Creative Project Evaluation

Innocente Carena
14002411
BA2
Music Business

YUNG DROP

This is an evaluation of my creative project, from my second year, at the University of

Highlands and Islands. The evaluation will go on to explain what my creative project
was and what it turned into or more what the creative project changed into. Assessing
the overall creative process of the project, a timeline of the project which dates back
to September 2018, how the project and module has helped my personal development
during second year and a conclusion regarding the project on the whole are all
contained within this evaluation. Future improvements for development are
highlighted throughout the analysis. This helps to provide a better ‘view’ of how
certain situations were handled by me, while working alone or with others also.

My creative project was planned by myself to be a culmination of rap and metal

music, recorded as an EP and released under the name, YUNG DROP. I had planned
to release a music video along with this EP as well as a corresponding tour to promote
the music and brand throughout local Scottish cities, such as Dundee, Perth, and
Glasgow and so on. Relevant media articles such as an EPK (Electronic Press Kit), an
EPK for the ‘single’, an interview on separate local and educational radio stations
regarding the EP and tour, were just a number of promotional ideas that I had
regarding the marketing of the EP. Along with this, the idea was to try and create a
new ‘family’ feeling throughout Scotland, with regards to the rap scene and the metal
scene which would in turn produce a larger target market to promote and reach out to.
This to me, made a lot of sense as they were extreme, highly energetic and
provocative genres, which I felt at the time best represented myself also. I don’t really
see the point in involving myself, creatively, with a project that either does not tell a
story about my life or that I cannot have a positive effect on.

In September (2018) I started to write guitar parts to correspond with pieces of trap
and electronic beats that were written by Chris (Strangers Music), a producer/DJ from
my University. Chris helped to produce and write all the ‘digital’ music for the EP and
delivered these within the timeframe necessary. Upon completion of the ‘digital’ side
of the music, I then messaged a producer, who I had previously worked with and
released music through before, Andrew. Andrew was someone that I trusted, at the
time, to not only deliver the finished product but to also help push the music to a
better level of production and overall listening quality. I felt he would see this as a
very opportune task that would basically give him something different to work on but
still in the realms of his capabilities and interest. Unfortunately, this was not to be the
case at all.

One recording session was all I managed to get with Andrew. I would like to point out
that the first single was near enough completed in that day of recording. This showed
straight away that we could work well together and would have the EP finished with
plenty time to promote it for touring as well as marketing and selling. We talked
contract terms during this one and only recording session and agreed that the next
time I was to record (the following week) to have the ‘finalised contract’ signed. This
did not happen as I was messaged the night before this recording session to not come
through as Andrew had other plans and ‘things to worry about’. Since that message, I
haven’t had a single word or message from him, nothing about my music or if I can
even have it returned for another producer to work on. It got to the point that I have
had to contact the MU (after discussing with a lecturer) with regards to retrieving my
music and ‘ousting; the producer.

This, however, does not pass the creative project module and at the time, I knew I had
to resurrect the situation to achieve a pass while sticking close to the project
guidelines and requirements.

HILLSIDE MVMNT

In the background of my life, I had a clothing line, called HILLSIDE MVMNT,

slowly but surely becoming something bigger and more involved on a daily basis with
my general routine. I’ve always been highly motivated and interested with selling and
creating clothing designs, due to past experiences of handling band merchandise as
well as the promotion of merchandise. I realised the ease at which I could create
designs that people liked and were willing to pay money for. If I could try and keep
the brand for a certain element of society, like those representing darker and more
provocative genres/backgrounds, I would still be able to create the new target market I
wanted while maintaining a family sense and feeling of loyalty, for consumers.

Due to the running of HILLSIDE, albeit in the ‘background’ of my life, I had

managed to establish a small following. Local businesses were willing to offer advice
as well as work alongside my brand and ideas due to the sense of ‘mystery’ I had
created around the brand. We are like the ‘stroppy teenager’ of the Dundee clothing
family, we do not ‘play by the rules, we do what suits us and is deemed appropriate by
OUR standards. This in itself had a positive effect on the brand as young folk
nowadays want to try and promote themselves as best and shockingly as possible. My
brand has given them a clothing option that helps them do so.

Due to my past experiences of band merchandise and endorsements, I wanted to

endorse some up and coming artists. This would not only help to spread knowledge of
my brand through a desired ‘sector’ but was also a means to free promotion in
different cities. Picking bands that have a buzz about them was a key factor in the
current endorsement deals I have handed out. All my endorsed artists have a current
release or soon to be releases and tours for 2019 which will incorporate my brand in
multiple ways such as artwork, onstage garments or in promotional activities like
music videos or photo shoots.

What I gathered from numerous conversations and ‘small business meetings’ with
local brands, was that I needed to not only have my clothing online but also in a shop.
This meant that customers would be able to see my clothing first hand and gave them
another buying option. It would also help to expand on brand notoriety and lead to
new customers and followers. This is how I discovered House of Handsome.
House of Handsome is a Barber Shop, initially based in Carnoustie but has just
recently been offered a second store in Dundee. The owner messaged me with regards
to a ‘bulk’ order for their shop as she wanted to have ‘different options’ to attract
customers. I brought up the idea of a collaboration design between themselves and
HILLSIDE which could also incorporate an open night at the barber shop to allow
both brands to promote themselves and show that small businesses can work together
and achieve. In turn it would allow for my clothing to be promoted and seen sold in a
retail environment.

Over the coming months, leading up to the open night on the 6th of April (2019), we
discussed the requirements for the night which included the finished design (created
by myself), what the night would require like buffet, drinks and music. As the night
tied in with a date on our touring module, I offered her the chance to have Chris play,
for free, as it helped give the night another element but also helped to promote his
new EP and would also allow for his fans and followers to come down and check out
the brand and shop. HOH offered to cut hair for £5, which also helped to attract
people to the open night.

The branding for both HILLSIDE and HOH was clearly displayed on all posters that
promoted the open night and tour. This helped people recognise us and our branding
and was another way to keep the brands and date(s) relevant with regards to the
public. We also prioritised areas of high activity for promotion. The likes of bus and
train stations, University Union’s and commonplaces were exploited with regards to
our posters, we tried to have them put up where the younger, and more student type
crowd would be.

With regards to the night, I feel personally that we have the basis and structure for a
solid, monthly event that can help promote future artists and DJ’s. I think, having a
better structure with regards to marketing and promotion would help the night and
brands to further consumers and reach further afield. Leaving marketing and
promotional talk to just messaging really was not the best and at times,
communication was nowhere near the level it should of and could have been at.
Things like communication would have helped us realise that we didn’t provide any
soft drinks, for example, on the night of the event. That being said, the turn out was
not bad at all, especially for a first time event and showed that with better advertising,
we could host the event on a greater scale i.e. outside, in the warmer months for a
Barbecue or Street Party.

Overall, I may not have been able to release an EP, expressing my interests, thoughts
and feelings but I have been able to create a brand that can provide income, is
promoted and sold in a shop(s) and also hosts a monthly open night, which after the
first one last month, showed that profit can be made, once all overheads are covered;
buffet and drinks. Collaboration costs were split down the middle between myself and
HOH which I have since recouped.