The New Music Business with Ari Herstand

This Singing Couple is Making It by Diversifying their Business and Writing Great Songs

Jul 31, 2024

Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones, the dynamic couple behind the musical duo Ni/Co, discuss their rise to fame and online success. They delve into the challenges of balancing cover songs with their desire for creative authenticity. The duo shares insights on viral marketing strategies, including influencer campaigns that boosted their recent hit 'On Purpose.' They also discuss the complexities of music distribution and monetization in today’s industry, emphasizing the importance of diversifying revenue streams while staying true to their artistic vision.

01:19:43

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Episode guests

Dani Brillhart

Colton Jones

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Ni/Co successfully navigated their artistic identity by separating their covers and original music to prevent being typecast as cover artists.

The couple's collaborative songwriting in Nashville strengthened both their personal relationship and their professional musical chemistry, contributing to their success.

By leveraging influencer marketing and social media, they amplified the reach of their viral hit 'On Purpose' and engaged new audiences.

Deep dives

Navigating the Cover Artist World

The transition into the YouTube cover scene was initially exciting, as it contributed to rapid audience growth. However, a deep-rooted passion for creating original music drove their desire to maintain focus on that aspect of their artistry. They expressed concerns about being typecast as cover artists, which could hinder their ambitions to be recognized for their original work. To address this, they made strategic decisions about how to manage their content, leading them to establish separate profiles for their covers and original music.

Intro

1min

Navigating Love and Music: A Journey of a Duo's Success

5min

Navigating Love and Music

24min

Navigating the World of Music Distribution and Covers

6min

Navigating the Music Industry: Covers and Originals

19min

Harnessing Organic Success through Social Media Strategies

5min

Navigating Influencer Marketing and Music Promotion

19min

Navigating YouTube Monetization Challenges for Independent Artists

3min

Navigating Challenges and Defining Success in the Music Industry

2min

10.

Creating Lasting Legacies Through Art and Innovation in Music Distribution

2min

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This week, Ari sits down with Ni/Co, the musical duo of LA-based couple Dani Brillhart and Colton Jones. Their most recent song “On Purpose” has taken the internet by storm with over 6.2 million streams on Spotify and YouTube. Ni/Co built their early career by releasing covers on YouTube and placing their songs in sync. They have garnered over 75 million views on YouTube and have landed 6-figure sync deals with their music. However, as their covers became more popular and they wrote under various monikers for sync, Dani and Colton had to make a decision: did they want to prioritize these paths or re-center their career around original music? This conversation dives into the details of publishing and label deals, Ni/Co’s journey through sync, their experience going viral on TikTok, and how they clarified their artist identity to stay true to their vision along the way.

00:00 - Introduction and Background

10:39 - The On Purpose Journey and Release

15:47 - Meeting and Starting as a Couple

26:23 - Signing a Publishing Deal and Sync Placements

30:11 - Separating Covers and Originals

42:52 - The Success of 'On Purpose'

49:05 - Influencer Campaigns, Viral Songs, and the Importance of Diversifying Revenue Streams

1:13:20 - Challenges and Scams in Revenue Collection

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