Building the Cult of Rezz, and why branding matters

Over the past few years, we’ve watched Rezz soar to the top of the music scene. She’s gained an immense following, crystallizing in the Cult of Rezz Facebook group, and is continually booking major festivals. But, as one Billboard writer points out, she hasn’t yet made a radio hit. The secret? Her enthusiastic fanbase.

Obviously, fans love her for her music and relatability – we’ve all seen a tweet that made us laugh and say “same”. But being likable and producing good music isn’t always a straight path to success.

Could you picture a Rezz show without her iconic goggles and trips visuals? Or an album devoid of ethereal synth sounds layered over a hard-hitting bass line? The answer is probably “no.” These elements mark her as too different for radio, but she’s still managed to build up one of the most dedicated fanbases in dance music.

The real key here is the consistency between her sound, visuals, and branding. She consciously cultivates an ethereal, otherworldly sound with bizarre timbres. These musical elements immediately translate to the visual world. Moving spirals reflect her hypnotic sound, deep reds contrasting black backgrounds emphasize her music’s ties to Marilyn Manson and Bring Me the Horizon. Her goggles paint her as an alien who’s descended onstage to snatch the souls of her fans.

Of course, this only works because she’s genuinely into it — nothing about her image feels manufactured. She buys into her own brand as hard as she wants her fans to. And she’s invested in giving them the full experience in performance.

Her sound could have easily fallen to the wayside in the underground scene (despite early attention from Skrillex and mau5trap), but she’s used her unique traits to her advantage to become one of the few women at the top of the dance music scene. Take note, producers: Branding matters.

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