How Varnell Hill Let Fans Shape His EP Before It Dropped.

THE ARTIST & RELEASE

Varnell Hill is an LA-based rapper, producer, and designer known for sharp lyricism and clever wordplay. For his EP ALIVE, he used interactive voting polls to let fans help shape the project before releasing it exclusively on EVEN. Fans weren't just buyers; they were collaborators.

WHAT HE OFFERED

Standout move: Interactive voting polls during the build-up turned passive followers into invested collaborators before the release even dropped.

THE PLAYBOOK

Varnell ran 4 Instagram posts over 22 days. The standout post: a lyric breakdown showing 6 entendres in 4 lines, followed by a reminder to get on the waitlist. It made the case for his artistry while giving fans a concrete reason to show up.

WHAT MADE IT WORK

• Fan input: Interactive polls turned fans into project collaborators before launch

• Behind-the-scenes content: Videos and teasers showed the work behind the music

• Email marketing: Promo through email drove meaningful conversions alongside Instagram

• Lyric breakdowns: Showing the craft got fans excited and made the release feel worth it

• Gratitude: Varnell followed up with a dedicated thank-you post after the drop

RESULTS

194 fans. 17% conversion. 0 refunds.

Average purchase was $13.27 against a $7.99 minimum. Instagram converted at 3x the rate of direct traffic.

KEY TAKEAWAYS