Introduction
This research aims to grasp the interconnectivity between the authentic presence of an artist, and the modern branding agents used by industry practitioners. By exploring the themes of authenticity and integrity, I will be able to capture what those attributes mean to me, allowing me to connect with the personal values of my brand. On the contrary, researching different branding strategies will support me in conveying my personalised brand to a resonating audience base. The information collected through this study will benefit the creation of branding assets intended for my general artistic presence, and the upcoming EP slated for release and marketing in the summer of 2024. Overall, this research will assist me in integrating my authentic self into spheres of the public eye, and the creative industries.
The purpose of this research is to align with my artistic persona by analysing the topic of authenticity in artistry and the impact of applying it within music creation, communication towards audience, and branding, whilst keeping in mind the strategies of the music industry. To further support this research, I will be undertaking self-made surveys to gather insight into how other Berlin artists perceive the mentioned topics in relationship to their work and expression. Lastly, I will explore case studies of artists who inspired me in my artistic journey.
To practically use the collected information and knowledge from online research of scholarly studies, I will be conducting the creation of multiple branding assets that will align with my general artistic identity as well as with the essence of my EP. Some of the brand-defining assets I will be materialising will be mood boards for brainstorming ideas, colour palettes, typography, creation of artist logos, stage outfits, cover art for my releases, and audio/visual recordings for multiple social media platforms. The asset creation will be run both by individual work, and collaboration with artists based in Berlin and Croatia.
Evaluation
The capitalistic fabrication of the contemporary music industry influences the experience of an artist in their journey. Significant commercialisation, market trends, digitalisation, and consumerism have shifted the narrative of creativity to a product-like identity, often withdrawing focus from the primary purpose of genuine self-expression. The project aims to investigate the possibilities of aligning the artist’s authentic voice while actively participating in the creative industries that perceive the relationship between art and audience as a product. As Schroeder states in the European marketing journal “The Artist and the Brand”, in today’s society the success of artists can be recognised through the efforts of personal brand management, by nurturing themselves as defined products in the cultural sphere (2005). Gronlund on the other hand states that branding is not about selling a product, but rather about creating an impactful emotional connection with a customer base (2013).
The core meaning of the research lies in the hands-on exploration of my personal project by the name of “Nina Green”, which is based on the Alternative R&B and Neo-soul genre. The branding strategies I plan to pursue in my personal work will be generated in order to obtain a clearer self-definition of my musical persona. As an artist whose mission is to use art as self-

 reflection and expression of a personal spiritual journey, I want to explore the impact of nurturing the artist's true identity within a creative industry setting while using it as organic and powerful branding tools. As Ramperstad, the author of the book “Authentic Personal Branding” states, personal brands should emerge from the unique search for identity and meaning (2009).
Lastly, the targeted outcome aims to establish a definable artistic identity for my work through the creation of branding assets, which will allow me to connect with an audience base that resonates with my values and interests, allowing me to engage in an integrity and value- driven synthesis with artistic branding.
Research approach
The first format of investigation will be based on secondary research. To retain the validity of the information used for this research, I will be using verified academic resources found in online databases such as Google Scholar and EBSCO library. Through this process, I will collect information on the ways of reaching authenticity and artist integrity.
One of the resources I will be using to gather information and reflect on my personal perspective of authenticity will be “Authenticity as authentication” by Alan Moore. This scholarly journal is published by the “Cambridge University Press”, attaining the validity of an academic source of information for this study. This study is valuable in information as it provides examples of known artists and their authenticity-based blueprints in modern culture. The overall study provides a range of views on constructing authenticity and the different meanings it carries through a critical review of definitions and approaches. Although this study doesn’t focus particularly on the creation in genres I resonate with, Moore states that the generic nature of this study can be applicable to any other genre for which a person can question integrity (2001).
“Authentic Personal Branding” by Hubert B. Rampersad is a useful branding strategy book that offers different formulas for self-defining oneself through a holistic approach of self- acknowledgment while interacting with various helpful branding models.
Aaker and Joachimsthaler’s “Brand Leadership: Building Assets In an Information Economy” offers versatile visual assets for identifying brand core elements such as brand equity and brand identity system that offer me an intuitive step-by-step guide for envisioning my brand. Although it is based on general product branding, the research models combined with the above-mentioned research on self-authenticity provide a balanced ratio of practical work and reflective research.
Furthermore, I’ll be conducting case studies on artists and their social media presence. The artists who will be researched share my values of portraying spirituality, activism, and empowerment through vulnerability. This will allow me to explore how the aesthetics,

 statements, and visual assets project a certain conclusive narrative on an artist individual, allowing their audience to engage in the interaction emotionally and meaningfully.
Primary Research:
The primary research I aim to create will be formatted as two surveys for Berlin-based artists individuals, in both qualitative and quantitative narratives. The research aims to explore the different branding strategies of set individuals while examining the topics of spirituality, authenticity, and integrity in their artistic presence.
In addition, I will be creating a survey specifically designed for gaining audience feedback on asset prototypes, which will provide me with valuable insight into how I am being perceived from an audience’s perspective, in terms of my identity.
The ethical form essential for providing the ethics of this primary research is stated in the appendix.
Planning
(see GANTT chart in appendix)
1. Gathering Research
As previously mentioned, the initial stage of this project will be gathering essential data from academic literature by investigating the theoretical topics related to authenticity and self- branding. Some of the content I plan on investigating will be of a practical nature by providing step-by-step guides for identifying personal brands and the meaning behind them.
To further seek inspiration through examples, I will be conducting secondary case study research of artists I resonate with by art, aesthetics, and message. This part of the research will provide me with hands-on examples of artists who effectively communicated their artist identity through the synthesis of art and branding.
2. Defining Personal Values and Brand Vision:
Branding concepts and models found in branding scholarly studies offer guidelines for identifying and shaping the concept of a personal brand through introspection and self- definition. After investing time in doing these branding model exercises, I will be able to identify my brand in a set of keywords, values, and compact statements.

 3. Commencement of Practical Research / Mood Boards :
After gathering a base of self-defining information about my attributes and values as an artist, I will be able to create multiple mood boards that will visually assist me in depicting my artistic world. These visual assets will be used for inspirational matters, allowing me to connect with an artistic narrative of my personal aesthetics. For example, I will be using mood boards for brainstorming the aesthetics and desired visuals for my EP, which will be manifested through cover art, photoshoots, and creative videos intended for social media platforms.
4. Creation of Multiple Brand Assets:
The practical focus for this research will be designing assets through various mediums, which I’ve defined in the above statements. In total, the success of this research will be manifested through the creation of captivating assets. This part of the project will be a thorough process of collaborative and individual work run through multiple months of realisation.
5. Data Collection through Surveys:
To gather insight into how different artists pursue self-branding in relation to authenticity and spirituality present in their work, I will be conducting qualitative and quantitive surveys. The collected data will serve as a guiding point for assessing the ways integrity can be utilised as a branding asset. The research will be investigated through Berlin-based artists specifically).
The second survey will be run as an audience assessment of my personal assets, created beforehand as demo versions of fonts, logos, written statements, etc. The qualitative and quantitative feedback on my original assets will provide me with guidance in finalising the production and distribution of effective models.

 Conclusion
Overall, this project will be beneficial for the creation of self-awareness when it comes to the presentation of my persona, authentic voice, and brand. Defining myself through the lens of branding will allow me to engage with my artistic presence more fluently and consciously. The creation of personal branding assets will cohesively project an authentic narrative of my artistic endeavour, relating to my general presence, as well as to the release of my upcoming EP. The wide range of assets will be made from personal and collaborative work which will allow me to expand my community of collaborative artists and foster a loyal audience base that resonates with the deeper meaning behind my art.