Alexandra Kay is Redefining the Limits of an Independent Artist
Blossoming country music artist Alexandra Kay commands the attention of country music fans across the nation. Here at Whole Brain Digital, we are proud to call her our client. Since February of 2020, we’ve worked with Alexandra to develop a plan for her brand using the Whole Brain Digital approach: using left-brain logic and right-brain creativity to bring her ideas full circle. We have crafted her overall marketing strategy that includes SEO, SEM, email marketing, and analytics reporting paired with graphic design services, social media, video animation and editing, and website design and development. And she’s seen wild success.
So who is this Alexandra Kay? Simply put, she’s an independent country music artist who has gone viral. From her humble beginnings in Waterloo, Illinois, she has gained national fame for her angelic voice reminiscent of Dolly Parton, bringing country music back to its roots.
Alexandra grew up 40 minutes south of St. Louis in the small town of Waterloo, Illinois. For ten years of her youth, she played competitive softball on a nationally ranked team. At the age of 14, her passion for writing music emerged as a way to cope with being a teenager, first loves, and finding herself. This changed her original plans of playing collegiate softball and she turned down college scholarships to pursue her dream of a career in music.
Alexandra got her start in the entertainment business by booking commercials and voice-over work. Performing in multiple musical theater productions, Alexandra decided to try her luck as a contestant on “American Idol” in 2011. In early 2012, she started working in hip hop and R&B using the platform Nelly created for aspiring artists. She immersed herself in the St. Louis music scene and created enough buzz to sign an independent record deal with Nettwork Entertainment in 2013.
Chart-Topping Success
Alexandra’s first single “No More” was a radio hit spending three weeks at #1 on the New Music Weekly Top 40 pop chart, also scoring at the top of Hot Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 charts.
Starting her country music career independently at 22, Alexandra began recording cover videos of many 90’s country music favorites and posting them on her Facebook fan page. She quickly drew a dedicated fan base on Facebook and has recently captivated a new audience of country music lovers on Instagram and TikTok.
The young singer/songwriter has accomplished a multitude of career milestones to date. Including her appearance on NBC’s “The Voice,” a starring role in the Netflix Original Series “Westside” and reaching the number one spot on the iTunes country chart independently with her 2nd and 3rd Indi releases “I Kinda Don’t” and “All The Cowboys”. Alexandra’s single “We Wouldn’t Be Us” debuted at #3 on the iTunes country chart and is her most colorful and lively release yet! Alexandra’s most recent single, “How Do We Go” charted #2 on the iTunes country chart in June of 2021.
Official “How Do We Go” Audio Video by Alexandra Kay
Digital Marketing & Advertising Strategy For Independent Musicians
So where does Whole Brain Digital come into the picture? Well, with our consulting and strategy, we helped AK grow her social media followers. On TikTok, her followers grew from 200k to 2.4 million followers. This made AK the first woman country music artist to reach 1 million followers on TikTok. She is also part of The 615 House Nashville, a group of independent country music artists that support and promote each other on TikTok and across other social media channels.
Follow her on Facebook and you’ll see that she has over 819,000 dedicated fans, many that have been with her since she first posted a video of herself singing a cover of “Jolene” that went viral with over 13 million views.
On Instagram, Whole Brain Digital’s consulting helped her expand her following from 43,000 to 173,000.
Alexandra Kay Sells Out Venues With a Loyal Social Media Fan Base
Want to see her perform in real life? Don’t wait too long to buy tickets when they’re available. The “In Real Life Tour” with Cooper Alan and special guest Thomas Mac (also independent country music artists) sold out seven of nine shows in the first leg of their tour. The team is now planning a second leg of the tour due to the massive response. Stay tuned for more dates and keep your fingers crossed that she’ll be in a city near you!
July 7 - Memphis, TN (SOLD OUT)
July 8 - Louisville, KY
July 9 - Pittsburgh, PA (SOLD OUT)
July 10 - Detroit, MI (SOLD OUT)
July 11- Fort Wayne, IN
July 13 - Chicago IL (SOLD OUT)
July 14 - Peoria IL (SOLD OUT)
July 15 - Lawrence, KS (SOLD OUT)
July 16 - Columbia, MO (SOLD OUT)
Alexandra Kay is a rising star and things are just getting started for her. Keep your eye on this one and if you haven’t by now, add her to your country music rotation.
Independent artists can be successful if they put in the work. Alexandra Kay knows the secret to success, and it’s connecting with her fans. Selling tickets, getting streams, and growing a social media following is attainable with the right strategy.
Interested in how we can help you achieve real results and grow your brand? Whole Brain Digital can help. Contact us today!
Photos courtesy of Curt Simshauser