statement of intent x

  

My NEA will focus on the launch of a new girl band called The Supernovas. Inspired by Lana Del Rey, Oasis and the wider brit pop alternative scene, the bands aesthetic and sound aim to combine vintage Americana with contemporary indie pop appealing to a "gen z" audience. The mix of vintage brit pop and alternative pop establishes a distinctive identity for the group, targeting a teenage audience that values authenticity, aesthetics and intimacy. Audiences use the band to shape their identity especially gen-z who value authenticity. The campaign will promote their debut album release, "Romance and Other Drugs".

 The TikTok campaign will include three videos, each meeting different audience gratifications. The first will be a cinematic lyric visualiser with elements from the music video. This TikTok will focus and rely on mise-en-scène such as the American flag and flowers to create an Americana aesthetic. By using fast paced editing, on screen text and romantic mise-en-scène, this video will showcase the lyrics while creating a visually immersive experience that encourages diversion and personal identity. Diversion is achieved through escapism and the cinematic visuals and personal identity is achieved through relating to the lyrics. This TikTok is going to be to the song, National Anthem - Demo by Lana Del Rey.

The second TikTok will provide behind the scenes content of the band playing instruments but will be edited alongside music, "West Coast" by Lana Del Rey, to make it visually engaging. It uses mise-en-scène of instruments to show that this is my band creating music. It involves scenes of us laughing whilst singing to present us in a natural light. By being in a rehearsal environment, this emphasises that the band is actively involved in creating their own music. This helps construct an authentic representation of the band as genuine musicians rather than just performers. By including natural moments, such as band members laughing and singing, this  presents the group in a more relaxed and relatable way. This allows the audience to see the band’s personality and chemistry, which can strengthen audience engagement and build a connection with viewers on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and X.

The third TikTok will feature a Q&A session, where the lead singer and director answer questions regarding the National Anthem music video. This creates a dialogue between the artist and audience, strengthening engagement by allowing the band to be shown in a natural and relatable way. This could perhaps encourage parasocial relationships between fans and my band. This will increase engagement. This rejects stereotypes of women in music as solely an object for the male gaze. My band rejects stereotypical portrayals of women and pop as passive or sexualised. Rather than reproducing stereotypes, this campaign will subvert traditional portrayals of women in music videos. The band will not be sexualised for male gratification but instead represented as authentic and relatable aspirational figures for young women. Instead they are shown as creative outspoken and independent as the behind the scenes and Q&A intend to highlight their personalities humour and talent showing female artists as authentic, approachable role models. 

My production represents contemporary social and cultural context by focusing on TikTok as the central platform of music discovery and fandom. This reflects the shift from traditional music promotion to short form interactive content consumed by a community. My target audience is primarily teenage girls, or people within the age range between 12-25, with a secondary appeal to more niche boys on the more alternative scene. Using psychographics, the band would attract Aspirers, Funseekers, and Free Spirits, enticing them through image, lifestyle and relatability. As Clay Shirky says, audiences are no longer passive and they actively interact, share and comment. This builds a community around my band and my fans are able to become prosumers and share fan edits.

Alongside the TikToks, I will be creating 3 billboards to promote a music documentary called 'Echoes throughout the Eras". This documentary will feature 3 bands from different time periods. The billboards will reinforce brand identity following conventions of music advertising. It will feature high contrast visuals, minimal text, a bold title of the documentary name along with a striking image of the members of a band which will feature. Riviera girls representing the 1980s. This billboard includes 80s iconography such as the same font from “Back to the Future” and is displayed in the form of a cassette tape, reminiscent of that era. Violet Crush representing the 2010s will feature a close up of my vand member will pay homage to Mean Girls by using similar typography and iconography. The final billboard, represents my contemporary band "The Supernovas". This billboard features Americana iconography by implementing the colours and features of the American flag such as stars. It appears vintage and cinematic and features critics reviews to hook the audience. Colours will follow a red and white and blue pallet, promoting the bands vintage Americana identity whilst standing out in an urban setting for people to notice. Including the Netflix logo on each billboard creates a direct link to the industry that will be premiering the documentary.