RCA's John Fleckenstein on how Doja Cat built a huge UK streaming audience with Ministry Of Sound

RCA's John Fleckenstein on how Doja Cat built a huge UK streaming audience with Ministry Of Sound

Doja Cat has another gold album in the UK. 

According to the Official Charts Company, sales for the TikTok star’s LP Planet Her (Ministry Of Sound) now stand at 100,812 based almost entirely on streams. The digital-only release, which peaked at No.3, is still in the Top 20 after 16 weeks.

As revealed in our interview with Ministry Of Sound’s president Dipesh Parmar and GM Negla Abdela in the latest issue of Music Week, the Sony Music label has established the UK as Doja Cat’s second biggest streaming market.

“The UK has been extremely important in growing and building Doja Cat's global success,” said manager Gordan Dillard of SALXCO. “The UK in a way is the hub of the international music market.

Ministry has been amazing with helping her brand create visibility in the markets. Most importantly the radio efforts have been huge for her success and creating a household name.”  

Doja Cat’s 2019 album Hot Pink, which has sales of 122,709, created the foundations for the success of the 2021 campaign. 

The US artist has had singles success this year including Kiss Me More feat. SZA (No.3 peak, 763,105 sales), Need To Know (No.11, 278,618) and current hit Woman (218,237), which is chasing a Top 10 entry this week.

“Next will be touring and festivals,” added Dillard. “In 2022, we plan to touch every market in a large way and bring to the fans the live experience they have been witnessing on TV screens across the world.”  

Dipesh and the team at Ministry have been and remain our keystone in Doja’s global success outside of America

John Fleckenstein

Doja Cat has amassed 62.7 million monthly listeners globally on Spotify.

Here, RCA’s chief operating officer John Fleckenstein opens up further about how the US team worked with Ministry Of Sound on making Doja Cat a star in the UK…

How key was the UK in helping to build the global success of Doja Cat? 

Dipesh and the team at Ministry have been and remain our keystone in Doja’s global success outside of America. They were first to spot the potency of her online conversation and that ravenous early fanbase. And they were the first to crack the code and bring that to the mainstream media with chart success.”   

How did you collaborate with Ministry to establish her as a streaming and TikTok star in the UK? 

“The simplest answer to this question is: timing and partnership. Ministry was there from the start, way before any numbers warranted – and they were fearless. In today’s market, a global artist is global from the start. And they understand this and embraced it with Doja. Some of the earliest viral moments on TikTok proliferated out of the UK and Ministry moved lightning quick with local pushes to bring in new eyes, ears and minds into the overall Doja fanbase.” 

How will the campaign now move forward with touring activity - what are the ambitions for Doja Cat?

“Doja is a world builder. The immediate next chapters of Planet Her will be the extension into the live space. It’s amazing to consider what this woman has accomplished without a proper tour run! And artistically, Amala never stops creating. I have no doubt whatever the next world to follow Planet Her has already begun to coalesce.” 

author twitter FOLLOW Andre Paine


For more stories like this, and to keep up to date with all our market leading news, features and analysis, sign up to receive our daily Morning Briefing newsletter

subscribe link free-trial link

follow us...