Jennifer Allen 1-22-16
Jennifer Allen
Director Of National Promotion
Centricity Music
Career Capsule: INO Records – Manager of National Promotion
R&R – Chrisitian Account Executive
EMI Christian Music Group – National Promotion Coordinator
Insight Managment – Office Manager/Artist Relations Manager
1. Tell us about what’s new with you, your latest adventures, happenings at Centricity?
I’m privileged to get to work with such a great team of folks and talented artists. I’m definitely keeping plenty busy with all the great things going on with our artists. It’s been a great year for Lauren Daigle, Jordan Feliz, Unspoken, Jason Gray, Aaron Shust, Andrew Peterson, Jonny Diaz and Andrew Peterson. We also just signed JJ Weeks Band and have just released their first single. 2016 is already off with a bang.
2. Since you have a such a busy schedule, how do you best manage your responsibilities and priorities?
Having a busy schedule is something that we all deal with so it’s good to have an idea of a daily pattern of tasks that need to be taken care of. Monday is filled with meetings, Tuesday – Thursday are filled with making tracking calls (and everything that goes along with that) and Fridays are dedicated to tying up loose ends.
3. Complete this sentence: The best way to get a new artist recognized is to____________?
“The best way to get a new artist recognized is to…..”
….get a buzz started around them. That includes promo tours, having as much extra information about the artists as possible, having videos about them readily available and of course having great music!
4. Regarding record sales how has it changed ….please explain?
We now live in a world where everything is almost immediately available to the consumer with the click of a button and this trend has grown exponentially for digital downloads. Even though the consumer still occasionally does buy albums we are seeing more and more sales become singles-based. Also, living in a streaming world and where less and less consumers are paying for music it makes it all the more important when the consumer actually does buy music and that is something that needs to be paid attention to.
5. What promotions with radio have you been involved with personally that are most memorable?
A few years ago when Jason Gray released his Christmas album, Christmas Stories: Repeat The Sounding Joy, we had a “12 Grays Of Christmas” album giveaway. Every day for 12 days the stations would play a different Jason Gray “Christmas Fun Fact” soundbite. The 12th caller to call in would win the Christmas CD plus a Jason Gray CD library. It was a lot of fun and we had great station participation.
6. Do you feel the record/radio relationship is still as important as it has been in the past………..explain how its same/different?
The relationship between labels and radio is still as important today as in the past. We need each other to offer and promote great Christian music to audiences that need it. Some of my best friendships have happened because of my job.
7. There are still some big markets without a CCM station, why do you think that is?
Unfortunately there still are some markets that don’t have Christian music but we are continually growing and expanding into new territories. In years past we’ve been considered a niche format but we’ve grown through the years to be bigger and better than we ever have been. Christian radio is continually expanding, not only across our country but across the globe as well. As for why some big markets don’t have Christian radio yet, I say just give it time – it’ll be there.