Jeeni Blog

Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

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

/ By Kate Stewart
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

15
Mar

More Than Just Music with Jeeni

So far, 2021 has been a very busy year for the Jeeni team, so what's new? The platform is growing and growing, and it's more than just music with Jeeni. The first job was to update the website. The look changed, the user experience was enhanced and new channels were added, allowing all the varied talent joining us is easier to find. More than just music, means we welcome all the trades that support the industry, plus the industries that benefit from music itself. The new look channels added, mean we can offer separate sections for all these extra and supporting parts of the creative world. Our Goods and Services channel now gives members access to tutorials for singing, including Opera and Classical, guides to performance prep, as well as studio production. There is also advice on optimising your social media, recording your music, graphics and album artwork. And when the world seems to be spinning at 100mph, you can find help to unwind and seek peace and calm. Tara and Sharmayne - Opera Coaches In the Masterclasses channel, users can sharpen their skills from drums to guitar, and even try the bass guitar lessons from the legend Suzi Quattro. If you require the services of a photographer, director or editor, you can search the various talents listed in the Photography and Videography channel. Or follow the guides on how to do it yourself , even on a limited budget. Plus Jeeni's own image welder, Sharron Goodyear with her special rate offer for a 'virtual shoot' exclusive to our subscribers. Should you be thinking of going before the lens, you could check out the services in the Style and Grooming channel to grab some tips on all aspects of hair, make-up, style and image. CrackaLackTV Editing Tutorial Not forgetting the next generation of creatives, we have a special channel for Juniors to go to for music, dance, stories, teaching and performance tips aimed at the younger musicians and dancers. We are also building the Audio Books channel to encourage writers of stories for children and young adults. Not excluding the oldies, there are currently 31 episodes of Stephen Palmer's 'Hairy London' for the adults to immerse themselves in. One of our most exciting, up-coming channels is Royalty-Free Music for Dancers. Whether your routines are for performance or competition, using other peoples' music can be problematic and expensive. So, Jeeni has set up a channel specifically to address this issue. We are approaching some of our big name contacts, asking them to contribute to this cause and the response has been fantastic, so keep an eye out for the new uploads. If you are willing to allow your music to be used royalty-free, then please think about giving others the benefit of your talent and share the love by uploading to this specific channel. Check out the new look site, build your showcase and get uploading and sharing!

07
Dec

Streaming Revenues - a tipping point?

At Jeeni, this is a subject we are following closely, being a platform set up to address this very subject. The balance of revenue on most platforms, is tipped far too heavily away from the artists, performers and writers, in favour of the suits and pen-pushers. Quite frankly, it's a disgrace! Jeeni's ethos is to ensure any performing members receive 100% of the revenue they generate. Should all streaming services work the same way? Journalist Dylan Smith, from Digital Music News has written the article below, updating how far the DCMS Committee has got with their fact finding and the issues to be presented on 11 December. Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair Julian Knight. Photo Credit: David Woolfall British lawmakers have stated that artists are hesitant to participate in the ongoing investigation into streaming royalties “because they fear action may be taken against them” if they do so. The House of Commons’ Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (DCMS Committee) announced the high-profile probe of streaming royalties last month. The comprehensive analysis aims to identify streaming’s impact on all relevant stakeholders, including labels and artists, as well as its long-term effects concerning “the sustainability of the wider music industry.” Last week, singer-songwriter Nadine Shah, Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien, and Elbow frontman Guy Garvey spoke before the DCMS Committee to address the contemporary music landscape. Of particular note was Shah’s statement that she doesn’t “make enough money from streaming” to cover her rent, despite having north of 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Possibly in response to the abundance of information that the investigation has turned up thus far, the DCMS Committee also announced last week that it had extended the window for artists and others to submit written testimonials regarding royalties. From the original deadline of Monday, November 16th, members of the music industry now have until Friday, December 11th, to express their opinions. The probe’s upcoming oral testimony, for its part, is slated to take place next Tuesday, December 8th, with Maria Forte Music Services’ namesake owner, Ferocious Talent owner Kwame Kwaten, and José Luis Sevillano, director general at Spain’s AIE, set to participate via livestream. Ahead of the formal sitdown, DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight has relayed that many would-be witnesses are opting not to come forward due to their fear of the potential professional consequences associated with speaking out against streaming royalties. “We have been told from many different sources that some of the people interested in speaking to us, in relation to this inquiry, have become reluctant to do so because they fear action may be taken against them if they speak in public,” said the Solihull MP, who became the DCMS Committee’s chair in January of this year. “I would like to say on behalf of the Committee that we would take a very dim view indeed if we had any evidence of anyone interfering with witnesses to one of our inquiries. … This Committee will brook no such interference and will not hesitate to name and shame anyone proven to be involved in such activity,” continued Knight. And in concluding his statement on the matter, the lawmaker emphasized that others who reach out to the DCMS Committee with information or insight pertaining to streaming royalties “will be treated in confidence.”

07
Mar

Julience - ‘Love Lies Cold’ Single Review

Julience’s continues his one-man effort in keeping rock alive with this impactful hard rock ballad, ‘Love Lies Cold’.  Hailing from The Netherlands, Julience moved to Manchester to pursue his dream in music where he has been harking back to the golden age of rock ever since. This single is the multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter's second single and Jeeni is excited to be able to feature Julience’s fantastic throw-back tracks on our rock and guitar channels as they release. Check out Jeeni’s rock channel here, https://jeeni.com/channel/all-channels/rock/. And check out Julience’s Jeeni showcase here, https://jeeni.com/showcase/julience/?view=about.  Rock music is very robust; time and time again, it has come so close to disappearing only to revive itself and evolve to fit better into modern music climates. The difference with Julience is that he refuses to dilute the music he loves to conform to fit anything other than himself. Even in the infancy of his discography, he’s gained recognition and respect for keeping an older form of rock alive in the present day. Julience has been featured on over 30 playlists on streaming platforms with titles like ‘Punk Goes Pop’, ‘Retro Now Rock’ and ‘Rock ‘n Roll isn’t Dead’.  The only modernisation Julience grants himself is the clarity and up-to-date standard in his production and performances. Something specific that separates Julience from other modern rock groups is his truly guitar-centric compositions. It can sometimes feel as though the art of the guitar solo is slowly getting lost and becoming something of an artifact but Julience’s electric interjections teased from the very beginning eventually come to fruition as a finger-tapping, string-bending celebration of musicianship that ties the entire piece up.  Among the rock n roll hall of fame legends that Julience clearly looks up to, specific inspirations that come to mind from 'Love Lies Cold’ include Billy Idol, Guns N’ Roses and most notably, Iron Maiden. This 80s era is where rock was at its most mainstream and so Julience’s decision to honour that time is a lot of fun. It’s also so satisfying to see him fill in a market for those that weren't quite ready to say goodbye to those days.  Check out ‘Love Lies Cold’ here: https://jeeni.com/love-lies-cold-julience/.  How can Jeeni support artists like Julience?   JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience.  album review album review album review • We give creatives, independent artists and performers a showcase for their talent and services. And they keep 100% of everything they make.  • We empower our audience and reward them every step of the way.  • We promise to treat our members ethically, fairly, honestly and with respect.  • Access to artist liaison and a supportive marketing team.