How Imogen Heap's Do-It-Yourself Method Paid Off

After Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth's collaboration, Frou Frou, disbanded in 2003, Imogen Heap was left to go her own path. Rather than choosing the major label route again, which left her disappointed, Heap was determined to do things her own way. She had to do things her way, while proving that she wasn't just the singer in Frou Frou, but as much a writer and producer as Sigsworth was.

In order to finance her own label (Megaphonic Records) and the entire recording process, Heap remortgaged her London flat. She gave herself an year to create the album, booking the mastering session one year in advance. Blogging to her fans throughout the process, Heap even asked fans for their input on an album track called "Daylight Robbery."

The album, aptly titled Speak for Yourself, was completed by the end of 2004. Heap herself described it as "left of center, electronically sprinkled magic dust over orchestral strings, harps and things, with great lyrics," which is precisely what it is.

A big moment in her career came in April 2005 when The O.C. featured her song, "Hide and Seek" in the second season finale. Upon its digital release in the U.S., the song rocketed to number 8 on the U.S. iTunes Top 100 Songs chart. Its release to iTunes UK on July 2005 saw a number 1 peak on the iTunes chart. Imogen wrote how she was "eternally grateful" to the O.C. for giving her such high level exposure--and the royalties that followed.

Speak for Yourself was released in the UK on July 2005, where it entered the UK iTunes Top 10. And by August 2005, Heap had already licensed the album to Sony BMG imprint RCA Victor for its subsequent release in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the U.S., it has managed to crawl its way up to number 144 on the big chart, moving more than 270,000 as of early 2007.

Follow-up singles "Goodnight and Go" and "Headlock" were featured in U.S. commercials and boasted artsy videos. A major promotional tool that helped Heap secure a following in the States was the huge social networking site Myspace.

Currently working on her next studio album--in the same do-it-yourself approach--Heap conitues to frequently update us on album progress through vlogs released on Youtube.

Doing things on her own has brought her the greatest success of her career. And minus the pressure and attachements of a label.

It surprised me when I first heard that Nerina Pallot, another U.K.-based female musician, also remortgaged her own house to complete a second solo album. Both of these women had the major label experience prior to doing things their own way. And both made great albums that greatly exceeded the commercial success of their major label debuts. Pallot's Fires was critically praised, much like Speak was, and was eventually certified platinum in the U.K. Talented singer-songwriters with a good deal of money and 100% creative freedom can bring beautiful things.