Negativity sells, but these producers want to give creatives love (and ownership of their art)

A pair of childhood friends from Kansas City are on a mission to help small artists bring their creative visions to life, while spreading a message of love along the way.

Marquis McIntosh and Kiandre “KP” Pugh — the duo behind Lovey Dovey — said that seven years of creating their own content has prepared them to guide others looking to break through in music, film, podcasting, television, and more.

“Our company is vertically integrated, so we design our own merchandise, produce our own music, shoot and edit our own video content,” McIntosh said. “Every hat in the artistic process, we wear it, so we understand the red tape and obstacles that local artists have to go through.”

That experience can be especially valuable for smaller local artists just starting out, Pugh added, noting that Lovey Dovey helps them navigate the pathway from idea to reality.

“I just feel like we’re more connected … and can tell them, ‘We went through what you’re going through, that small little hiccup. This is how you overcome it,’” Pugh said.

McIntosh and Pugh record a podcast in a studio at The AI Hub, and each also recently released their first self-produced singles produced under the Lovey Dovey label.

Check out the Lovey Dovey YouTube page to listen to podcast episodes and singles.

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The Lovey Dovey brand is still relatively young, officially launching in March, though McIntosh noted that they’ve been building the infrastructure for the company for more than a year.

Whether producing their own content or helping other artists realize their creative dreams, McIntosh said he and Pugh remain loyal to the company’s core value of love, opting not to work with artists making horror films or “murder music.”

“We’re not just making songs to make songs, or making films to make films,” McIntosh said. “It all comes back to our core values. We stay on brand and mission, and we are always pushing love.”

“We live in an era where negativity sells a lot,” he continued. “People post and say things for clicks often, so we’re trying to get into the algorithm and mess that up a little bit.”

Turning disappointment into energy

The Lovey Dovey story began to take shape years ago, even if it’s only recently begun to unfold.

Kiandre “KP” Pugh, Lovey Dovey

Marquis McIntosh, Lovey Dovey

McIntosh and Pugh grew up riding bikes together in Kansas City, Pugh recalled, before eventually becoming closer in high school.

In 2016, McIntosh left college and focused more time and energy on making and producing music, ultimately landing a record deal that didn’t work out — something he’s come to view as a cautionary tale, he said.

“At the time, they were big disappointments, but now they’re things to look for,” McIntosh said. “I gave up a lot of ownership of things. Now, we retain everything that we do.”

The ability for artists to retain creative ownership of their work is a big reason why Pugh and McIntosh started Lovey Dovey, they said.

“We’re just trying to make sure you get the proper spotlight,” Pugh said.

“Art is so subjective,” McIntosh added. “There are a lot of different spectrums about what an artist can be. … Being able to have a say over what your idea is — and what it needs to be — is so important. Idea preservation is a fleeting thing.”

“That’s why we show love,” he continued. “Instead of saying, ‘We can make your idea better,’ we say, ‘Let’s make your idea.’ Then, you’ll keep making your idea, and eventually it will be whatever it’s supposed to be.”

McIntosh reminds other artists of he and Pugh’s own journey — and the day-to-day work required to turn ideas into reality — to motivate them, he said.

“I started producing seven years ago, and nobody taught me a thing,” McIntosh said. “When we meet people who are trying to get into film or music, the first thing we tell them is to go do it. When people want to make music, I tell them to go write a song. See what the process is. You’ve got to fall in love with the process to be able to get the results.”

Elevated influence

Though McIntosh and Pugh remain focused on putting in the work, they’re not afraid to dream big about what Lovey Dovey can become.

Kiandre “KP” Pugh and Marquis McIntosh, Lovey Dovey

“The only companies that cover all the things that we do are Disney, Warner Brothers, Universal, and Sony,” McIntosh said. “They’re all vertically integrated. They all have a customer ecosystem. That’s what we’re building Lovey Dovey to be 30 to 40 years from now.”

“We want to be up there with the goliaths, but keep a focus on the local, small artists who don’t have all the connections,” he added. “We’re gonna do all the hard work, and all the hard labor, and all the research and development, so the people who come behind this can just produce their ideas.”

In the shorter-term, the pair hopes to provide an example for others on how to launch their creative career paths, Pugh said.

“Within the next few years, I want to get our idea out to show everybody, ‘You can make your ideas come to life just like we did,’” Pugh said.

McIntosh agreed with that vision, noting that he believes Lovey Dovey can grow into a million-dollar enterprise within five years.

“Our goal is to influence the local culture — film, music, television, fashion — we will be influencing that on an underground level in five years,” McIntosh said. “Our influence will be undeniable because we pay homage and show love to what came before us, and the people working with us.”

Already, the duo has felt the love in return for the local creative community, specifically noting the support from The AI Hub, WAYWO, and Keystone Innovation District in facilitating their growth.

“It’s a weight off our shoulders,” McIntosh said. “We figured that as we elevated, we would have to do more work. But as we elevate, the community is getting bigger.”

The community has also gravitated toward Lovey Dovey more than the duo initially anticipated, McIntosh said.

“People are embracing what we’re trying to do,” he said. “We expected people to not really care, and we would have to make them care. Now, we don’t have to.”

McIntosh emphasized that in order for Lovey Dovey to blossom into what he and Pugh believe it can be, it will take more than just the two of them.

“We will never just be by ourselves trying to do this,” McIntosh said. “It’s going to be a team, a big Lovey Dovey community — the idea of showing love just to show it. Because when you put the love out, it comes back.”