Jeeni Blog

Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

10 Reasons why the world needs Jeeni

/ By Rebecca Allan
10 Reasons why the world needs Jeeni

My name is Mel Croucher. I'm a record producer and computer nerd. Over the years I've worked with a whole bunch of superstars like Prince, Frank Zappa and Eminem. In other words, I've been around successful musicians all my working life.

A few years back I was hearing from more and more artists how unhappy they were with the big streaming services. So I polled 4,200 of them about their Top-Ten Problems with Spotify, Apple Music, Soundcloud, Deezer, and the rest. The poll result was a shocker, and I asked a bunch of the best brains in the music business to help me create an ethical alternative. It's taken us two years, and we call our alternative JEENI.

Here's what the artists we polled told us, and here's our Jeeni solution to their problems.

1 - Money. Artists get paid a pittance. Platforms like YouTube pay $0.00069 per view, so even 10,000 views earn us less than the cost of a pizza per month

Jeeni solution. OK, we get it. You do all the hard work, so you deserve all the rewards. How about a Jeeni deal where you keep 100% of all music sales, ticketing, and merchandise sold through our platform.

2 - Recognition. We try really hard, but streaming platforms just don't get us more fans or recognition.

Jeeni solution. Right. Let's make Jeeni an artist development platform. Our founder invented viral marketing in 1994. Then he achieved the world's first million-user viral campaign. Now he's designed all the tools you need to grow your fanbase and get recognition: all part of the Jeeni service.

3 - Communication. We don't know the identity of who's streaming our stuff, so we can't get in direct contact with anyone who wants to know more about us.

Jeeni solution. OK. Here's the deal. With Jeeni you get a built-in fan database to contact everyone who votes for you or likes your work, and you communicate directly with them as often as you like. Safely, legally and all opt-in.

4 - B*llsh*t. The big streaming platforms are full of it. We hate the adverts, we hate the artificial likes, we hate the paid-for recommendations, we hate the hype.

Jeeni solution. The answer to this is an ethical alternative. We guarantee Jeeni will stay advert-free. We pledge our charts are the result of democratic votes by real people. And we promise that all Jeeni content comes from genuine unpaid sources. Oh yeah, we'll also pay our taxes in full, because we believe we should make a positive contribution to the society we live in.

5 - Rip-Offs. We just can't breakthrough, and even when we think we're making progress as artists we get ripped off.

Jeeni solution. Yep. The entertainment business has always been full of shysters. Let's be honest here, the people behind Jeeni have all made it to the top somehow, and between us, we've made every mistake in the book. Our mission is to help you achieve success and avoid rip-offs. That's why our Jeeni Mentors, Ambassadors and Masterclasses have joined forces to do exactly that.

6 - Choice. The big streaming services all offer similar content, dominated by the same big star names.

Jeeni solution. Agreed, so let's ignore the content everyone else uses and leave our competitors to fight it out! Jeeni is designed for undiscovered artists to breakthrough, based on talent alone, not ad-spend.

Invest in JEENI, invest in the future of music

7 - Channels. My work doesn't fit into mainstream channels. For example, what about channels for spoken word?

Jeeni solution. No problem. Jeeni already has dedicated spoken-word channels for poetry, comedy, and voice actors, plus channels for entertainment ranging from dance to videogame soundtracks. And if we don't already have a channel that suits your need ... we'll sit down and create it!

8 - Visibility. People either don't know about our work or can't find it even if they do.

Jeeni solution. We've designed the smartest user interface we can. On Jeeni, you can search by name, type of channel, instrumentation, latest uploads, popularity, even by influences and heroes. But above all, our artists have complete control over publicising their own announcements to their specific Jeeni audience.

9 - Fakes. What's the difference between the Jeeni Awards and the fake results dominated by celebrity voting?

Jeeni solution. Simple. Jeeni doesn't have celebrity voting. Our Awards will always be based on one member - one vote. No ifs, no buts.

10 - Live performance. I'd like to stream an event, and charge people to watch it. Can Jeeni do that?

Jeeni solution. Um, not yet, but we're working on it! Come on now, we're not perfect, so we need your help.

Jeeni has returned to Crowdcube to raise more funds for helping new talent. Jeeni raised 50k in the first 5 days and are working hard to get more investors on board with more investments still coming in. When we hit all our targets we can help give our new artists the recognition they deserve. If you want to see our pitch click HERE. You can invest for as little as 10 pounds and you will be directly helping independent musicians and performers take back the control.

Mel Croucher, founder of Jeeni and the UK video games industry explains why the world needs Jeeni
Invest in JEENI, invest in the future of music

04
Mar

Jeeni’s Giant List of Channels!

Jeeni welcomes and supports a giant range of talent and art from music, spoken word, dance and more. Jeeni’s channels help viewers find exactly what they’re looking for and as a result, artists can select up to four channels that their art covers to reach those audiences.   Jeeni’s prime goal is to bring attention to artists that deserve it and luckily for all of our viewers, Jeeni is packed with them. Jeeni has over 100 channels of talent ripe for exploring and compiling. Anyone and everyone can create and share playlists from all of the channels that we offer and it’s absolutely free to sign up. Finding talent on Jeeni couldn’t be easier, simply choose a channel that interests you, from ambient, to death-metal, to slam poetry and begin unearthing Jeeni artists and their craft.   Here are just some of the channels Jeeni has to offer:  Hip-hop: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/hip-hop/ One of Jeeni’s most frequented channels, hip-hop has anything from jazz rap (Cassius Gray) , hip house (WesLi D), afroswing (I K 8OY), conscious rap (Baby Panna) and instrumental hip-hop (Big Frank) added to it week-by-week.  Cassius Gray:  Cassius Gray is a 23 year old rapper, musician from South West London. Fusing soulful instrumentals, with introspective lyrics and a unique intonation, Cassius gives the listener an honest reflection on his approach to life - as a young man.   WesLi D:  Hailing from North West London, artist and producer WesLi D brings a refreshing take to UK underground and alternative rap using a blend of styles; from melodic and bouncy to somber and thoughtful, his expression is not limited sonically by any means.  I K 8OY:  I K 8OY is a Nigerian/British rising star. Although he describes his music as versatile, his musical style fits primarily within the Afrobeat mix genre with melodic rap – otherwise called as Afro-swing or Afro-pop.  Baby Panna:  Rapper Baby Panna is still in the preliminary stages of his career, but his new EP amplifies a hunger that seems to have been with him from the start. His style flitters between melodic, acoustically composed hip-hop and psychedelic trap.  Big Frank:   Big Frank is a Hip Hop producer from Cornwall, based in London. Since moving to the city in 2017 he has worked as a producer and engineer, and established his sound. His style is a blend of classic Hip Hop sounds, and experimental textures. Expect more releases with the UK underground's best rappers and singers in 2022.  Folk: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/folk/ Daisy Chute A style of music as timeless and broad as folk never fails to both calm and inspire its fans. Keeping more traditional folk sentiments alive is the incredible Daisy Chute. Daisy has been an important and keen part of Jeeni by creating and uploading her enchanting tracks to Jeeni’s folk channel. She was also a key part of Jeeni’s artist partnership programme alongside Arianna May. Check out Daisy’s showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/daisy-chute/  Richard Murray Bordering with country as well as folk is singer/songwriter, Richard Murray. Hailing from Northern Ireland, Richard Murray specialises in expanding the ideas some might have about country and folk music. He pushes the envelope in these genres by introducing alternative instruments, song writing approaches and mindsets. Richard contributed the entirety of his stellar last album, ‘Fire Sale’ onto Jeeni and we were then delighted to review the warm, romantic record, “With lush, full arrangements, creative use of instrumentation and authoritative vocal performances, Richard Murray’s newest album, ‘Fire Sale’ might just be his most impactful to date since his debut in 2007.” Check Richard’s brilliant and extensive showcase out on Jeeni here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/richardmurraymusic/    Rock: https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/rock/ Another strongly prevalent channel on Jeeni, is the sweeping genre of rock music. Jeeni boasts a formidable and growing roster of rockstars such as award-winning Eden James, revolutionary Giack Bazz and the newly formed five-piece, Respite.  Eden James:  Eden James is an indie rock-pop recording artist, winning multiple music awards from his native home of Australia and achieving a number one hit in Greece. Classic Rock magazine UK recently reviewed his new album 'All the Good Blank Are Taken' saying “Oozes urban cool and Springsteen swagger… a concise collision of catchiness and class.”  Here’s Eden James’ showcase on Jeeni: https://jeeni.com/showcase/edenjames/?view=about   Giack Bazz:  Giack Bazz is an explosive, relentless multi-instrumentalist songwriter based in London. The artist started igniting stages with his painfully honest lyrics and his screaming telecaster in 2015. He has since released three solo albums that were critically acclaimed (Blowup magazine, Decade, Rumore).  Check out Giack Bazz’s showcase here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/giack-bazz/?view=about   Respite:  Alt-rock quintet hailing from Glasgow, Scotland. Respite blends elements of punk, post-hardcore and pop music, with lyrics and vocals heavily inspired by pop-punk and emo. Influenced by bands such as Don Broco, Mallory Knox and A Day To Remember, Respite deliver catchy and energetic earworms with a subtle depth.  Check Respite’s Jeeni showcase out here: https://jeeni.com/showcase/respite-band/?view=videos   Jeeni also features a huge amount of the niche-est of niche genres and talents including slam poetry, audiobooks, various dance talent and loads more. Go exploring Jeeni's library of talent!

03
Sep

7 Of The Best Music Sites and Blogs

We have scanned the internet and asked members what they think are the 7 of the best music sites and blogs. Basically, what's hot and what's not! Our choices may well differ from yours, so let's have the debate. Many things have changed in recent months and will change at an even greater pace now. With online streaming services we can enjoy our music for free or at a low cost. So let's get started with the ones we love. 1. Water and Music We love Water and Music which is an audio companion to the email newsletter of the same name, dedicated to unpacking the fine print behind big ideas in music and technology. The title comes from a conversation between Quincy Jones and Kendrick Lamar, in which the former declares: "The last things to leave this planet will be water and music." Host Cherie Hu is an award-winning freelance journalist and analyst focusing on the intersection of music, media and technology, with regular bylines in publications including Billboard, Forbes and Music Business Worldwide. 2. vampr We love Vampr. Vampr is an app that helps you discover, connect and collaborate with fellow musicians, the music industry and music lovers alike. Vampr stats show 33,798,736 swipes and 5,017,135 connections made in 198 countries worldwide. 3. Pitchfork We also love Pitchfork. Pitchfork has some awesome features such as best new music, and we really like the music reviews. The writers seem to be in the know and very much "thought leaders" in the music industry. They are continually updating the website with the latest information related to the music industry. In addition, Pitchfork hosts its own music festival which will be held in Chicago this year. 4. Hypebot We also love Hypebot. Hypebot is one of the most well-known online music sites in the industry, and there is good reason for that! The site is updated very regularly, so you know you are getting all the latest information possible. They also cover other areas such as “Music Tech”, “DIY” and “Charts”. You can also sign up to the Hypebot newsletter to get the daily lowdown on everything happening straight to your inbox! Hypebot covers a wide variety of topics in the music industry, so no matter what you are looking for, you’ll probably be able to find it here. They also have a charts section where you can filter by “emerging artists” or “established artists” as well as the country and city. And of course you can play artist tracks. 5. YourEDM Our next site is Your EDM, dedicated to Electronic Dance Music. Everything you need to stay up to date with the latest in electronic music can found here. This includes all the latest news as well as featured articles and sub-sections/ genres of EDM, like house and bass. On this site you even have the ability to download free songs, from a variety of different artists trying to make a name for themselves in the industry. All the different sub-genres are listed on the site, so even if your taste is really narrow in EDM, you can still find some great information. New info almost daily. Make sure you follow them on social media to get updates on the latest information. 6. All Music Next on our it's-gotta-be-hot list is All Music. All Music doesn’t really have as much news on the music industry as the others listed here, but their focus is mainly on providing information in new music and helping visitors discover their next obsession. They also provide recommendations if you create an account, and once you have rated albums, you will get recommendations on what to listen to next. Covering from all common genres including pop, rap, electronic, classical, blues, country and more. They provide an in-depth review of all the latest albums and give options on how to stream the tunes if you want to. There are three different ratings available to view, “All Music Rating”, “User Ratings” and “Your Rating” so you can have a more detailed view on what people think about a particular album. 7. JEENI Last but not least we love Jeeni, a new platform for Independent Musicians and Performers. JEENI is a multi-channel streaming service for original and unsigned talent. Jeeni provides a showcase for musicians and performers to put their talent in the spotlight, giving superfans the power to make them stars. The Jeeni promise is to treat their creative talent ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect. Additionally, Jeeni publishes its own blog, all about Jeeni and current industry news. Most importantly Jeeni commits to – No hype. No adverts. No rip-offs. No Fakes, and making sure that the artists get 100% of their direct sales. Find out more here That's all Folks!

07
Sep

KICKSTART your career: Introducing our super-star video wrangler Aleah MO

JEENI are delighted to be employing with the Government’s Kickstart Scheme initiative.   Aleah Mo (she/her) was our first Kickstart recruit. Aleah is a 19-year-old dancer and dance teacher from Portsmouth. Since Aleah joined the team, JEENI has helped her to showcase her talent and keep 100% of the rewards.   Launched by Rishi Sunak last September as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government’s Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create jobs for 16–24-year-olds who are receiving Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.   As a fast-growing new business, still in its exciting dewy youth. JEENI are delighted to have signed up for the scheme. The successful Kickstart employees are taken on for initial placement of up to 6 months. And given training to learn new skills, and ongoing support to look for long-term, permanent work.   To qualify for the Kickstart Scheme, jobs offered must be brand new positions that were not previously available at the company. For JEENI, this works perfectly as the company is currently growing and expanding at a rapid rate. Meaning that these exciting new roles have evolved naturally.   Aleah joined Team JEENI in March. As one of our Marketing Assistants, she creates showcases for many different independent performers like herself. And she’s already using the skills she has learned so far to promote her own talent and services. With Kickstart Employees working for up to 25 hours per week. Aleah says her hours easily fit around her busy schedule of teaching and dancing.   “JEENI is such a great company and the hours I work really fit around my dance, which is really beneficial for me, because I am a teacher, so most evenings I am dancing as well as on the weekends. “ Aleah Mo. The Movement Initiative The Dance Company that Aleah dances for is called The Movement Initiative (TMI). TMI is a Charity Dance School located in Southsea, formed to help dancers fulfil their full potential. By providing opportunities, facilities, and classes for dancers to learn excel, and perform regardless of their age and ability. TMI are World Champions in the International Dance Organisation. Aleah is already using what she's learnt as a Marketing Assistant for JEENI to help promote her dance school and increase their following. As well as her own individual talent, all or free.   Aleah, along with some other dance school members, and a wide range of independent dancers will also be featuring in JEENI’s next online festival! Our first themed festival, the theme, of course, being DANCE which Aleah is “super-excited” about!  If you’re interested in working for JEENI, featuring in one of our upcoming festivals or just want to find out how we can help you promote your talents and services. Contact the Business Helpdesk here:  https://jeeni.com/support/ To check out the full Inside Story Interview with Aleah Mo click here: Inside Story: Aleah Mo interview