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 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

(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

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.

https://www.tiktok.com/@axeltanner

https://www.instagram.com/axel.tanner

(0:00) Intro

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

(0:00) Intro

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

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.

(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

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

(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

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!

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.

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.

(0:00) Intro

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!

(0:00) Intro