EVERYBODY MUST GET STONE
That’s when an estimated 350k copies of Joss Stone’s Mind, Body & Soul will hit the streets. Anticipation for the 17-year-old soul sensation’s first album of original material is high, building on the breakout success of last year’s The Soul Sessions, which to date has sold over 630k U.S. OTC and millions overseas.
"Even at this early stage in her career, Joss Stone is a tremendous talent. She’s an artist with an original voice, an incredible presence and an ability to touch fans around the world," said EMI Music Worldwide Vice Chairman/North America Chairman David Munns, setting the tone for the push to take the rising star from Devon, England to the next level. "I’m honored that Joss is part of the EMI family."
And the push is on. As the radio campaign hit Mainstream Top 40, Adult Top 40 and Pop-leaning Rhythm with lead single "You Had Me," an impressive list of stations jumped in ahead of the 8/24 add date, and more have added since. Those already in include WKTU, KRBE, KBKS, KHTS WKSS, WNKS, WPRO, Star94, WNOU and KHFI. A second track, the downtempo "Spoiled," will soon be released to Urban AC. To see the video, simply click here.
"This has gone exactly the way a set-up should go," says S-Curve Sr. VP Promotion Dennis Reese. "The foundation was really laid with that last project. Every station I’ve walked into, there hasn’t been one person who said, ‘Joss Stone? I don’t know who she is.’ It’s been amazing."
S-Curve General Manager Marty Maidenberg explains the phenomenon like this: "What happened is, on the first record, people were taken with her voice, and now they’re listening to the new album and saying, ‘she’s an artist.’ Pretty much anyone we’ve approached has wanted to do something. We’re going to be everywhere with her."
Label President Steve Greenberg was out of the country and unavailable for comment, or he might have said something like, "I pay those guys good money to say stuff like that." Greenberg has previously said, "Those who like The Soul Sessions will dig the new album."
Says EMC Sr. VP Promotion Kevin Carroll, "This time around, there’s much more interest from everyone. That has enabled us to go at a much quicker pace. The gut with which Joss sings is almost unparalleled. I played the record for Al Green, and he’s like, ‘She can’t possibly be 17!’"
Some campaign highlights:
—VH1 world-premiered "You Had Me" (8/16), adding it straight into Large rotation
—VH1 Inside Tracks, MTV Hard Rock Live, Austin City Limits all airing in September
—BET tribute to Quincy Jones (benefiting the United Negro College Fund), BET Walk of Fame special with Smokey Robinson in the works
—Show at Irving Plaza in N.Y. 9/9 will be filmed for a DVD to be released before the end of the year
—Tonight Show 9/28 (release date), Craig Kilborn 9/29, GMA 10/1, CBS Saturday Morning 10/2, Ellen 10/6
—Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Teen Vogue
—In-stores at Tower L.A. 9/29 and Borders N.Y. 10/1
—Online: AOL, Windows Media, Itunes, Yahoo!/Launch, Napster; Song clips already on Amazon, etc.
