In late July this year, YouTube Music announced the latest batch of artists selected for its global artist development programme Foundry. Created in 2015 as a workshop series and relaunched in 2017 as an incubator for independent artists, Foundry aims to help artists take their careers to the next level with access to industry resources, grants and partner development.
This year applications to the programme increased fourfold, and the Foundry Class of 2022 is the largest cohort to date. The selected artists include UK acts French the Kid, Obongjayar and TSHA, alongside 27 artists from other territories. Writing about the announcement on YouTube’s official blog, artist partnerships lead Naomi Zeichner noted that, ‘The journeys of independent artists may be winding, but they don’t have to be lonely.’ Previously the editor of The FADER and a journalist for the New York Times, New York Magazine and Pitchfork, Naomi’s role at YouTube involves steering the Foundry programme and working with music partnership teams around the world.
‘I’ve always been interested in how culture moves and who carries it, and what new music can reveal about how technology shapes our lives,’ she says.
‘The platform is a place where artists everywhere, at all stages of their career, can thrive.'
These interests intersect in Foundry, as the platform helps to launch newer artists and allows better known acts to develop even further with the backing of one of the world’s most influential companies.
‘The platform is a place where artists everywhere, at all stages of their career, can thrive, and where users enjoy discovering new music,’ Naomi says. ‘Foundry’s offerings have evolved over time; we’re currently building relationships with early career independents in annual artist development classes and supporting more established acts globally with release support campaigns.’
Entry to Foundry’s classes for emerging artists is determined by open application, and artists can apply for release support campaigns directly through members of YouTube’s artist and label partnerships teams. Artists are selected for the programme based on their release plans, previous work and touring, and what they want to achieve going forward. The Foundry team looks at the data, but they also check in with YouTube staffers in the relevant markets to find what’s resonating now and what might connect in the future. One key priority, Naomi says, it to ‘represent the diversity of the communities that are helping the independent sector grow.’
‘The Foundry Class of 2022 is our largest, most global, and most Gen Z yet. Its members represent a wide spectrum of artistry, from genre to audience size to content strategy,’ she says. ‘But they also have a lot in common - for Foundry classes, we prioritise artists who are devoted to developing a unique style, releasing content consistently to grow a community around their music, and engaging directly with their fans. The entire new class is amazing.’
Over the years, Foundry artists have seen great successes. Previous cohorts have included this year’s Reading Festival headliner Dave, as well as Arlo Parks, Dua Lipa, Rina Sawayama and more. For Naomi, watching emerging artists develop has been its own reward. 'When Arlo Parks joined the Foundry Class of 2019, she had fewer than 1000 subscribers and an undeniable magnetism. Arlo and her team put a lot of care into their content, and that year they developed a live series and approach to lyric videos that helped people get to know Arlo as a poet and human,’ she says. ‘We’ve worked together since, and it’s been a joy to see the world celebrate her debut album and her to win the Breakthrough Artist award at the BRITs.’
Nurturing independent artists at all levels is key to a diverse music industry, which facilitates the creation of a range of different works within many genres and territories. For Naomi and the Foundry team, it’s important to support holistic development for their artists, to allow them to make informed choices about their career paths and take the next steps necessary to launch them even further.
'For YouTube, recognising the significance of independent music simply means acknowledging that now and in the future, artists will create in many ways, and that all artists should have an equal opportunity at long-term success.'
‘Creating music requires time, space, and self-belief, and there are lots of ways to define independence. For YouTube, recognising the significance of independent music simply means acknowledging that now and in the future, artists will create in many ways, and that all artists should have an equal opportunity at long-term success, no matter what funding or distribution model they choose,’ Naomi says.
‘Development isn’t just about racking up plays; it looks like access to information, making informed decisions about your data and finances, knowing what you can expect of your partners, and creative freedom. Our team can play a larger role in some of those areas than others, and we’re always looking for ways to not only promote songs, but help artists grow holistically.’
‘Ultimately, a career is an epic puzzle with many pieces, and it’s really challenging to make progress on anything without your health, or people around you who care for you and push you to do well. So for anyone who’s working toward artistic fulfilment, my wish is that they’re able to work with people they can call friends, and feel the fruits of their efforts,’ she continues.
As the Foundry artist development programme continues to grow, the YouTube team are hoping to expand their artist grant offerings to new territories, where they can support an even broader range of artists. In the meantime, they are bringing artists and partners back together offline, running showcases and networking events, and carrying on their work to improve opportunities for Foundry graduates, partners and independent artists as a whole. With their track record, the future looks bright.
Header image by Mary Inhea Kang.
