Deep Dive with Ali Abdaal

Griffin Haddrill is the co-founder and CEO of the leading viral marketing agency, VRTCL. Alongside business partner Sean Young, VRTCL was founded in 2019 providing marketing services for some of today’s most popular artists and record labels such as Universal Music, Warner Records, Sony Music, showing them how to best utilize TikTok and execute campaigns to optimize records performance and brand activity among its global user base.Prior to VRTCL, Haddrill was a talent manager, signing songwriters and producers who worked with the likes of Karol G, Kevinho, Travis Porter, Riff Raff, among others. Haddrill also represented world-class DJs such as ATLiens and Tisoki who perform at major global music festivals, including Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Bonnaroo.In this episode, Griffin breaks down how Glass Animals, Adele, Justin Bieber, Lil Nas X, and The Weeknd leveraged TikTok to crack the Billboard 100 with their new songs.He also discusses the importance of indie musicians embracing TikTok, VRTCL’s approach to getting TikTok trends to catch, and how to get your music to go viral on the platform.02:43 VRTCL's charting songs on Billboard06:27 Influencers and viral marketing09:23 Where VRTCL comes in10:27 Working with Glass Animals12:28 Business relationship with influencers16:37 Influencers within VRTCL's network and rates 20:09 Micro vs. macro influencers21:51 User generated content (UGC)23:18 TikTok's hook25:49 Choreographic trends29:10 Working with Labels vs. Management vs. Artists31:00 How to inspire artists to embrace TikTok35:11 How to get your music to go viral38:23 Audio recognition, unauthorized "original sound" remixes and DSPs44:32 Tech vs. music's intellectual property46:41 Marketing investment and bridging success48:59 Booking agents and touring artists52:36 Geo-targeting vs. Ads53:26 Tips for artist getting started on TikTok55:45 Final questionSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmbAri's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMYConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Griffin Haddrill:Website: http://vrtcl.video/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffin-haddrill-a2a3a6101Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-music-marketers-explain-pay-rates-for-influencer-campaigns-2020-12 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Justin Vibes is a multi-platinum songwriter, producer, vocalist, and vibraphonist. Over recent years, the Baltimore born and Trinidadian musician found success in Los Angeles writing songs for Eminem, Chris Brown, Tyga, and Kodak Black. With the alternative pop duo, Capital Cities, he has performed at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza, as well as different world tours under his belt.In this episode, Vibes discusses how he went viral on TikTok, the uniqueness of incorporating the vibraphone into mainstream music, his career as both a solo artist and collaborator, and much more. Welcome to season 3!05:25 Justin’s Story08:04 Taking Song Requests13:18 Going Viral on TikTok (Nickelodeon and ESPN)19:52 The Result of Going Viral26:45 Brand Deals and Partnerships30:09 How Much Justin Makes35:05 Writing Jingles36:43 Brand Deals and Partnerships (Continued)40:53 If a Brand Video Flops44:57 Ari’s Acting Career46:42 Advice for Musicians on TikTok1:00:46 Justin’s Career As a Songwriter and Producer1:10:00 Ghost Writing and Publishing Deals1:15:32 What’s Next for Justin1:18:58 Final QuestionSubscribe to The New Music Business: https://aristake.com/nmbAri's Take Academy (use code NMB for 10% off): https://aristakeacademy.comWatch more discussions like this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1Fatf4celK3kYoJ6FUdN7qtYSCvAAMYConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Justin Vibes:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamjustinvibeTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@iamjustinvibesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn7G9Ui8xI41mpqgDajLAdATwitter: https://twitter.com/iamjustinvibes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marty is Head of Sync at Primary Wave, overseeing licensing activity for Primary Wave’s music publishing and management clients. With staff in Los Angeles and New York, the dynamic Primary Wave Sync team is a key part of Primary Wave’s proactive marketing approach, constantly creating new opportunities and driving big ideas for music in film/TV, advertising, video games, and other visual media.In 17 years in music publishing, Marty has worked with and secured placements in film, TV and advertising campaigns for artists such as Kurt Cobain, Smokey Robinson, Def Leppard, Hall & Oates, Aerosmith, Collective Soul, Bruce Hornsby, Kenny Loggins, L.P. and Foy Vance.He was recognized as one of Billboard Magazine’s Top Branding Power Players in both 2018 and 2019.Ari and Marty discuss how cover songs work in sync licensing along with how legacy acts get their music licensed. They also touch on what kinds of music brands are looking for at the moment. The two are joined by Ari’s Take Academy students for a Q&A at the end.Connect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Primary WaveWebsite: https://primarywave.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ifiok Effanga, professionally known as Fiokee, dubbed as Africa’s No1 sensational Guitarist is a Nigerian talent who hails from Akwa Ibom. He is known for his treble guitar solos infused with highlife steeped guitar lines. Fiokee is associated with acts such as Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Patoranking, Reekado Banks, Adekunle Gold, Flavour, Simi, and Kiss Daniel, among others.Connect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with FiokeeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiokee/?hl=en Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Self-produced British composer and recording artist for over 20 years, Imogen Heap has released five solo albums, another as one half of Frou Frou and collaborated with countless and varied artists including Taylor Swift, Nitin Sawhney, Deadmau5, Eric Whitacre, Jeff Beck and Jon Hopkins. Her compositions and songs pop up in blockbuster and indie films as well as countless TV shows, are featured in underground rap and dance music and covered by the likes of Ariana Grande. As composer and arranger for one of the biggest hits in theatrical history, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Imogen won the Drama Desk Outstanding Music in a Play award. As a sought-after speaker and performer, Heap hosted 2020’s Grammys Premiere Ceremony. Heap’s collaborative and multi-dimensional workflow attracts companies for commissioned works, leading to songs such as Tiny Human, the first song to distribute payments via a Smart Contract, and The Happy Song, a highly successful song for children in their early-years. Heap, recognized as an artist's artist, has won two Grammys and an Ivor Novello award. In recognition of her pioneering work at the intersection of music and tech, Heap has a hat trick of three honorary doctorates for the gestural music-ware 'MI.MU gloves' system and recently for ’The Creative Passport’, an integrated digital ID solution, empowering music makers to be the change toward a fair and flourishing music ecosystem.In this episode, Ari and Imogen discuss NFTs, metadata and payment transparency and how to properly credit (and pay) creators using the blockchain. Overall, how to make the future of music more equitable for musicians.Connect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Imogen HeapWebsite: http://www.imogenheap.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This interview with Andy Grammer was recorded live during Ari's book signing event at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles on January 16, 2020. Andy dropped gem after gem after gem for artists, songwriters, and managers on how to approach songwriting, a music career, and just life in general. Multi-platinum selling pop artist Andy Grammer is all about inspiring and empowering the world by communicating his truths through his music. Grammer is the first male pop star in a decade since John Mayer to reach the Top 10 at adult pop radio on his first two singles. His discography includes a succession of anthemic pop hits, including "Keep Your Head Up," "Fine By Me," "Honey, I'm Good.," "Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah)," and "Fresh Eyes." His most recent album Naive is home to his latest single, "Don't Give Up On Me," which quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes and is already certified gold. 4:34 - Andy's journey from before his first album came out7:27 - How long Andy was performing on the Promenade11:17 - The importance of giving; it's about the audience12:10 - What kept Andy going through the soul-crushing gigs 14:57 - Was there a shift in perception that enabled Andy to leap to the next stage in his career19:12 - How Andy transitioned from playing the Promenade to doing radio tours20:52 - Manager as a partner24:00 - How to know when you've reached your threshold26:57 - Andy's routine that enables him to crush fear regularly; has the fear ever gotten to be so much that he can't handle it?30:27 - Does Andy's fear ever prevent him from writing new tracks, especially since he's already written so many hits32:07 - How Andy knows if he's written a good song after a session35:05 - Andy's co-writing process41:29 - When he first went into a top-level writing session; what was that like?42:42 - How he remains humble with all of his success47:45 - What is branding?53:47 - Andy's way of processing songs that he's written55:33 - How Andy makes it in the new music business Connect with Ari’s Take: Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Andy Grammer:Website: https://andygrammer.com/Facebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a re-run episode from last year with music supervisor Jen Malone. She has placed music and worked on Euphoria, Atlanta, Creed 2, The Resident, Boomerang, Baskets, Shelter, Lady Dynamite, and Step Up. That's just scratching the surface. She has worked in sync licensing now for over a decade and is so well established respected.We dug in deep on sync licensing. We talk about what a music supervisor does. She also gave advice and tips on how independent artists can get their music synced and things to look out for in the contracts, quote requests, and things you should strike from the deals. We also discussed how to setup your music to pitch to supervisors effectively and have the best chance of having your music synced.11:43 - What is a music coordinator? 13:06 - How pitching music has changed over the years17:03 - How do you like to be contacted when? 19:03 - Are there any tools that you use for audio clearance and recognition?23:19 - How do you find new music?24:43 - What's your process like when coming into a new project?25:45 - Who created the sonic vibe of Euphoria?26:40 - What is the process on working with the director? 30:20 - When did you come into Creed 2? 34:05 - Can you work on multiple shows at once?35:25 - How much does your personal taste influence your selections for the projects you're working on?37:55 - How do you pick music for scenes that are difficult? How do you create such a juxtaposition?42:30 - Are there any standout independent musicians that you've seen get a "break" from one of their placements?45:55 - What are the music discovery trends you've seen over the past years? 49:20 - Do you curate any playlists? 50:25 - How do you stay organized when you're working on so many projects at once?52:00 - What are the differences working with the different platforms? Is there a standard placement rate?53:55 - The Discovery channel devaluing music and screwing over musicians59:35 - Jen Malone sides with musicians and helps them negotiate licenses1:02:55 - How much negotiation is allowed with the contracts you're working with? What advice would you give to someone who wants to have their music synced? 1:09:55 - How do you define making it in the new music business?Connect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ritt Momney (real name Jack Rutter) is a 21-year-old musician who went viral on TikTok at the end of 2020 for his song "Put The Records On." This virality propelled him into a favorable deal with Disruptor Records under Columbia Records.Jack talks about how he distributed "Put The Records On" via TuneCore and why he signed it over to Disruptor Records. We also discuss perspective, numbers, approaching social media.3:55 - Living in Los Angeles and how Ritt Momney met his manager8:00 - Prior to getting a manager, was there traction with Ritt Momney?9:45 - Perspective when achieving your goals12:50 - Not having human connection after releasing "Put The Records On" and getting the reactions on social media19:05 - How "Put The Records On" went viral on TikTok22:17 - When Disruptor Records approached Ritt Momney and why he signed with them36:10 - What the next phase of Ritt Momney looks like44:17 - Tour and festival plans for Ritt Momney49:58 - What it means to Ritt Momney to make it in the new music businessConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Ritt Momney:Website: https://www.rittmom.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rittmomney/Twitter: https://twitter.com/rittmomneyYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd7OtTy4s4swX4891VbF3HgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/rittmomney/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rittmomney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today my guest is David Potter of the band Stand Atlantic out of Sydney, Australia. This is the first guest on the show from the pop punk music scene. The band typically does 200 shows a year, and we talk about what it's been like going from 200 shows to 0 shows.We dig into how they got started, found their manager, and booking agents. We discuss tour buy-ons and what he thinks of the whole pay-to-play system.3:22 - How Australia's been during the pandemic9:38 - Touring and the pop punk scene in Australia13:59 - Music being cyclical and Stand Atlantic becoming accepted in the Australian music scene17:30 - How most of Stand Atlantic's fans discovered them21:06 - Using social media to build a following and splitting up band members' responsibilities25:30 - Reckoning with streaming numbers30:28 - David switching from the bassist to guitarist38:04 - Stand Atlantic's sponsorship with Fender39:44 - Don't fall for scams or pay-to-play situations47:02 - Experimenting with livestream shows51:48 - The process in creating "deathwish"57:09 - How David defines success1:00:49 - What it means to David to make it in the new music businessConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Stand Atlantic:Website: https://www.standatlantic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/standatlantic/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StandAtlantic/Twitter: https://twitter.com/StandAtlanticSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1W2Fv4YUnjC8hx2qQd6fGh?si=WNqYxGhQT1i4kbAPRsj4mw&dl_branch=1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most know this week's guest, Cory Wong, as the guitar player for Vulfpeck, but he's also played in Jon Batiste's band for Stephen Colbert's late night show as well as Blake Shelton and others. He currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I encourage you to spend time with this episode, especially if you're a session player, band leader, or studio cat. We talk about payment models, ethics, and etiquette when you're in the studio. He also shares some interesting stories about playing with Vulfpeck.7:35 - What it's been like for Cory not being able to tour or play live21:37 - Real world value vs. vanity metrics28:07 - Cory and the Wongnotes56:10 - What is the etiquette when working with other musicians in the studio or on set?1:03:52 - How Cory dictates what sessions he takes1:09:00 - Pay structure for Cory's hired musicians and Vulfpeck1:25:00 - What it means to Cory to make it in the new music businessConnect with Ari’s Take:Website: https://aristake.comAcademy: https://aristakeacademy.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aristake_/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aris.takeTwitter: https://twitter.com/ArisTakeYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/aristake1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aristake/Connect with Ari Herstand:Website: https://ariherstand.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/ariherstandTwitter: https://twitter.com/ariherstandYouTube: https://youtube.com/ariherstandFacebook: https://facebook.com/ariherstandConnect with Cory Wong: Website: https://www.corywongmusic.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coryjwong/Twitter: https://twitter.com/corywongFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/corywongmusicYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqC08JWnJGJIgw43XJ0GXw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.