(When we talk about ‘brand’ here we refer to the ideas and attributes associated with you and what you do, as well as the ‘things’ such as logos and products. These are ideas or attributes such as who you are, what you do, how people experience you, what your defining characteristics are, what value might people get from it.)

Q1. Would you say that the development of your brand has played a part in your success?
A. I definitely think the development of my brand has played a big part in my success as a musician.

It sounds a simple thing to achieve but I think it requires consistent effort to eventually get to a place where people understand what you are about. And I think because I grow as an individual (and I in essence am on some level the ‘product’), that target is ever evolving.

Q2. Can you tell us about any key ways in which you look to communicate your brand?
A. I try to make all things have a thread. A quality. A standard. I think that is important. Visually I try and make all images related to any album campaign have a certain thread and a certain feel. That then ties in with the bigger picture and gives one message. Or at least is meant to!

Q3. How, if at all, has your brand been influenced or shaped by input from your audience?
A. My brand is definitely influenced by my audience. In music everything is very subjective. I may like or enjoy something but if the public doesn’t react to it in the way I thought they would then I have to analyse why they didn’t and also make adjustments my end to either find out what it is that I didn’t communicate well enough or maybe that I want to change a little. Sometimes you can be a bit too far ahead (or behind) your audience.

Its important to keep them involved every step of the way so that you don’t lose sight of each other.

Q4. Thinking back to when you started out, how has your brand evolved since those early days?
A. My brand has come on a long way I think. When I started out I was 17 or so. That was many years ago. In that time I have evolved into a man with different values from the ones I had when I was 17. That is reflected in my music, my fashion choices, my interests. That all plays a part in my brand and my music which ultimately I want people to listen to.

Q5. Is there any other brand (business, organisation, place, person, or any other) whose approach you find particularly interesting or appealing?
A. As a brand I find Kanye West intriguing. He is always trying to diversify and its hard trying to cross certain thresholds but he tries hard. Music is his core and he try to maintain that, but his wandering ambitious eye is always looking at the next thing. His trials and tribulations in the fashion world are very honest and he tries to communicate those frustrations to his music fans. That in turn keeps the media focused firmly on his next move. I think its quite interesting to watch. Maybe he doesn’t go about things the way many would, but… at least he’s going about things.

We’d like to thank Lemar for his time and insight into his brand.

Lemar’s new album, The Letter, is out now.