Portsmouth-based Venture Takes on the Likes of Spotify and Amazon Music
Members of Team Jeeni: (Ieft to right) Ricky Foyle, Alisdair Taylor, Andy Stagg, Mel Croucher, Shena Mitchell
A new Portsmouth-based venture is about to take on the likes of Spotify and Amazon Music.
Jeeni launches next year and is looking to spotlight a whole new generation of music superstars and help them build a global fanbase along the way.
Jeeni is a streamed music service, where listeners get to vote on who joins the next generation of stadium stars. It features a host of celebrities and experts who'll be on hand to assist and guide new talent.
The fledgling company is already endorsed by Richard Branson’s Virgin Crowdboost programme. Jeeni’s development is led by Dr Shena Mitchell, who is the woman behind Invest South and The Innovation Warehouse — raising over £20million for local projects and creating new job opportunities in the area.
Shena is joined by local entrepreneur Mel Croucher, who founded the very first video game company in the UK above a little wool-shop in Highland Road, Southsea. Now, after a string of top selling gaming titles, and a long career promoting superstars like Prince and Eminem, he’s heading up the Jeeni mission to turn undiscovered local talent into stadium headliners.
Mel Croucher is down to earth about his love for his home town of Portsmouth. He said: “Look, Jeeni has an office in California run by the same talent that launched iTunes for Apple, but you won’t get me moving out there anytime soon.
"Jeeni headquarters is staying right here in Pompey. It’s a creative hub and a great talent pool and this is where we belong.”