This week we learned that Saint Heron will be taking over the creative direction and web design for R&B singer Ari Lennox. Saint Heron, a company founded by Solange Knowles, is a multidisciplinary studio, media company, and creative agency. At this point, Saint Heron has done collaborations with the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Ikea, Grace Wales Bonner, Jason McDonald, and many more. The aesthetic of the company is unique, and it is clear there is meticulous attention to detail. This move to represent Ari Lennox seems interesting.
As the first and only woman signed to J.Cole’s Dreamville label, she has showcased her immense vocal ability and has shown she can put together a great album. In recent months though, it has been clear that there is a disconnect between the music that she creates, the audiences she’s put in front of, and her taking the leap that it seems some of the other R&B singers have taken. In 2023, she was opening up for Rod Wave, and she called the experience the worst tour of her life. The disconnect is that it doesn’t feel as though she or her management understand her audience. This could be where Saint Heron comes in.
Ari Lennox does soulful R&B. Although based on subject matter and production it is different from what Solange Knowles does, one could argue they have similar audiences. On top of that, a quick peruse of Saint Heron’s work shows that they may be best aligned with the ethos of Ari Lennox to take her to the next level. In 2024, in the digital age, it’s bigger than the music. The fans aren’t paying for music like they once were so artists have to do a little more in order to capture and keep the attention. Saint Heron may prove valuable for stage design, photography, album direction, and assisting in transmitting Ari Lennox to the world in a way that feels authentic and natural.
Ari Lennox isn’t the only artist to bring on a multi-hyphenate creative as a creative director. In the last couple of years Latto, Lil Baby, and Summer Walker have enlisted Teyana Taylor to be their creative director. She deals with everything from helping them with stage presence to choreography, and making sure that they are being properly presented to the fans.
Some time ago, Kanye “Ye” West in an interview with Charlemagne suggested that artists should be viewed as companies, and they should have CEOs instead of managers. When looking at how much an individual artist can generate and all the different things they may be involved in, this makes sense. Having a business mind come in to manage the direction of the company and vision cast to see its success. It won’t be a shock if more artists go in the direction of Ari Lennox and others, and work with people that are uniquely familiar with the artistic part of the game and also grasp the business part.
Saint Heron, from a catalog perspective, has proven time and time again that they know how to build a world. Being a successful artist requires a world to be built. This world has the artist in the center and the fans have to believe that they are also a part of that world revolving around the artist. If the world being built around an artist is inauthentic or not built with some care, the fans and the artist don’t work as hard to maintain the relationship. Authenticity simply has longer lasting effects. If there is one thing that the marriage between Saint Heron and Ari Lennox may show, is that Ari Lennox is a superstar, she just hasn’t had a team to build around her to make that known to the world.