It's no secret that British artist RAYE's 2023 gold-selling album, My 21st Century Blues, is a phenomenal record. It captivates listeners, profoundly connecting with their humanity. Unsurprisingly, the marketing campaign for the album was just as brilliant. Campaign creators Hannah Celnikier and Dan Griffiths from The Orchard have recently opened up about how they made magic for RAYE. So pop on your favorite song from the album and let's dive into the marketing genius of My 21st Century Blues.
The Image Of Independence
RAYE's marketing team at The Orchard took every opportunity with her debut album to frame the star in the context of her independent artist identity. My 21st Century Blues is an album about everyday people's real-world struggles and RAYE's experience with them. It explores uncomfortable themes like addiction, misogyny, and body dysmorphia in a way that connects to listeners on a personal level. Celnikier and Griffiths amplified this idea by accentuating the connection and authenticity of RAYE's music. They wanted to solidify her place in the public eye as a strong, independent, feminine force, and they certainly succeeded.
How did they do this? Through extensive research, of course! Our two marketing moguls got to know RAYE via in-depth interviews and a deep dive into her past. They took an interest in her values in order to drive the campaign forward as a combination of RAYE's vision and the team's expertise. If you're thinking simply that RAYE sold out, My 21st Century Blues wasn't altered or fluffed for clout. It is still very much RAYE's story; the marketing just brought the album's core message to light. The team's hard work resulted in a deeply personal album that resonates in the ears of its listeners.
A New Age Of Promotion
It's not all about the campaign, though; RAYE's stardom is also organic. One of the album's featured singles, "Escapism," became RAYE's first number-one single and remains her second-most-listened song on Spotify thanks to her fans. TikTok users popularized the single by creating a sped-up version to use in short videos. The organic nature of trending topics on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook Reels can skyrocket an artist to stardom just as quickly as any formal campaign.
With this in mind, Celinikier and Griffiths fanned the flames of the trend, pushing "Escapism" to last an astounding four months as a trending topic before it finally fizzled. The team worked alongside corporate giant partners like Meta to keep the fire going, causing RAYE to become a household name in pop and R&B. Remember, "Escapism" was released in 2022, so when My 21st Century Blues finally dropped in 2023, fans already knew it would be a hit.
The Results Are In
Thanks to the work of RAYE and her phenomenal marketing team, My 21st Century Blues peaked at No. 2 on the UK album charts. In 2024, it won British Album of the Year at the Brit Awards, which pushed it back onto the charts at No. 5. RAYE also secured individual song awards for "Escapism," including Best Independent Track at the 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards, Best Social Trended Song at the Global Awards 2023, and Song of the Year at the Brit Awards 2024.
Final Thoughts
It's clear that RAYE's talent shines in this album, and her team has done well to boost her into the spotlight over the last few years. With her new EP, Genesis, being nominated for a 2024 VMA, it's obvious that the hard work doesn't stop. RAYE has solidified herself as an icon and fans cannot wait to see what's next for her.
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