De Novo was founded by Elliot Tousley, a touring artist turned growth strategist. After years on the road, Elliot built a successful marketing agency, helped businesses and artists alike, sold that company in 2024 — and came back to where it all started: music.
Today, De Novo exists to give artists a real shot at growing online with professional, data-driven ad campaigns — built by a team who speaks your language.
Elliot’s Path: A Timeline of Music + Marketing
2010- 2018
Touring New England, writing, recording, and promoting music
2017
Founded De Novo Agency — started helping fellow musicians on the side
2019 - 2023
De Novo grows rapidly, working with artists and music companies
2021
Launched a second agency focused on traditional businesses
2024
Successfully exited (sold agency to a larger firm)
2024 - 2025
Returned full-time to De Novo — combining performance marketing expertise with deep music industry roots
Marketing for Musicians
We help musicians grow their audience and build a real fanbase through strategic ad campaigns on social media platforms.
- Artist-first mindset – Every strategy starts with your vision and creativity at the center, not generic marketing formulas.
- Transparent strategy – We believe in honest, data-driven decisions with no smoke, mirrors, or inflated promises.
- Done-For-You, But Built Around You – This isn’t a course, a tutorial, or some cookie-cutter playbook. We build the campaigns, set up your ad accounts, and manage your strategy — all tailored to your goals, your content, and your fanbase.
We Manage Ads on These Platforms
Who We Work With
Independent Musicians & Artists
Whether you're just getting started or have a growing fanbase, we help artists take control of their growth with real ad strategy — not guesswork or gimmicks.
Managers & Artist Teams
We partner with managers who need a trusted marketing arm. We build the system, manage the campaigns, and keep you in the loop so your artist can stay focused on creating.
Labels, Investors & Stakeholders
From boutique labels to music entrepreneurs investing in talent, we provide a clear, reportable strategy that delivers visibility, data, and measurable growth you can present to your team or board.
What We Offer
Built for Musicians
We speak your language. De Novo was founded by a musician who understands both the creative and business side of music. Everything we do is designed specifically for artists — not eCom brands or generic creators.
Done-For-You, Built to Last
We don’t hand you a course or templates — we set up your ad accounts, build your campaigns, and manage everything for you. And when it’s done, you own the system and know how to use it.
Strategy, Execution & Real Support
From targeting to creative to performance reporting, we run campaigns that are custom to you — and we walk with you every step. No fluff. No vague results. Just clarity, control, and growth.
FAQs
We’re a boutique agency — not a churn-and-burn operation. We don’t sell hype or push courses. We work directly with artists to build custom strategies, set up ad campaigns, and provide hands-on management where needed. You’re not just another number here. Our goal is long-term partnership, not quick cash.
We work with artists at all levels, but we’re best suited for musicians who take their music career seriously and know they need to invest in paid ads — they just don’t know how to get started. Whether you want to learn to run your own ads or hand things off to us, we’ll meet you where you are.
No — this is not a course or mentorship program. We’re a real digital marketing agency that builds, manages, and optimizes your ad campaigns for you. We’ll teach you what we’re doing if you want to take over later, but everything we do is action-oriented and performance-driven.
Many of our clients come to us for help getting things set up the right way — then take over and manage their campaigns internally. We’re happy to guide you through the process, show you how it works, and leave you with a clean system you understand. And if you’d rather stay focused on your music? We’ll keep managing your ads as your long-term partner.
To keep working with artists who are passionate, talented, and looking for clarity in how to grow. We’ve been earning musicians’ trust since 2017 — and we’ll still be here 10 years from now, doing what we do best: giving honest advice, building smart ad systems, and helping artists succeed online without the BS.
Musicians use paid ads to reach new listeners, retarget engaged fans, and promote music videos, releases, or merch across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. With the right strategy, ads help you cut through the noise and drive real action — not just views.
Not at all. You can start running ads on Meta or TikTok with any account. What matters is having good content, a clear goal, and a proper ad setup — which is exactly what we help you build.
Get in Contact
De Novo was built by musicians, for musicians — so we know how overwhelming it can be to figure out marketing while still making music.
If you’re looking for a real team to support your growth, give honest advice, and help you connect with the right audience through paid ads, we’d love to hear from you.
Reach out and let’s see if we’re a fit — no pressure, no hard pitch. Just a real conversation.