A scavenger hunt for music on YouTube has launched a solution to serve independent artists.
Tyler-Christian Daniels grew up as a major fan of Prince, known for hits such as “Purple Rain.” Music overall held a special place in his family, and he specifically credited his father, Fred, with introducing him to old-school music, he shares in an interview with AFROTECH™. In time, he recalls his taste in music evolving and he was particularly keen on live music.
Beyond listening, he and his father also played instruments at home, strumming tunes on the bass and guitar at 1 a.m. One day, the two were on a long search on YouTube for a cover of Eric Clapton’s “Layla.” They went through 30 pages or more on YouTube.
“We realized that it was hard to find what we were looking for on YouTube when it came to music and when it came to artists … By the time we find someone we really like, it’s someone that has no exposure. They have 20 views, two thumbs up. And we’re like, ‘Man, this person is amazing. If we really wanted to find this person, how could we do it?’ … We couldn’t. We still haven’t found the person again,” Tyler-Christian told AFROTECH™.
The DemoStop
This is what he says signaled the launch of The DemoStop, a mobile web app designed to give independent performers full autonomy over their careers and actionable opportunities. Tyler-Christian notes that the venture is not intended to be a one-stop shop but hopes it will be the “best” destination for artists to showcase their work.
Musicians, performers, comedians, dancers, and entertainers can onboard for $7/month or $60/year. From there, they can be discovered and unlock benefits such as sharing video clips of performances, music, and exclusive content; engaging further with fans via comments and subscribers via private messaging; monetizing through fan subscription tiers that unlock behind-the-scenes content; and more.
“Instagram gets you a bunch of likes, maybe gets you more views, but at some point that means nothing. At some point you need to put something in your bank account, and the likes don’t go in your bank account,” Tyler-Christian, who serves as chief operating officer and product manager, explained.
He notes that artists can also collaborate with others on the platforms. They can do this by posting calls for specific talent, allowing others who fit the criteria to audition by submitting their work. For songwriting or when looking for a rapper, the platform also lets artists upload reference tracks or instrumentals that others can use to create and submit their own versions, Tyler-Christian says.
More benefits for artists include getting paid to teach courses through its academy and having access to gigs such as performances, auditions, and contests through venues, according to its website. DemoStop has seen early traction with colleges, which have offered artists opportunities to sing the national anthem and perform at halftime during games and events, with one artist even landing a movie deal as a result of their rendition.
“For many artists, music is more than a career goal. It is a dream they have spent years pursuing. Our goal is to help give that dream a place to grow, an opportunity to be discovered, and a better chance to stay alive,” Fred, CEO, commented in a statement to AFROTECH™.
The DemoStop also uniquely encourages artists by providing a claps feature to mimic applause. It intentionally avoids a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, or a likes-or-dislikes button.
“We use claps as a way to say artists are building it in applause through the app,” Tyler-Christian said.
Venues
The DemoStop also offers a tier for venues starting at $30/month or $250/year. Their membership includes access to a worldwide talent directory, as well as an integrated venue directory.
“In the past, some of our earliest venues almost used us a bit like a Yelp, where if a fan is on there and the fan says, ‘Hey, let’s go to a concert tonight, let’s see what live music is going on,’ they can look at their location. We have a map view where they can say, ‘OK, well, all these different venues are here that all do live music.’ They’re also in that same directory as artists are,” Tyler-Christian notes.
Venues can filter artists on the platform by genre, performance style, and instruments as well. Additionally, venues can offer subscription models offering merchandise discounts, food and drink packages, and member-exclusive events; host content and talent shows; and search for opening acts or performance replacements.
“We have a festival builder where they can post three days, as many opportunities within those three days, and they can mix and match and place artists that audition for it into these boxes … The venues can pick them and form a concert night just from the app. They don’t have to go anywhere else. So that’s what I’m hoping for in the future, that this is where venues get all their talent,” Tyler-Christian mentioned.
The DemoStop is free for fans, but they will need to create an account to engage with artists, whether by commenting on their work or by other means, such as purchasing their music, he notes.
The DemoStop app currently represents more than 20 countries, according to information shared with AFROTECH™.
The venture remains bootstrapped, but Tyler-Christian notes they are currently looking for outside capital.