Swedish electro-pop duo Icona Pop rose from online buzz act to one of 2013’s biggest breakthroughs with the success of hit single “I Love It” featuring (and written by) Charli XCX. Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo have announced plans for an international jaunt ahead of the release of their LP “This Is…Icona Pop” (Sept. 24, Company Tent/Big Beat), and aiding them is Windish agent Doug Croy, who has been working with the duo since January 2012. “We didn’t have that mainstream radio and top 40 support when I came onboard,” he says.
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Routing: Beginning with a slew of festival spots, Icona Pop will play Chicago’s Lollapalooza (Aug. 2), Toronto’s Grove Music Festival (Aug. 3) and Montreal’s Osheaga (Aug. 4). “They’ve been to a lot of markets,” Croy says about routing the rest of the dates. “Some of them are new. We’re going to hit places like Minneapolis [Sept. 10] and Cleveland [Sept. 15], where I don’t think they’ve been before, and fill the dates in around the heat from radio.” Internationally, the duo will play Paris’ Nouveau Casino (Oct. 10), Hamburg’s Docks (Oct. 18) and Vienna’s Flex (Oct. 25).
Audience: Croy believes in the tour’s potential because of the duo’s success with radio and, especially, following a synch placement on HBO’s “Girls.” “This was the window they had before going back to Europe. It was really important for them to capitalize on the heat while it was happening.” Feeding the momentum, Icona Pop works its own Instagram and Twitter accounts to maximize social media presence.
Promotion: Working with the Windish Agency’s tour department, Croy aids local and national promotional efforts, coordinating with labels Company Tent and Big Beat as well as promoters in each market. “They were in Columbus [Ohio] recently and did a win-a-dinner with Icona Pop,” he says. “They’ve been really involved with radio and coordinating events that connect them with their fans. Radio has been very supportive, and it’s important to keep a strong, open, engaged relationship with them.”
Booking Agent: Doug Croy, the Windish Agency
Tour Dates: Aug. 2-Oct. 27