Fostering equity and inclusion is a collective effort — and though DEI roles have taken a hit in our industry, the experts and community leaders are still out there. During Music Biz 2026, Naledi Nyahuma Seck, VP of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at The Orchard, joined us to discuss this tumultuous stage and potential for the future, zoning in on the importance of supporting diversity in the music ecosystem at large. She also speaks on her role and the responsibilities it entails, closing the episode with a conversation on diversity efforts at Music Biz, and a rundown on how employment opportunities look different for each level of staff.

Secretly has seen the industry go through many changes, and with it so has Shelly Worcel, who went from intern to Director of Global Physical Account Strategy during her 14 years at their distribution arm. Though the company has grown exponentially over the years, they still maintain their independent mindset – remaining flexible and willing to experiment without jumping ship during times of change, like the transition from physical to digital, the shift away from radio, and the vinyl boom. In an interview recorded during Music Biz 2026, Shelly recounts the company's indie success story, their Bizzy-winning campaign for Hayley Williams' latest album, "blue dot fever," and more!

Dmitri Vietze describes working in PR & marketing in the music industry as a rollercoaster on top of another rollercoaster, given the constant transition in both industries. In this podcast episode, we gain insight into this experience from Dmitri, who runs Rock Paper Scissors, Inc., a PR firm representing music tech companies and organizes the Music Tectonics Conference every year. Throughout the interview, he describes his transition from artist PR to tech PR, how AI music compounds an already flawed attribution process, and how the internet, social media & AI have changed press and the dissemination of information, closing out with a discussion on the 2026 Music Biz Conference & Bizzys!

Precedent shapes legislation. In our industry's current era of change – defined by issues ranging from AI usage to increased artist autonomy – these precedents are challenged to pave the way for the potential of new rulings. During Music Biz 2026, Cynthia Katz & Heidy Vaquerano of Fox Rothschild LLP gave us a glimpse beyond the glamorous exterior of music law, starting with how they got into the field and diving deeper into artist protection against cannibalistic AI (while also recognizing its revenue-generating iterations), the responsibility that comes with artists taking back their rights, and the catalog boom.