How do you build genuine community when algorithms reward viral moments over real connection? What if sustainable music careers start with just five super fans rather than chasing millions of followers?
Drowned in Sound founder & artist manager Sean Adams speaks with Nikki Camilleri - music strategist, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and founder of mana - about the ground-level realities of building a music career in 2025.
From growing up in Malta and navigating geographic disadvantage to working with breakthrough artists like Cat Burns, Nikki breaks down what actually works in today's oversaturated landscape.
This conversation digs deep into authentic community-building versus audience accumulation, the "five super fans" principle that challenges conventional wisdom, and why most artist advice around social media is fundamentally broken.
Plus: Nikki's vision for fixing music industry infrastructure by 2050, including transparency tools and direct fan connection platforms that don't rely on algorithmic gatekeepers.
"You need five super fans to start getting going - that's equal to about 250 passive fans. When you start looking at it that way, it doesn't seem as daunting."
— Nikki Camilleri on why quality beats quantity in fan building
Episode Timestamps:
- 00:00 Introduction: Music Reality Check for 2025
- 02:03 Envisioning Music in 2050: Transparency and Infrastructure
- 04:34 The Malta Factor: Geographic Disadvantage in Digital Times
- 08:26 The Resilience Crisis: From "Ready to Fight" to Viral Expectations
- 16:28 Five Super Fans vs Viral Algorithms: Quality Over Quantity
- 20:14 Real Community vs Audience: Building Genuine Connection
- 32:15 Artist Purpose and Identity: The "Horror Electronica" Story
- 39:21 Fixing the Industry: Where Would You Spend Spotify's Money?
- 44:48 Key Takeaways: What Actually Works
Mentioned in the episode:
Nikki Camilleri
ROSTR
Royal Society of Arts
Volt.fm
Kat Abu
The Anchoress
Kevin Kelly on 1000 True Fans
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Email podcasts@drownedinsound.org
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