Analysis of audiences of 3 similar artists.

Three artists that are similar to Shannon Hurley are; Ellie Goulding, Laura Marling and Lissie.

Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding, only just appeared on the scene in 2009, but since then she has played at many of the big festivals during the summer, and is about to start on her second tour this winter, having already been on tour during the winter of 2009. She is a british solo artist, although her voice is very similar to Shannon Hurley and is the type of artist who have more of an independent audience and than mainstream, however her music is very accsessible and is listened to by a fairly wide audience.

Her first album "lights", which has reached fairly high in the charts, which shows the album is quite mainstream and appeals to a more mainstream audience, for it to be appearing in the commercial charts. The album cover shows that this first album is showing her audience who she is and introducing herself to them, this is shwon by the image of herself on the cover. The title of the album "lights", doesnt really have any connotations over who the audience is, however it does suggest that she is trying to make an entrance within the music industry, as when you think of lights, you imagine something to be very visible and grabbing peoples attention, which is perhaps what ellie goulding wanted to do, with this album.

"you`re just a body i can smell your skin and when i feel it you`re wearing thin"

The above, is lyrics taken from Ellie Goudlings, The writer, which appears on her album "Lights". The lyrics suggest, she is talking about an ex boyfriend, and trying to let go of the feelings she had, which is similar to Shannon Hurleys sunrise, as she talks about wanting to still be and feel loved by an ex. The feel of the music and the meanings within the lyrics, gives the audience something to relate to.

Laura Marling

Laura Marling is a british singer/songwriter from Hampshire, she is a female folk artist, altough she has been on the music scene since around 2008, she is still very much independent and appeals strongly to the folk scene.

She has two albums, "alas i cannot swim" and "I speak because i can", which is her most recent album. Her first album cover "alas i connot swim", has a creative feel to it, because of the colours and shapes, however considering this is her first album she keeps her identity hidden within the album cover, so the audience can not really understand who she is or what sort of style she follows, however in her second album "i speak because i can", it features an image of herself on the cover , which reveals to the audience who she is and her persona. Her second album cover allows her audience to establish who she is and to be able to connect with her,as well as her lyrics and topics she sings about.

"oh naive little me asking what things you have seen you`re vulnerable in your head you`ll scream and you`ll wait till you`re dead"

The above, is taken from Laura Marlings, Rambling man which is from her second album, I speak because i can. The lyrics, have a certain rhythm to them and a poetic feel. They link to Shannon Hurleys lyrics from sunrise, because she is talking about someone and how something has happened to another person who is close to her. They do have a different feel about them to sunrise, but they are still quite romantic like the lyrics in sunrise.




Lissie

Lissie is an american solo artist, who has only just come on the music scene during the summer of 2010. She currently has some tour dates, in england, this shows she is interacting with her fans on a much wider scale, than just in her own country. Her voice is very similar to Shannon Hurleys. Her first album is called "Catching a tiger", the title is quite playful, therefore trying to appeal to a younger audience.

Lissie appears on her album cover, as a main part of it this helps the audience to establish who she is, because she is fairly indepedent. Her general style which is shown on the album cover, will appeal to her target auidence as welll as her songs appealing to them. The image of her, is natural which is one of the characteristics of shannon hurleys target audience, that are dress in a natural manner, with the way they have their hair and make up.

"I tunred my back you were gone in a flash like you always do you`ve always gone off somehwere else"

The above lyrics are taken from Lissies, When im alone, probabaly her most well known and popular song on her album. It is quite similar to Laura Marlings, and still holds the romantic feel of shannon hurleys, sunrise.

How can you use your knowledge of these three artists to strengthen the marketing of your singer and to appeal to the target audience?

I think I can use the knowledge, that I have gathered through researching the three artists; Ellie Goulding, Laura Marling and Lissie, to strengthen the marketing of my artist, because i can make sure that marketing techniques that I use are suited well to our target audience. I can be sure of whom my target audience is, because i have researched the type of interests, aspirations, fashions, social events etc that my target audience would attend or follow, therefore i can tune my marketing in a way that will appeal to this particular market. My knowledge of the target audience, that was contributed to by the research of the three artists will help me to market the singer in such a way that it appeals directly towards the audience that is specfic to the artist. Knowing my target audience, will help me to be able to appeal more directly to them, and make sure I gather a large but, however specific audience to the artist.