by Howard Campbell
ATLANTA – An Atlanta-based, Jamaican-owned advertising and marketing agency is partnering with main manufacturers to assist break dancehall artists within the American mainstream. International Stardom, based and operated by Stefan Stewart, at the moment has 4 Jamaican acts on its roster.
As a consequence of his firm’s hyperlinks with Steve Madden, Nike, Netflix and Disney+, Stewart estimates International Stardom has a attain of 200 million followers. He’s hoping that can profit Armanii, Zidii, PinkFox and Sp!da, the Jamaican artists he manages.
“We give listeners new sounds they didn’t know they wanted to listen to. Every artist has a novel sound that instantly units them aside as soon as their music hits digital platforms. The distinction of their sound is what makes them related with every observe they drop. The digital creators have an obligation to create distinctive traits with any product that’s marketable and that’s what pulls the key manufacturers to wish to collaborate in a bid to have their product marketed in the identical vogue,” Stewart defined.
Deejay Armanii Making an Affect
Armanii, a deejay from Kingston, is essentially the most seen of the quartet. He started recording music two years in the past, however rose to prominence within the final 12 months by way of hit songs like Balenciaga pon mi Foot, Wild And Wikid and Harmless.
“The corporate made its first impression when it debuted with Balenciaga pon mi Foot by Armanii, who has grossed over 500,000 digital listeners every month and is at the moment trending with How Yuh Really feel. The distinctive marketing campaign of this EP YouTube, which granted Armanii a billboard deal throughout the tri-state space,” Stewart disclosed.
Due to Armanii’s recognition, he stated YouTube has proven related curiosity in his different Jamaican acts.
A graduate of Southern Illinois College, Stewart ventured into the Jamaican music market after working with American rappers KCamp and Toosie, in addition to Shai, the R&B quartet greatest recognized for the 1992 hit single, If Ever I Fall in Love.
At present, there are over 50 “creators” related to International Stardom which additionally has workplaces in Jamaica, the place Stewart is eager to make a mark.
“It’s essential as a result of Jamaica is the place house is, house for dancehall, reggae, and each spinoff style that you can imagine that has the Jamaican sound,” he stated. “Wi haffi dance a yard earlier than wi dance overseas, that’s an actual saying. Getting appreciated by worldwide nations for our work is an amazing feeling however when the love from house hits, it’s a unique feeling.”