EMI Records has unveiled an initiative to enable its artists to document and share their day-to-day activities with music fans directly from their cameraphones through a partnership with mobile media company ShoZu. Artists equipped with ShoZu-enabled mobile phones will now be able to transfer photos and video clips from their handsets to a wide variety of web destinations with a click, giving fans a near-real-time window into performers lives.
ShoZus service provides an easy and compelling way for an artist to create bite-sized content and immediately upload it from the handset to his or her website or blog, Flickr, YouTube or other online channels. This effectively creates an artist-branded content feed that can help strengthen the connection between performer and fan base. EMI artists who will participate in the programme include Air Traffic, Gisli and The Aliens.
We are continuously looking at new ways to empower our artists to deliver interesting and insightful content to their fans says EMI Records Digital Media Manager, Eric Winbolt. ShoZu provides the perfect platform, with a crucial combination of simple and rapid mobile connectivity that allows fans to get up close and personal with their favourite performers.
EMI will also be working with ShoZu and its Zucasts service during the music festivals season this summer, where it will be empowering its artists to create content which can be delivered direct to fans mobile handsets.
ShoZus says its Share-It service enables users to upload photos and video clips captured on their cameraphones with fewer clicks, at higher resolution and to more web destinations than any other method. There is no need to transfer files to a PC, interrupt phone calls or photo-taking during transfers, or start over again in the event of a dropped connection, as ShoZu automatically resumes from the point of failure.  The service also automatically attaches location tags to images when GPS-enabled handsets are used, providing valuable capabilities for touring artists who want their fans to be able to follow their progress on a map.
ShoZu currently supports over 155 mobile phones, including the new Motorola MOTORIZR Z8 hi-def Smartphone as well as a variety of GPS and wi-fi models.