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Symphonic Distribution Expands A&R Client Development Team in Europe

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:56:37 +0000

We’re stoked to announce a major expansion of our A&R Client Development team across Europe! As our global community continues to grow, so does our commitment to giving independent artists the support they deserve, no matter where they are in the world. That’s why we’ve added a powerhouse group of new team members across the region and promoted key talent internally to take things to the next level. Here’s everything you need to know…

Symphonic Distribution Expands A&R Client Development Team in Europe

Expanding Our Global Reach in Europe The way music gets discovered is constantly evolving, and for emerging projects like Academia Boys, the right tools can make all the difference. With the help of Songtools and Symphonic’s seamless integration, Academia Boys turned their latest release into a fast-growing success story that proves just how powerful smart strategy and great music can be. Let’s get into it…

SongTools x Symphonic Case Study: Academia Boys

About Academia Boys

Academia Boys is the brainchild of Cuban composer and producer William Paz, based in Miami. Fusing contemporary pop with global Latin influences, the project delivers an energetic sound rooted in authenticity. Backed by years of industry experience and collaborations with icons like Marc Anthony, Jerry Rivera, and Erika Ender, Paz brings a Grammy-winning track record to this new creative venture.

With “BORRACHA,” Academia Boys is carving out a lane of its own: modern, vibrant, and culturally rich. CodaMusic, a platform that’s reimagining the streaming experience to put artists and fans at the center of it all. After years of advocacy and anticipation, the HITS Act (Help Independent Tracks Succeed) has officially passed, and it’s a massive step forward for independent artists, producers, and labels across the country. Most artists are out here creating content, dropping music, and hoping for the best. And while that grind is admirable, true marketers are playing an entirely different game. They’re mapping out every step a fan takes from “just heard of you” to “omfg can’t stop streaming, bought the vinyl, and drove five hours to your show.”

And that’s the difference… Marketers think in terms of the entire fan journey to support their efforts. Once you understand it, you can start using it to guide your own fans from casual listeners to lifelong supporters. In this post, we’re breaking down everything you need to know to level up your game from guesswork to true strategy. Let’s dive in…

The Fan Journey Breakdown: What Marketers Know That Most Artists Miss

What is a Fan Journey?

The “fan journey” is the emotional path someone takes from discovering your music to becoming a full-blown fan. It’s less about the music itself and more about every interaction that builds trust, connection, and loyalty along the way.

In the marketing realm, we call this a “customer journey”. In the music world, we’re talking about the fans. When you understand this journey, you stop treating every fan the same and meet them where they’re at. The fan journey can be broken into three general stages:

New Fan: These fans just found you. Maybe through a TikTok, a playlist, a tag on IG. They don’t know much about you yet.
Casual Fan: They’re following you now. They like a few songs, maybe watched a video or two, but they’re not checking for every drop.
Core Fan: These fans are your day-ones. They buy your merch, comment on everything, share your music with their friends, and show up to shows.

Every fan starts as “new”, but it’s your job to help them level up. Once you know where your fans are in their journey, you can start creating the right content and experiences to move them forward. No guesswork here; only actionable insights.

Mapping Content by Stage

Surprise! Not all fans want (or need) the same thing at the same time. That’s why tailoring your content to each stage of the fan journey works wonders. New Fans are just getting to know you; they need eye-catching visuals, short intro videos, and playlist features to reel them in to take a closer look. This is your chance to make a strong first impression and hook these viewers. Platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, and Spotify playlists are key discovery zones; this is where new fans are most likely to find you, so make sure you’re showing up with scroll-stopping content.

Casual Fans have some interest, but they aren’t fully invested yet. Now’s the time to deepen that connection with behind-the-scenes clips, regular updates, and calls-to-action like signing up for your email list or following your socials. (PRO TIP: If you want to maximize your reach without overloading yourself with work, consider repurposing your existing video content across multiple platforms. Check out “7 Places to Share Repurposed Video Content” for some of our favorite time-saving ideas.)

Lastly, your Core Fans are your ride or dies. They want exclusives like early merch drops, private livestreams, meet and greet invites, etc. to feel valued. And building that community around your music is what turns those fans into advocates. No longer are we shouting into the void and hoping for the best! Match your content to your fans’ needs, and you’ll start to see real results, real fast… That’s the beauty of smart marketing.

Segmenting Your Fans

Now that we understand that not all fans are created equal, treating them like they are is wasting valuable time and energy. This is where the power of segmentation comes in, aka grouping your fans based on real data like where they live, how they engage, and which platforms they prefer. This helps you send the right message to the right people at the right time. But how do you find that data?

first-ever A2IM Indie Week Australian Edition, and we’re proud to have our very own Guji Lorenzana speaking on a panel all about global growth and expanding into new markets.

As you watch the Latin GRAMMYs each year, it seems as though the only people who win are always the Karol Gs and Peso Plumas of the industry. What you may not know is that there are tons of other winners not shown on TV, most of whom are talented independent artists who have been working just as hard as you are now. If you’re a talented Latin musician, it certainly is possible to win as an independent artist. Want to get yourself on the list of nominees? The Online Entry Process (OEP) 25th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards starts on April 1st, 2025! Here’s how to get involved…

How To Get Nominated For A Latin GRAMMY

Being able to flex your GRAMMY win is not only a personal flex, but a major win in the eyes of this competitive industry we call home. Adding this accomplishment to future press releases, EPKs, and more is a huge selling point that can secure more interest in your work as you move through your career than you would without it. Even now, when the mainstream isn’t always so mainstream and the landscape of this business is continuously changing, the legitimacy and prestige of a GRAMMY will always be impressive.

To be eligible for submission, your release must meet these requirements:

Release Date // The recording must have been released during the eligibility period, which usually runs from June 1 of the previous year to May 31 of the award year. For the 2025 Latin GRAMMYs, this would likely be from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2025.

Language // The recordings must contain at least 51% of their playing time of newly recorded material in Spanish, Portuguese, or any of the recognized Ibero-American dialects.

Commercial Availability // The recording must be commercially available either through physical sales or digital download/streaming during the eligibility period.

Originality // The recording must be an original work, not previously released or substantially similar to previous works by the same artist.

Genre-Specific Criteria // Different categories may have specific criteria that need to be met, such as length, format, or content type.

*To see the official calendar for this year’s Latin GRAMMY considerations, click here.

How are entries submitted for the Latin GRAMMYs?

The Latin GRAMMYs focus on music recorded in Spanish, Portuguese, or recognized Ibero-American dialects, celebrating a wide array of Latin music genres. To be submitted for Latin GRAMMY consideration, a recording must be entered by members of the Recording Academy who are either Professional or Voting members. (It’s important to note that membership in the Latin Recording Academy consists primarily of professionals specifically from the Latin music industry, while the US Recording Academy includes professionals from various sectors of the global music industry.)

Regardless, each member should have an account on the GRAMMY website where they can log in and submit entries during the submission periods.

How does the Latin GRAMMY voting process work?

The process begins with members and record companies submitting entries, which are then screened for eligibility and category placement. The Latin Academy’s voting members, all involved in the creative and technical processes of recording, then participate in (1) the nominating process that determines the five finalists (10 finalists in the General Field) and (2) the final voting process, which determines the Latin GRAMMY winners.

The voting process consists of two rounds:

ROUND ONE // The Voting Members vote on the entries they believe should receive a nomination in their respective categories. Each specific category only has five slots, which is why even being nominated for a Latin GRAMMY is a major accomplishment. The nominees have already been selected from a field of dozens of submissions in each category.

FINAL ROUND // Once the nominees in each category are set, the final voting round begins. The Voting Members vote on the nominee in each of their eligible voting categories that they believe should win the GRAMMY. The nominee with the most votes wins the award. On the night of the ceremony, the awards for the categories with broader popular appeal are televised. The Latin GRAMMYs have categories specific to Latin music genres, which include Best Salsa Album and Best Banda Album.

In Conclusion…

You have nothing to lose from shooting your shot. Independent artists get nominated and win GRAMMYs every year. If you’re working hard every day to improve your craft, put out great music, and consistently shape your artistry, your work deserves to be recognized at the highest level. At the end of the day, whether you win awards or not doesn’t define the quality of your work… but boy does it feel good.

YouTube for Artists is YouTube’s new official platform for helping musicians manage their presence, grow their audience, and monetize their content. With key tools like analytics, channel control, and monetization options, tailored specifically for artists, you don’t want to miss out on everything it has to offer.

Everything You Need To Know About YouTube for Artists

Here’s the rundown…

YouTube offers artists a global stage to share their music, build the visual world around their songs, and connect with fans. Beyond being a platform for videos, YouTube provides powerful tools to grow your audience, engage fans, and monetize your work. That’s why YouTube has partnered with artists, labels, and distributors to simplify key strategies that help musicians succeed on the platform.

These refreshed resources are now available on the updated YouTube for Artists site, designed to help you make the most of your presence on YouTube. FREE masterclass, we’re breaking down industry insights you don’t want to miss…

Symphonic Masterclass: Fueling Your Next Release with Marketing Drivers

Date: July 17, 2025

Time: 3:00 PM EST

Where: Zoom

Join us on July 17th at 3:00 PM EST for a hands-on virtual masterclass hosted by our Client Marketing team here at Symphonic. We’ll break down everything you need to know about using marketing drivers to boost visibility and momentum around your next release.

In this masterclass, you’ll learn…

What are Marketing Drivers?: Learn which key assets, moments, and campaigns can help you secure playlist placements, editorial support, and fan engagement, like TikTok buzz, strong visuals, media coverage, and more.

How to Use Them Strategically: Learn how to plan and prioritize marketing drivers that fit your goals, audience, and resources, whether you’re gearing up for a single or a full project.

How to Submit Drivers to Our Team: Get a full walkthrough on how to share your plans with Symphonic’s Client Marketing team so we can support your campaign the right way.

Best Practices for Artists at Any Level: No budget? No problem. We’ll walk you through creative strategies, backend tools, and resources you can use to promote your music without breaking the bank.

Meet the Team: We’ll also introduce you to the faces behind Symphonic’s Client Marketing team, your go-to partners for building a strong release plan.

This session is open to all Symphonic clients and independent artists looking to grow their fan base and build smarter campaigns. One song, video, or photoshoot can fuel months of momentum if you know how to finesse it properly. That is the beauty of an evergreen content strategy. Evergreen content isn’t tied to one specific moment. It’s flexible, reusable, easy to reshare, and lasts the test of time. In this post, you’ll learn how to turn one release into an ongoing stream of valuable content without burning out or wasting valuable energy. From repurposing visuals to pacing your rollout just right, here’s how to squeeze every last drop of value from your latest release…

How To Turn One Release Into an Evergreen Content Strategy

Repurposing the Core Assets

No need to start from scratch, take a good look at what you’ve already got. A single song release comes with way more material than you realize. Music videos, cover art, press photos, lyrics, behind-the-scenes footage, even voice memos and demo clips. All of this can be repurposed into new formats to stretch your content way beyond release day, week, or month, for that matter.

Consider turning a video snippet into a Reel or TikTok. Use a still from your last shoot as an IG post, or break your lyrics down into multiple shareable graphics or story slides. That one photoshoot can easily become three months’ worth of visuals if you plan it right.

The key is to treat each asset like raw material. With some simple editing and format swapping, you can create tons of unique posts from the same core pieces.

To help you get the creative wheels turning, check out “8 Types of Repurposed Content You Can Create From Your Music Videos” to learn more…

Go Behind-The-Scenes

Yeah, we all love seeing the pretty final product, but you know what fans really love? Seeing how it all came together. Behind-the-scenes content builds connection, shows off your personality, and pulls back the curtain into your world. This can mean anything from a quick phone video from shoot day, a selfie in the studio, or a candid moment from rehearsal. No need to overthink it. What may feel ordinary to you can be fascinating to your audience.

If you want to go deeper, post a BTS video with a VoiceOver explaining the concept or inspiration behind the song, or share a story of a messy moment during filming. Moments like these are real, and real is what sticks.

Consider even stretching the same BTS clip across platforms, i.e., post it on TikTok, turn it into a Reel with captions, or repurpose it into a short teaser clip to build hype on socials before the song comes out. The goal here is to metaphorically let your audience into the room with you and turn casual listeners into real fans via one core video, reframed many different ways.

Once you’ve shared the behind-the-scenes content, keep the momentum going by sparking conversation around it. Don’t just post; invite interaction. Ask your fans to guess what inspired a certain scene, share their favorite lyric, or weigh in on upcoming visuals. Simple questions like “What’s your favorite line from the song?” or “Drop a

Lastest Hip Hop News

We had @iamrayyyrayyy check in with Fl3a

Fifth Anniversary Afro Nation | LIVE BACKSTAGE | Day 3 PT 1

Shakur Stevenson On Drake, Growing Up In Newark + Upcoming Fight!

Symphonic Distribution Expands A&R Client Development Team in Europe

Symphonic Distribution Expands A&R Client Development Team in Europe

SongTools x Symphonic Case Study: Academia Boys

About Academia Boys

The Fan Journey Breakdown: What Marketers Know That Most Artists Miss

What is a Fan Journey?

Mapping Content by Stage

Segmenting Your Fans

How To Get Nominated For A Latin GRAMMY

To be eligible for submission, your release must meet these requirements:

How are entries submitted for the Latin GRAMMYs?

How does the Latin GRAMMY voting process work?

In Conclusion…

Everything You Need To Know About YouTube for Artists

Here’s the rundown…

Symphonic Masterclass: Fueling Your Next Release with Marketing Drivers

How To Turn One Release Into an Evergreen Content Strategy

Repurposing the Core Assets

Go Behind-The-Scenes