Oblé Reed joins us for our final episode of Season 1 of the ANA Podcast. He brings insightful commentary on making your music stand the test to time; creating narratives that unravel in your music, and developing a community of family members rather than casual fans.
Oblé Reed:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4drP7GL5gdmNowIgcunWgn
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/obl%C3%A9-reed/1654558766
https://www.instagram.com/oblereed/
(0:00) Intro
(1:39) Lightning Round!
(2:01) What does Seattle sound like right now?
(3:26) What is Oblé's writing process like?
(6:32) What's Oblé's skincare routine?
(8:01) Pert's a thief
(10:20) What is LINDENAVE! about?
(13:19) Dealing with Imposter Syndrome
(15:42) Changing your rap name
(16:46) Story behind the cover art
(18:36) Crafting the narrative
(21:28) How Oblé builds community
(23:10) What personas are on the album?
(26:00) Making art that's Good Enough
(27:20) How do you ignore the numbers?
(28:17) The boys are scared by a bee
(31:01) Surrounding yourself with good people
(35:24) Game: Spotify Stats!
(43:10) Outro
We are a grassroots movement. If you'd like to support and interact with us more please consider joining our Patreon where you can access private discord channels with key members of Live2 and even be invited to zoom calls to chat with us further! patreon.com/livetwocreate We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GMd1iZwfZdYxnUgdrEvB2?si=c906388534224ac1 To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form: https://www.livetwocreate.com/request-a-production Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/livetwocreate/?hl=en
We sit down with our good friend and A&R Hef who shares some hilarious stories on his previous 7 years in the industry. He touches on how the role as an A&R is changing today, his favorite discovery of a breakout artist, and winning fans over from TikTok vs. the real world.
Hef:
https://www.instagram.com/hefstradamus/
(0:00) Intro
(1:20) Lightning Round!
(1:45) How do A&Rs get compensated?
(2:43) Typical day in the life of an A&R?
(3:59) How have record deals changed?
(6:07) Favorite discovery moment?
(6:58) How Hef discovered Lil Nas X (9:03) What would it take to sign to a label?
(10:40) Biggest misconception about the industry?
(11:57) What would you change about the industry?
(14:20) Is TikTok a necessary evil?
(18:02) How McClain does laundry
(20:45) Can A&Rs exist without labels?
(23:37) Artist success stories with labels?
(23:42) Hef plays Fortnite with NLE Choppa
(28:22) How do you start as an A&R?
(31:40) Growing your audience thru live shows or TikTok?
(34:35) Will AI take over the music industry?
(36:54) How much do labels help with touring?
(40:13) McClain get geeked about Junior Varsity
(41:03) Spotify vs Apple Music
(45:25) Rap blogs are powerless now
(46:15) Game: Texting Tunes!
(50:06) Outro
We are a grassroots movement. If you'd like to support and interact with us more please consider joining our Patreon where you can access private discord channels with key members of Live2 and even be invited to zoom calls to chat with us further! patreon.com/livetwocreate We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GMd1iZwfZdYxnUgdrEvB2?si=c906388534224ac1 To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form: https://www.livetwocreate.com/request-a-production Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/livetwocreate/?hl=en
Axel Tanner, a professional tastemaker who's made a career out of discovering songs and promoting them online, joins us on the podcast today. He answers questions like whether playlists really drive traffic, which platforms have the best conversions, and how he's structuring equity deals with artists to develop them further. Axel: https://youtube.com/@axeltanner4524
https://www.tiktok.com/@axeltanner
https://www.instagram.com/axel.tanner
(0:00) Intro (0:18) How Axel got into music tastemaking (2:39) Lightning Round! (3:06) Who have you discovered and impacted their career? (4:53) When did you know the switch from producer to curator was working? (5:57) We change locations for some reason (6:05) Does playlisting really drive traffic? (13:33) Out of pocket DMs? (16:53) Do other social platforms drive traffic? (20:27) How is Axel partnering with artists? (23:22) The Lofi Girl Equity Model (26:17) Plans of a label or a JV deal? (27:17) Would Axel ever manage an artist? (33:40) How did Axel find his style and strategy? (36:58) Does Pert ever try to please different Pert fans? (41:33) The Chart Challenge! (45:18) The Guys share their music guilty pleasures (47:01) Outro We are a grassroots movement. If you'd like to support and interact with us more please consider joining our Patreon where you can access private discord channels with key members of Live2 and even be invited to zoom calls to chat with us further! patreon.com/livetwocreate We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GMd1iZwfZdYxnUgdrEvB2?si=c906388534224ac1 To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form: https://www.livetwocreate.com/request-a-production Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/livetwocreate/?hl=en
Cult Classic, owner of Cultivision, sits down with us today to talk about the future of music videos. How do filmmakers develop relationships with artists? How do they choose who to work with, and learn to navigate the music industry without burning bridges? Is commercial work a necessity to supplement passion projects? All these questions answered and more on this episode of The ANA Podcast!
Cultivision:
https://www.instagram.com/cultivision/
https://www.youtube.com/@cultivision
https://www.tiktok.com/@cultclassic.mp4
0:54) Lightning Round!
(1:09) Do music videos still matter in 2023?
(2:06) What is the most important gear besides a camera?
(2:55) What's the biggest budget music video you've directed?
(4:12) Run & gun or scripted and shotlisted?
(5:10) First time working on a commercial shoot?
(6:37) How can directors build their brands behind the camera?
(8:00) How long until you're proud of your style?
(8:56) What is the artist + filmer relationship?
(13:46) How did you educate yourself on the music industry?
(15:56) Who is responsible for the vision when making art?
(16:52) How do you decide who to work with?
(18:12) Do you plan to work closely with a select group of artists?
(19:49) Do you want your artists to exist in the same universe?
(21:04) Life before directing full-time
(21:34) Is commercial work a financial necessity?
(24:19) How did you know directing was for you?
(25:31) Has Pert ever had any interest in film?
(27:48) There's no irreversible path in life
(28:58) Where do artist + filmmaker companies go from here?
(31:02) Storytelling in 2023
(34:00) Game: Guess that Video!
(40:36) Outro
We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GM...
To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form:
https://www.livetwocreate.com/request...
Follow us on Instagram!
https://www.instagram.com/livetwocrea...
PmBata joins us and explains why he was dropped by his label, whether or not you should get signed, and the unexpected roles he has to take on as an independent artist. ASTRONAUT BOY OUT ON ALL PLATFORMS: https://open.spotify.com/album/2q0Yz1dsqANXSB7JXb2p8g?si=AnMyRNTiT8WPj6kDjsRGrghttps://music.apple.com/us/album/astronaut-boy/1685075473 PmBata: https://www.instagram.com/pmbata/
(0:00) Intro
(1:40) Are labels beneficial at all?
(4:00) Biggest mistake by artists on a label
(5:15) Do labels "add fuel to the flame"?
(9:05) Are labels "just a bank"?
(10:23) The guys hate on labels
(22:53) What conversations made you want to sign to a label?
(32:04) What is the biggest misconception about self-production?
(35:32) Game: Inflation Frustration
(46:24) Someone gets their toes painted
(46:28) Are there things you forget you had to do as an independent?
(48:29) Outro
patreon.com/livetwocreate We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GMd1iZwfZdYxnUgdrEvB2?si=c906388534224ac1 To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form: https://www.livetwocreate.com/request-a-production Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/livetwocreate/?hl=en
Pertinence flips the script and interviews McClain this episode, diving deep into the emotions he felt while building Live2 in his college dorm room, and his healthy relationship with failure.
(0:00) Intro
(0:30) Lightning Round!
(3:56) Pert introduces the show (5:08) When was McClain the closest to giving up?
(8:30) What's the worst advice McClain's received?
(12:13) Pert gets absolutely geeked
(14:15) The guys meditate for 2 minutes
(14:48) What is 19-year-old McClain stoked on?
(19:45) What has been the most unexpected hardship?
(25:45) Every single idea from McClain has failed.
(27:09) Gen-Z Barbie!
(34:44) Pert reads fan fiction
We add 7 songs from undiscovered artists EVERY WEEK to this playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7GMd1iZwfZdYxnUgdrEvB2?si=c906388534224ac1 To request a Live2 production for yourself please fill out this form: https://www.livetwocreate.com/request-a-production Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/livetwocreate/?hl=en
Jess Benko, Canadian writer, producer, & artist behind hit song "A Soulmate Who Wasn't Meant to Be" joins us on the Art Not Algorithms podcast to tell us her story of creating a hit song on her iPhone and then proceeding to maintain her independent status despite the industry's best efforts to sign her! This episode is all about doubling down and continuing believing in yourself and protecting your creative spark even when your business takes off! (0:00) Intro (1:21) Pert knows nothing about Jess (2:10) What was Jess' first artistic medium? (4:08) How Jess recorded her first song (6:57) How Jess recorded "Soulmate" (8:30) How "Soulmate" blew up (15:13) Why she told no one about her music (19:00) Going live for 3 years straight (20:46) "Headline or H2O" Game (27:29) Pert is obsessed with Dollywood (29:28) Jess tells her parents about her music (30:20) How Jess got connected with Indify (32:02) How Jess followed up "Soulmate" (36:15) Jess' advice for all musicians (37:29) All musicians have off-days (38:35) How many playlists have "Soulmate" on them?
Noah Floersch just released his hit song "Ghost of Chicago." At the time of filming this episode he was at the height of pre-release hype and was deciding whether he should stay independent or take a label deal. This conversation shows his true opinions on the matter at an important moment in his career in real time. (0:00) Intro to Noah (2:30) Conversations on both sides (artists vs. labels) (4:11) The Story Behind "Ghost of Chicago" (9:50) Noah's attention from labels (12:09) Why every label is the same (17:20) Plant the seed, let it grow (20:38) Why Noah is cautious of taking a label deal (22:07) How to get what you want out of a label contract (25:00) Will the death of radio kill off songwriters? (27:26) Is this what Noah dreamed of? (32:04) Noah getting hate comments (33:20) Law or Lie: Nebraska Edition (41:24) What advice would Noah give to artists? (44:13) How to be an expert on the music industry (47:30) The Middle Class of Musicians (50:05) What would Noah do differently? (51:36) Should you Release or Tease music? (58:26) Noah reads his Fan Fiction (1:01:05) Outro
Pertinence describes the early days of his career while highlighting areas like financial stability, staying true to your self, and maintaining independency as an artist. ASK US QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT SHOW! https://laylo.com/live2/m8xLF
(0:00) Intro (1:24) Pert's beginning career (3:50) Why Pert started making music (7:26) Pert releases his first song (12:12) Feeling isolation and delusion (14:26) Pert's first viral hit (16:25) How Pert and McClain met (25:21) How to network and grow (30:56) The Newly Wed Game (41:44) The light at the end of the tunnel (44:38) What Pert has learned in LA (49:10) Pert shares the secret sauce (50:46) You've Got Mail!
Pertinence and McClain discuss the current state of content, virality, and the music industry. They answer questions like: Is it okay to post something you know will flop? How to balance clickbait with authenticity and integrity? And Is social media absolutely necessary for musicians today?
ASK US QUESTIONS FOR THE NEXT SHOW! https://laylo.com/live2/m8xLF
(0:00) Intro (1:23) Does your music have to go viral? (9:20) How to balance cringe and authenticity? (10:42) How do you separate yourself from your musician persona? (13:22) Pert wears fake glasses (16:55) Ice Spice or Charles Dickens? (27:34) Why is Collin the worst first name for a rapper? (28:32) How to connect with an audience without posting (37:19) What are the most successful campaigns we've seen? (38:12) Tai Verdes' campaign (41:30) 347Aiden's campaign (43:30) Storybook Life and storytelling (50:50) The Ice Spice Bath
