Newly promoted YouTube executive Lizzie Dickson has spoken to Music Week about the platform's key live initiative for artists.
Music Week can reveal that Dickson has been promoted to YouTube’s head of music UK. The role will see Dickson oversee artist, label and music Industry Partnerships for YouTube and YouTube Music in the UK. Dickson will report to YouTube’s head of music EMEA, Dan Chalmers.
The latest edition of YouTube Music Nights took place earlier this month with a performance by Burna Boy in Camden’s Koko venue. Burna Boy’s Music Night celebrated the fifth anniversary of his African Giant album. It follows his Glastonbury Pyramid stage performance and his sell-out London Stadium show.
The YouTube Music Nights programme puts superstar artists in intimate spaces, delivering live video content to fans globally beyond those who got to be in the room.
Previous YouTube Music Nights performers include Anne-Marie, Maneskin, Tate McRae and Becky Hill. Beabadoobee is the next artist to take part with a show lined up for August.
Lizzie Dickson’s five-year tenure as head of label relations UK, her previous role at YouTube, saw her establish the platform’s global artist programmes including Foundry and Artist On The Rise, which have helped to break UK artists such as Beabadoobee, Dave, Arlo Parks and Dua Lipa.
Here, Dickson discusses the YouTube Music Nights initiative as well as support for UK artists and breaking talent…
What is the strategy behind YouTube Music Nights, why did you want to stage intimate performances for established artists?
“At YouTube, our mission is to be the best place for every music fan. And Music Nights are all about celebrating that special human connection between artists and their fans. Putting an artist who would normally play to sold-out arenas into a small venue creates a very different kind of show. Artists can see the whites of their fans' eyes – it’s electric and intimate. It gives the artist a creative licence to try something different, which results in a special magic for those attending, but also for old and new fans and around the world, watching the content at home.
“Music Nights also allow featured artists to make the most of our global platform and its entire ecosystem to help with their promo cycle – these are great content moments that resonate throughout the whole ecosystem – Shorts, Live and long form. We can also cross-promote via our creator network, who love coming down to these events.”
How does this initiative support artists as performers and with album campaigns?
“Every Music Night is unique and bespoke, but we always work closely with the artist teams to make sure we’re creating something that supports their current release or project. Anne-Marie performed the entirety of her new album the same day it was released; Burna Boy celebrated the five-year anniversary of African Giant. We support the content with marketing including socials, billboards, promotion on connected TVs and with creators. But the beauty is that these shows can have a huge impact in the moment, and then also live on on YouTube to be discovered and enjoyed by generations of fans into the future.”
YouTube Music Nights are all about celebrating that special human connection between artists and their fans
Lizzie Dickson
How do you determine the chosen artist and location of the shows?
“We’ve hosted Music Nights with a diverse range of artists from Anne Marie, to Burna Boy, and Maneskin. It’s important to us that all the shows feel like one-offs, so we never take a cookie cutter approach. We work closely with the artist to choose the right, intimate venue, and then build an immersive experience for fans with elements like bespoke venue creative and staging, content capture and limited edition formats and merchandise.”
As YouTube UK head of music, how will you further develop partnerships with labels on initiatives like YTM Nights?
“Music Nights were born out of our long-term partnership with the industry to support and elevate artists who are experimenting with different ways of storytelling on YouTube. I’d love to be able to expand the programme internationally, and allow for UK artists to perform these shows in different countries to create this unique experience for fans around the world. YouTube is where fans fall in love with artists, so finding opportunities to help expand the artists’ world through content, and building that two-way relationship with their fans, is a big focus for me.”
How does YouTube support new talent in the UK?
“Supporting the next generation of talent is hugely important to us. Making our resources available to reach as many aspiring musicians as possible, no matter where they are based. We do this via our YouTube For Artists website and through dedicated programs which provide important resources to make sure that anyone can get started with a music career on YouTube. In addition to grant-funding initiatives to help new artists with content, we also work with industry partners like MMF, PRS and the BPI on initiatives to support the next wave of talent, both in front of and behind the mic.”
FInally, how can you help UK acts to cut through domestically?
“At YouTube we spend every day thinking about how we can better help fans discover and fall in love with artists, and help artists build their narrative and create their world. The platform also has so many incredibly influential channels, like Boiler Room and GRM Daily, which are helping to build communities and exposing artists to new audiences. The expansion of the living room is a big opportunity for these channels and the brilliant content they are creating with artists.”
PHOTO: Ashley Verse
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