Jeeni now live to the public on Crowdcube having raised £80K and on schedule to reach £100K target.

Jeeni Blog

Helping the next generation of talent to build a global fanbase

Jeeni now live to the public on Crowdcube having raised £80K and on schedule to reach £100K target.

Jeeni, the social music platform that brings artists closer to their fans – and shares revenue ethically – is poised to become the first Portsmouth-based start-up to go on Crowdcube for its third round. If you want to see our pitch click HERE.

With 350million streamed music subscribers and market growth up by 39% this year, Jeeni is likely to ride the wave and be a huge success, not only with unsigned musicians and performers but with their superfans.

“We’re standing by to raise £100,000 for 2.4% with a pre-market valuation£4M,” says Jeeni founder Shena Mitchell. “And while we are already negotiating with several major investors, the beauty of Crowdcube is that the artists themselves can actually own a stake in the company for as little as £10.”

Shena continues, “Jeeni’s mission is to support unsigned music and performers, by helping them build a fanbase. We aim to fast-track careers in the music business, and make sure they take the lion’s share of the revenue that’s raised.

Jeeni is needed more now than ever and we have proved that the demand is high. Currently we can only support 100,000 videos, so we must now move up a gear as we head for global roll-out. This Round Three investment will be used to scale up again and launch our next-generation platform. It will also be used to develop our IoS and Android apps."

When the financial backing has been secured and we go live, we’ll be creating new jobs in the area, which is great for the local economy. When you consider the wealth of music talent in Portsmouth – hosting over 2,000 music events a year with Victorious, The Guildhall, Band Stand, Wedgewood Rooms, and all the Portsmouth Festivities and pubs – we’re alive to the opportunities of our local music culture, creativity and talent. But with live venues locked down for now, the online opportunity of Jeeni is needed more than ever.

It’s so cool to think someone reading this might choose to invest in Jeeni now with just £10, and then use Jeeni to build their own fanbase for fame and success! We’re going to try hard to make sure that happens.”

JEENI is currently inviting investment on Crowdcube. To find out how to get involved please join our mailing list for updates or check out our fundraising pitch. If you want to see our pitch click HERE.

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05
Jun

MD of Jeeni USA has been honoured as one of the “Top 100 Women of Influence”.

The woman who brought digital entertainment to the world is set to become MD of Jeeni USA. Kelli Richards is based in Cupertino, California, where the mighty Apple Corporation has its headquarters, and where she is honoured as one of the “Top 100 Women of Influence.” An Amazon Number One best-Selling author, and former A&R executive with EMI Music, Kelli played a key role in launching the entertainment division of Silicon Graphics. She’s celebrated as a digital media trailblazer and was responsible for launching Apple’s entry into music and entertainment during her many years with the company. In other words, Kelli Richards was directly responsible for the birth of digital entertainment and global music online, now known as Apple Music. Jeeni founder Mel Croucher worked with Kelli on projects for superstars like Eminem and Prince, and it seemed a perfect fit for Mel to invite her to represent Jeeni in the USA. “I was privileged to have been mentored by the legendary Steve Jobs over a period of several decades,” says Kelli. “I work on cool projects with cool people, and Jeeni is very, very cool.” Kelli Richards at Jeeni-USA HQ Keen to find out more about Jeeni, check out our new website www.jeeni.com

19
Oct

Afro-Futurist Project - Onipa

Onipa is an Afro-Futurist project from Ghana/ London founded in 2018 by K.O.G (founder of K.O.G and the Zongo Brigade) and Tom Excell (founder of Nubiyan Twist). Alongside bandmates Finn Booth (Nubiyan Twist) and Wonky Logic (Steam Down). Afro-futurist sensations Onipa combine deep afro grooves, electronics and fierce energy in an effervescent celebration of cultural and musical encounters. ONIPA means ‘human’ in Akan, the ancient language of the Ashanti people of Ghana. It’s a message of connection through collaboration: from Ghana to London, our ancestors to our children. Bringing energy, groove, electronics, afrofuturism, dance and fire! Jeeni’s mission is to support artists just like Onipa, showcasing their talent and support them to reach their full potential by having a showcase on jeeni.com. Since their debut showcase at The Great Escape festival, Onipa have gone on to sell out the Jazz Cafe, London and play 40 summer shows around the UK and Europe in 2019. Including, Glastonbury (Truth Stage), Shambala (Dance Tent), Fellabration (Paradiso, Amsterdam) and headline shows in Zanzibar and La Reunion Island in 2020. The group performed in Australia in front of a 5000-strong crowd during a celebration of Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday. As well as Damon Albarn's 'The Circus' in Leyton, London. Their debut album We No Be Machine has a 4* review from MOJO and UK radio play from Benji B, Tom Ravenscroft and Gideon Coe. However, coverage and touring were all badly hit by the pandemic. Despite this, Onipa still managed to record an immersive live performance at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios for WOMAD as well as showcasing at SXSW and We Out Here online. Additionally, they are currently working on their next record. JEENI is a multi-channel platform for original entertainment on demand. We’re a direct service between creatives and the global audience. • 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. Check out Onipa's showcase here on Jeeni: Onipa | Showcase | JEENI. Along with other showcases to add to your playlist. jeeni.com.

04
Apr

Zeeteah Massiah on Music, Performing and Life during 2020

Zeeteah Massiah is a Number One Billboard Dance Chart star who specialises in Reggae, Jazz and house music. Like many artists, the last year has provided many challenges for Zeeteah, but also a host of new opportunities and ventures that would have never otherwise have been possible. We asked her to tell us about her experiences over the last year whilst we count down to Jeeni's online JAM festival. It’s been the craziest year ever, but we’ve made it through thirteen months in and out of lockdown. At the beginning of 2020, I unveiled a brand-new sound and a wicked new band, and I was full of high hopes for the year. I was excited and ready to go. And then Covid hit. It took me three weeks into the first lockdown to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be going on stage again for a long time. I was in a fog for weeks and then I thought: just because I can’t be on stage doesn’t mean I can’t make music. I suddenly had an impulse to record a new version of an old song that I’ve always loved – United We Stand by Brotherhood of Man. It seemed so right for that moment. Paul, my husband and musical partner, understood immediately the sound I was looking for, and we set to work in our studio. Three of my favourite musicians played on the track – remotely, of course – and family and friends in London, Germany and the Caribbean filmed lovely cameos for the video. It was such fun to do, and it got a wonderful response. You can check it out on Jeeni. And then a man called George Floyd died in Minnesota, and we were all plunged into a very different mood. I didn’t realise how painful many of my feelings about race were, and how deeply they were buried, until I started telling Paul, with tears in my eyes, about growing up in London as a young black girl from Barbados. I was constantly made to feel a certain way simply because of the colour of my skin. Here we are in 2021 and, sadly, many things are still the same. At one point I blurted out to Paul, “You don’t know how it feels to be Black”. He took those words and turned them into a song called You Don’t Know. We recorded it and made the video in July. It’s one of the most heartfelt things I’ve done, and I’ve been amazed by the incredible response it’s had and so grateful for the wonderful feedback. I did manage to squeeze in three London gigs in the gaps between the lockdowns: a reggae gig in Chelsea, and jazz gigs in Hampstead and in the West End. Better than nothing – and in fact, they were all lovely events. When it became clear that there weren’t going to be any more gigs, I decided to start doing live sessions at home with some of my favourite musicians and sharing them on YouTube. And so, the Massiah Sessions were born. We’ve released nine videos so far, in a variety of styles, and there are more to come. I was also invited to add vocals to a new rock album by a dear friend in Germany. Thanks, Günther – it was a blast. In February, I did a livestream with guitarist Marcin Bobkowski for a charity called Educ’aid Africa, run by Isa Bell, which is helping to provide music education to schools in Benin. A recent DNA test revealed that many of my ancestors were from Benin, and so the project had a special meaning for me. It was my first livestream, and I loved it. I’m going to be doing another one on 10 April, and hopefully regularly after that – join us at zeestream.live if you can! And so now here we are, approaching the end of what we pray will be the final lockdown. And soon I’ll be back on stage in front of a live audience doing what I love best. My first live gig of 2021 will be on Thursday 27 May at Crazy Coqs in London’s West End. Maybe see you there? In the meantime, I wish you all the best for what will, hopefully, end up being a much better year. Zeeteah will also be performing in the JAM festival which is a collaboration between Jeeni, AmplifyX and MultiView Media and will be held at 12 noon Los Angeles time, 8pm London time on Saturday April 10th 2021. To find out more about the JAM Festival check out our events on Facebook. https://fb.me/e/1etPauFMV

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