Today in the music industry, there are a lot of artists that are either YouTube sensations or they may be a part of an independent label. These artists have a tendency to grasp the attention of YouTube viewers and continue to get thousands of hits each day. Because the industry is at a point where all music sounds the same, it is very hard for the people that are trying to make “good music” for listeners to get into the business. Not saying that some of them do not already have their pinky toe in the door, but some of them want to be commercialized just as well as the Souljah Boy’s or the Melanie Fiona’s.
Tyler Woods is not your average male. He is a 29 year old man who has a voice that is a modern day Curtis Mayfield, something like a Marvin Gaye in his day with a pinch of David Ruffin, combined with a Jodeci, David Hollister and Case feel. Woods is an R&B singer who is a part of NC native Patrick “9th Wonder” Douthit independent recording label, Jamla & It’s a Wonderful World Music Group (IWWMG). Under the leadership of 9th, Woods has had his music iTunes available. Some of his projects that are available include, “The R&B Sensation” and “Christmas in the Woods.” Woods latest project is a free EP titled “The Mahogany Experience.”
Here are just a few videos of Tyler’s music:
Woods’ brand is different from the rest of the R&B singers that are in the industry. He gives you a soulful sound that is smooth yet a sound that thrives for the energy to take you into the feelings of the song when he sings. Woods has been touring all across the nation from Germany and back to the U.S., to even having a session at one of Tom Joyner’s event. Woods has also had his own session at CIAA as well as some of the IWWMG showcases that are in Raleigh. Yes Woods has been featured at a lot of these events, but how can Woods attract listeners with this smooth yet different sound that is not heard on your local listening? Woods currently has a facebook page that has 1,328 fans and a twitter account that has 1,791 followers. How can we get those numbers to rise and for people to grasp hold to his music? As a fellow associate of Woods, his fan base is there. But twitter & facebook are just a start. Woods does have videos on YouTube but to make him more known, Woods should set up his own YouTube TV page. A YouTube TV page is one that has all of the music or videos that are made by the artist. This is an easy access for fans because they do not have to keep typing in the search box for their music because it’s already on their page. Because Woods has music with Lil Wayne, Camp Lo, Styles P, just to name a few, he can have all of the music he has made on that page which would give his videos & music more hits and it would also give him more followers & more fans.
The YouTube page is a successful new media tool that a lot of people are grasping hold to. A lot of the artists who are popular in the industry such as Usher, Lady Gaga & Keyshia Cole, have adopted the YouTube page. Even 9th Wonder’s label, IWWMG, have a YouTube TV page. If Woods has his own TV page, he can also link it to go to IWWMG’s page and it can give the rest of the artists on that label hits as well. YouTube is known for some of nations biggest artists getting their start here & because of their video hits, they are signed with a major label. Having this page would help Woods gain a bigger fan base as well.
Another way that Woods can market himself is by going to the local colleges, such as HBCU’s & doing free shows because the students that are on those campuses have their own movements and if he is a part of their movement they will help market him as well. One thing about HBCU’s is that they will support you if you support them. If Woods go to one local HBCU and show them the love and support on a consistent base, they would do the same for him. These students are the driving force for social media and social movement and they are the tip of the ice berg for being fans of great artists who make great music. They are the ones who get the word out there for people to stay abreast of new music. They are the ones responsible for the #TrendingTopics. For example, IWWMG is located in Raleigh, and if IWWMG did a charity relief concert for Shaw University & St. Augustine University and those that were affected by the recent disaster, with those two campuses they can have a bigger fan base for the entire label and their artists, not to mention the other universities that will come together and support the event due to the major disaster that has happened on both campuses. Having all of them being a part of that experience would help IWWMG and even Woods.
There are different ways Woods can be branded and marketed to the nation. He must start in our local area and gain more support than what he already has. Once he is branded and known more in his local market, moving to the nation is the next step which would include the YouTube video. By having a strong fan base in the area and having a movement that will get more listeners and fans across the country, is what needs to happen for Woods make the local R&B Sensation to become a national recording R&B Sensation.
