The inaugural artist to be showcased via Lift (which is sponsored by McDonald's) will be Jessie J, a UK singer/songwriter who has written songs for the likes of pop princess Miley Cyrus.
Future artists will also be chosen by Vevo.
Lift artists like Jessie J will be featured on the site via interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, video premieres and live concerts. Users can also listen to Jessie's music as a standalone (no video required), which is a first for the music video site.
Moreover, Vevo has added a social element to the mix, allowing users to ask artists questions via Twitter and Facebook, which musicians can then answer on camera. Vevo has also created a Facebook app that lets fans join an artist's "team" (think street teams of old) and help him or her publicize the music. Fans are awarded points every time a friend clicks on the links you share on Facebook, and fans with the most clicks can win prizes like concert tickets and merch.
Vevo will then share data from Facebook and Twitter shares, etc. to radio stations, which could lead to even wider exposure, should the stations choose to play the artists' tracks.
Emerging artist initiatives of this nature are nothing new. YouTube has a partner program for up-and-coming musicians, and even BitTorrent has a Featured Artists Program to jumpstart new talent.