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KEY POINTS
Background: Brooklyn-based indie rock band The Morning Herald, led by Zachary Leone, focuses on creating cohesive album experiences rather than singles.
Musical Style: Indie rock with experimental tendencies, moving from Burt Bacharach-inspired indie pop to a new direction influenced by 90s breakbeat and funk, emphasizing analog technology and live performance.
Professional Experience: Has released multiple albums and performs regularly in NYC to packed rooms. Previous recording experience at Headroom Studios with engineer Mark Watter.
Current Situation: Self-managed and self-released, seeking support to take next steps in career development. Currently balancing music with a day job in digital advertising.
Project Status: Song is written with home-recording demo, lyrics being finalized. Ready to use grant within 3 months, aiming for July 2025 completion and August 2025 release.
Technical Plan: Will continue working with Headroom Studios and Mark Watter for engineering, mixing, and production, building on established relationship.
Marketing Strategy: Focus on securing Spotify Editorial playlist placement to expand reach organically, complemented by live performances and social media engagement.
Business Understanding: Extensive knowledge of music industry through current work in digital advertising for labels and festivals, actively participating in industry conferences and staying current with music business literature.
Impact Potential: Grant would allow for more creative exploration in studio, reduce financial pressure, and enable fuller band participation in recording process, potentially leading to breakthrough opportunities with labels and management.
QUOTES
"If my creativity could be remembered for anything, I would want it to be for full-length LP releases that feel more like a film premiere than an album."
"With each release, I want to experiment and stray further from the traditional indie-rock sound... I want this to be a manifesto about participating in the culture instead of just bearing witness to it."