With the biggest jazz album debut in Spotify history, AWAL says Laufey is bringing ‘jazz to Gen Z’

Laufey is taking trendy jazz mainstream.

Raised between Reykjavík and Washington, DC, and now primarily based in Los Angeles, the Icelandic-Chinese language singer-songwriter has been racking up streams and streaming data within the two years since signing a worldwide recordings take care of AWAL (in 2021).

Laufey launched her debut full-length album, Every thing I Know About Love, final yr and have become the most-streamed Jazz artist on Spotify in 2022.

She’s additionally at present the most important streaming artist from Iceland worldwide.

Her new album, Bewitched, was launched on Friday, September 8, breaking the all-time document as the most important debut for a jazz album on Spotify within the platform’s historical past.

Bewitched debuted at No.2 on Spotify’s High Album Debut International chart (simply behind Olivia Rodrigo).

It additionally reached No.1 on Billboard’s Impartial Albums Chart, No.1 on the Conventional Jazz Albums Chart, and No.3 on Vinyl Albums Chart.

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From The Begin is the album’s break-out hit single. In keeping with AWAL, the monitor topped 1 million streams in lower than 24 hours following its launch and continues to attain over 1.75 million streams per day throughout DSPs, with (on the time of writing) over 139 million streams on Spotify alone thus far. The monitor, notes AWAL, can also be at present probably the most streamed jazz track on the planet.

Behind Laufey’s rising success, in line with AWAL SVP Victoria Wants, is her “mission to carry Jazz to Gen Z”.

Justin Macchio, SVP Advertising and marketing at AWAL, tells MBW that there was “regular development” to Laufey’s viewers and streams on “each platform” since AWAL began to work together with her in 2021.

“From the time of her first launch to Bewitched, her month-to-month listeners went from underneath 1 million to over 13 million and she or he has added greater than 6 million social media followers this yr alone,” says Macchio.

With over 12 million month-to-month listeners on Spotify alone, and 925 million international streams throughout all platforms thus far, the rising jazz celebrity has additionally developed a devoted fanbase in a number of markets.

AWAL tells MBW that her High 5 streaming markets in September by quantity had been the US, Philippines, Canada, Indonesia, and the UK. Additional proof of that international curiosity arrived in the course of the advertising and marketing marketing campaign across the new album.

On September 10, AWAL and Foundations Music launched a worldwide activation referred to as ‘A Very Laufey Day’ which it describes as “a curated Laufey-inspired day with activations in a number of cities around the globe. AWAL says that the response to the marketing campaign in every of these cities “was unprecedented”.

AWAL says that the interactive web site, averylaufeyday.com, noticed over 100,000 distinctive guests with “tens of 1000’s” of followers venturing to real-life Laufey-curated areas.

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The marketing campaign culminated in Laufey giving a free efficiency in Los Angeles’ Pan Pacific Park, which was live-streamed globally through the artist’s YouTube channel with 50,000 “natural” views on the livestream.

Moreover, social posts across the activations generated over 12 million views and 7 million likes, numbers that will hardly be laughed at for an rising pop star, not to mention a debut jazz artist.

However AWAL Normal Supervisor Bianca Bhagat tells us that Laufey “is already sparking dialog round what jazz music is and what pop music is”.

“We consider she’s going to be a serious voice in these conversations for many years to come back,” provides Bhagat.

“Laufey is a once-in-a-generation expertise and we collectively have ambitions for her which are extremely lofty.”

Bianca Bhagat, AWAL

Laufey’s profession milestones thus far, together with tens of tens of millions of streams and sold-out excursions in a number of markets, are a serious coup for a rising jazz star and a transparent indicator of shifting listening tendencies amongst youthful audiences within the streaming age.

It’s additionally a key win for the now Sony Music Group-owned AWAL, who, MBW understands, at present counts Laufey because the highest-streamed artist on its roster.

Commenting on the position that AWAL’s personal set-up performed in delivering the most important jazz album debut in Spotify historical past, AWAL’s Victoria Wants says: “Working as one international group with one international funds, we are able to transfer quick, whether or not that’s including or shifting round funds, reacting to information, or rising the community around the globe on the proper time for the marketing campaign.”

Bhagat provides: “That international collaborative strategy has been crucial.”

Right here, AWAL’s Justin Macchio (SVP Advertising and marketing), Victoria Wants (SVP) and Bianca Bhagat (Normal Supervisor, AWAL) give us extra perception into Laufey’s streaming success and provide their predictions for the jazz artist’s personal profession and wider influence following the discharge of her most up-to-date album…

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BEWITCHED HAS RECEIVED OVER 290 MILLION GLOBAL STREAMS TO DATE – FROM AN OVERARCHING STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE, HOW HAS LAUFEY BEEN ABLE TO GENERATE THIS VOLUME OF STREAMS FOR HER DEBUT?

Justin Macchio: We’ve at all times centered on a holistic artist profession and have had a number of songs gaining traction concurrently. On this cycle, the runaway success of lead single From The Begin on each digital and conventional media contributed to accelerated development and all through the marketing campaign, we ensured that every new monitor had a selected second that led again to the album. In the end, this allowed songs to seek out totally different audiences with out cannibalizing each other, whereas driving repeated listening of the general album.

Victoria Wants: Laufey is a maestro of social media who has an unparalleled understanding of what her followers need and want.  To assist additional execute her imaginative and prescient, AWAL has constructed a group around the globe to inform her tales to DSPs, model companions and media.  She additionally has an distinctive and contagious work ethic.

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LAUFEY HAS BROKEN THE RECORD FOR THE BIGGEST JAZZ ALBUM DEBUT IN SPOTIFY HISTORY – WHAT DOES THE SUCCESS OF THIS JAZZ RECORD TELL US ABOUT THE SHIFT IN CONSUMERS’ LISTENING BEHAVIOR IN THE STREAMING AGE?

Bianca Bhagat: We don’t consider that customers take note of style a lot anymore.  What Laufey has been in a position to do – discovering an enormous, younger viewers for her model of jazz and classical music – is a testomony to that.

“We don’t consider that customers take note of style a lot anymore.”

Bianca Bhagat, AWAL

It’s additionally a testomony to AWAL’s ethos round artist growth – to not pigeonhole artists into conventional style/business paths and somewhat meet them the place they’re at; perceive their imaginative and prescient and mission, and make the most of our group’s broad experience and our firm’s deep sources and relationships to tailor advertising and marketing campaigns that ship the success an artist desires with out compromising their artistic.

VN: There’s loads of speak between entrepreneurs about rising audiences out of a distinct segment, however what’s actually thrilling is when that area of interest turns into so highly effective that they affect the mainstream, and that’s what’s occurred with Laufey.

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WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR THE IMPACT THAT THIS ALBUM WILL HAVE ON THE STREAMING POTENTIAL OF OTHER RISING JAZZ ARTISTS?

VN: It’s unbelievable to see new audiences uncover artists like Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald due to Laufey. Her mission is to carry Jazz to Gen Z, exposing new followers in all corners of the globe to what’s usually seen as an inaccessible style.

I’ve little doubt that she will probably be inspiring an entire new future era of jazz musicians in years to come back, and I believe she may also carry confidence to these in different genres too, who might not really feel they slot in a stereotypical checkbox.

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COULD YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO HOW AWAL’S OWN SET-UP PLAYED A ROLE IN DELIVERING THIS SCALE OF SUCCESS FOR LAUFEY?

VN: We’re lively in just about each nation – she’s enjoying gorgeous reveals in Beijing, charting at Spotify within the Center East, and creating absolute mania within the Philippines.

The venues she’s enjoying in February in Europe will probably be 5 instances the dimensions of those she performed a yr in the past.  The collaboration between the US-Worldwide-UK groups is vital to ship one thing at this scale.

“We consider will enable her to promote out stadiums all around the world for years to come back.”

Bianca Bhagat, AWAL

BB: All of our advertising and marketing initiatives round this project- digital advertising and marketing, fan activations, DSP pitching, synch & model partnerships, publicity, radio, and many others have international methods and international groups who’re aligned on targets and rallied across the similar goals.

This has confirmed to be extremely highly effective and efficient at profitable over key companions and tastemakers around the globe, however most significantly at activating fanbases to create one huge international fan group.

We’re already seeing the ends in sold-out excursions in every single place. It’s that sort of international strategy and focus that we consider will enable her to promote out stadiums all around the world for years to come back.

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COULD YOU GIVE US SOME INSIGHT INTO THE MARKETING AROUND THE RELEASE, INCLUDING ACTIVATIONS, INTERACTIVE WEBSITE, AND CONCERT LIVESTREAM?

JM: “A Very Laufey Day” was our capstone international fan activation aligned with the album launch.  Laufey and group curated a worldwide exercise guidelines impressed by the album that followers might take part in anyplace on the planet along with city-specific exercise checklists in 12 cities around the globe.

Followers had been despatched to Laufey-approved espresso retailers, bookstores, farmers markets, parks and different areas, the place followers had been handled to Laufey-custom lattes, particular version merch gadgets, letter-writing activations and extra.

Songs from the album had been paired with every exercise to encourage streaming whereas particular social media prompts got as every exercise was accomplished to encourage user-generated content material (UGC) throughout socials. Followers had been additionally supplied with {custom} GIPHY stickers, and a {custom} Instagram filter and cap reduce template for TikTok.

A web site was constructed to deal with the worldwide checklists, personalised video messages from Laufey, a “Laufey-core” model information, and to compile the entire UGC being generated utilizing the hashtag #AVeryLaufeyDay. Laufey herself took half within the Los Angeles activation, popping into the letter-writing activation, visiting followers in line on the LA espresso store location, signing vinyl on the Melrose Buying and selling Publish merch pop-up and finally stunning the 1,000-plus followers who confirmed up for a picnic at Pan Pacific Park with an acoustic efficiency.

The efficiency was live-streamed globally through Laufey’s YouTube channel with 50,000 natural views on the livestream.  Along with bringing followers collectively throughout the globe, we drove 100,000 visits to the bespoke web site, social posts generated over 12 million views and seven million likes, and UGC for the album tripled across the activation with over 40,000 creates throughout TikTok.

“Working with and for the followers, we created intimate moments just like the pre-release listening events in a tiny floating bookstore in London and an intimate tea room in Los Angeles.”

Victoria Wants, AWAL

VN: In addition to the massive multi-territory activation, there’s additionally been a really bespoke strategy at a market-by-market degree, each for followers and media gatekeepers.  Working with and for the followers, we created intimate moments just like the pre-release listening events in a tiny floating bookstore in London and an intimate tea room in Los Angeles.

For followers exterior of those cities, we hosted a web based listening occasion the week after launch. For media and companions, we hosted extra personal alternatives for them to get to know Laufey in her aspect with jazz membership occasions and launch week events, forging connections that will go on to yield high-profile alternatives throughout press, movie & TV, DSPs, branding, and radio.

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WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR LAUFEY’S CAREER AND FOLLOW-UP PROJECTS FOLLOWING THIS INITIAL SUCCESS?

BB: Laufey is a once-in-a-generation expertise and we collectively have ambitions for her which are extremely lofty. As an artist, she continues to evolve and create music that’s uniquely her personal; music that’s provocative and shaping tradition.

She is already sparking dialog round what jazz music is and what pop music is, and we consider she’s going to be a serious voice in these conversations for many years to come back. That being mentioned, we’re additionally cautious to not get caught up within the noise.

We take a look at what we’re doing as creating timeless music, a catalog of requirements, making a legacy for Laufey that may stand the take a look at of time like these of her favourite artists earlier than her. A part of that may also be in exploring the myriad of pursuits she has that stretch past music.

We’ve a worldwide group at AWAL engaged on her behalf along with the help of the Sony ecosystem to see by means of her visions throughout trend, movie & tv, publishing, branding, and many others. Whereas the music will at all times stay on the core, Laufey is much from a one-dimensional artist, and our group is hyper-focused on constructing the multi-hyphenate profession she aspires to proceed constructing.Music Enterprise Worldwide