In January of 2017, Syreeta Thompson Trumpetlady and Indiehitmaker set out on an eight-month journey to develop an album release plan that would outdo her Billboard charting debut ‘Winner.’ Rightfully named ‘Evolution Of A Winner,’ Syreeta consulted with IHM President Bram Bessoff to strategically select a September release date that not only allowed plenty of time for planning and research but hit number one on the charts at the height of Grammy nomination season.
“Indiehitmaker’s album release plan was a huge factor in the success of this record,” Syreeta tells us proudly over a recent phone call, “To have everything planned out so far in advance, all my bookings projected and coordinated with my release, touring routed and done in January left me critical time to maximize promotions and further build awareness for an even bigger release.”
Syreeta also relates to us how the Dropkick release plan put her ahead of her competition, “I noticed that I would see signed artists come in at #1 on Gospel, but were #17 the next week and thereafter fall off the charts, where I was able to maintain my chart position for a solid 24 weeks. Many of those artists had television and radio opportunities but their sales just weren’t there. Our choice to focus heavily on direct-to-fan relationships, live performances and institutional residencies helped us outsell the labels.”
“When I did this album release plan, IHM let me, the artist, be the artist and it paid off! Labels never knew what to do with me before… always wanting to pigeon-hole me into just one genre. I love that I can find Billboard success on my own terms and be recognized as a female jazz & gospel artist that is also loved by the hip-hop community. I made my own reality thanks to Indiehitmaker!”
– Syreeta Thiompson Trumpetlady
Syreeta believes “beyond a shadow of a doubt” promotion is where the bulk of the money should be spent, With the help of IHM, Syreeta threw much of her marketing efforts and budget on engaging her existing fanbase while finding new fans by embracing social media and building a new SEO optimized website. “I have degrees in music and good connections with musicians, so I could save money on recording and production.” She also took it a step further and built a reliable home studio for under $5k consisting of a high-end microphone, logic, pro tools and an average desktop computer. Syreeta acknowledges the importance of building a fanbase. Her social media numbers have all more than doubled in followers and engagement, and she now has ‘superfans,’ something she never imagined before.
Ultimately, ‘Evolution Of A Winner’ was a smashing success. Showing true artist momentum, by year’s end it sold 10,393 copies in half the time it took to sell 8,500 units of her previous release ‘Winner.’ The album reached #1 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums and Contemporary Jazz Albums, #3 on Top Gospel Albums and Gospel Album Sales, and landed on multiple 2017 year-end charts. Evolution of a Winner opened up many exciting new career opportunities for Syreeta, including her first brand sponsor, an HMMA award nomination and a headlining performance at the prestigious Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
What’s next for Syreeta in 2018? Thanks to a well thought out album release plan, ‘Evolution of a Winner’ continues to build momentum. She has television appearances to make, panels to speak at, award shows to attend, and a big sponsorship campaign on the way. Her Billboard charting success recently won Syreeta an endorsement deal with Crystals by Swarovski, gifting her with the first ever custom Crystals by Swarovski trumpet. “It’s a very cool deal for them,” she tells us, “they approached me because I can connect them with several demographics that otherwise wouldn’t really be interested in their brand until now… I have a blinged-out horn that looks as fantastic as it sounds.”
Syreeta says she’s not planning on a new album this year, but with her continuous social media presence, and a new single push coming with the Swarovski endorsement, she’s confident the momentum is not over for ‘Evolution Of A Winner’ in 2018. “Charting like I have on Billboard has really given me the leverage to take my story and career to the next level and I have Bram and Indiehitmaker to thank for making it all count!”
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