Rca Brings Brown To U.s.: Aims To Build On Swedish Singer's Euro Success

NEW YORK-When RCA releases pop ing nue Jennifer Brown's U.S. debut, "Vera," on Sept. 28, it will come after enjoying a successful launch in the artist's native Sweden-as well as throughout much of Europe.
The project has been issued internationally via various BMG labels on staggered dates over the past five months, starting with Sweden in February, where it was recently certified gold for sales of 50,000 units. In fact, "Vera" has already spawned two international hit singles: the funk-infused "Tuesday Afternoon" and the percussive, uptempo "Alive."
The stateside campaign behind "Vera" began July 12, when the label shipped the midtempo shuffler "Two In The Morning" to top 40, AC, and triple-A radio stations.
"It's the cut that many of the other territories will go with, and it's an incredibly strong song for us to kick off the album with here," says Julie Bruzzone, VP of marketing and artist development at RCA (U.S.). "It's pop, but it's not sugar-sweet."
While radio is still warming up to the single, several programmers are stepping up to sing its praises.
"It's fresh and real different from most of what's out there right now," says Donna Shomen, assistant music director at KXST Santee, Calif. "That might make things move a little slower than the label might want, but I think it has the potential to last longer than a more obvious, quick-burn record."
Cassette and CD versions of "Two In The Morning" go to retail Aug. 10 and include snippets of three cuts from the album: "Alive," "Tuesday Morning," and the ballad "Paper Crown."
"Each song has a very different feel, and our intention is to give listeners a chance to get a taste of Jennifer's artistic range," says Bruzzone, adding that each featured song is in line for eventual single release.
"It's an excellent way of drawing the listener in," says Allison German, manager of Risk Discs, an indie outlet in Columbus, Ohio. "It keeps the single vital and viable while effectively promoting the album. I think it's a particularly good idea for this album, because it covers a lot of musical ground. It goes from danceable stuff to a kind of rock sound, but it works."
RCA brought Brown to the States in June to meet and perform for BMG executives at the company's management meetings in Nashville. While here, she did a three-week mini-tour of radio stations and press.
"We kept it very intimate-just Jennifer and two guitar players," Bruzzone says. "Our intention was for people to get to know her and have a personal connection with her and her music before either the single or album landed on their desks."
Brown is on tour in Europe and is due back in the States in late August to do more radio and press. The label is also exploring performance opportunities with her booking agent, Creative Artists Agency.
In addition to plugging the project at radio, RCA is developing a lifestyle marketing plan that will include servicing the entire album to boutiques, restaurants, and salons. The album will be issued to coffeehouses via the Cafe Network and to high-end hotels via Patio Music.
The label has also linked with Jane magazine for a campaign that includes giving a limited number of discs away via Jane's Web site. An album track will also be featured on a sampler created by the magazine.
A NEW SHADE OF BROWN
Although "Vera" is Brown's first stateside offering, it's actually her third career release. Managed by Lifeline in Stockholm, she first bowed with "Giving You The Best" in 1994, followed by "In My Garden" in 1996.
Both albums were cast in an R&B-leaning pop mold reminiscent of Mariah Carey. The former sold 90,000 copies in Sweden, according to BMG International, while the latter sold 25,000. The label estimates that the sets sold approximately 300,000 units apiece in Japan.
With "Vera," which is also Brown's middle name, she decided to be "more honest," she says. "It was time to stop listening to everyone around me and time to focus on being the artist I wanted-and needed-to be."
That meant replacing innocuous love songs with ripe tales of sexual decadence, emotional infidelity, and isolation. "I've taken a giant step with this album," says Brown, whose songs are published by BMG/Heavy Rotation (ASCAP). "Every song is a specific story. It's an act of exposure. It's terrifying at times, but it's also quite gratifying on a creative level."
Benke Berg, international exploitation manager for BMG's Scandinavian repertoire, recalls the initial reactions to the material that ended up on "Vera": "Everybody reacted strongly and immediately felt that this was a new Jennifer."
Berg adds that, despite the first two releases, most European territories view "Vera" as Brown's debut.
"Europe didn't push her first album. In fact, Japan was her biggest market. The Netherlands made a serious effort, but despite great press and TV, she didn't break through there. Her second album was even closer to breaking in the Netherlands, but only Asia really appreciated her as a soul diva."
This allowed Brown the freedom to return to the drawing board and rethink her creative direction.
"I got together with an amazing American songwriter named Billy Mann, and we just started telling stories," she says, noting that Mann also produced the project, which comfortably incorporates musical elements of funk, hip-hop, acoustic pop, and rock.
Brown takes pride in the fact that the album delves into a rich variety of issues. "I've always wanted to be viewed as a great storyteller," she says, reflecting on tunes like "Chico (Painted Hands)," which deliberates on the judgments made against a drag queen, and "Daddy's Gone," which bears witness to the legacy of an absent father.
"There are so many layers to peel on this album," she says. "The deeper you dig, the more you get. You might learn a little about me along the way, and hopefully a little more about yourself, too."

Assistance in preparing this story was provided by Kai Lofthus.