#322 - Jesse Kirshbaum: Turning Cultural Trends into Career Momentum

Sara Campbell is a business, marketing, and mindset coach dedicated to empowering independent music educators and creatives. As the founder of Savvy Music Studio, she helps musicians and teachers build thriving, sustainable businesses rooted in authenticity and balance. With her signature BravePants Branding program, Sara equips her clients to grow visibility, income, and confidence—without the burnout. Drawing from her years of experience as both a performer and educator, she’s passionate about helping music professionals design a life and career that truly align with their values.In this episode, Sara Campbell joins Michael Walker to reveal how music educators and creators can blend business strategy with authenticity to build a sustainable career doing what they love.Key Takeaways:Discover how aligning your teaching style with your personal “why” leads to authentic growth and fulfillment.Learn how to design a sustainable plan for income and audience growth through goal setting and multiple revenue streams.Understand why building a community you own is key to long-term success in today’s music landscape.---→ Learn more about Sara’s work at SavvyMusicStudio.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Jesse Kirshbaum is the powerhouse founder and CEO of Nue Agency, a creative firm redefining the intersection of music, branding, and technology. Known for shaping cultural movements through platforms like SoundCtrl and CRWN, Jesse has championed artist-driven storytelling that bridges creators, culture, and brands. With his acclaimed newsletter Beats + Bytes, he’s become one of LinkedIn’s most influential voices in music-tech, offering deep insights into where the creator economy is headed. His work continues to empower artists to innovate, collaborate, and stand out in a noisy digital world.In this episode, Jesse Kirshbaum shares how indie artists can break through the noise by thinking like brands, building authentic communities, and harnessing cultural trends to create lasting impact.Key Takeaways:Discover how to position yourself as a brand that attracts opportunities, not just streams.Learn how to leverage storytelling, partnerships, and context to create career-defining moments.Understand why curiosity, consistency, and collaboration are essential in the evolving creator economy.---→ Learn more about Jesse and his work at Nue Agency at nueagency.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Aël Guégan is the Partnerships Executive at Soundcharts, where he blends design and data to empower artists with clear, actionable insights. A former radio professional turned analytics innovator, Aël helps artists, labels, and managers make smarter creative and business decisions using real-time performance tracking. From radio spins to social trends, he transforms complex data into meaningful strategy. When not building dashboards that decode the industry, Aël can be found singing operettas in Paris or spearfishing along the Brittany coast.In this episode, learn how to use data as a creative ally—not a burden—to grow your music career with confidence.Key Takeaways:How indie artists can use analytics to plan smarter releases and reach new audiences.Why understanding your data helps you pitch more effectively to labels and media.How tools like Soundcharts simplify complex metrics into actionable growth strategies.---→ Learn more about Aël and explore Soundcharts at soundcharts.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Allison Moore is the Vice President of Marketing at Splash Music, where she leads groundbreaking initiatives that fuse music, gaming, and fan engagement. With over a decade of experience spanning Sony Music Entertainment and SoundCloud, she’s built artist-first platforms, launched global content strategies, and pioneered immersive digital campaigns. Recognized as an industry innovator, Allison continues to shape the future of music discovery and interaction—where fans don’t just listen to music, they play, co-create, and live it through dynamic, tech-driven experiences like Splash and We Mixed.In this episode, Allison Moore shares how Splash Music is redefining the fan-artist connection through gaming, interactivity, and co-creation in the digital age.Key Takeaways:How Splash Music built the world’s largest music game on Roblox—transforming fan engagement into a playful, immersive experience.Why co-creation tools like We Mixed empower fans to collaborate creatively with artists—without needing advanced tech skills. The future of authentic artist-fan relationships in gaming, digital, and social spaces—and how technology can amplify creativity rather than replace it.---→ Learn more about Allison and Splash Music’s work at splashmusic.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Yanik Silver is a serial entrepreneur, author, and champion of conscious business who reimagines growth as a catalyst for joy and impact. He's the founder of Maverick1000, a collective of visionary CEOs, and the creator of the Cosmic Journal. Blending direct-response roots with creativity, spirituality, and community, Yanik helps leaders align profit with purpose, play, and progress. His work invites entrepreneurs to connect head, heart, and higher purpose through creative experiments, journaling, and bold adventures—so they can deliver their greatest gifts while building companies that light up a thousand suns. In this conversation, Yanik shares how to reconnect with your artistic self, link head–heart–higher purpose, and use intention, journaling, and “cosmic alarm clocks” to build a business—and life—filled with creativity, meaning, and momentum.Key TakeawaysTurn daily creative practices and intentional questions into clarity, confidence, and consistent progress.Align profit with purpose by integrating art, play, and spirituality into your entrepreneurial operating system.Replace rigid goals with experiments and intentions that spark self-discovery, fulfillment, and human connection.---→ Learn more about Yanik and his work at maverick1000.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Jay Gilbert is a veteran music-industry executive turned independent strategist and creator. After years on the road as a musician, he held leadership roles at Universal Music, Sony, and Warner—most notably as VP of New Media & Online Marketing at Universal Music Enterprises—before co-founding the consultancy Label Logic. Today he publishes the influential Your Morning Coffee newsletter, co-hosts multiple industry podcasts, guest-lectures at UCLA, USC, and Columbia, mentors through GrammyU, and continues his creative work as a photographer and educator, helping artists and teams navigate a fast-changing, digital-first music business.From AI and algorithms to old-school storytelling, Jay breaks down what actually works now in music marketing—and how indie artists can build community, momentum, and sustainable revenue without selling their soul.Key Takeaways:Build true fans, not vanity metrics: Turn audience insights into a compelling narrative and consistent engagement across platforms and live shows.Monetize beyond streams: Use premium merch/vinyl, live experiences, memberships, and sync to create multiple, fan-aligned revenue streams.Decide with data (and smart AI): Read platform analytics, run simple tests, and double-down on what moves the needle—plus where AI tools really help.---→ Learn more about Jay and his work at: label-logic.net.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Rene McLean is a culture-first music executive and entrepreneur whose career has redefined how artists, brands, and culture intersect. From helping break Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, and Eminem through street-level promotion, to founding the Mixshow Power Summit, to co-founding Influence Media Partners and building SLANG, Rene has consistently been ahead of the curve in artist development, catalog investment, and brand partnerships. Today, he works with icons like Future, DJ Khaled, and Will Smith, while empowering a new generation of creators through innovative artist-led strategies.In this episode, Rene shares how artists can thrive in today’s hyper-competitive music landscape by building authentic communities, finding the right partners, and embracing creative entrepreneurship.Key Takeaways:How indie artists can build their audience and identity before seeking major label deals.Why consistency, creativity, and community are the real drivers of sustainable success.The role of strategic partnerships and rights management in building both legacy and future value.---→ Learn more about Rene and his work at influencemediapartners.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Grayson Sanders is the founder of Chordal, a groundbreaking music rights technology company redefining the future of licensing and sync. With its patent-pending InstantClear pre-clearance technology, already adopted by top music companies including Primary Wave, Reservoir Media, Nettwerk, Mad Decent, Believe, Sentric Publishing, and Neon Gold Records, Chordal streamlines one of the industry’s most complex pain points: clearing music rights quickly and accurately at scale. A former composer turned entrepreneur, Grayson is a visionary voice demystifying music licensing in the age of AI and the creator economy.In this episode, Grayson Sanders shares how AI, sync licensing, and platforms like Chordal are reshaping the future of music rights for independent artists and the creator economy.Key Takeaways:Learn how independent artists can prepare their catalogs to unlock sync licensing opportunities.Discover how AI and generative technology are challenging—and creating new solutions for—music rights management.Explore how Chordal’s InstantClear and upcoming API are making licensing faster, more transparent, and more accessible.---→ Learn more about Grayson and Chordal at chordal.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

James Patrick is a pioneering sound artist, producer, author, and educator who has been shaping the electronic music landscape since the 1990s. As co-founder of Slam Academy, an Ableton Certified Training Center in Minneapolis, he has mentored thousands of students—from beginners to world-class musicians. One of the first Ableton Certified Trainers globally, James has written two influential books on sound design and curated the Spark Festival of Electronic Music. His work bridges technology, education, and artistry, earning him recognition as a thought leader in music innovation.In this episode, James Patrick explores how embracing imperfection, leveraging AI tools, and rethinking education can unlock deeper creativity in music production.Key Takeaways:Discover why perfectionism is creativity’s biggest enemy—and how “making a mess” leads to artistic breakthroughs.Learn how AI and emerging technologies like neural interfaces can enhance (but never replace) human creativity in music.Gain insights into Slam Academy’s mission of providing accessible, affordable education for aspiring musicians.---→ Learn more about James Patrick’s work and resources at Slam Academy.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast

Romain Vivien is the Global Head of Music and President of Europe at Believe, one of the world’s leading digital music companies supporting independent artists and labels. With nearly 30 years of experience, including senior leadership roles at Virgin and EMI, Romain has been instrumental in shaping Believe’s global music strategy across 50+ markets. A passionate advocate for fairness and transparency, he continues to champion artist development, identity, and storytelling as essential pillars for success in today’s rapidly evolving music industry.In this episode, Romain shares how independent artists can thrive in a digital-first music landscape by leaning into authenticity, storytelling, and the power of local music movements.Key Takeaways:Why understanding and defining your artist identity is the foundation for growth.How digital platforms are reshaping opportunities for independent artists.The future of music trends, including the rise of local artists and diverse genres.---→ Learn more about Romain and Believe at believe.com.Book an Artist Breakthrough Session with the Modern Musician team: https://apply.modernmusician.me/podcast