In this first episode of Season 2, Michael interviews Hildur Maral.

Hildur is an Icelandic-Iranian music industry executive, artist manager, and co-founder of OPIA Community which is a record label, traveling festival series, and creative platform. With over two decades of experience across artist, event, and label management, she has worked with major music institutions including Universal Music Group, Coachella and Roskilde Festival, and is part of the management team for acclaimed composer and producer Ólafur Arnalds.

Season 2 shifts focus from entrepreneurial behavior of artists to their creative leadership—helping others unlock their creative potential.

The two discuss the launch of OPIA and how Hildur's wildly diverse career prepared her for artist development, community development, and label development. She shares how artist development is like dating and why different modes of leadership—foreground, background and "side-by-side"—are necessary in community development regardless of one's role.

They discuss the importance of both "learning by doing" and "learning by education" and how she values her experiences at Kaospilot and Berklee College of Music. The conversation closes with an exploration of grassroots organizations as communities of care. 

Recorded in front of a live audience on January 7, 2026 at Huldunótur in Reykjavík.