What do Shaboozey, Teezo Touchdown, Odetari and Kenya Grace all have in common? They were a part of SoundCloud ‘s “Ascending” global artist development program that’s been in pilot mode since March 2023. “Ascending” initially launched as a pilot in the UK with Grace before expanding to the United States with Odetari in August 2023. SoundCloud introduced the program publicly for the first time on Monday with singer and producer Laila! as it’s September spotlight artist.
Discovered by SoundCloud’s A&R Talent Identification team last year, Laila! was signed to a joint venture alongside Sickamore’s IIIXL Studio. SoundCloud reports Laila!’s global weekly streams have surged from 1.6 million to 6 million since April 2024, with her latest single, “Not My Problem,” earning 44 million streams, globally, across all streaming platforms since its June 2024 release.
The “Ascending” package includes the placement of billboards in key locations such as New York City, London, and Los Angeles, curated playlists, engaging social media content, premiere on-platform exposure, and other growth marketing efforts. To qualify as an Ascending artist, you must be a SoundCloud “Next Pro” subscriber, a signed artist releasing new music during the promotion month, and demonstrate rising engagement or stream growth on the platform. + The Oriel Company has announced the addition of Grace Jones and Kaeleah Isaac to their team.
The public relations firm tapped Jones as VP and .