Break Out the Crazy is the musical brainchild of the New York-based duo Chris Hierro and Katya Diaz. The two met while on tour for the Spanish singer-songwriter juggernaut Alejandro Sanz, and now they are redefinining couple goals as a genre-bending musical powerhouse in their own right. Their adventurous approach to songwriting delivers a self-described “kaleidoscope of sounds and vibes” spanning everything from moody country ballads to EDM-inspired tropical pop.
As indie artists, Hierro and Diaz rely on Adobe Spark to create beautiful visual content, like album covers and show flyers, that gets the word out about their music while building their brand and letting fans in on their creative process. “People want to know who you are,” says Diaz, and visuals are a critically important component of that. Not having an overflow of cash to spend on a designer, BOTC does it DIY with Spark Post, delivering a crisp, effective, professional-grade brand experience that allows them to “stand up next to the big guys” on social media and other platforms where the quality of visuals often determine whether someone will stop scrolling and click to listen.
Tight social media marketing and compelling visuals (paired with their impressive musical talent) have helped BOTC reach new milestones in their journey. The duo recently contributed vocals on the song “Lejos De Ti,” which played during a pivotal scene in the remake of the classic film Overboard that debuted in major theaters this summer. Now, fresh off the red carpet, the couple is getting ready to release their latest EP, “Pause Rewind,” on August 27. We caught up with them on how they make music marketing magic on the cheap.
Making Album Covers and Branded Marketing Collateral in a Snap
The cover for their single “Nowhere” incorporates original artwork from Hierro’s sister, Lucia, with Spark finishing touches and text. Not only is it an eye-catching graphic for social, BOTC used it on their own website where the song is for sale, and on streaming platforms including Spotify and iTunes. The use of Spark to repurpose custom or commissioned artwork or photos is a winning strategy for BOTC, giving them limitless versatility in how to showcase and get the most out of high-quality source material.
Incorporating their logo, which Hierro and Diaz created with graphic designer Michael Manzione III, has been key in building brand awareness and growing their fan base. With Spark, they can easily tweak the look and feel of their logo to fit the specific needs of an individual project and seamlessly layer in complementary text and graphics for a cohesive, polished look.
BOTC’s Guide to Releasing EPs on Social Media
The recipe for generating buzz about new work will be a little different for every artist, but for BOTC there are a few key steps to getting the word out. Here’s the breakdown of their typical promotion strategy:
- At least one month prior to release date, they begin promoting on all social media pages using the album art and Spark Post to customize the message.
- Ahead of the release they do outreach to bloggers and friends who will share release info with their followers. They include relevant artwork, links, and messaging to make it easy for influencers to share. They then personally follow up with these folks when the song has been released.
- On release day, BOTC uses their social media to drive to their new song. They also send a newsletter to their email subscribers.
- Leveraging their personal network to help them get the song trending is also part of their strategy, but only to select friends, family and ardent supporters. Remember, you want audience growth and interest in your work to be organic and authentic, so do not overreach in this step.
Building a Fanbase Through Social Content
While a marketing playbook helps BOTC get the word out about new work, they don’t just turn to social media when they’re in promotion mode. They’re also sure to post content that gives viewers a peek into their daily lives and the stories behind their songwriting. “People don’t want to see just fliers,” said Diaz. “They want to engage.” Our favorite signature offering from their feed is the #DailyDuets, in which the duo covers some of their favorite tunes in bite-sized celebrations of harmony, creative expression, and their special bond.
Check out this acapella cover of Charlie Puth’s “Boy”:
And this soulful reimagining of Coldplay’s “Yellow”:
This freewheeling cover of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” at the pub:
And a Break Out the Crazy original, “Be There”:
Are you a hustling Sparker seeing success on social media and beyond? We’d love to hear from you and cover your journey here. Send us a message on Twitter or Instagram at @adobespark.
Photo by Hao Zeng
