Deezer NEXT launches to support global emerging artists

European-based streaming platform Deezer has launched a new initiative, Deezer NEXT, to champion 12 emerging acts selected from around the world to reach wider audiences.

The company said in a statement that the new program is “all about supporting the next generation of great music and helping you find your next favorite artist.

“Here at Deezer, we know the feeling; finding that gem that will change your perception of music, listening to it on repeat and wanting to share your discovery with the world. We too believe that rare talent should be shared for people to love and enjoy.

Deezer will work directly with the chosen artists and their labels and managers to bring subscribers exclusive content, pre-releases, playlists, private shows and marketing support through video, podcasts and social media.

The first three acts of Deezer NEXT have been announced, all three already hailed by various critics as the ones to watch in 2017.

Rag ’N’ Bone Man is a 32-year old British blues, soul and hip-hop singer-songwriter who made a promo visit to Australia late last year after his Human single cracked the Top 25. The record was also a huge hit throughout Europe.

New York City-based Maggie Rogers came to the forefront as a student of Pharrell Williams masterclass at NYU’s Clive Davis Institute last February. He was knocked out with her song Alaska, about her love for nature, which she wrote in 15 minutes. “I’ve never heard anything that sounds like that. That’s a drug for me,” he said, as part of his critique of all his students’ songs. A video of Pharrell listening to Alaska went viral with 2 million views.

25-year old British R&B pop singer Anne-Marie (Nicholson) emerged in Clean Bandit’s hit song Rockabye (which went to #1 in Australia the UK, New Zealand and five European countries) and Rudimental’s Rumour Mill. The karate champion began in showbiz as a child in two West End productions, Les Miserables at six and Whistle Down The Wind at 12 alongside a young Jessie J.

Of the 12 acts, three will get a global boost. The remaining nine will be promoted in markets including the UK, America, Germany, France and Latin America.

Deezer’s VP of Artist Marketing, Sulinna Ong, explained, “One of the biggest challenges in the music industry is developing and breaking new artists but, as streaming is becoming the preferred choice for music fans, we now have an exciting and meaningful way of introducing and developing emerging artists on a global scale.

“Deezer is committed to supporting emerging artists and being an important part of the journey in developing artist careers.”

The future plan for the platform is to upgrade its two-year old “personal soundtrack” Flow in the next few months, which it says will be instrumental in taking market share from Spotify and Apple Music.

It is realistic to assume that the move won’t be enough to bring Deezer level with their rivals who all allow the curating of personal playlists. But it does see its future in dominating the “lean-back experience”, its Chief Commercial Officer Golan Shaked told Bloomberg. Deezer will aim for “algorithm-led passive radio-style consumption, for instance for in-vehicle listening,” Bloomberg reported.

Estimates put Deezer’s closely guarded subscriber numbers at between 7.5 million and 10 million. The company says its growth will come from the fact it is in more countries than any other service (180) and with more tracks (43 million).

It has set up further expansion into Asia and is increasing brand partnerships with two recent hirings. Daud Aditirto spent the last four years working on growth alliances at Facebook in Asia and is the new Vice President for the Asia-Pacific region.

Pascal de Mul, the new Chief Partnership Officer, was brought in to strike deals with major players in industries such as telecommunications, hardware and automotive. He formerly spent five years at Spotify as Global Head of Hardware Partnerships where he brought in accounts including Samsung, Bose, Ford and Volvo.

Deezer is moving further into original content with podcasts, radio shows, documentaries and curated playlists with TV-like experiences. These include last year’s five-part comedy podcast Balls Up around the European Football Championships, and a radio documentary about French rock idols Téléphone.

Last month, partnerships were finalised with football teams Manchester United and FC Barcelona to be their official music partners. The deals include offering fans playlists created by the teams’ players.