Lyra Bolt Artist Management by Elana Schmidt

LYRA BOLT

ARTIST MANAGEMENT PLAN

JACOB COKER ELANA SCHMIDT

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Vision Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Music Industry Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Artist Bio and Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Other Key Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Graphics and Branding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Recording Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 One Sheet/Press Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Merchandise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Pre-Release Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Release Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Booking and Touring Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Media Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Fan Base Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Website/Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Distribution and Retail Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Special Events/Charity/Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Partnerships with Other Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Video Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Songwriting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Sponsors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 SWOT Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Financial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Lyra Bolt is a solo female artist based in Chicago with soul running through her veins. With melodies guaranteed to evoke a sense of power and independence, Lyra Bolt is a part of Chicago’s next wave of golden female vocalists. Her singing career began at a young age and only continued to grow and now she’s a part-time student at Columbia College Chicago majoring in Music with a concentration in vocal performance. Within the past three months, Jacob Coker and Elana Schmidt worked as Lyra Bolt’s management team with their main objectives based around booking her live performances. Once they heard Lyra’s own rendition of a classic Whitney Houston song, they immediately began looking forward to what Lyra Bolt can do to the R&B music scene in Chicago. Lyra Bolt is now in the process of recording her first EP including 5 original songs that she wrote entirely on her own while preparing for her first paid live performance.

Over the course of this project, management has executed the following: • Worked with artist to create clear goals • Formulated vision and mission statements • Designed and created artist’s first one-sheet and EPK • Created and managed artist’s first Facebook page • Conducted social media research for artist marketing • Scheduled photoshoot to create and establish brand • Secured band including guitarist and drummer • Scheduled studio time to record first EP • Encouraged artist to utilize Facebook and Twitter • Created Facebook header to promote first show • Created and shared promotional Facebook post for first show • Promoted artist through word-of-mouth to students • Encouraged artist to create logo • Conceptualized merchandise ideas • Met with host of WCRX Chicago to discuss artist • Researched and created booking log • Designed artist promotions • Created talent buyer letter • Secured two bookings at Columbia College Chicago, one performance being paid

INTRODUCTION Lyra Bolt is an up and coming female vocalist from Chicago. Her music is a combination of authentic soul and contemporary R&B and has previously been compared to Lauryn Hill. She’s performed at the House of Blues as well as a benefit concert that raised money for Puerto Rico. Her dominant stage presence shows that she is leading the second wave of golden female vocalists through vintage style and a soulful sound. Management is working with Lyra from the ground up since she is fresh new talent with no previous management. The goal with this artist management plan will be to develop her brand and social media presence while providing a chance to create an EP and secure live performance opportunities. Management hopes to gain industry knowledge, effective problem-solving skills as a manager, and build business portfolios. After this class, Lyra’s managers will continue to work with her to further her career. (See Appendix A: Preliminary Interview Questions) M ISSION STATEMENT Lyra Bolt’s mission is to revive old school sound and blend it with the new.

V ISION STATEMENT Lyra Bolt will continue to tell stories through her music for the sole purpose of expression, not to impress, in hopes future generations will continue the art of authentic music making.

MUSIC INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Chicago has a long history of R&B soul, and the city has molded the best of the best in the genre since the early 20th century. Today, Chicago showcases many up and coming female R&B artists such as Jamila Woods, and has even pushed women to superstardom like Jennifer Hudson. Lyra Bolt is only the most recent female empowering soul vocalist to come out of the city. Chicago’s claim in the R&B soul will stand the test of time, and Lyra Bolt exemplifies what’s next for the city.

ARTIST BIO AND FUNCTIONS Lizette Miguel Capili (born March 21, 1998) known professionally as Lyra Bolt is a Filipino-American singer, songwriter, and performer. Based in Chicago, she started singing at the early age of 4 and ventured into songwriting at 13. She has included elements of synthpop, progressive rock, soul, and R&B. She began her musical career performing at small family parties, open mics, and school performances. This opened the door for her to pursue a BA in music with a concentration in vocal performance at Columbia College Chicago. Her wide array of notable musical influences include artists like Whitney Houston, Judy Garland, Stevie Wonder, Prince, Barbra Streisand, ABBA, and Queen. Lyra Bolt is currently working on her first EP while working to gain a fanbase by performing in live shows around Columbia College Chicago.

OTHER KEY PLAYERS Jacob Coker- Manager

Jacob Coker is an active manager in the entertainment industry specializing in live events and artist representation. He moved from Houston, TX to Chicago to advance his career. Since relocating, Jacob has been able to seize many opportunities around the city. He has worked in a small live events organization showcasing musicians. Recently, he’s moved up to be a general manager where he facilitates and oversees sponsorship, marketing, talent selection, and event production. Currently Jacob is representing two vocalists, Christian Alexxander who is based out of Houston and Lyra Bolt from Chicago. He has also begun spreading beyond the music industry and is rebranding a Chicago based model, Bella Crum. Jacob is a new fish in a big pond, and is taking in every opportunity as they come. He is eager to expand his career as a manager across the entertainment industry. Jacob can be contacted via phone or email: 281-967-3649, cokerjacob3@gmail.com

Elana Schmidt- Manager

Elana Schmidt is a hopeful live event manager from St. Louis, Missouri, and no, she hasn't been to the Arch. As she became restless to leave Missouri, she moved to Chicago with the goal of getting a foot in the door of the live event industry. Over the past three years, Elana has worked a variety of positions with an event production organization, Student Programming Board, from production assistant, to marketing director, to the current head of the organization. She has worked to produce 8 events within a three-month period with shows ranging from concerts to pop-up art galleries with an average attendance of over 150. Her dedicated work with this organization has allowed Elana to gain experience in social media marketing and management, sponsorship, and artist relations with Sir the Baptist and Sunflower Bean. Although producing events has been Elana's main focus, she also has experience doing some freelance work for C3 Presents and Riot Fest. She is currently managing Lyra Bolt, a solo female vocalist. For more information, Elana can be reached at elanaschmidt96@gmail.com (See Appendix B: Business Cards)

AUDIENCE Lyra Bolt's management plans on targeting women aged 18-24 based in the Chicago area. Lyra lacked a presence on Facebook until her managers started working with her and created her first artist Facebook page. Listed below is a breakdown of her Facebook demographics.

Looking at the demographics of those who Lyra has reached through invites, video posts, and mentions, management can see that 70% of people she’s reached are women aged 18-24. In addition, a majority of the people she’s reached through her page are in the Chicago area. Lyra’s management can use this information to determine who her target audience is for future social media post including event invites. Lyra’s management is projecting Lyra’s fanbase to be mainly adult women. Her Facebook analytics are already pointing in that direction, and her team plans to keep her on brand through performances at venues around Chicago that attract a lively adult audience. Lyra will also gain more female support through the content of her music and the way she showcases herself in her online presence.

AUDIENCE (CONT.) During Lyra’s first paid performance at Columbia's Little Mouth, management created a survey to distinguish her audience at her shows verses on social media. Questions included demographic questions and how the audience member hears about new artist. Management will use these results when strategizing the release of Lyra’s EP in May. WHAT DO YOU IDENTIFY AS? From the survey data, management can conclude their projections about her audience were accurate. Out of the 110 people in attendance to see Lyra perform, over half of them were women ages 18-20 years old. This survey was also a chance for management to see how her WHAT IS YOUR AGE? audience finds out about new artists. The survey showed that almost half of the audience discovered new artists through friends. Management has utilized connections on Columbia College's campus to show that word-ofmouth is an effective way to get the H O W D O Y O U H E A R A B O U T N E W word out about Lyra and build her ARTISTS? fanbase . (See Appendix C: Survey)

GRAPHICS AND BRANDING Lyra Bolt did not have any previous logo before working with her management team. Her new logo was designed by Lyra herself after meeting with management who advised and consulted her using the ideas she brought forward. The design was inspired to create a modern yet classic design, similar to her brand. By utilizing her own talent, Lyra was able to avoid the cost of using a designer and was able to use her interest in parallel lines and consistency in her own design. The brand that surrounds Lyra Bolt is based on authenticity and blending the old with the new in terms of style. Lyra’s distinct style on stage and in photoshoots is inspired by 80’s fashion. During her first performance at Columbia College Chicago, Lyra wore an emerald green shoulder padded sport coat to provide the audience with her brand from first glance. We maintained this vintage look in a photoshoot we booked for Lyra with Madelyn Grace Smith at no cost where Lyra wore a classic denim on denim look. Madelyn took photos with a 35mm film camera to create a vintage yet modern look in each photo. With inspiration from this photo shoot, we decided to create all branding materials with a blue, white, black, and grey color scheme to stay consistent with her classic brand. This brand provides an insight to her interest and devotion to maintaining a classic, sophisticated look rather than a flashy look to ensure more focus on her music rather than her appearance. (See Appendix D: Photos)

RECORDING PROJECT Prior to working with her management team, Lyra Bolt, had a demo. It was recorded in her home studio on her Mac computer and while it showed promise, her team decided it was best to get a professional recording done. Jacob and Elana suggested transforming her demo into a complete EP project. Jacob partnered Lyra with a friend and local producer named Jake Smith. He is a student at Columbia College Chicago and has recorded a number of times for Jacob. Lyra recorded one of her tracks at Jake’s in-home studio mid-November, and her team will have the master by December 1st. Lyra’s management team recognizes an EP takes time, and they have decided to not rush it. Her premiere EP will not be completed by the end of the semester, so they’ve made it a goal to have it done by May. Lyra’s EP is a collection of self-written songs that will make the perfect platform for acquiring a fan base. Audiences will see what she’s truly about, value Lyra’s artistic authenticity, and her brand will gain more recognition.

ONE SHEET/PRESS KIT Before working with her current management team, Lyra Bolt did not have a press kit or one- sheet. Lyra’s one-sheet and press kit will be exclusively online. This allows for a larger reach and distribution about Lyra as an artist. Lyra’s one sheet is designed to aid in booking and representing Lyra around the city. Her management team designed Lyra’s one-sheet on Canva and it showcases her bio, experience, upcoming releases and performances, management contact, and her social media outlets. Management is currently using Lyra’s one sheet to send to potential venues to get her booked for shows. They will continue to use her online one sheet and update it as she grows as an artist. (See Appendix E: EPK Screenshot and One-Sheet)

MERCHANDISE Lyra Bolt does not currently have any merchandise. She is in the process of recording her first EP to release on streaming services such as SoundCloud, Spotify, and Apple Music. The intent is not for profit but rather to build her following as an artist. As far as fan merchandise such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, etc. Lyra does not have any, and her management team doesn’t plan on acquiring merch in the near future. There isn’t much of a point to produce physical products until she displays a demand. Her managers have pulled costs from customink to create a hypothetical merchandise plan they could use for the future:

When Lyra’s EP is released and starts booking more performances in Chicago, her team thought it would be a good idea to start merchandise small. They intend to make buttons to hand out at events, once again, not for profit but just for publicity. People will wear them and put them on their bags and it’ll act as free promotion across the city. This will also not cost management anything since Columbia College offers free button making. By utilizing free buttons, management is able to promote Lyra on a larger scale at no cost. (See Appendix F: Button Design) (See Appendix E: EPK Screenshot and One-Sheet)

PRE-RELEASE PROMOTIONS With the release of her first EP, management will ensure the proper prerelease promotions for Lyra Bolt. This includes utilizing social media platforms that will allow fans of Lyra Bolt to share any news with their own followers. Although the strategy is common, management will also utilize Facebook ads to target her audience discussed previously. These ads will be short clips of Lyra’s first single Anita with her logo and photo displayed on screen. The target audience we will be hitting is 18-24 year old women in the Chicago area. To promote the release of her EP around Columbia College Chicago’s campus, management will reach out to the Columbia Chronicle and work to get her featured in the Monday edition in April before the release of her first EP. Management will also use personal connections within the radio department to broadcast the release of her first single “Anita” on WCRX Chicago, specifically on the show The Feel Good Hour with Beth Hemmings.

(See Appendix E: Button Design)

RELEASE PARTY Lyra Bolt is very early in her career. While she is incredibly talented, her following is still developing. Her management team has decided it’s best to not focus on a release party for her right now. Lyra will have a complete EP by the summer, but her team is going to use that to build her following. There is a greater likelihood of Lyra having a release party for her first album within the next 2 years. This way her EP can serve as a platform to build off, and she can do more event wise when her fanbase is larger. When Lyra and her team does host her first release party, they intend to do it strategically. The event will take place in Chicago to show Lyra’s appreciation for her roots. Press passes will be distributed to social media personnel, bloggers, reporters, and magazine columnists. The venue will need to be able to house a fair amount of people, but not difficult to fill. The last thing Lyra and her team want is a photograph on the internet of a seemingly empty release party. Tickets will be available for the general public for a low cost to boost attendance and show the press that Lyra is the real deal, and people value her work. Lyra’s management will keep a close eye on the number of attendance. They don’t want the release party to be overcrowded so management is looking for smaller venues with a maximum capacity of 75, such as The Playground Theater. Lyra’s music is mature and sophisticated, and her release party needs to stay on brand. The final touch of her album release party is a post-event video. Lyra’s first release party will be recorded and the highlights will be shared on her personal social media outlets. The point of this is to show those who could not attend the event that Lyra is a professional vocalist they should stand behind. It’ll also work as marketing that those who see the video and didn’t know of the event will be more inclined to keep up with Lyra, her releases, and upcoming shows.

BOOKING AND TOURING PLANS

Lyra Bolt has not been on tour or booked as a solo artist before working with her current management team. Since Lyra is such a new artist and is not yet established, management has decided to work to book her in shows around Chicago and not work on any tour plans. Once Lyra has an album out and has generated a following, management will consider planning a small Midwest tour to get Lyra Bolt’s name out focused in one area of the country rather than a nationwide tour. Prior to working with her current management team, the only show Lyra Bolt has been in was as a backup vocalist for a local Chicago band, The Contradictions, at House of Blues Chicago. One of management’s main focus within the first 3 months was to book her in one show, specifically on Columbia College Chicago’s campus. Starting at a show at the college she attends, Lyra will be able to connect with her peers and management will be able to see the demographic of those interested in her sound. Within the first month of working with her, management was able to book Lyra in “Concert for a Cause” which was a benefit concert for Puerto Rico at Stage 2 in 618 S. Michigan (See Special Events/Benefit/Charity section for more details). Although “Concert for a Cause” was great exposure for Lyra in the beginning, there was no compensation for the performance. Management began working on getting Lyra booked for a paid show and began reaching out to numerous student organizations on campus as well as researching and getting alerts from Indie on the Move for any opening spots for local shows. Lyra’s team was able to successfully book Lyra Bolt for Columbia College Chicago’s “That’s So Little Mouth” produced by the Student Programming Board. This event consists of 12 performances chosen minutes before the show starts and ranges from music to comedy. Lyra Bolt performed as the house act and received $150 for the performance. Her logo was placed on 150 posters and over 300 handbills that were passed around to students at Columbia College Chicago. This show had 110 people in attendance and was a great promotional opportunity for Lyra to gain fans and followers on Facebook, which is discussed later in the plan. Management will continue to work to book Lyra Bolt in shows around Chicago, working toward larger off campus venues. One of Lyra Bolts own goals is to book a show around Boystown in Chicago due to her passion for equality and loves feeling the positive energy in Boystown. To start Lyra off, management hopes to get in contact with The Playground Theater for any available bookings. (See Appendix G: Booking Log) 13 (See Appendix H: Talent Buyer Letter) (See Appendix I: Booking Proof)

MEDIA STRATEGY Lyra Bolt’s media presence is not as active as a well-established female vocalist. Since Lyra is up-and coming and her managers are working with her from the ground up, she has not been in the media previously. They’re focus for her media strategy will be on social media more than anything. Currently, Lyra has a Twitter, Instagram, and a Facebook page and plans on gaining followers as she continues to grow as an artist. On Facebook, her posts will consist of live performances, event announcements, and links to her EP. For Twitter, Lyra will continue to tweet honestly about how she feels about the injustices in our country, even if that means taking a political stance that may cause some people to disagree with her. This will also be a media outlet to release music, promote her work, and engage with her audience. On Instagram, Lyra’s posts will be consistent and will be based around her vintage, 80’s style of fashion. Other than social media, management aims to get Lyra featured on Beyond the Stage magazine which is a is a bi-monthly digital music magazine started in September 2015 by Columbia alumni. Her management also plans to utilize their Columbia connections to get Lyra a feature in the Columbia Chronicle.

FAN BASE DEVELOPMENT

Building Lyra Bolt’s fan base through social media is the main direction her management team is heading in due to her small presence in the music scene thus far. Before working with her current team, Lyra Bolt did not have a Facebook page. Her new page has become the main way for her new fans to hear about upcoming shows, new photos, and alerts on new music. Management sees Facebook as the best way to get the message out about Lyra’s career due to the reach Facebook provides. Once Lyra’s music is uploaded and ready to be shared, management can look into purchasing social media ads directed toward her (See Appendix Button Design) target audienceE:discussed previously. To get connected with her management team, both Elana and Jacob have provided their emails on Lyra’s Facebook page. In terms of posters, Lyra Bolt is still growing as an artists and her management team does not believe a poster will provide much development in her fan base when she hasn’t released her EP quite yet. Once Lyra’s EP is released, management will begin to create and distribute digital posters rather than printing them off. If management sees a growth in Lyra’s music online, they will begin distributing tangible posters around Columbia’s campus as well as the streets in the South Loop and Boystown. (See Appendix J : Promotional Facebook Post) 14

WEBSITE/TECHNOLOGY Before working with management, Lyra Bolt did not have a artist Facebook page but did have a Twitter and Instagram. Lyra used her Twitter as her own personal Twitter to post her opinions rather than her music. Her Instagram was used to establish her brand of using 35mm film photos and maintained a very cohesive profile of photos that didn't particularly promote her music. Lyra Bolt's social media stats before and after working with management is listed below:

BEFORE

AFTER

Facebook: 0 Instagram: 115 Twitter: 89

Facebook: 101 Instagram: 129 Twitter: 98

The idea is to start building a brand through Lyra’s social media and create a connection between her online presence and her music. On Facebook, management utilized personal connections at the beginning and invited numerous friends to like Lyra Bolt's first artist Facebook page. They then began posting about upcoming events Lyra was going to be a part of as well as content related to music, including the release of her first single "Anita". The release of her first single included a link to a YouTube video containing the audio produced by Jake Smith and a photo by Madelyn Grace Smith. Management then began sharing the video as well as continue to use word of mouth as a way to get the word out about Lyra's first single. Management saw the biggest jump in Lyra's followers on her Facebook page after Lyra's performance at Columbia's Little Mouth from 62 to 73 followers. Management will continue to use Facebook as the main promotional platform for Lyra Bolt due to the greater reach possibilities. Since management wanted to focus on establishing Lyra on Facebook, her Instagram and Twitter were run by Lyra herself with the help of management consulting and advising her on each post. Management will work in the future to plan each post accordingly to ensure the greater exposure to followers. Lyra Bolt did not have a website before working with her current management team. Currently, they are working on rebranding Lyra's EPK to use as her website that will be linked to all of Lyra's social media. Her EPK will be published by the release of her first EP in May. (See Appendix K: Facebook Analytics) 15

DISTRIBUTION/ RETAIL STRATEGY Lyra Bolt is not focused on any retailer distribution deals at this time. Her music will be released on streaming platforms and for digital download such as SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Music, and iTunes. Right now Lyra does not have the body of work needed to justify physical distribution of her music, and she won’t for an extended period of time. Lyra will have a completed EP by the summer, but her team decided it wasn’t worth finding a distribution deal for. The energy is better spent on focusing on the digital side. Following the basic rules of economics, Lyra would need a better idea of her demand before offering a supply of physical copies. Going in blind or jumping the gun would only lead to a waste of financial resources. This is another reason to focus on digital distribution instead. Her audience can download and stream as much as they want without her team facing any repercussions. Lyra is also considering merchandise besides music, such as shirts and sweatshirts. While Lyra is too early on to justify those expenses right now, her team will start introducing such products as her following grows. However instead of retailers, Lyra would sell them online and at her shows. Inventory will be kept low until a demand is evident.

S P E C I A L E V E N T S / This semester Lyra Bolt’s managers booked C H A R I T Y / B E N E F I T her for a benefit concert at Columbia

College Chicago. The event was called “Concert for a Cause” and raised over $300 for the victims in Mexico and Puerto Rico and had an attendance of 236 people. The event was the perfect introduction for showing Lyra and her brand under new management. She was the only female vocalist to perform, and the crowd was completely wowed by her. The Concert for a Cause showed Lyra as a performer who cares about what happens in the world. Her team thought this opportunity was very on-brand for Lyra and offered good exposure for her as an up and coming artist. Lyra gained more recognition and morale in the city of Chicago. Lyra has also expressed interest in the LGBT community of Chicago, and her team is looking for any sort of benefits or fundraising performance opportunities oriented around LGBT activism. One of Lyra’s greatest inspirations is the strength she feels as a woman. It would be a dream to pair this inspiration with a charity outreach such as family homeless shelters, women’s health, and/or women’s rights activism. People value artists that utilize their voice for a common good. Since Lyra’s career is still working from the ground up, working with charities is a great way to gain exposure and support from the people in Chicago. (See Appendix L: Concert for a Cause)

PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER ARTISTS

Lyra Bolt has worked closely with a local guitarist, Elaine Simmons. Elaine is a close friend of Lyra’s managers. She is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and has been playing guitar for 6 years. She moved to Chicago to pursue a degree in Music Business. Elaine accompanied Lyra for the Concert for a Cause and Little Mouth as well as Lyra’s EP. Lyra Bolt and producer Jake Smith worked incredibly well together. Jake is originally from Lafayette, Indiana and moved to Chicago for school. He is pursuing a degree in Audio and Acoustics with a focus in recorded music. Jake is not only technologically skilled, he has an ear for the music. Two artists with such musical skill are going to lead to iconic tracks. For this reason, Lyra and her team have decided to bring Jake on to produce the entire EP. For Concert for a Cause, Lyra was also accompanied by Alex Kennedy on drums. For Little Mouth, management established a band for Lyra including Erik Zuberbuhler (bass), Simon Havely (piano), and Zach Peterson (drums).

VIDEO PRODUCTION Lyra came into the semester without any media. Her demo wasn’t a high enough quality to produce a video off of. Lyra’s premier EP is in the works, and her team is putting their focus on that project. Lyra will wait to release a music video until after her EP. Besides time restraints, this is a better means of promotion. This way when her video is released and shared across social media platforms and her website, people can investigate more and see more content. If we were to pause the EP production to create a music video and release it, audiences would go looking for more content, see nothing, get bored, and move on. Lyra and her team want to create a lasting fan base, and everything needs to be done strategically. Their overall goal for media is to develop more of a following, and for that the music video needs to be pushed back to a more opportune time. Pushing the music video back to the late spring early summer also offers more options in shooting locations. Lyra’s video will be low budget and most likely completed by people her and her managers have a personal connection with. Working around so many schedules and the winter would be incredibly difficult, so the later date is the best option. The track to focus on for the video is yet to be decided. Lyra and her team need to figure out which represents her, her brand, and the image of the EP best. This will be visual representation of Lyra’s premiere body of work. While keeping in mind what will market the EP best, they must also account for what works best for Lyra as an artist. When completed the video will be shared on social media platforms and YouTube. Links to Lyra’s EP will be in the description. Rough Timeline

April 2018 - Music video planning May 2018 - Video shooting - EP Release June 2018 - Post Production July 2018 - Video Release August 2018 - Promotional Month - Pushing the EP and music video

SONGWRITING Lyra Bolt has been writing her own music since she was 13 years old and will continue to write music only for herself. Her songwriting influences don’t have a consistent formula. When she first started songwriting, film and cinema were some of her biggest inspirations. As she continued to grow as an artist, Stevie Wonder, George Michael. Sting, Carole King, and Paul McCartney were some of the great singer-songwriters that pushed her improve her style and technique. The time Lyra takes with each song varies in length. She’s taken time from just 10 minutes to write a song to 6 months to put it all together. Lyrics, structure, song titles, melody, and influences have no particular order in which they come to her. Lyra has written lyrics and melodies she likes on a whim on post its, sometimes even records melodies that come to her on her voice memos. Lyra Bolt’s first single off her EP Anita evokes a feeling of mystery through guitar picking and strong lyrics. “Anita was one of the first songs among a blur of horribly written, out-of-touch, cliche ballads I wrote as a kid I was actually proud of. It was the summer after I'd just turn 16. I wrote it in 20 minutes. During that time, film and cinema influenced my earlier songwriting; I was watching a ton of Tarantino films among others, and was inspired by the badassery of the women featured in them. Women who scare the absolute shit out of me. But intrigue me nonetheless. I saw the film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche Blue is the Warmest Colour, which inspired the first line of the song "Her hair was the color of a deep blue lagoon. Is the song a direct retelling of the film in song form? No. Is it based on a true story I've experienced before? No. "Anita" is whoever you want it to be. I think it's a lot more fun to let the listener decide for themselves who Anita is or who they want her to be, rather than impose the meaning.” Although Lyra’s music is not formally filed in the Library of Congress, she owns all the copyrights since she wrote each song and melody herself. Her management team will be aiding Lyra in the formal filing in the near future. (See Appendix M: Anita Lyrics)

SPONSORS Currently, Lyra Bolt does not have any sponsors or investors but management plans on reaching out for sponsorship in the near future. As she is still a growing artist, management will look into a corporate sponsorship from Red Bull. This sponsorship would allow Lyra Bolt to reach a larger audience that is targeted toward music. In the past, Red Bull has focused more on motocross promotions but have started to tap into the art and music field. Management will submit a proposal with Lyra’s soon to be released EP under the “Contact Culture” tab in hopes of providing Lyra with another outlet to show her work. Lyra Bolt’s management team did not reach out to potential sponsors since the main focus for the team was to build Lyra as an artist and ensure she’s established before she receives any sponsorship. Without an EP, Lyra Bolt would not be able to provide sponsors or investors with an example of her actual craft. Once Lyra has grown a fan base and has become more established in the music industry, management will reach out to sponsors to fund any upcoming projects, including her first album.

SWOT ANALYSIS • Strengths o Voice sounds different than appearance o Detailed oriented o Passionate musician o High fashion, cheap budget o Very driven • Weaknesses o Lack of live performance experience o Demo recorded on phone o Audience judgement based on look o Little to no connections o Social media needs improvement • Opportunities o Finding a live band o The Contradictions, Elaine, Piano majors o Recording with a producer o Photoshoot with Maddy – Boost fashion o On film – late 80s, Early 90s. 35mm o Build social media – vintage looking, relevant posts, on-brand posts o Connect with booking agents, venue connections, Columbia connections, Manifest • Threats o Sickness, vocally ill, not singing correctly o Generalized as any other female vocalist o The Economy o World events affecting artist marketing o Building a career in a bad time o Nobody is buying music o Producing an album in a Single’s driven market

GOALS • 3 month o Secure a band o Find 2 live performance opportunities o Work with producers o Photoshoot o Develop image o Social media growth • 6 month o Performance at Biggest Mouth o Potential Manifest opener o Produce an EP o Perform in Boystown o Developed relationships with local venues o Release music video • 1 year o Meet with A&R from a record label o Increase marketing outside the city o Release album o Introduce merchandise at performances • 3 years o Signed to a record label o Live performances outside of Chicago o Release 2nd album • 5 years o Release 3rd album o Headline tour

FINANCIAL

Lyra Bolt has had minimal expenses so far. This is due to the collaborations with other students at Columbia College Chicago for a photoshoot and studio time. Expenses listed below have all been paid for.

CONCLUSIONS

Management feels that working with an artist from the ground up has helped them gain skills that may have been different if they were working with an established artist. They were able to see Lyra grow as an artist and really establish who she is through her music and own personal brand. The idea of blending the old with the new has opened so many opportunities for Lyra to work with and continue to differentiate herself to other artists. Everyone is trying to be the next new thing while Lyra sees the importance of remembering the music and style that got us to where we are today as an industry. Building Lyra's social media gave management a chance to really focus on growth online and start to plan how Lyra's social media will effect her as she continues to grow and gain fans. Since September, Elana and Jacob have booked her 2 shows and one was paid, secured a band, and made way in Lyra’s first EP. Now looking at Lyra, not as an up and coming artist, but as an artist who is ready to work. Lyra Bolt and her team are looking to book Lyra more shows across the city of Chicago. Jacob Elana Schmidt Coker I learned a lot managing Lyra this semester. Working from the ground up with an artist is incredibly tedious, but Lyra being so determined and made the process a lot easier. Lyra made it clear at the beginning her biggest goal was to book live performances. However, we quickly learned a lot of planning had to go in before she could book a gig. We needed to create recorded music to send to venues, and we also had to secure a band to accompany her. I managed to pull some strings to add Lyra to the line up for a benefit concert raising money for Mexico and Puerto Rico. The performance acted as Lyra’s debut performance under new management. A goal we didn’t initially foresee was creating Lyra’s premiere EP. However, after securing studio time anyway, we thought “Why not?” One track is in post-production and Lyra is set to record again before the semester is up. The EP is expected to release by May. Through mine and Elana’s connections in Columbia events, we’ve managed to book Lyra for a paid gig through the Student Programming Board. Lyra will be on stage doing what she’s passionate about, getting paid, and will be backed by faithful and talented musicians secured by her management team.

Going into this I believed that my background in producing live events would help in securing live performances for our talent but working with a new artist taught me that it’s just not that easy. There were many factors in this project that we weren’t ready for since Lyra was and is still so new. Without an EP or any professionally recorded music, our ability to reach out to sponsors and larger venues was hindered since we didn’t have any material to show them or put on our EPK. What was more beneficial was the ability to work with on campus venues and organizations that Jacob and I knew previously to this class. Working with an artist from the ground up provided me with a chance to look at things on a smaller scale rather than what I previously saw as an industry where you have to be famous in order to be successful. I look forward to continue to work with Lyra in the future.

APPENDIX A : Preliminary Interview Questions 1. Are they (artist) at the beginner, intermediate or advanced level of their trade (singer, songwriter, producer, etc)? What work will be required to get them ready to market?

Lyra Bolt is at an intermediate level. She’s singing since age 4, writing songs since age 13, and studying techniques in music till coming to Columbia. 2. What market demographic are they trying to reach? 8-12 year olds? 18-32? An ethnic market? What do you perceive their marketing angle to be (i.e. how will you market them to that demographic?

Adult woman 20 and up. Not specifically writing for men but all for women.

3. What are their goals? (3 months, 1 year and 5 year) Will you be able to achieve those 3 month goals with them or are you in over your head? Are you on the same page and heading in the same direction regarding their goals?

3 months- start to book at small venues (bars, cafes), practice live performing, get herself out there, own music 1 year- bigger stages (HOB) festivals 5 years- Columbia records

4. Do they absolutely love what they do? Are they doing what they do for the love of it or do they want to make a million dollars and live in a mansion on the hill? Either way, can you handle it?

She rolled her eyes because yes she loves what she does. She’s loved what she she’s done ever since she could think.

5. Do they have any existing deals (management, productions, spec, recording, recordings)? Will any of these deals conflict with or complicate your involvement? Can they legally move forward with you or do you have to buy somebody out, comanage with somebody else, help get the artist out of an existing contract, etc?

No existing deals

APPENDIX A : Preliminary Interview Questions (Cont.) 6. Do they operate as a company or do they own any other companies (production, publishing, design, etc.)?

No companies

7. Where do they live? City. How often have you agreed to contact each other regarding this project? And how? (in-person, internet, phone)

Lyra lives in the west suburbs of Chicago about 30 minutes on the blue line. We will meet once a week or more with contact via phone in a group chat in between. 8. Do they belong to any unions, organizations, associations or guilds? Do they have any contracts that affect your involvement with them?

No unions, organizations, associations or guilds.

9. What assets do they have (copyrights, trademarks, etc)? They do not have to give you personal details like account numbers, serial numbers, etc. You just want to get a general sense of their assets. What debts (business/band) have they incurred? They do not have to give you personal details, just general debt facts. No copyrights, trademarks, owns music on rough demos, music written by herself,

produced on her own

10. What do they believe are their strengths and their weaknesses as an artist?

Strengths- voice sounds different than appearance, surprise, detail oriented, high fashion on a cheap budget, mom inspiration 70’s 80’s Weakness- judgments based on looks, size 11. Do they have lots of friends or enemies in business? It is better to know soon than later since you may bump into some of these people (good or bad) along the way. You do not want out hear things about your client’ through the grapevine. What other artist have they worked with?

No enemies. Worked with Jasmine Thurmond (The Contradictions) as a backup singer at The House of Blues.

APPENDIX A : Preliminary Interview Questions (Cont.) 12. Have they had a manager previously? If so, what is the status of that relationship?

Has had no other manager.

13. Have they put out any records or been on tour before? Find out their past booking schedule within the last 1-3 months. Where would they like to see you book them? Have gone on no tours or put out any albums.

Lyra would like to be booked at any venue with a mic and piano and any Columbia events. Toward the end of the year she would like to perform at Manifest. 14. Do they currently have: bio, photos, website, social media sites, logo, and merchandise? What are(s) do they feel would be a great advancement to furthering their career.

Have ideas for logos and has current headshots. We’re working to advance her career by providing a photo shoot with a 35mm film camera and build up her social media presence.

15. From the artist point of view, what do they believe is their mission statement? (What does the artist offer to their audience? what is the essence of why the band/signer exist? What makes them different from any other actor or dancer out there?)

Lyra Bolts’ mission is to revive old school sound and blend it with the new, representing the women who don’t believe they can be who they inspire to be.

APPENDIX B :Â Business Cards

APPENDIX C : Survey

APPENDIX D : Logo and Photos

All photos featured by Madelyn Grace Smith

APPENDIX E :Â One Sheet and EPK

APPENDIX E :Â One Sheet and EPK (Cont.)

APPENDIX F : Button Design

APPENDIX G :Â Booking Log (First Half)

APPENDIX G :Â Booking Log (Second Half)

APPENDIX H : Talent Buyer Letter

I : Proof of Booking

APPENDIX J : Promotional Facebook Post

APPENDIX K : Facebook Analytics

December 2, 2017

December 11, 2017

After Performance at Little Mouth

APPENDIX K : Facebook Analytics (Cont.)

"Anita" Release Video as of December 11, 2017

APPENDIX L : Concert for a Cause

Promo Poster

APPENDIX M : "Anita" Lyrics

Her hair was the color of a deep blue lagoon She smiled her smile at me She said she’s another killer undercover Looking for company I said, “Girl, you must’ve lost your mind”, But she smiled her smile at me She said she’s another killer undercover and that her name would be It should be (CHORUS) A-NI-TA Her hair down to the floor Said she’s been here before Swift and graceful Cruel and hateful I can’t get her out of my head (HOOK) A-NI-TA, AH-AH-AH-AH-AH, AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AH, AH-AH-AH-AH-AH-AHWHOA (X2) I wanna introduce, this secret life to you I’m sure that you won’t mind at all A little play on words, because nothing is worse To want to fly, but then have to fall Keep in mind, your heart is mine You won’t want to return A love that’s true, patient, and kind Was always meant to burn Your turn (Repeat CHORUS and HOOK) (BRIDGE) [Softer, quieter for guitar – picking instead of strumming]

APPENDIX M : "Anita" Lyrics (Cont.)

Don’t ask too many questions But you’ve got cruel intentions I know that I keep you awake, awake, awake I’m sure you have your reasons Cause they change like the seasons But I simply couldn’t look away, away, away (OUTRO CHORUS) A-NI-TA What have you done to me? I’m begging baby please I have a life at home We can’t be here alone Despite what you believe A-NI-TA You ride a cruel device Your hands are cold like ice I closed your eyes and said goodbye And to the sky I cried, yeah I cried. A-NI-TA