Gen Z music fans are able to immediately sense when an artist’s communications with fans feel inauthentic – so how do you maintain a feeling of authenticity when marketing to this young, online-only generation? And how can artists and teams market effectively directly to these younger fans or potential fans?
In this episode of the Music Ally Focus podcast, we speak to Keturah Cummings, founder/CEO of Forward Slash, a social media agency and content production studio that specialises in connecting with youth audiences – and she explains where marketing efforts should be focused in an increasingly D2C environment.
Cummings, whose background spans from BBC Radio 1Xtra to leading her own agency, emphasised the importance of recognising the diversity within youth markets, dismissing the notion of a homogeneous ‘youth market’. “We’re just talking about an age bracket,” Cummings said.
She urged a shift away from broad strategies to focused, niche engagement, with specific, tailored communication that resonates with targeted listener segments. She added, “it’s about you being confident and comfortable sharing who you are as an artist outside of the music because that’s what’s going to attract your tribe.”
Cummings also spoke about direct-to-consumer strategies, and she dug into the significance of ‘brand distinction’ versus ‘marketing’ – the former being what an artist genuinely represents and the latter how one communicates that essence. Direct-to-fan marketing, she says, hinges on understanding audience habits and creating exclusive offerings that get fans involved.
You can listen to the full podcast in the embedded player or via this link.
