Russ talks possession, fan engagement and ‘making music each day’ at SXSW
In June 2015, US rapper Russ made $600 from his music. In June 2016, precisely 12 months later, with no label and no main label advertising and marketing finances, he made $100,000 in a single month. The one distinction was time, and the 200 songs he had launched by then.
Russ (born Russell James Vitale) has launched music via TuneCore for 15 years. He was signed with Columbia Information from 2017 to 2020, however returned to independence thereafter. He owns a report label and collective known as DIEMON, which stands for “Do It Each Day Music Or Nothing.”
Talking with Andreea Gleeson (TuneCore’s former CEO) throughout a keynote at SXSW in Austin final week (March 18), the American rapper, singer, songwriter, producer and best-selling writer stated: “We had been doing it each day. Actually each day. That was the behavior. Making music each day.”
Gleeson described Russ because the definition of a multi-hyphenate — an artist, songwriter and producer. Addressing the artist, Gleeson stated, “You may have been charting with the music that you simply’ve been releasing and infrequently are the one impartial artist sitting on the highest charts just like the Billboard 200 in a sea of main report label releases, which is simply so unbelievable.”
Gleeson stated artists right now are constructing their very own careers and proudly owning their music. “So many instances if you would signal these report label offers, you’d hand over possession, or for a time frame, and so forth… Artists 1774777456 are constructing a a lot completely different, deeper understanding of each the inventive and enterprise facet, which is form of making them a bit of bit harmful, as a result of after they sit throughout tables to barter, they know rather more.”
“Artists 1774777456 are constructing a a lot completely different, deeper understanding of each the inventive and enterprise facet, which is form of making them a bit of bit harmful, as a result of after they sit throughout tables to barter, they know rather more.”
Andreea Gleeson
About two months in the past, Russ turned the second-highest RIAA-certified impartial rapper in historical past. His most up-to-date album, W!LD, debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the indie chart, No. 2 in rap, and No. 3 in general album gross sales, in keeping with Gleeson. All copies had been signed by Russ himself, offered immediately via his personal web site, highlighting the significance of direct relationships with followers.
“Even signing the vinyl — and I signed myself, all 18,000 or 20,000, no matter it was. And you understand, it’s exhausting. It’s a lot bodily work. However it’s like each single a kind of is an actual particular person. In order that was the reminder that was simply actually unjading for me, as a result of I’m sitting there signing all these vinyl.
“There’s actual folks behind these feedback, behind these DMs, behind these numbers. And signing the vinyl with my hand and doing the in-person activations — it simply makes it actual.”
Russ defined that going direct-to-fan isn’t nearly having a store on an artist’s web site, but in addition about years of genuinely speaking to followers — Discord periods, Instagram group chats, FaceTimes, responding to DMs.
“The flexibility to even promote direct to followers is as a result of there’s a direct-to-fan relationship there. I’m not simply an artist posting on Instagram and hoping that individuals purchase my stuff. You must actually create that bond.
Russ
“The flexibility to even promote direct to followers is as a result of there’s a direct-to-fan relationship there. I’m not simply an artist posting on Instagram and hoping that individuals purchase my stuff. You must actually create that bond. You must create that relationship. And it’s one thing that I care about deeply as a result of followers are the infrastructure of your total profession.”
The artist additionally shared how consistency in constructing a catalog helps propel an artist. “I feel success on the finish seems actually dramatic, nevertheless it’s actually simply consistency — staying alive lengthy sufficient to compound… It’s 15 years of placing out songs and constructing a catalog that, once more, if you happen to keep constant lengthy sufficient, it’ll compound, you understand.”
By June 2015, Russ stated he had 200 songs in his catalog, 11 albums and about 30 or 40 weeks into weekly releases. “So I had 200 songs out. Once more, when the music is nice and also you’re constant sufficient, your fan base sniffs you out.” Russ stated this was pre-algorithm when fan bases “sniff out” artists.
“And as soon as folks discovered my music, they had been in a position to change into diehard followers as a result of there was sufficient music to remain.” In 2017, Russ stated he dropped a music each week on SoundCloud for 2.5 years straight.
Russ in contrast his methodology of placing out music to the Netflix mannequin: “think about your artistry and your profession is a TV present, and every album or every year is a season, and also you’re simply including episodes to the season.” He says he gave folks “the power to not have two favourite songs from me, however 50.”
“Out of 400 songs, if you happen to solely like 40 of them, you solely like 10%, that’s nonetheless 40 songs. It’s a ton of music.”
The entire 200 songs he had by June 2015 had been owned by him, all distributed via TuneCore, and none of it was tied to a label deal. Russ has to date amassed 24 billion streams and offered greater than 35 million singles thus far.
“Giving up possession of what we had been doing wasn’t even on the desk.”
Russ
“Giving up possession of what we had been doing wasn’t even on the desk,” Russ stated of his label DIEMON.
As MBW beforehand reported, in June 2020, Russ printed TuneCore earnings statements to Instagram “for inspirational functions” exhibiting his month-to-month earnings from his music between 2013 and 2017.
His revenues are reported in these statements as $48.66 for the month of August 2013, rising to nicely over $100,000 on common per 30 days from June 2016 till October 2017 when, throughout that month, his assertion reveals that he earned over $280,000.
Russ additionally highlighted the necessity for artists to review the business. “We had been obsessive about watching everyone’s interviews. All of the Breakfast Membership interviews, all of the Sizzling 97 interviews — we had been simply obsessive about binge-watching these. They had been at all times on the TV. That’s how we form of realized about Carol Lewis the reserving agent, and Peter Schwarz at the moment.”
“Simply finding out a few of the enterprise facet of issues. However once more, simply being entrepreneurial in spirit and boss-minded.”
The true treasure, in keeping with Russ, is “self-mastery.” He stated, “It’s a treasure that you simply’ll by no means fairly seize, and it retains you in pursuit. It retains you motivated, centered, and on this place of inner validation.”
“They are saying placing within the work at all times drives extra outcomes than pure expertise that doesn’t put within the work. And [Russ is] the epitome of that.”
Andreea Gleeson
As somebody whose music profession had been solitary (“It’s so remoted. I’m downstairs in my basement on my own making songs, which I like, as a result of any artist in right here is aware of you form of want that surroundings and that secure area to only be bizarre on the microphone with none judgment), Russ says filming the film Don’t Transfer, confirmed him the necessity for neighborhood. He then discovered two unknown Australian producers on TikTok and made his album W!LD with them.
Russ hinted that he’s engaged on a deluxe model of the report. “I feel it’s unbelievable. It’s so good.”
Gleeson described Russ as “the Kobe Bryant of musicians” — “They are saying placing within the work at all times drives extra outcomes than pure expertise that doesn’t put within the work. And also you’re the epitome of that.”
Music Enterprise Worldwide
