Money changes the music you can make, and control changes the way you make it. I sit down with Duetti’s Head of Growth, Elliott Bahmoul, to unpack how music creators can sell a slice of their catalogue for upfront cash and pair that capital with genuine marketing muscle. Instead of waiting on a label advance, we explore how creators can fund albums, tours, and studio upgrades while choosing their own collaborators and keeping their options open.

Elliott breaks down why music IP has matured into a credible asset class, how streaming stabilised royalties, and why catalogue deals aren’t just for superstars. We dig into Duetti’s toolkit: building owned playlist networks optimised for Spotify search, running targeted Meta and TikTok ads that convert short-form spikes into streams, and using data to identify which tracks deserve spend. He also shares how genre-aware remixing—think Brazil’s baile funk—can reinvigorate catalogue songs and unlock regional growth that compounds over time.

Beyond funding, we talk brand building and the wider creator economy. With no-strings cash, artists can invest in products, content, and experiences that increase lifetime value per fan, rather than chasing short-lived playlist highs. We also look ahead: planning for AI voice models, derivative works, and long-term rights, so today’s choices support tomorrow’s autonomy. If you’re weighing a publishing deal, eyeing independence, or simply need a smarter way to finance your next move, this conversation offers clear, practical paths forward.

If this helped you think differently about music funding and growth, subscribe, share the episode with a fellow artist, and leave a quick review to support the show.

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Great music doesn’t have to start from scratch every time. We sat down with Ryan Dickinson, Creative Director at made by ikigai, to unpack how he creates brand-defining music for Adidas, Nike, Samsung, and beyond—without losing the human spark that makes a piece unforgettable. Ryan’s approach starts with clarity: deep questioning, grabbing storyboards, and, when possible, a quick call to surface what clients actually mean. Then he puts sound to picture early. By cutting rough edits that hit narrative beats, he replaces guesswork with evidence and turns subjective taste into a shared decision.

The heart of his system is a modern, composer-led production model. Instead of vanishing into playlist rabbit holes, Ryan works from a curated in-house music catalogue sourced from top composers worldwide. If a track fits, he adapts it. If it inspires, he briefs the same composer for a targeted custom version. That flexibility is a lifeline when more options are needed, timelines shrink, and teams still need music that feels intentional. It also keeps deals simple and fair: evenly splitting the licence fee with composers, recognising that half the value is the art and half is placing it where it belongs.

We also dig into AI—where it helps and where it falls flat. Ryan treats AI like a drum machine preset or a sample pack: useful for seeds, never the song. Taste, restraint, and curation remain the difference between generic and great. His next chapter focuses on giving the catalog its own brand and building tech that speeds up search and auditioning without diluting human craft. If you care about sonic identity, creative process, and fair outcomes for composers, this conversation offers practical ideas you can use today.

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A single headline sent me down a rabbit hole: Napster, the name that once shook the music world, is now pausing streaming to chase AI companions and immersive experiences. We unpack what that actually means, tracing the arc from MP3 file sharing and courtroom showdowns to corporate hand‑offs, VR concerts, blockchain detours, and a bold new pitch about social music.

We start with the 1999 shockwave that rewired discovery overnight and explore why the industry struggled to catch up. From the lawsuits that ended the original service to the lost decade before streaming stabilised payouts, we map the behaviour shifts that shaped listeners, creators, and labels. Then we walk through the brand’s winding ownership path—Roxio, Best Buy, Rhapsody, Melody VR, Algorand, and Infinite Reality—and ask a simple question: does brand equity still matter if the product doesn’t clearly help artists and fans?

From there, we get practical. What would make AI taste companions genuinely useful? How could interactive playlists and spatial concerts create real value rather than add noise? We compare promises with what other music and Createch founders are building, probe big funding claims, and outline the metrics that matter for creators: data ownership, fair payouts, superfans, and conversion to paid experiences. The conversation lands on a clear takeaway—technology only matters when it moves money, meaning, or community.

If you care about music business strategy, artist monetisation, and where streaming goes next, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves music tech, and tell us: revolution ahead or just a rerun of old hype?

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What if three notes could carry an entire story? I sit down with Erik Reiff, CCO of Black Cat White Cat Music, to unpack how composers build sonic identities for global brands and screens without losing the soul of the music. From Nike to sci‑fi dramas, Erik shows how a tight brief, a clear arc, and a few perfectly chosen sounds can do the heavy lifting that visuals alone can’t.

We dig into the real difference between scoring long‑form narratives and crafting short‑form hooks for social feeds, where you have seconds to win attention. Erik breaks down why space and simplicity matter, how motifs travel across formats, and when to reach for a preset versus invent a new texture from scratch. He shares the hidden skill that powers great work under pressure: taste. The ability to select, place, and pace sounds quickly is often more valuable than reinventing the synth wheel, especially when deadlines loom and the mix must land fast.

Erik’s journey from touring songwriter to agency co‑owner reveals how craft evolves with collaboration. He talks candidly about translating directors’ language into musical choices, building daily feedback loops with artists, and using empathy to align on tone when references are vague. Along the way we explore resilience, celebrating failures, and borrowing inspiration from chefs, athletes, and even accountants who solve problems with their own creative logic. If you’re a composer, producer, or brand leader curious about sonic branding, storytelling, and working smarter under constraints, this conversation offers field‑tested insights you can use today.

Enjoy the episode, share it with a friend who loves music and film, and leave a review to help more creators find the show. Subscribe for more deep dives into the craft and business of music.

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Want to understand why some young artists accelerate while others stall? We sat down with Mike King—VP of Enrolment Management and Marketing at Interlochen Center for the Arts and longtime music marketing educator—to map the through-line from community and craft to career momentum. Mike shares what makes Interlochen unique: a culture where students “find their people,” learn to live and create at a high standard, and step onto stages with top orchestras and icons.The result isn’t just prestige; it’s a repeatable pathway where skills deepen, networks form, and artistic identity hardens through real-world pressure.

We dig into how Gen Z actually learns and why traditional lectures fall flat. Short-form, visual, collaborative, and asynchronous models don’t lower the bar—they move it to where attention lives. Mike explains how to design learning and fan engagement around these patterns so growth compounds. From there we trace the arc of music marketing since 2007: early DIY optimism, tool sprawl, consolidation, and today’s renewed window for artist-led success. The constant is a reliable framework: own your website, grow permission-based contacts, and understand fans at a psychographic level so campaigns feel like a conversation, not a pitch.

Then we get practical. Jónsi and Alex’s vegan cookbook shows how non-music value can perfectly align with fan identity while building your list. Boards of Canada’s cryptic trail proves how to mobilise a committed community with puzzles and play. We talk about choosing niches over trends, proving craft through performance, and avoiding the common mistake of selling before you have a community. Most importantly, we break down why rights ownership and smart deals change your revenue story more than social metrics ever will. If you’re an emerging artist, manager, or educator, you’ll leave with a roadmap you can use this week.

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What if your next song could jump from idea to radio‑ready with world‑class musicians in the time it takes to finish a coffee? We sit down with Musiversal Co‑Founder and Chief Growth Officer, Xavier Jameson, to unpack a model that flips the remote studio on its head: live, unlimited sessions with a curated roster of elite players and engineers, all inside one membership.

Xavier walks us through the workflow that makes the difference. You browse a handpicked roster, book in a couple of clicks, join the live session, direct performances in real time, and get files minutes later. Because every session is designed for efficiency—pre‑session prep, clear references, and seasoned pros who nail takes—the 35‑minute format routinely delivers multiple full passes and overdubs without the usual back‑and‑forth. We dig into why kindness is a selection criterion, how low‑ego collaboration unlocks better takes, and the way this approach helps creators finish more music without blowing their budgets.

We also go big: real orchestras via a white‑glove, shared‑session model with partners like the Grammy Award Winning Czech National Symphony Orchestra; simple, creator‑first rights with 100% ownership; and a growing suite for release and growth that includes marketing advice, cover design, and video editing. Xavier shares a pragmatic view on AI—useful for speeding up tasks like mixing and prep—while keeping the human session as the heart of the creative process. And with the Musiverse community hosting workshops, masterclasses, and songwriting camps, creators gain not only access to talent but a place to learn, connect, and thrive.

If you care about finishing better songs faster, collaborating with the best, and keeping ownership clear, this episode is for you. Subscribe, share with a fellow creator who needs a boost, and leave a review.

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Year’s end is the perfect moment to trade myths for evidence. We brought together the most useful ideas from the season—data that flips audience assumptions, a calmer path to releasing music that actually moves your career, and a funding shift that weakens the old “advance or bust” story. Keith Jopling spotlights how streaming data exposes who really listens and why waiting until the songs and live set are undeniable saves you from burning momentum. We carry that thread into the studio with a reminder that great records are team sports—writing, performance, production, recording, mixing, and mastering each compounding the others.

We also tackle AI without the panic. Gary Charles warns how models can strip culture from local scenes, while Declan McGlynn lays out how contracts must separate recorded rights from AI training and voice models to protect future value. Anne‑Marie Gaillard reframes ethical AI as a creative co‑pilot that speeds iteration, and Dave Ronan shows how assistive mixing automates the grunt work while keeping taste human. On the other side of the ledger, Matt Jones makes the case for creators owning fan relationships and using blockchain as durable infrastructure, and Ryan Ouyang demonstrates chipped merch that proves fandom, unlocks access, and travels with the fan beyond any single platform.

Zooming out, Ralph W Peer maps how cross‑cultural collaboration—think amapiano grooves, Favela funk textures, hybrid pop—keeps music fresh as individual hits fade faster. Waylon Barnes gets practical about revenue: the money often arrives indirectly through syncs, brands, live, and merch, so attention is the spark and strategy is the engine. Tie it together with clean PR practices that spot bots, smart education and pitching, and rights literacy that licenses new formats before the law catches up.

If you’re planning 2026, use this episode as a checklist: finish better songs, build a fearless live show, protect your assets, embrace ethical tools, and design for superfans you can actually reach. If this helped, follow the show, share it with a creator who needs a nudge, and leave a quick review so more artists can find these ideas.

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This episode is a Q & A session where I take questions from listeners and provide answers. A range of topics are covered and explored.

Tension sits at the heart of modern music careers: protect your rights, move faster, and still make work that feels like you. We take that knot apart with practical guidance on AI, publishing, growth, and the day-to-day moves that actually change your trajectory.

First, we separate AI’s ethics from its utility. Training models on copyrighted catalogues without consent or payment is unacceptable, but opt-in, time-saving tools can remove drudge work and speed up mixes, edits, and idea generation. The difference is compensation, consent, and control. From there, we dive into whether songwriters really need publishers. If your goals include cuts, writing camps, sync, and rigorous global collection, the right publisher accelerates everything. If not, smart self-admin plus your PRO might be enough. We also unpack distributor “publishing collection,” outlining when that extra 20 percent is worth delegating and when to keep it in-house.

Growth strategy gets concrete. Bands win when streams and ticket sales rise together—that’s what agents call a catch. We share simple steps to turn online traction into rooms that move: gig swaps to test markets, live video that proves demand, and ads guided by real audience data. On playlists, we point to credible platforms with strong curator standards, so your spend behaves like targeted PR rather than wishful thinking. If you’re stepping into management, start with an IP audit to lock splits and performance clearances, then map a clear 12-month plan to clarify costs, cadence, and the team you’ll need. Writers and producers get a session blueprint too: ask goals, prep references, bring tailored sketches, and start strong.

We close with a frictionless EPK checklist: three bio lengths, high-res images, quotes, music files as well as links, live footage, achievements, future plans, and clean contact info—hosted in a well-organised, instantly accessible folder. Across every topic runs the same theme: clarity. Know your rights, your aims, and your next small move, and momentum starts to compound.

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