Where Independence is chaotic,

we bring order

A woman singing into a microphone with her eyes closed, wearing sunglasses, a headband, and large hoop earrings, with her right arm raised. A person playing a saxophone is in the background.

We bring high-level creative strategy and hands-on Hustle to Independent Artists, Labels, and distribution partners.

Exclusive Services

A silhouette of a female singer with dreadlocks holding a microphone on stage with a keyboard and a guitar nearby.

Artists & Labels

- Emerging and mainstream artists
- Independently distributed labels
- Struggling to plan rollouts
- Unclear on DSP deadlines and Luminate best practices
- Scattered assets
- Wanting a better DSP strategy
- Lack of marketing support & audience development
- Product management
- Project management
- Commerce strategy
- Direct to fan engagement
- Music marketing

Black over-ear headphones resting on a wooden surface in black and white.

Distributors

Independent music distributors at all levels.
- Limited internal bandwidth to product manage rising label and/or artist priorities
- Disjointed client communications resulting in missed revenue opportunities
- Needing outside commerce support for acts (blurbs, pitching, etc.)
I offer fractional operational, client success, and commerce support to distribution partners.

Uncover Upper rank

Founded by Ivey Johnson, Upper Rank is an artist and label services solution designed to make releasing music easier for independent artists, labels, and distributors.

In today’s fast-changing music landscape, Upper Rank helps distributed partners release music with clarity and confidence through a hands-on, strategic approach. From rollout planning to platform partnerships, the focus is on building sustainable success not just one-off moments.

Ivey Johnson is a music strategy and marketing professional with over six years of experience across DSP partnerships, distribution, and creative marketing. She’s helped launch campaigns from 0 to 1, secure high-visibility placements, and drive real growth for artists and brands across genres.