion: She likes to wear skinny jeans with a pair of Converse or boots. She has a large selection of checked shirts and knitted jumpers that look like they belong to her granddad. She likes to complete her outfits with a hat from her collection. Her favourite shirt is a Victorian blouse.

Image: http://thedesignfiles.net/2013/10/new-kids-on-the-blog-brooke-holm/

Name: Luke Holden

Age: 18

Interests: Collecting curios, his band, music, meeting new people at alternative night clubs.

Brands they like: Pitchfork, Drowned in Sound, Uniqlo, American Apparel,

Occupation: He works in a vintage store as a sales assistant, spending most of his wages on second hand instruments for his band.

Fashion: Always seen in skinny jeans with a clashing pattern shirt/jumper. Only owns one pair of shoes that aren't brogues.

Image: https://41.media.tumblr.com/b9bf7a15bfcc63b62d0ca9c022f46185/tumblr_n0skkm8FAf1qj202qo1_500.jpg

Audience Research

UK Tribes Prediction Of My Target Audience
'Indie Scensters'

"Spending hours trawling through records, Indie Scenesters have their fingers on the pulse on the current artists du jour…

Indie Scenesters are dedicated to finding the newest music, exploring all avenues to get there – online, print, record shops, club nights and word of mouth. Staying ahead of the curve is a must, but it’s borne out of a genuine love for music – and this is what separates them from those more fickle dabblers and dilettantes, the Hipsters. For Indie Scenesters, there’s nothing better than discovering new artists and spreading the love.

Guitar music has seen its cool usurped by the rise in electronic-synth based music in recent years, and Indie Scenesters have broadened their musical tastes as a result. It’s no longer just about indie rock bands like Vampire Weekend – Indie Scenesters have embraced experimental, genre-blending artists like Four Tet. Yet, the Indie Scenester approach remains the same – it’s about championing independent artists rather than a specific genre, especially before the masses get in on the act.

Potentially having their own music blogs and club nights (or at least dreaming of it), Indie Scenesters are more concerned with building up their vinyl collections than conspicuous consumerism. The sounds of the moment are ever changing, but currently include Youth Lagoon, Beach House, Animal Collective, Kendrick Lamar and John Talabot, as well as old favourites like Caribou and Thom Yorke.

Boys and girls are rocking similar looks – skinny jeans, vintage and Converse/Vans. Their high street staples focus around the functional and unisex – Uniqlo, Cheap Mondays and American Apparel".

Taken from UK Tribes- http://www.uktribes.com/tribes/indie-scenesters

Brands

Media

Spotting Indie Scenesters

This Tribe are major players, and they know it. Oozing confidence, bordering on arrogance, they are obvious and unapologetic about their passion for living in the moment; unconcerned with anything but listening to their iPods and getting drunk...

Influenced by using ‘music as a fashion accessory’ this Tribe are motivated by being ahead of the curve (and their rival Leading Edge Tribes) on all the latest trends. This makes Indie Scenesters unpredictable, as fashion in every sense of the word becomes recyclable in this Tribe. True Indie Scenesters aren’t obsessed with brands in the conventional sense–well maybe a few (including Converse, Rough Trade and Vans) but they’re fashion leaders rather than followers, wearing anything from plain dark jeans and a V-neck one day to bright neons the next.

And in authentic Indie Scenester spirit they have a tendency to follow only a handful of bands at once. This is not to say the Tribe would abandon their Indie Scenester influences if a band made it to the big time, but they continually reinvent the Tribe by embracing new music and sacrificing appearance for small, sweaty, intimate venues where the best music originates.

They enjoy mainstream festivals, but opt for smaller gigs (mud baths) rather than those offering VIP tickets and hair straightening facilities. You will most likely find them rocking to new sounds at the intimate Shambala Festival in Northamptonshire, Symmetry Festival in Peterborough or Field Day at Victoria Park in London. This Tribe are dedicated to their musical roots and unmoved by the rise to success; even if they treat music magazine NME like the Holy Grail.

Inspired by fresh, unsigned acts, this Tribes presence is felt everywhere. Online communities such as drownedinsound.com pave the way for discussion and discovery outside the conventional top 40 and Indie Scenesters are not afraid to be heard. Many write opinionated blogs representing contemporary elements of a temporary scene. They stand united and they stand out. Read at your peril.

Ultimate Guitar Forum

From UK Tribes: Spotting Indie Scenesters- https://www.uktribes.com/articles/spotting-indie-scenesters

To conclude... (Note: This is a generalisation)

My target audience will be aged between 17 and 25 years. Their hobbies will most likely include going to music festivals, keeping a blog, finding new music from unsigned artists, drinking, and spending a considerable amount of time immersing themselves in music. They will maybe see themselves as a creative individual, with something about them that makes them distinguished from other people; a special snowflake.

In terms of music taste, they will listen to a range of artists, from Vampire Weekend to Kendrick Lamar. They will search anywhere and everywhere to discover the latest artists, then will report their findings to other alternative music lovers. As their musical tastes are broadening all the time, experimental, genre blending and synth based music is becoming increasingly popular with my target audience. As 'Indie Scenesters', my audience's passion for music makes them an ideal target group for a music video- they will be more likely to watch music videos than some other target audiences.

When it comes to fashion, my audience will wear items from independent clothing companies or pieces that you will not see anybody else wearing. While indie is quite a niche genre, some of the audience will wear clothes that are stereotypical indie clothes, popular among many people who wish to stand out from the crowd, yet blend in because so many people are wearing these 'so indie it is no longer indie' clothes.

Vintage items will surely make an appearance in an indie scenester's wardrobe, along with waistcoats, band t-shirts, ties, often checked shirts with knitted jumpers, but clothing that could be considered 'wacky' may also feature. There will be a pair of Converse shoes in there somewhere. The fashion is very versatile; from smart outfits (an unusual shirt and skinny jeans that look somewhat formal), to clothing that could get you mistaken for a homeless person.

Genre Research

My chosen genre

The genre I have chosen for my music video is indie, including variations of indie music, such as 'indie rock' and other 'alternative' music. I have chosen this genre as it is one of my favourites and I admire not only the sounds of songs in this genre, but other factors such as the fashion and the images the artists project of themselves because it is often unusual and creative.

'Indie' is short for 'independent', which relates to the idea of diverting away from mainstream culture; being unique or anti-conformist. Indie music originates from bands that made their music independently as they could not gain financial support to have a major record label.

These days, being indie is more focused on being different or standing out. The irony of this is that 'being indie' has become a mainstream concept.

Many audiences have been influenced by indie culture for the rebellious nature of the genre appeals to individuals.

The bands that have inspired me to chose this genre have been labelled indie/alternative by Wikipedia.

Fashion

Indie clothing is basically 'not what everyone else is wearing', though in reality the clothes are mass produced and the wearer will not be the only one wearing them.

Typical pieces of clothing associated with being indie are waistcoats, band t-shirts, ties, and clothing that appears to be vintage.

Converse and plimsolls are popular indie footwear choices.

Here is Passion Pit sporting the latest in 'indie clothing': a knitted jumper, a cardigan, a checked shirt, and not one but two pairs of 'hipster' glasses. Indie.

Wikipedia categorises Passion Pit as indietronica, synthpop, alternative dance, indie pop, house.

This is The xx who are unlike most mainstream artists when it comes to how they dress. While a lot of artists will wear 'random' clothes every time they perform, The xx always wear black, which sets them apart from other artists.

Wikipedia categorises The xx as indie pop, dream pop.

Album covers

The album art of indie bands is often colourful, arty, and unusual, making it interesting to look at. It is 'quirky' compared to mainstream album covers, standing out due to the sheer abnormality that piques the interest of individuals.