Indie Artist Music Hustle
Indie Artist Music Hustle Podcast with Blonde Intelligence is where you will experience exquisite cranial repertoire. The podcast (Available on your favorite podcasting platform) provides entertainment news, thoughts on celebrity gossip, independent music artists, as well as businesses that contributor to the music and entertainment industries. The purpose is to provide exquisite cranial repertoire. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button!!!! follow me @BlondeIntelligence @RRoneice. Also the channel name is That Blonde Broad.
Indie Artist Music Hustle
From Lagos to the U.S.: The Identicals' Afrobeats Journey and the Power of Social Media
Discover the vibrant journey of the Identicals, a dynamic musical duo hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, now making waves in the U.S. music scene. Their fascinating story, marked by a record label discovery back in 2000 and their evolution into independent artists, is a testament to their dedication. Terry and Kenny, who also excel as tech operators, share how they ingeniously blend Afrobeat with American influences, drawing inspiration from their Nigerian heritage and legends like Michael Jackson. Their latest single, a refreshing narrative on love and respect, breaks away from conventional music themes and showcases their collaboration with a talented Afrobeat producer from Lagos, available now on major music platforms like Spotify.
The episode delves into the crucial role of social media in music promotion and how platforms like Facebook and Instagram have been instrumental in expanding their reach. We discuss the challenges posed by COVID-19 and balancing their careers as essential workers while remaining committed to their music. The Identicals emphasize the importance of compelling music videos, exploring innovative production options, including collaborations with film students, to bring their music to life visually. Their commitment to creativity and strategic promotion offers invaluable insights into navigating the modern music industry.
Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's Blonde Intelligence with me, ms Ronnie, where I always seek to give you exquisite cranial repertoire. This week we have a special guest out of Logos Nigeria, we have the Identicals. Say hello to everyone.
Speaker 2:Hi everyone, how are you doing?
Speaker 1:They got a banging, banging hit. When I first heard it, I just kept moving and moving, and moving. So I'm going to let them start out with telling them a little bit about themselves and then move right into the single.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my name is Terry, my name is Kenny, and then we're from Lagos, nigeria. We moved to the United States around 2009, and we've been in the United States since then. Yep, we've been starting in the United States, we've been into the welding association and we still do music at the same time. Presently, right now, we're working in a company as a tech operator and, at the same time, we're still doing our music. Anyway, Okay.
Speaker 1:So how did you come up with your style of music? Because I want you to tell us about this single. This single is so jumping. I want you to tell us about your style of music, introducing the Blonde Intelligence Shoe Line, available for pre-order now Made with genuine Italian leather and suede, ships directly from Italy. The Blonde Intelligence Shoe Line is always exquisite and classy, featured in eight designs in women, men and unisex shoes. Styles for casual wear, urban wear, urban wear, professional wear or just elegance from head to toe. Order at aliveshoescom. Backslash brand, backslash missrunny. That's wwwaliveshoescom. Backslash brand dot a-l-i-v-e s-h-o-e-s dot com. Backslash brand, backslash miss dot Ronnie R-O-N-I. Your style of music. And then going to giving everybody a visual on how, on this single, on this song.
Speaker 2:We've been singing since we was five like very little. When we was growing up, my parents used to tell us that we've been singing since we was little. So we was 13, 14. I was in high school. Well, we discovered talent in the year 2000, when we got signed by a record label. We got a record deal A record deal with in the year 2000, when we got signed by record we had a record deal, record deal with a record label.
Speaker 2:So we were signed among 500 people. So we were signing with our magazines and everything in lagos, nigeria, that was our first, first experience in life, you know to be discovered as an artist.
Speaker 2:So from there, we know okay, we decide time we need to push forward and what we need to do. When we come to Afrobeat, we need to sing a style of songs that's like a Nigerian, but English a little bit, but Nigerian Because we grew up in there. We grew up in a primary school where we have the teachers were from London, so we were able to speak English very fast and so we love American songs a lot, like you know, michael Jackson and then and all that stuff.
Speaker 2:So we grew up with all that kind of music. So are y'all related, we're twin, okay, because.
Speaker 1:I noticed that y'all would answer at the same time.
Speaker 2:I was like this must be. That's why we said the identicals.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, okay, Carry on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I mean, we've been doing music. We got discovered in 2000. But we've been independent for a long time because, you know, the industry is very difficult to get into the industry. People put their help into it. You have to work towards it. They I haven't have those who have themselves, so we're trying to help ourselves with walking a little bit, getting some little change and put it into the music. That's what we're doing pretty much right now. Okay, so right now we have a little song. They started in 2019. I was in music this and we did. It was some called lunare repete. It's a kind of dancehall song that was to miss plenty love, plenty love people who dance that song. But we still have a lot of song coming and we have a new one. It's about to drop in january and I was still working on it, but it's kind of something about you that we just released.
Speaker 2:Uh, it's talking about love. You know, when you want to do a lot of stuff for your woman, the woman is so special to you she's driving you so crazy. It's just something about her that you can't just take. You have to do something for her.
Speaker 1:You have to go out there and go look for something that is good for her to be happy, and that is such a big change in what you normally hear in music, because normally in music, what you normally hear in music, because normally in music what you hear is men being derogatory, not even just men other women being derogatory towards women, and that was really refreshing to hear and it was, and it had a great beat. Yeah, we have an upcoming producer, that we have a young guy that went to music.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, we have an upcoming producer that. We have a young guy that did music in our university in Lagos, nigeria. So we have to connect with him because we know he understands Afrobeat a lot. So we were like, okay, we will mix the Afrobeat with the American style and then we can do it which way, whatever way. So we write the music together, we produce the song, we bring it back here, we mix it and everything okay, so is this single the single that I listen to?
Speaker 1:is it like um part of an album? Is it just a single? Is it available everywhere? Is it like?
Speaker 2:I mean, tell me about it yeah, it's, it's available everywhere pretty much. If you search in google, it's everywhere it's on spotify. Yeah, yeah, well, it's a single for now, because we're trying to people to get to know. Us know the identicals, but we not. We're not popular because of we want people to know us just by giving them singles. When they feel the singles they're like okay, now we need to drop an album, so have you all done the video for it.
Speaker 1:No we haven't done a video yet.
Speaker 3:But we want to do a video, make a video for that song.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we understand the tight tins.
Speaker 1:You need a video for that song.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, yes, we're going to do that. We're actually planning for that, yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay. So with God. Just, you've been in the music industry from 2009 and you're Independent. Presenting the Blonde Intelligence Exquisite Bar Jewelry and Wine Glass Collection by me, ms Ronnie yes, the host of the Blonde Intelligence Podcast. Blonde Intelligence Exquisite Bar Jewelry adds an exquisite touch of class to any bar, fireplace, party, wedding, special occasion or just a sipping style at home. Bling out any occasion. The Blonde Intelligence exquisite way.
Speaker 1:The bar jewelry cups has the Blonde Intelligence logo and signature diamond and pearl theme in antique white color. Each jewelry cup is handcrafted from start to finish. Each cup is sealed, jeweled and sealed several times to the Blonde Intelligence standard with high-quality materials. On special orders, a generic liquor bottle can be placed on the jewelry cup to complement the liquor in your bar for an additional fee. The Blind Intelligence Bar Jewelry Cup comes in three sizes for your exquisite ocular delight or as part of your personal collection of the Blonde Intelligence exquisite bar jewelry line. Each set, depending on size, comes with a mini wine glass or wine flute. Blonde Intelligence exquisite bar jewelry is available on Etsy Shop. Blonde Intelligence Independent. Now and how the music industry has changed. How have you adapted?
Speaker 2:We adapted because we work, yep, because when we work, the money that we make from our job, we just put it into the music. We know, even if we are losing or whatever, we're not losing Because we are chasing forward, towards the future. We are chasing towards what?
Speaker 3:we're going to end right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what we are losing. We are not losing. No, because we are chasing forward towards the future. We are not chasing towards what we are going to end right now.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what we are trying to build up is what we are, so what are you doing for this promotion?
Speaker 2:so we actually have been doing the online promotion. We are doing the Spotify promotion, apple music a little bit, but we have been going more on the Spotify because we actually we've done a lot of bloggings, because we don't have a specific person that will be blogging out and doing a lot of reach outs, because we need a lot of team.
Speaker 1:I mean, we just don't have the resources right now I'm going to take up the promotion. Even if you are an artist, or if you are an artist this big up here. That's the number one thing that they say artists fail on, which is promotion. You don't have to take the money that you make from your job and put it into promotion any type of promotion that you can do. So what have you been doing for promotion?
Speaker 2:um, pretty much that's what we do. We just just get people online to help us promote it. Pretty much We've been sending our music out on Facebook, facebook ads, instagram. We have a lot of fans on Facebook mostly that are interacting with us every time, even before we release. We do a lot of promo, we talk to them, them the track's about to come out, they should go and, you know, save it and all that so. But we're trying to get more people here in the United States because we live in the United States. So we're focusing on, first of all, we want to focus on United States fans over here first, and then we'll be spreading to Nigeria and everywhere, because Nigeria, nigeria, people like to listen to music a lot, so when they hear the music, I mean, even here, they like to listen to music a lot.
Speaker 1:Nigeria people like to listen to music. We all like to listen to music.
Speaker 2:I know everybody like to listen to music, but they like music a lot.
Speaker 1:It's like everywhere, every store, everywhere, so do you think that the importance of social media is the same here as it is in Nigeria?
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, because it's everywhere. It's just the same thing all over the world.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Different culture with different languages, but different way of approaching life. So they just use social media as a means of communication within each other. And then I was. I was surprised. When I went to nigeria the last time I was thinking they were still gonna be bad for it a little bit. But when I went there, when I got there, I found out like they've been using so many, even people on the street using cards. They can swipe and buy something in the street. You can just swipe your card right away.
Speaker 3:I was like, oh really I just want to buy something a little. How am I?
Speaker 2:supposed to swipe my card. I was like, I was so happy like people are getting to know about what's going? On technology and all that okay.
Speaker 1:So how has covid affected your plans? I know that it all of a sudden hit everybody. I mean I guess it was widely known in March. So since March, what have you had to do to revamp? How has it affected you?
Speaker 2:The COVID. I think that it was a lot because of my job. You know my job. I'm an essential worker. I manufacture a tissue.
Speaker 3:So I have to be out there.
Speaker 2:So I put my Macs all the time and we've been quarantined all the time because we don't get close to people. We go home, go to work and come back and get on the computer and start playing some sound and doing what we do all the time.
Speaker 3:Hi, this is Marlette with Classic Glam by Marlette, where classic never goes out of style.
Speaker 2:We're based here in Pine Bluff, arkansas, but you can reach us on our website at ClassicGlamGirlcom, or Facebook and Instagram at Classic Glam by Marlette Time Music out bloggers or try to do some online stuff for some music. So we did promote one of our songs, the what I was telling you about we played, so a lot of people learn and get to know us from that song. Yeah, that's why we promoting every day. Go to facebook on march because we I was indoor yeah we did the press release for that track.
Speaker 2:Uh, with the press release we did, uh, we did a little bit, uh like a video that can video, like a little cartoon video For it. Actually we've not done any video.
Speaker 1:You're going to have to do some videos. Videos are very important, yes, so how important Do you feel videos are?
Speaker 2:I feel very. I feel they're very important. I was about to go to some video company around us very close to my job, because I saw it online. I was like it will take time to go over there and see if we get a 3D video done because of the 5G coming up, because we know the 3D will be very, very beautiful colors in the video.
Speaker 1:So what are your upcoming plans?
Speaker 2:upcoming plans. Uh, we're gonna do, we're gonna. We're trying to make this new song and at the same time we look for a video company because this is the, there's something about your song, that's the. We are going to work on it, we're going to make a video for that song. So we are putting some money together. Right now, good called contact companies and say no, they can tell us to come in and we're gonna see how they are. We'll make inquiries and see how much they, they can add, they can afford us.
Speaker 2:So we, we can pay or probably just look something very little bit cheaper that we can afford okay how you ever thought about finding a film student or somebody that's doing it as a hobby that does a good job, because they might be more cost-effective, sometimes with doing the first video then going to a major company we've been thinking about finding somebody, but we don't want to find somebody that don't just want to use wasn't to the guy before over here in Jacksonville was doing that with him but all he's just demanding is for money, money, money, money, money. And we keep bringing the money, but he's not.
Speaker 2:He's not trying to do anything and they probably think we don't know nothing about anything in the industry. But but when we find out, he's still letting, do you?
Speaker 1:think? Do you think that you could probably shoot your own video?
Speaker 2:No, I am not. Why not? I'm not saying because I'm not a video camera man that have experience.
Speaker 3:Everything you do is experience.
Speaker 2:It's learning. Like I did in sociology, you learn to die when you learn everything. You already have experience in what you're learning. I'll give it to the experienced ones Somebody that has the experience. You want to shoot a video for me?
Speaker 3:It looks good.
Speaker 2:I like them.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, I thank you for coming. I want you to tell everybody the upcoming single, the current single, where they can find it at your social media handles and where they can find you Introducing the Blonde Intelligence Shoe Line, available for pre-order now Made with genuine Italian leather and suede. Ships directly from Italy. The Blonde Intelligence Sh shoe line is always exquisite and classy, featured in eight designs in women, men and unisex shoes, styles for casual wear, urban wear, professional wear or just elegance from head to toe. Order at AliveShoescom backslash brand, backslash MissRoni. That's wwwA-L-I-V-E-S-H-O-E-Scom. Backslash brand, backslash MissRoni R-O-N-I.
Speaker 2:All right, the upcoming single slash missroni R-O-N-I. Alright, the upcoming single, let me first of all do the one that is out there right now, which is Something About. You and it says I fought for you. I fought for you.
Speaker 2:Your man, your movement, whatever Struggled hard to give you something, to buy you something, to make sure you're happy. So you can get this song everywhere in Spotify, apple Music, google Music, Untitled. You can go to YouTube. You can get the song, you can get audio. And then the new song that is coming out is called All For you, all For you. Like all, everything for you, everything for you, it to be out in the world, I'll come up. All for you. It's simply talking about like you have a wife, there's children and everything you give is awful for her or him or her, everything so we pretty much like to talk about love and family, family so
Speaker 2:that they can come together. That's the. That's kind of style of music we want to. We want to sing songs that are going to change lives of people, bring something positive to people's lives, not like love, marriage, relationship and all that because, like I said, music is a message, not just a message to structure. Message and your message please bring people together. Okay. Now, where can we find you? You can find awesome. You can go to google and find us, and you can also go on instagram at the identicals, and then you go to facebook at the identicals. You can find us at the identicals d-i-d-e-n-t-i-c-a-l-s the identicals.
Speaker 1:Okay is there anything else that you want to add?
Speaker 2:um, um. I just want to add a little bit, just to say thank you for uh and um, don't go outside without no mask, so you can. We all got the vaccine right now, so but let's try to be safe. I'm not. So you're going. Your leap for the 2021 is going to be a good year, so that's all right, I received that.
Speaker 1:I received that, and I hope that 2021 be great for you.
Speaker 2:Thank you very much.
Speaker 1:I want to say a big thank you for you for the first time I've been in touch with you, yeah yeah, well, hey, I'm let you know when it come out and I thank y'all for coming. Don't forget to subscribe to the video channel. Subscribe to the podcast. It's available everywhere Pandora, spotify, google, amazon Music the video channel. Subscribe to the podcast. It's available everywhere Pandora, spotify, google, amazon Music, everywhere. And check it out on IGTV.
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