How to build an army of loyal fans like Jelly Roll 

Music isn’t just about entertainment—it’s about emotion, connection, and the desire to belong. 

A fanbase is, in so many ways, a tribe. 

And when built purposefully and intentionally, your fanbase—your tribe—will go to bat for you again and again. 

They will share your work with their friends and even defend you when your haters inevitably attack. 

This kind of behavior can really be summed up in one word. 

Loyalty. 

If you are working to build a fanbase, this is what you’re after. 

Fans you can count on

In a recent onstage announcement, massively successful artist, Jelly Roll (23M on Spotify),  shocked his Nashville audience when he told them he has no intention of performing in the city again until 2027. 

Why? 

Because he wants to be the first artist to play the then-newly-built Nissan Stadium. 

"This will be my last Nashville show until 2027, y'all. Hear me out though, this is why. Because I need y'all's help. I want to be the first act to play Nissan Stadium when it opens in the spring of 2027”. 

– Jelly Roll

Now why would he do this? 

Why would he risk missing out on two years of playing to his home crowd for something that, potentially, might not even happen? 

Because he knows he has fans he can count on to show up when it matters. 

And they do. 

I mean, he’s already sold out Bridgestone Arena in Nashville twice in the past five months. 

That’s wild. 

For context, Bridgestone’s capacity is roughly 20,000 seats, depending on the setup, which equates to roughly 40,000 tickets sold. 

Looking ahead, the new Nissan Stadium is set to be around 60,000 seats. 

So for Jelly Roll and his team, moving up to the new stadium isn’t really as much of a risk as it seems like it is on paper. 

Because he has a diehard fanbase ready to support him. 

They’re loyal. 

Loyalty is earned 

“Ok, Tom,” you say, “That’s great for Jelly Roll and all, but he’s a massive superstar. What about smaller artists like me?” 

Well, just like you, Jelly Roll had to start somewhere. 

We all do. 

One of the core tenets of building an audience around any creative work is your ability to tap into the desire to belong.

You have to give people a reason to care. 

And to do that, you need to care first. 

Yes, it all starts with the song. 

If you don’t have great music, none of the rest matters. 

But moving beyond that, the authenticity of who you are and how you conduct yourself is exceedingly more valuable. 

Do you invest into your audience? 

Do you truly care about them? 

Or do you only say you do? 

Every person has a deep, biological desire to feel seen. 

When an artist’s music, branding, marketing, words and actions all align in a way that clearly and succinctly communicates to their fans, “You matter,” they can move mountains. 

If you truly care about those who choose to invest into you and your work, then they have a much deeper reason to care about you in return. 

It is a symbiotic relationship. 

But you, the artist, have to take the first step. 

Especially when you’re on the small stage. 

When you’re just starting out, you’re not just building a core group of fans, you’re building an army of advocates. 

Talk to people online. 

Respond to comments. 

Reply to DMs. 

Cold-message people thanking them for spending time with your music. 

Stand outside the venue for hours after a show just hanging out and taking pictures. 

Be kind and authentic. 

These actions have a way of compounding faster than you can imagine. 

In doing these things, you’re building leverage, magnifying your efforts by getting work done through others. 

And that work is spreading your message and your music to the world. 

So show up for your audience, even when it’s only a handful of people. 

Engage with them. 

See them. 

And they will see and support you in return. 

Loyalty.