For artists
For artists.
The premise
YMD partners with independent musicians and performing artists across full-arc creative direction, from first idea through release and everything that comes after.
You're in the right place if...
You're planning your next single, EP, or album and want the visuals treated with the same care as the music
You've released before and know something was missing in the rollout
You need a visual world that carries across releases, not a one-off shoot
You're on tour, launching a project, or evolving your artist identity
You'd rather work with a team that also makes music than one that only manages it
The work
What we do for artists
Practice
Creative direction
The look, the references, the rules. One visual world your rollout, shoot, and stage all pull from.
Practice
Storytelling
Photo and film that says what the record is about. Covers, visualizers, live capture, documentary cuts.
Practice
Brand & content
Artist identity, cover systems, merch and poster design, and a content plan that survives release week.
How engagements typically work
Most artist work runs on the release calendar. A single rollout is usually four to six weeks from direction to delivered assets; an EP or album is closer to two to three months so the shoot, design, and rollout can be built together instead of patched in.
We start with a short direction phase, then produce in one or two shoot blocks, then hand off a kit you can post from for the whole cycle.
Artists we work with more than once typically move onto an ongoing arrangement across releases, so the world keeps building instead of resetting each time.
Questions
Straight answers
Do you only work with musicians?
No. Most of our artist work is music, but the same process fits dancers, comedians, and performing artists who need a visual world around a body of work.
Can you work with the budget of an independent artist?
Yes. We scope to the release, not to a retainer. Some artists start with direction and cover art only, then add photo or film once the record is locked.
Do I own the final files?
You own the delivered work for your release and promotion. We keep the right to show it in our portfolio unless there's a reason not to, which we agree on up front.
How much do you need from me before we start?
Rough audio and a sense of what the project is about is enough. The direction phase exists to turn that into something specific.
Can you handle the whole rollout, not just the assets?
Yes. We plan the sequence, sizes, captions, and drop order so release week is executing a plan rather than improvising.