How Atlantic Records' Sr. Producer Ebonie Smith Finds Clients and Builds Community

Jacob McCloskey is a former dance music journalist and current CEO of Emvoice, a voice synthesis platform that allows users to input notes and lyrics to generate an AI vocal.Jacob and I discuss the role of an artist now instead of 20 years ago, how Darude's "Sandstorm" stands the test of time, Grimes, neuroaesthetics, and more!Follow Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Follow Emvoice:Website: https://emvoiceapp.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emvoiceapp/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/emvoiceapp Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emvoiceapp TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@emvoiceapp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emvoice/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

CVBZ is an independent artist and songwriter residing in Los Angeles, California. He's written a number of hit songs and recently sold sound recordings to a company called Duetti. He's very intelligent and open-minded, so there's a lot of wisdom sprinkled throughout. In this episode, CVBZ and I talk about how he's been able to do music full-time, bad record deals, Duetti and artist funding, money is a "dirty" word, and how you're your biggest saboteur.Follow Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Follow CVBZ:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cvbzmvzic/X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/cvbzmvzicFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/cvbzmvzicSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0pt7PX4Hftlg8mV1ySU84Q?si=bu8-w3RoTt2os4mSFVS1_ABecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

J. Erving III is the CEO and co-founder of Human Re Sources, a music distribution and artist services company. J's company was acquired by Sony Music's The Orchard in 2020 for a multi-million deal. Human Re Sources and the team have helped artists like RAYE, Brent Faiyaz, Pink Sweat$, Baby Rose, Bren Joy, Damian Lillard, and more.Now that Sony Music owns Human Re Sources, J's role has shifted. He serves as the EVP of Creative Development at Sony Music and reports to the CEO, Rob Stringer. In this episode, J and Lennon discuss the success behind RAYE's "Escapism," how culture fuels Human Re Sources, and how labels have helped artists.Connect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with J. Erving III:Website: https://www.human-re-sources.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/human.re.sources/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Noah Tauscher is an independent musician based in Los Angeles, CA and originally from Hood River, OR. He makes his living on licensing his music for sync. This is Noah's first podcast, so be sure to give him a warm welcome! In his career, Noah has landed sync placements with Lenovo, AMC, Fender, and Netflix, among others.In this episode, Noah and I discuss the different moving parts in sync licensing, such as sync labels, music libraries, and sync agents. He shares the tips he's used to successfully pitch and how to navigate the process once the song has been licensed.Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (PDF Guide): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with Noah:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noahtauscher_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@noahtauscher_Website: https://noahtauscher.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Justin Longo is the CEO and founder of MariNation Music, an investment platform that allows artists to sell shares of their business to fans. Artists are then able to use that money to purchase studio gear, increase marketing budgets, touring, etc. As your career continues to grow in social media numbers, streaming revenue, sync, touring, and more, your shares will carry more value. Justin and I talk about what an artist needs to know before allowing fans to invest in their business, as well as how MariNation Music is different than 3LAU's Royal platform, among others.Follow Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comSubstack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Follow Justin & MariNation Music: Website: https://www.marinationmusic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mari__nation/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marinationmusicTwitter: https://twitter.com/MarinationMusicBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Cassie Petrey is the co-founder and CEO of CrowdSurf, a music management firm that has worked with Britney Spears, Camila Cabello, Backstreet Boys, and many more. Cassie is an avid speaker and has spoken at SXSW and Forbes' 30/50 summit in Abu Dhabi. She has also seen the Backstreet Boys more than 200 times in concert! In this episode, Cassie explains how marketing has changed now since before the pandemic, how an artist can stand out amongst the saturation, and how TikTok has become the new LinkedIn for musicians and content creators.Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (PDF Guide): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5eX_uxAUIwBC0gyKwCbqtwGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with Cassie Petrey and CrowdSurf:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/crowd-surf/Website: https://crowdsurf.net/careers.htmlInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassiepetrey/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Joe Barham is the CEO and co-founder of HIFI Labs, a creative incubator and artist mentorship collective building an artist-owned, community-powered future for musicians. Fueled by web3 technology and industry-changing innovation, HIFI Labs' mission is to achieve a more equitable and sustainable music economy. He was the former Head of Music at Patreon.Joe and I discuss the digital side of music, such as Web3, innovative technologies, and how they create bespoke solutions to help artists achieve their goals. Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf 27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (PDF Guide): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with HIFI Labs:Website: https://hifilabs.co/welcomeTwitter: https://twitter.com/hifilabsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/hifilabs/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/ib3tse7i520i0uk007nxaj43iBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Ebonie Smith is a Grammy-certified audio engineer and is Atlantic Records' Senior Producer and Engineer. She's worked on projects like Hamilton on Broadway, Janelle Monáe's 'Dirty Computer' album, and Cardi B's 'Invasion of Privacy.' Ebonie is also the founder and president of Gender Amplified, a non-profit organization that aims to celebrate women in music production.In this episode, Ebonie speaks to topics about hustling to achieve her goals, the start of Gender Amplified, and how she's using social media to educate and market her portfolio.Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/Join my Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (eBook): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon: Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5eX_uxAUIwBC0gyKwCbqtwGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with Ebonie Smith:Website: https://www.eboniesmith.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eboniesmithmusic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/eboniesmithFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eboniesmithmusicBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

James Mack is the co-founder and CEO of Listen Up!, a music and entertainment industry public relations agency. Most notably, Listen Up!'s client Black Coffee won Best Dance Record at the 2022 Grammy Awards. In this episode, James shares how Listen Up! signed Black Coffee onto their roster seven-and-a-half years ago stuck with him all the way to the Grammys. Remarkable. He and I discuss his journey into to public relations, starting a business, and best DIY PR tips. Finally, he shares the hurdles creatives struggle with, and why Listen Up! takes the time to educate and help them through these issues. Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (PDF Guide): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with James Mack/Listen Up!: James' email: [email protected] / [email protected]: https://www.listen-up.biz/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/listenupbizInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/listenupbiz/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ListenUpbizBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.

Vu Ho is an entrepreneur and music tech startup founder. He's a former engineering manager at Atlassian, the parent company for programs like Jira, Confluence, and Trello. He's now the CEO of HITMKR, a company that is building a new platform with the tools and resources musicians need to create art.In this episode, Vu and I talk music tech tools that we're excited about, the biggest pains of starting a business, and much more.Substack: https://lennoncihak.substack.com/ Discord: https://discord.gg/CRTcYRDGqf 27 Creative Ways to Market Your Music and Get Heard (PDF Guide): https://lennoncihak.gumroad.com/l/get-your-music-heardConnect with Lennon:Website: https://www.lennoncihak.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lennoncihak/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lennoncihakTwitter: https://twitter.com/LennonCihakLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennoncihak/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LennonJeffreyGuest Request: https://goo.gl/forms/8zs61IYiIXMLjFpX2Connect with HITMKR: Website: https://www.hitmkr.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hitmkrinc/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hitmkrincYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hitmkrincFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hitmkrinc/Discord: https://discord.com/invite/EXhfc3yAV3Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/when-life-hands-you-lennons--4973415/support.