Bridge The Atlantic

South African singer/songwriter Nate Maingard joins us on the show this week. Nate is a modern troubadour, storyteller, global nomad and indie-folk singer-songwriter. His approach to music is communication and connection driven, and as a result he has built up an incredibly loyal fanbase (called The Nateives). In 2012, Nate was awarded the South African National Arts Festival Ovation Award, and recorded his crowdfunded “In The Shadows” EP in London with musicians who have worked with Adele, Paul McCartney and Jason Mraz. In this episode we talk about the importance of appreciating your audience, successful crowdfunding, and tips on building a community around your music.Highlights:- Nate has chosen to be vulnerable in a world that tells us we need to have strong exteriors- Nate knows that everyone who listens to his music and supports him is an individual- Appreciation comes out of knowing that his audience have chosen to listen to him- No-one owes you a living and no-one owes it to you to listen to your music- We hear about Nate’s experience with crowdfunding and how he knew so little when he first started- Crowdfunding can be a very stressful experience, and planning is key- In crowdfunding (and in life in general) under-promise and over-deliver- We talk how when people see how much money you’re making, it can create a perceived image of success- Nate tells us how he got started on Patreon and how he’s made it work for him- The value of art in the digital age is often perceived as 0, but with Patreon people are redefining the value of art to them as individuals- As a musician, Nate takes the inexplicable mysteries of being human and tries to make sense of them- Nate thinks Amy Schumer could be “the one”Advice:- You have to define your relationship with your audience as individuals as everyone’s connections are different- Reach out to your community and ask them how they feel about you doing a crowdfund or creating a PatreonRecommendations:- Amanda Palmer - The Art of Asking (Book)Guest Links:- Website: http://natemaingard.com- Twitter: @natemaingard- Instagram: @natemaingard- Facebook: /natemaingardSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkLurzyYE)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re joined this week by author Elizabeth Dutton. Raised in California, Elizabeth has bridged the Atlantic in her own way, by getting her Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow, where she also started her first novel, Driftwood. In 2011, Skyhorse Publishing released her book 1,033 Reasons to Smile (which has since been updated to 1,047 Reasons to Smile). Elizabeth is currently working on poetry and a second novel. In this episode, we hear all about Elizabeth's writing process and the advice she would offer to fellow writers.Highlights:- Elizabeth may write about the melancholy, but she doesn’t take herself too seriously and loves the absurd- Music is essential to Elizabeth’s creative process and she needs it on a daily basis- Elizabeth is an over-researcher, and it allows her to know her characters on a deeper level- We hear how Elizabeth’s late grandmother drove miles to buy Bob Marley’s music- Elizabeth tells us about the connection she sees between poetry and lyrics in music- Researching = absorbing information- We hear how actress Emma Roberts was photographed with a copy of Elizabeth’s book Driftwood and what happened after having that exposure- We talk about the importance of education in developing yourself as a writer- Elizabeth tells us about the risk of making a lead character unlikeable (like Clem in Driftwood)- We hear how difficult and painful the process of finding a literary agent can be- Elizabeth has a tendency to do things the way they shouldn’t be done- Transitioning from your creative to business self can be the most difficult thing as an author- We hear about Elizabeth’s book 1,033 Reasons to Smile (and the updated version 1,047 Reasons to Smile)- California is crazy because it’s populated by crazy people!- Elizabeth tells us why she had to close her Twitter account and start a new oneAdvice:- The best way to improve your writing is to read moreRecommendations:- The Detectorists (Netflix)- Johnny Flynn (Music)Guest links:- Website: http://elizabethdutton.com- Twitter: @duttonwrites- Facebook: /authorelizabethduttonSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkLurzyYE)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re excited to welcome multi award winning singer/songwriter Stacy Clark to the show! To date, Stacy has released 4 EPs and 4 full length albums, and has guest appearances on records by Jack’s Mannequin and Delux under her belt. Her music can be heard on TV shows such as One Tree Hill, The Real L Word, The Hills and Keeping Up With The Kardashians. In addition to being an accomplished performer and songwriter, Stacy has also donated her time, music, design and raised funds for charities including To Write Love On Her Arms, Habitat for Humanity and PETA.Highlights:- Stacy feels like she lives in a TV show sometimes- Marcio shares a story of meeting Stacy at a gig a few years ago- Be nice to your fans when you meet them because they’ll remember- We talk about the differences between releasing music independently vs through a label- Stacy prefers releasing music instantly rather than waiting a long time for music to be released- For Stacy, one of the most important things about getting a label deal is validation- Ask yourself how much you can do for yourself, and weigh up the pros/cons- Stacy tells us about the opportunities that came along when she outsold Lady Gaga- We hear about a terrible gig experience Stacy had involving laryngitis + an opening slot for Switchfoot- “I swear I can sing, even though I suck at piano!” - Stacy Clark, 2015- Ross requests that Stacy writes a book and records an audio book full of her hilarious stories- Stacy thinks Taylor Swift could be an alien- We hear about the music Stacy is working on and how she’s releasing singles independently at the moment- Stacy tells us about her new video show “What It Takes”Advice:- A lot of opportunities come down to networking and who you know- Put yourself out there and get to know people- Working directly with a music supervisor is generally better than putting your music into a music library- Go to showcases where music supervisors and executives go, and meet peopleGuest links:- Website: http://stacyclark.net- Twitter: @stacyclark- Instagram: @stacyclarklovesu- Facebook: /stacyclarkmusicSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkL...)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re joined by Los Angeles based celebrity brand strategist, Phil Pallen. Phil builds brands for TV personalities, experts and entrepreneurs. You've seen his clients on Shark Tank, Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, The X Factor, Project Runway, The Doctors, and more. He has been featured on Access Hollywood as a celebrity brand expert, and was recently named one of the most influential educators in digital marketing for 2015 by the Online Marketing Institute. In 2014, Phil released his first book: Shut Up and Tweet which contains game-changing strategies that will turn you into a Twitter rockstar. Phil’s expertise has earned him speaking engagements worldwide, including events such as New Media Europe in Manchester, England, and Arctic 15 in Helsinki, Finland.Highlights:- Phil is going to take us everywhere he goes - and we’re ok with that!- Phil shares his formula for a successful Twitter bio- We hear Phil auditioning to intern for Charlie Sheen prevented him from working with Ryan Seacrest- Phil is an entrepreneur by mistake!- We hear how getting hired by his first celebrity client was a highlight of Phil’s career- Phil shares a story about delivering a keynote talk in Japan which was translated word-by-word in real time- Phil Pallen: Not a model. Just a brand strategist.- What Phil does is an extension of his passion- We talk about Phil’s awesome book “Shut Up and Tweet”- Twitter is Phil’s favourite platform for growth for clients who have lean budgets- We talk about Ross’s upcoming book and how important relationships are in the music industry- Phil describes Celine Dion as a walking memeAdvice:- When writing a book, ask people who know you what the most important thing they learned from you is- Make a list of the top 40 or 50 questions you are asked regularly, and answer them- Something you do for yourself is a hobby - when it satisfies someone else’s need, it is a brand- To turn something you love into a job, it needs to be something that others need- People don’t spend freely on “wants” but they do on “needs”- Position your brand, identify your audience + stand out above the noise- While music comes from a place of passion, also be aware of what people are responding to- Think of an album as a collection, and use it to tell people what you’re all about- You want to have a friendship with your audience but also be aware of what they wantGuest links:- Website: http://philpallen.co- Twitter: @philpallen- Instagram: @philpallenSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkL...)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we welcome songwriter, producer and vocalist of Cartel, Will Pugh to the show! As the main songwriter in Cartel, Will Pugh has written records that have sold over 500,000 copies and he has two Top 40 hits to his name. In addition to his work with Cartel, Will has also worked on records for Hydra Melody, TEAM* and The Delta as a producer and engineer.Highlights:- Will listens to a lot of music that “would make your mom wince”- We hear how playing with New Found Glory was a big highlight for Will and the rest of Cartel- Will thinks Amy Lee (of Evanescence) could sing the phone book and it would sound great- Will tells us how Kevin (Cartel’s drummer) once dropped an F-bomb in front of Jon Bon Jovi’s 8 year old child- We hear about Cartel’s experience in recording an album as part of MTV’s Band In A Bubble project- We talk about the fear of documenting the recording process and how it can influence the recording of the music itself- Will tells us how he differentiates songs for Cartel vs songs for his solo project- Because Will has so many influences, it can be hard to pin down a direction for his first solo record- We talk about how self-producing can be dangerous, especially for a solo project- When you’ve got too much choice, it can be difficult to narrow things down!- With a new baby on the way, we think Will needs to get this EP out as he’s going to have a lot more to write about soon!- We talk about the impact of Seinfeld on modern society- Will does a semi-convincing British accent in our 20 questions section- We hear the story behind Will’s Twitter and Instagram usernameGuest links:- Website: willpughmusic.com- Twitter: @willpug / @cartel- Facebook: /cartel- Instagram: @willpugSponsors:- Alyssa Parma- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents- Buck Naked Soap Company- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses----For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we’re welcome internationally renowned celebrity vocal coach, teacher, performer, and award-winning songwriter Wendy Parr to the show. Wendy has 25 years of vocal coaching experience, and has gained industry acclaim for her signature style of teaching and artist development. Her clients include artists such as Sara Bareilles, Regina Spektor and A Great Big World, and her song “Dreams on Fire” (produced and co-written by AR Rahman) is featured on the GRAMMY Award winning Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Wendy also leads The Artist’s Circle, a monthly event based out of New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville where musicians, vocalists, songwriters and producers come together to grow, get community support, and transform their careers.Highlights:- Authenticity fuels Wendy’s approach to artist development- Wendy is a truth seeker, a truth sayer, and is always curious- Wendy believes that when an artist gets lost in their music, that’s actually them being found- We hear how Wendy started out as a performer and was the only white performer in an all black musical- Wendy tells us how she became too focused on perfection and wanted to get back to authenticity- Authenticity and being genuine is way more interesting than perfection- In trying to be perfect, you’re trying to be one thing, and depriving yourself and others of the rest of your personality- There is no such thing as perfection - everyone has a different idea of what that means- There is a great value in enhancing your skills so you can express your passion more effectively- Being a great vocalist is different from being a great artist - they aren’t always linked- We talk about the misconceptions and fears artists sometimes have about working with a vocal coach- We learn that Wendy is a fan of using basketball metaphors to describe vocal coaching!- Wendy tells us about The Artist’s Circle and how it’s helping artists connect and support each other- All artists can learn from each other, regardless of what level they are atAdvice:- Singing is an athletic sport - and you need a coach to keep your voice in shape- It’s important to find a vocal coach that is going to help YOU and not fulfil their own agenda- If someone is providing you a service and they make you feel that you need them, you don’t- When you’re being real and genuine, you’re building trust with your audience- Know what you want your audience to experience, and don’t try to be all things to all people- Getting on stage is the best way to discover how to be true to your audienceGuest links:- Website: http://wendyparr.com- Twitter: @wendyparr- Facebook: /wendyparrmusic- Instagram: @wendyparrSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkLurzyYE)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael McCarron, founder of Punk Out joins us on Bridge The Atlantic this week. Punk Out is a non-profit organization that wants to create a movement of acceptance in the alternative music scene. Punk Out works to start conversations, make LGBTQ+ community members and their issues more visible, remove the taboo within the alternative music community, and increase overall acceptance of everyone. We’re looking forward to diving into some of the issues faced by the community, and how Punk Out, musicians and music fans can make a positive change.Highlights:- Ross is called out for his misuse of the word “good” rather than “well” by grammar-sticklers, Marcio, and former school teacher Michael- Michael tells us why he started Punk Out and why it’s important that an organisation like it exists in the alt music scene- Michael talks about the importance of musicians as role models, especially within the alt music scene- Ross will give Michael a geography lesson, Michael will give Ross an English lesson, and we’ll all be even- We hear about some of Punk Out’s highlights over the past couple of years- “We don’t want words to get in the way of progress” - Michael McCarron, 2015- Punk Out want to showcase a wide array or perspectives, as they believe that’s where progress can be made- Michael loves to see his favourite artists talk about things they don’t often talk about- Punk Out wants to drive conversation and encourage REAL change on the ground- Michael tells us about an…interesting incentive he heard about, encouraging people to vote- Punk Out wants to build a network within the alternative music community, providing a safe space for musicians to come out- There are others out there who are going through what you are, and you have to put yourself first- Michael shares some alarming statistics about LGBTQ+ homelessness- Music is the best vessel to deliver a message- Michael shares the three Is that Punk Out stand by: Identity, Inspiration and Inclusion- Marcio sets a challenge to our listeners: find his old LiveJournal, and win a CD- We all love PVRIS- Michael gives Marcio some fashion adviceRecommendations:- The Outs (Web Series)- Twister (Movie)- Jurassic Park (Movie)- Years and Years (Music)Guest links:- Website: http://punkout.org- Twitter: @punkoutlgbt- Facebook: /punkoutlgbt- Instagram: @punkoutlgbtSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkLurzyYE)- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://www.bucknakedsoapcompany.com/)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're joined by an independent music industry powerhouse, Ariel Hyatt, this week. Ariel is the director of Cyber PR, a New York based online PR agency who work with musicians and entrepreneurs. Over the past 18 years, Ariel and her team have helped over 1800 clients rock their online presence. Ariel has also spoken at events and conferences in 12 countries and has released 3 books on the subject of social media for artists, with a new book in the works. In this interview we talk about effective crowdfunding, what to consider when hiring a music publicist, and how social media has changed PR.Highlights:- Ariel has a lifelong battle with people mispronouncing her name- Ariel has grown up in an entrepreneurial family - her mother is an entrepreneur and her father is a working artist- We hear about Ariel’s experience of working with one of her favourite artists (The Spin Doctors)- Effective crowdfunding is probably not what you think it is- Our friend Shaun from No, Totally! has a question for Ariel about knowing when you’re worthy to run a crowdfunding campaign- Ariel tells us about her upcoming book on crowdfunding… and we’re very excited to read it!- Remember that you are in the driving seat when hiring a publicist - it’s a buyer’s market- So many artists who appear to come out of nowhere have been working behind the scenes for years- Ross and Marcio are pronouncing things weird all over the place- Ariel recommends we watch Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca Grammy performance- Ariel shares her thoughts on how publicity has changed in the social media age- “Just because you have the Twitter handle of the write you want to cover you, doesn’t mean they’re going to cover you” - Ariel Hyatt, 2015- It’s much easier to identify who bloggers and journalists are now than it was a few years ago- Ariel says that social media and PR are very much intertwined now- Ariel’s cat (@thehuntercat) doesn’t Tweet as much as her, as she doesn’t have opposable thumbs- We say awesome too muchAdvice:- On crowdfunding - most of your funding is actually going to come from the people you already know- You have to reach out to people personally when crowdfunding- When people don’t contribute to your crowdfund, it’s not always personal - people are busy and forget!- Think about what you can provide that will be really special to the people who donate to your crowdfund- Identify your VIPs and create a spreadsheet of people you think will contribute to your campaign- Before working with a publicist - ask yourself if you really need to be working with one- Talk to at least three publicists before hiring- After your PR campaign is over, think about how you can leverage your publicity- If you’re doing your own publicity, you have to do your homework, and have targetsGuest links:- Website: cyberpr.com / cyberprmusic.com- Twitter: @cyberpr / @cyberprmusic / @teamcyberpr / @thehuntercat- Facebook: /cyberpr- Instagram: @cyberprSponsors:- Alyssa Parma (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqlkLurzyYE)- Chris Keaton (http://chriskeaton.com)- Buck Naked Soap Company (http://bucknakedsoapcompany.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining us this week is LA-based singer/songwriter, Lee DeWyze. Lee won the 9th season of American Idol in 2010, and prior to that had released 2 albums independently. Since his Idol win, he has released 3 albums, with a new record due in February 2016. Lee’s track “Blackbird Song” was featured in The Walking Dead, and Lee is an in demand live performer. In this episode we talk about performances vs songwriting, why Lee chose to take part in American Idol, and his highly anticipated upcoming record, Oil and Water.Highlights:- We manage to make Lee feel really old with our introduction- No-one can beat Lee at Mario Kart - who wants to take him on?- Songwriting is just as important to Lee as performing is- Lee wouldn’t be a performer if he wasn’t a songwriter- We have a mutual friend in common - the amazing Shelly Peiken!- Lee tells us about writing “Blackbird Song” which was featured in The Walking Dead- We hear about the stigma that can be attached to being part of a show like American Idol- There are so many different outlets to being discovered these days - and shows like American Idol are one of many- Lee went on American Idol because he wanted to make a career out of music, not to be famous- Lee has realised that winning American Idol was only just the first step of his career, rather than the peak- We talk about how the market is so saturated now that it’s more difficult than ever to stand out- Lee tells us what we can expect from his new album "Oil and Water"- We hear about the emotional connection Lee has with his new songs- Ross’s dog Loki makes an appearance - he also loves the sound of Lee’s new record- We talk about the importance of an artist being connected to the songs they’re performing- We learn that Lee judges songs on the songs themselves, rather than the artists performing them- We can disagree on religion or politics, but we can all enjoy music togetherGuest Links:- Website: http://leedewyzeofficial.com/- Twitter: @LeeDeWyze- Facebook: /LeeDeWyze- Instagram: @LeeDeWyzeOfficialSponsors:- Alyssa Parma [New Music Video Here!]- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Bridge The Atlantic, we welcome Judy Stakee, to the show. Judy is the founder of The Judy Stakee Company, a full-service artist development and entertainment company that develops the minds, bodies and souls of artists and songwriters to achieve the career of their dreams. As Senior VP of Creative at Warner Chappell Music for 20 years, Judy signed and worked with artists such as Sheryl Crow, Michelle Branch and Gavin DeGraw. Judy has recently released a book - The Songwriter’s Survival Guide - where she shares her trade secrets, and teaches you how to handle meetings with music executives confidently, achieve a creative and financially rewarding co-write, and even discover how to be the CEO of your own company.Highlights:- Ross and Judy share a story about how they are connected- Judy tells us about working with our past guest and friend, Tyler Hilton- We hear what Judy looks for in an artist and what separates those who succeed vs those who don’t- “You know when a star walks into the room” - Judy Stakee, 2015- You can have whatever career you want, as long as you’re willing to put a lot of hard work- “Nothing is stopping you, but you” - Judy Stakee, 2015- Now, artists need to know how to tell stories, take meetings and hire a team- We hear about the education Judy received from working in the music industry, and how she’s used this to launch her company- Judy shares how the financial aspect took over the music industry, and everything changed in the mid 2000s- Most of the business doesn’t want to pay for artist development… and this is where The Judy Stakee Company comes in!- “Before we do a photoshoot, before we go into production, we need to get the songs right” - Judy Stakee, 2015- There are programs for architects and doctors, but there has never been a cohesive structure or process for songwriters entering the business- Judy tells us about why she wrote “The Songwriter’s Survival Guide” and the role our friend Phil played in its creation- We talk about how a lot of people just want to be famous now rather than being known for something- Judy shares a success story of one of her artists, Julian Bunetta who is now writing for acts like One Direction and Fifth Harmony- Judy shares her least favourite word to include in a song… and it’s the title of one of Marcio’s new songs!- “You can have the most talented person in the world, but if they don’t have the attitude - who cares?” - Judy Stakee, 2015Advice:- Hire a business manager early on- Put mentors in place, who can guide you in your careerGuest Links:- Website: http://judystakee.co- Twitter: @judystakee- Facebook: /judystakee- Instagram: @judystakeeSponsors:- Chris Keaton @ Chris Keaton Presents (http://chriskeaton.com)- Christine Infanger @ Thirty Roses (http://thirtyroses.com)---For more episodes, visit http://bridge-the-atlantic.comFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/bridge_atlanticSubscribe on iTunes: http://bridge-the-atlantic.com/itunesSupport us on Patreon: http://patreon.com/bridgetheatlantic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.