2. Organic or Synthetic?
• Sigma are an English drum and bass DJ and record production duo
consisting of Cameron Edwards and joseph Aluin. They met at Leeds
University at drum and bass nights. In December 2008 they formed
their own record label, Life Recordings.
• Because Sigma are record producers themselves they do not create
or present their own star image through their music videos,
instead they promote the star image of the artists they
collaborate with. These include big names such as Paloma Faith,
Rita Ora, Take That, Labrinth, and DJ Fresh all of which are
considered fairly synthetic artists.
• Sigma mainly collaborate with other song writers in order to
produce songs, such as Ella Eyre and Ina Wroldsen.
3. Common values of stardom
• Sigma do not promote themselves or their individual image through
their music videos. There videos are usually narrative based and
feature the artist they are collaborating with.
• As Richard Dyer has written, a star image is constructed out of
range of materials including social media and print advertising as
well as interviews.
• Stars are commodities produced and consumed on the strength of
their meanings.
4. Promotional material through Social
Media
Sigma use their Facebook account as a way to
interact with fans and promote their own tour
dates and frequent gigs. This is how they
predominantly promote themselves instead of
through appearing in music videos. There name
and the font of this is easily recognisable
and used on all of their albums and
promotional posters. This helps set up a fan
base and presents their style.
Facebook
5. Website/
Twitter
Sigma present their latest
tweets on their website,
keeping fans up to date
with what is going on.
There twitter once again
allows them to connect
with their fans and
promote themselves and the
artists they work with.
On their website Sigma promote their top music videos,
upcoming tour dates, available merchandise, photos and
social media accounts. Fans are encouraged to interact
with them on these platforms, increasing their status
as a duo.
6. Instagram
Sigma’s Instagram account is another way
they promote themselves as a duo,
presenting the awards they win, advertising
their recent singles and posting what they
get up to, including the places they visit
for performances.
The people that they collaborate with allow
them to grow a larger fan base, so just as
they promote the star image of the artists
they work with, Sigma also benefit from
working with such big names in the music
industry.
7. Newspaper/magazine reviews and
interviews
There interviews
help present them
as artists as they
talk about their
collaborations and
the meaning behind
there their music.
These interviews
enable the fans to
connect with the
band.
In this review from the Financial
Times it the idea that When the
duo work with a ’UK chart topper’
they can produce a number one
single. However the formula ’wears
thin in the long run’ perhaps
suggesting these collaborations
are the only reason for their
success.
8. ’Life’ Album trailer
In their album trailer the duo predominantly present
themselves through their collaborations, and this is
a common value of stardom that they are sold on.
Many close ups of the famous artists they work with
are presented in the video, again promoting the star
image of these people, their job as a production duo.
Despite this they are still seen in the video
displaying their work behind these hits.
Within this album their main hit singles with other
artists are highlighted, demonstrating the importance
of these collaborations as a selling point.
