A podcast we recorded two years ago led to a major label signing, a charting song and collaborations with the likes of Chainsmokers and Megan Trainor.
From working in Asda to global pop star overnight, Mae Stephens' journey has been fascinating to watch. Now, we get to hear all about it from Mae's manager Claudia Piazza.
We sat down with Claudia to discuss how our podcast led to them working together, she takes us through Mae's journey on TikTok, touring and collaborating and provides tips on how to get your music heard, why it's important to write with others and how to make money from your music.
Claudia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twiggypopclaudy/
Join the membership: https://www.members.burstimo.com/
A podcast we recorded two years ago led to a major label signing, a charting song and collaborations with the likes of Chainsmokers and Megan Trainor.
From working in Asda to global pop star overnight, Mae Stephens' journey has been fascinating to watch. Now, we get to hear all about it from Mae's manager Claudia Piazza.
We sat down with Claudia to discuss how our podcast led to them working together, she takes us through Mae's journey on TikTok, touring and collaborating and provides tips on how to get your music heard, why it's important to write with others and how to make money from your music.
Claudia’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twiggypopclaudy/
Join the membership: https://www.members.burstimo.com/
Welcome back to the Music Industry podcast. It's been two years since we had Claudia first on the podcast and it was a hell of a podcast. Maybe go back and watch it if you haven't actually seen that one, because this is kind of a full-art podcast, but it proved to be very popular. I think you said your DMs were flooded after that podcast. We did warn you about that one. But yeah, welcome to the podcast. So what have you been up to recently. What's the news?
Speaker 3:Oh my god. So in the last two years things changed completely. So I obviously left my job as an A&R and became a manager. Literally I think six months after I was with you guys, I left and joined a management company which we are now like business partner with Marwan in Amsterdam is Enrich and it's been mental and I have to say and I wanted, like I said to them, I didn't want to tell them before, but it's kind of like this year is kind of thanks to you guys, because what happened is two years ago when the podcast came out, mae Stevens watched it and watched me talk shit for 45 minutes and she actually you know we mentioned like artists reach out to everyone, you know like, and she actually reached out to me, thanks to you guys.
Speaker 3:Really and then we start working together since. So no way. Thanks to you guys.
Speaker 1:That's amazing. You made my year. I can't believe I didn't know that.
Speaker 3:Have you been?
Speaker 1:watching your stories of like oh, she's the AMI. Or? Oh, she's like a Mae Stevens gig Like oh she's working with Mae.
Speaker 2:Stevens oh, she's got a platinum record, yeah, and I was like oh cool, but I had actually no idea that that's how it started.
Speaker 3:She watched you guys and then reached out to me and then I completely flipped when I heard the music and we've been working together since, so the podcast work.
Speaker 1:That's crazy. What's the story then? What happened?
Speaker 3:What happened. So I came here with you guys, she watched it, she reached out to me. You know, like we mentioned, like artists don't be scared of to reach out to industry people directly. She sent me a link of songs and I heard her song writing and I just thought she was like incredible. I was like how the fuck do you write like this? Sorry, I swear a lot, 18 years old. And then, like, contacted her and we met a week after in London and we've been working together since.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's what happened. She's got big recently, so what's been? So when she contacted you, had she released anything officially?
Speaker 3:She had a couple of releases on like a smaller labels. But like the table turned when basically like we worked together for the year, you know, putting sessions together, sending it to Amsterdam to write, like because you know as a new artist it's really hard to get into sessions. So we really try and cracked people who you know wanted to be involved from the beginning as an unsigned artist and you know, a kudos to her. She's like one of the hardest working person I ever met in my life. Like this I don't know this kid's got a mentality of iron Like she's so hard working.
Speaker 1:Did that help you then know that she was going to make it with the work?
Speaker 3:Yeah, because, like as a manager, when you see someone working as hard as you are, it's like fuck me, I want you to win, like come on girl, like let's do this together. And you want them to, like, you know, get everything and the world on the plate, because they are hard working. So hard work pays off. So yeah, so she wrote this song in Amsterdam and then we, you know, start getting into the TikTok games and she's been doing it, like before that, with her dad, like, who helped out a lot before I go involved. So she was constantly posting on TikTok. And then this song she posted on New Year's Eve last year, like literally 31st of December, and it just blew overnight. Like I was in France partying with my friend, she was having a New Year's Eve, and then first of January, just we just she texted me, calling me and I was a hangover and I was like what's going on and then she just, yeah, like people like the song, and it just took over the whole TikTok and then goes on the adventure of this year.
Speaker 3:So she got signed. We went to every single label like signed to EMI, who did an amazing job with the song. And yeah, there we go. She went from working in Asda in February to pop star today. That's crazy, yes.
Speaker 1:One thing if you guys want to get in touch with Claudia, if you want consultancy, then do check out the membership. She is part of the team on the Burstimo membership. So if you want consultancy, if you want to send her tracks, then join the membership. We'll link it down below and you can send tracks, get some feedback, whatever you need and whatever you think Claudia can offer you, then get it booked. So you just absolutely battle through her entire career in like a minute, and that's not the end of the podcast, thank you.
Speaker 1:So from the beginning. Then you had that first meeting. Like what was said in that first meeting? Like did you have a? What plan did you make? Did you know what direction to take, or what was the plan?
Speaker 3:I knew she was an incredible songwriter and she was writing, you know, mostly on her own. She had a bunch of sessions before, but I wanted her to be part of the music industry. You know, I wanted her to be in session, meet other writers, meet her peers, like see different avenue, because at the beginning it was her on her piano and you know, I wanted really her like to work with producers, to see you know different genre, to explore things. It was just like a really like developing phase of like hey, let's try everything and let's go with everyone and, you know, let's see what you love. And I knew she like obviously was undine, undine, undineiable, that she had talents. But I just wanted to introduce her to like everyone and be like, look like, can you see what I see? Like I'm not crazy, right?
Speaker 2:She's amazing Did those connections come from?
Speaker 3:like previous jobs, you had Previous jobs, yeah, like obviously I was in now in publishing, like you know, like previously, so I had like contacts so I just shared her because I wanted the world to see how good she was. So I was like, okay, let's, you know, everyone needs to see her and she needs to be with everyone. So that was like the strategy. And then, and then, yeah, like with you know, hard work and a massive bit of luck, like she put herself out there like massively as well, and so sure, it's really hard for artists because they have to be, you know, so like they have to be influencers as well as being artists and as well as focusing on writing music and doing this. And so she really put herself out there and then it just paid off like the last day of the year. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:What was the clip? Was it a clip that went viral, or did the users take the song and create content themselves?
Speaker 3:The clip went viral. First it was her dancing in her room, you know, like just being silly and just naturally I think this could track so good, it just yeah. And then people start creating a lot of videos and all of a sudden, you know, it became like. It went viral, like on the proper, like global scales, like people picked up in the US, in Japan, a lot, and then Japanese users start creating a dance around it. So then the dance picked up it was mental.
Speaker 1:It's interesting you say that because so many labels are like we want to try and make a dance routine and choreograph things, but in this instance it was just playing one video out and that was it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's the music. I think that, like her music speaks for, like people love the song and like connected to it, that was the key. Really like her as a person as well. I think she's really cool and funny and she's got no shame in talking about anything and the song just gel together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which song was it had she written? Is that something you put her together with, or was it an original?
Speaker 3:Yeah, she wrote in Amsterdam with Maureen and Gia and that was one of the sessions that we put together. Like you know, like when you're starting an artist and you go to all the UK writers, everyone's like, yeah, what's the label involved? Because I understand that people want to make a session worth and you know, nobody wants to like waste anyone's time. So we were like, ok, let's, you know, try Amsterdam, because you know they were as happy to work with new people from the UK and and yeah, that, worked In situations like that, getting her in sessions with the right people.
Speaker 2:how do you persuade people it's worth their time? Is it like this is what she's got and this is how good she is and the potential? Is it like this is our marketing plan surrounding her? How do you get people into the studio with someone they don't know?
Speaker 3:I think, like it's a mix of, like you know, pestering people and, if you like, I think if you are passionate about someone's like artist, project and music and you sell it like better than anyone else, like I knew she, like she was amazing and I knew people had to see that and I knew, like you know, at one point it would pay off, like don't give up, just carry on, carry on, carry on. And there is producers and songwriter who work with, like you know, development artists. If you know they believe in the music and they believe in the person. It can be anything. It can be like I don't know the personality of the person or the songs, or there is people out there who would take a chance on like a new kids, but it is like a thing like for me it was just like pestering everyone. Like guys come on like please, like I'm not crazy, she's amazing Work with her work with her, like pestering them constantly.
Speaker 1:And what's the big advantage to that then? Because we get so many artists who have written their own material. They're very adamant on only pushing their own material. They don't want other songwriters involved. Like, what's the advantage in your head for getting her in the room with other songwriters and producers?
Speaker 3:I think it's great to write on your own and it's amazing if you can do it yourself. But you never know who you're going to meet. Like along the way, you know you might meet the producer who gel with you and you have the same vision and all of a sudden your music become something else and you didn't even know that it was going to be. You know that sound or whatever.
Speaker 3:I think you have to be open minded, like in our industry people tend to like work in their own camp, do the little thing, but I think the more you connect with people around you, the more you you know you're not in your little box. You see what's happening for so and so you connect with this person, like open your horizon, like constantly these new people coming in, these people changing jobs, this new songwriter and new producers. Like you never know who you're going to click with. So it's cool to like write your own song and, you know, be a talented person on your own self. But see what else is out there. You know like it's like I'm not going to eat. I don't know fish and chips every day, like I want to try every food and maybe I'll find something you know that goes well with fish and chips.
Speaker 1:Well, curry sauce now.
Speaker 3:I tried it out for the first time actually last year.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's kind of a bit disgusting.
Speaker 2:Oh, so good, I like it.
Speaker 1:I love it yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, no, no, no no no Curry sauce for the win.
Speaker 2:So good, Anyway, anyway she gets this TikTok viral here. I'm guessing all of you are buzzing your tits off. Yes, what's the next step then? Because you said she got signed? Was that like your immediate thought? Like let's take this to labels now?
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, they actually came to us because, you know, obviously, like, with that much of virality, I knew we needed a system behind it to, like, you know, help us out and distribute it globally. Like it's good to do things on your own, but when you were like a starting artist and I knew we had to do it very fast as well because you know, maybe in two weeks, three weeks, like the song would like a new viral song would come along. So we had three, four intense day of meeting every single NR in the UK, us, every territory. And, yeah, like we picked TMI because you know like May really loved them and you know they were a great team and they delivered on it.
Speaker 3:So I can't like fold them for that. It's just like going to see, like go see everyone and see who the artist is, joe is, because your label is super important. Like if you hate them and don't want to work with them, then you know you are lost here. So, yeah, meeting everyone. And then, yes, they created a whole marketing campaign around it and you know, music videos and all sorts like interviews start falling, like doing loads of promo around it. We find her an amazing booking agent, wme, who literally put her on every single festival.
Speaker 1:They're one of the biggest, aren't they?
Speaker 3:Yeah, they are great, like, they are like super great. The same things they believed in May. They heard all the music, not just, you know, the one single. I think that's important as well, like if people want to be involved in just one single, just like jump on the hype, you know they're not really your people. If they listen to the rest and they're like, oh my God, this is actually like a real artist's proposition. This is like more than one viral TikTok hit. Like I think everyone believed in her in that matter. So, yeah, like booking agents.
Speaker 3:And then we went to the guys that we had to plan. She went on holiday for a week and we had to plan like the life, so finding the band, finding the production team. So we went to the middle eight guy who, like I, was away doing we were in LA for writing with May and during those two weeks I was just basically told them I need a live show. Guys, there you go. So I was cheating myself every day thinking, oh my God, we have like the great escape, the first gig. Like I don't even know if the real soul are successful I haven't seen, like because we were away and then we just rock up from LA and the guys like kudos to them just sorted it all out, made turn up in rehearsal, in-tent rehearsal, and then off we go on the road. And that was it. The festival journey started.
Speaker 1:Does that become like part of the promo of the festival or is it kind of like part of the like solidifying the viral hit?
Speaker 2:Has she released just one song by this point as well? Like?
Speaker 3:yes, well, it was the MI. Yeah, like she had a bunch of release, but this was the monster. So it was taking the song on the road and it was also, like, you know, show people that she's not just, you know, a girl on the screen. She actually has Like that's why we really wanted like a full life band behind it. She's we put visual together. You know, she played some crazy gig for the first year. She played Bloody Hyde Park and she played Glastow and we really wanted to show people like, yeah, like this girl's got it, you know, on lock, and this is like, like you say, it's part of the promo. If you have to play in front of people, you have to Go out there and be a person, a real life person.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so by this point she released one song with the MI. She played like some of the biggest festivals. What was the next step? Getting more.
Speaker 3:More releases out there.
Speaker 2:Yes, Did you find? Was she just touring in the UK?
Speaker 3:She was touring in the UK and then she did one in France and later on we did a gig in Canada with because she had a song with A-Lok and Chainsmokers, so we played with them as well.
Speaker 2:How did you get the opportunity?
Speaker 3:She sent us the song does me want to jump on it. She will write a bunch of lyrics and so Chainsmokers got in touch with you. A-lok and Chainsmokers yeah.
Speaker 1:After that release. So actually I thought it would be the way around where you're kind of like trying to get a collaboration, but yeah, that's amazing. So what happened she? She went away and wrote a song for.
Speaker 3:So the song was already written. Like a noona we also you know who's one of my good friend, like she, she wrote the song with other writers I'm sorry if I can't remember your name right now, but Hannah was at my house yesterday so I remember her. But yes, they were looking for feature so they sent us the song like does may want to jump on it, and I was like I played it to to me she, you know they wrote, they rewrote some part of it on zoom with chain smoker and and the guys you know like the diversion and tweak it a little bit and then, yeah, she jumped on it and Really stay do you think that happened because they'd like heard of her through the grapevinyl?
Speaker 2:they knew of you.
Speaker 3:No, I was probably because of the well is it? Like she's got an amazing voice and like the tiktok virality obviously helps, you know, definitely. But I think it really like it worked really well because they really clicked as well and they saw that Like because they were they wrote together as well, like eventually, and it really worked. So that's why we, all you know, went with it and that was great for her as well. That showed, like you know, like she can also do dance and but she can do so many things that people like next year people I think Joe's gonna fall on the floor like this girl can sing opera, she can do anything like it's crazy.
Speaker 1:Going back all the way before the tiktok went viral and like, where was she at in her career at that point? So you had your meeting and then you sent her to Amsterdam to Write some songs. She's wrote the songs and then Like, was there a tiktok strategy in place? Was it just random? Was it just like let's see what happens?
Speaker 3:It was the strategy was to Constantly post, constantly post. Like her dad was really really good at cracking the algorithm, like it's he. Like he was aware that you know you had to constantly post. You had to interact with page that are related to you. Like they were like really like I think, with may as well. Like she was really she's really aware of how social media works. Like she knows that you know you have to interact with other pages. You have to comment, you have to If something works, you know like carry on jumping on the same trains. If a worry of where of Like her dad is an electric guy, he's you know a number guys. He was looking at numbers of other artists.
Speaker 3:She was as well like working out creative things. So it was like before the all blew up, there was a lot of work put. Like she's been writing since she was 12, you know she was Giggying in like local pubs she they tried them. You know the classic roots of Going to pubs, gigs and developing. She was writing. She's like when she sent me the link, she already had like 70 songs on there. Like you know she was, yeah, like she's been writing for ever. So I think that constantly writing, constantly posting, never giving up like she did, like some small gigs with, like students, like you know, like always saying yes to every Opportunity that's out there. I think that's one of the key and one thing that worked for her. And then, yeah, like the, the fact that she started, you know, go around writing with people like there was a bunch of session in the UK as well people who actually believed in a music like before it blues as well. Blues blow up their hard work and consistency.
Speaker 1:I think that was the key and and you went from the tech talk one up to then going around the A&Rs at the record levels. Is that right? Yeah, yeah. So what were you looking for then in the label, like what was the criteria of what you were looking for from them?
Speaker 3:We were looking for someone who really believed in her as an artist and not just wanted to jump on, you know, a viral hits bandwagon. I'm sure you got that as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, then we'll sign the one track.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like, yeah, of course, like you get like the single, you know offers and like that's not. Like I wanted the team who Were gonna be there like for the long run. You know, like in the good time and in the shit time because, like we have an amazing hit now. But you know, how do we carry on? How do we show the different facade of the artist and nice people as well. Like I wanted, like she wanted, people that she could just, you know, go into a meeting with like and just chat like, and those guys are like they're really nice and they're like good at like I think they're just chill and like there was like a bunch we were hesitating with because everyone's nice. You know they have one wants to impress you. She got like loads of presents from everyone. That was nice, so funny. Like obviously everyone's on the best behavior and like I think you have to like so funny it's imagining like loads of fruit baskets. It was kind of like that.
Speaker 2:You know they would hear like she loves Hello Kitty.
Speaker 3:So all of a sudden they would be like bunch of Hello Kitty toned up at my house for her, like whatever, like it was it was. It was funny, but I think she said, like she really likes Porsches. That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Next time you know like, next heart is like yeah, she really like. Oh, he really likes Rolexes.
Speaker 3:He really likes a million pound. You know, in his manager's account.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I think like Like it was very intense.
Speaker 3:You have to speak to everyone, repeat the same thing for like an hour or two hours, I think. Yeah, we made like the like right shows for her and she picked them. Like at the end, I was, you know, as a manager, I can only advise, like, okay, this person is good at this, this person is good at that. Like let's narrow it down. And it was really hard because, like I say, everyone's super nice, they promise everyone's, promising you the moon. And at the end we just sat down, I think we narrow it down to two.
Speaker 3:And the deal was like we're similar, like you know, we're similar. Like I was like, okay, this is the deal. Like I make sure she understood everything right, all the contract with her. Like it like explain to her what this means, what that means, you know. Like I wanted her to be aware because it's her life. I wanted her to be aware of what she's signing up for. Like you know, this means this, this means that, because it's all good to see like a bunch of money on the paper, but you know this, we all know this, all the other conditions, and and then at the end I was like, okay, you're good feeling like one, two, three go. And then she went BMI and we were like, okay, let's go, that's it like done Gary decision. I guess it's a long-term deal as well. Yeah, it's quite. She's quite young as well, isn't she?
Speaker 2:So if she's only done like a few releases, I bet it's quite a big one, yes. Yeah, it's probably one of the biggest decisions she have to make out, like you know, in her life, and she was 19?
Speaker 3:Was the like one particular thing that made her go all the way to the end?
Speaker 1:Like, like one particular person, or the deal was better, it was the people like.
Speaker 3:The people like were really nice and I think the fact that like you know, they have to like not to put the Female like card on there, but they have to Female CEOs, and that was kind of refreshing. They had a new team. It was like you know. It was like you know. It's quite cool to have two Vossas women.
Speaker 1:I suppose I use this kind of relate to each other and kind of a different way I suppose.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So what do you know expect at this point from the record label? What's the next steps?
Speaker 3:Well, we planned the next year because we're working backwards. Usually people have a plant and then you release all your singles and you have. We had no plans for the whole year. It was like, oh my god, what is going on? Let's go on tour. So now we have a plan for next year. May is going to go write a lot more with different people and just putting more music out there and working together and make sure we create more music for her to release and hopefully have another hit.
Speaker 1:And are you going to continue putting them together with songwriters? Yeah, or is it the label that's going to do that now.
Speaker 3:No, we all do it. The publisher signed to Sony for publishing their put sessions, our put sessions, the A&R, the label put sessions. We're currently all fighting for diary dates and we're all like, okay, does this session make more sense that this session, you know let's. So we're all fighting for like putting sessions in, basically, but that's the plan now, like write more and release more music and hopefully people like it.
Speaker 2:For people that don't know how successful was that song, the one that blew up on TikTok like. Do you know the numbers?
Speaker 3:It was like the number two we found out last week. It was the number two global record on TikTok. Yeah, it was insane, that's ridiculous.
Speaker 2:It was very mind-shakes competing with like Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, like that's.
Speaker 3:It's crazy, like when we find out last week I was gobsmacked. I was like I knew it was big but I was like, okay, number two in the world.
Speaker 2:Do you think that'll be a big part of the strategy for future releases, then Well.
Speaker 3:I think we have to carry on TikTok because it's her crowd, it's you know her people, she's good at it. So, yeah, like we like. But obviously I think the most important thing is the music. Like you know, she's not an influencer. She is in some like certain extent, but the music is what carries everything and I think that's what like got her there.
Speaker 3:People connected to her music, like connected to the. We had a lot of like return, like comments and messages, you know, like saying like oh my God, like because the song was about how you wish, how you wish you could say, like you know, to your parents, to your ex's parent, that like, yeah, your son or your daughter is a dickhead. You know, like you think is this angel and I won't connect to that. Like I had some shitty ex and I wish I told the parents, like you know your son that you really love, like he's a twat, like it's horrible.
Speaker 3:But I think like that's like people connected to the song, like we all had that, like all of us every age. So I think the music and you know, the story of the songs is so important and I think a lot of people forget like oh, let's just, you know, write a TikTok, hit like, make it catchy and these three seconds is great, like, no, like, that's not how music work. Like you know how parents didn't have TikTok and everything and they're still connected to, I don't know, abba or George Michael. Like for taking my mom because she loved the music and she didn't understand the lyrics because she was French.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you see, as a bit of a trap sometimes, where someone will get a viral hit and then they're so obsessed with replicating the success they'll either write a song for TikTok or they'll try and push a trend and, like in example of you guys, she didn't push it in the slices, she was just posting what she wanted to post and the track was good. Yeah, hopefully it just keeps happening over and over again.
Speaker 1:How do you deal with that? You've got one track that's gone viral. It's, the numbers are huge. Then do you then have to just make a more modest plan to say well, that one went viral. How many releases do you do that maybe won't go viral? Or will your expectations to grow, or your expectations just keep releasing consistently?
Speaker 3:Yeah, now that's what we're doing putting music more out there, because people don't know song, but I don't think they know her as an artist yet. They know her, but not the extent of her songwriting and her voice. You carry on releasing. Some of them are going to be less viral. You can't have the same result, hopefully, but I think there's no expectation and it's just writing and putting things that are honest to you, that you love and you believe in, and that's what we're doing with the next single.
Speaker 3:We sat down, we had a bunch of songs and she went okay, I love this one, I believe in this one and this one. I think if it comes from the artist, then two people in the room believe in it as well, like mostly the artist. Okay, this is what I want to put out there next. Just be honest. Don't try and replicate. People see through shit. They're not stupid. You can tell you see it like you say it yourself. People are like oh yeah, let me release something similar and maybe it's going to go viral again. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work, but as long as you stay honest to yourself as an artist, you can only put what's real out there.
Speaker 1:really, so you've got this initial awareness and now you're kind of using that initial awareness to become a more sort of well-known artist and with more depth for that audience through just releasing. And then is it kind of a hope of using that credibility to get your spots on radio and get your spots on like Spotify editorials through the original song, so people kind of just see the name. Is that the plan? Well, you have your platform now.
Speaker 3:Like this song keeps on giving, like there's more people doing remixing, you have your platform now. I think you need to use this platform to be like hey guys, I did this, but like this is me, this is what I, this is my new song, this is my new baby, this is what I believe in, this is what stands for. You have a platform now. It's up to you to choose what you want to do with that platform. It's completely open. Some people go into like I don't know. Like I want to be involved in brands, I want to be involved in charity. I want to be involved. Like you can do whatever you want. And music wise, of course. Like you're gonna want to release more. Like hopefully, if you want to be like an artist, you don't just want one song like out there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so you've got the capture of the algorithm, etc. But then you've got a choice to keep trying to go for the algorithm every single time, which sounds painful to me, yeah, or you just bring people to where you want to be in the city like that.
Speaker 2:Like you said before, she's not an influencer, she's a musician first. And it's the same thing where, like people are so obsessed with hacking the algorithm, you end up being an influencer where you forget about the music which was the whole purpose for doing it in the first place, and then they kind of lose that passion for the music and then, even if they do get viral videos, there's no song to Release alongside it and it's completely fine.
Speaker 3:You know like. So if that's why you know like, you want to do like.
Speaker 1:And then a low key and change smokers. Then reached out what happened that you've been signed, tiktok viral been signed. The next big thing was that was it.
Speaker 3:No, we had a. We had a. So we see, when we signed to the UK team, we also signed to the US team. So we had a single with Megan trainer, so the label played it in the US, megan loved it, jumped on it, so we release one with her. And yeah, like after this was we were like releasing the Megan one, like the the management of a chain smoker and a look, reach out and like to me, like because we know each other from previous job, and ask if may wanted to jump on it, and I was like, yeah, let's, let's do a dance song.
Speaker 1:And what's the advantage to each party there then? Like, is it, one artist gets sort of a very good song and then the other artist gets a bit more exposure.
Speaker 3:I think I want the winner. You know, I think, like you have different territory involved, you have different crowd involved, you get. You get a great song Like we jump, like we like show that may can do something else. You know we can jump on a dance song. She is nothing else she can do. You know, like they get, like, like I think the platform that may be able to hold here as well and I won't get something and I think, ultimately is artists who gel with each other and created an amazing song, and that's the main thing really is great to have us as names on it, like I'm not gonna complain, like to have chains, mokler and a locks platform like helping out, like, but everyone gains something in the song. I hope so.
Speaker 3:So she signed to the US EMI the UK EMI and then in the US, like in the universal system as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so how's that being? Because obviously she's a UK artist, yeah, yeah, yeah. So how's that been? Is she finding that she's like resonating more with a UK crowd, or is because she signed to the US label as well? It's kind of going a little bit more global now.
Speaker 3:It's a bit everywhere and funny enough like Japan was really big for her as well.
Speaker 1:I noticed her editorial set about the Japanese dance trend?
Speaker 2:yeah, was that mainly.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was in Japan, china. Like she had one of the biggest song in China. Like, yeah, random, picked up, just picked. Like Asia was massive for her, like it's just because she went viral. And then, like we really tap into the market, like we went there like Twice this year. On the back of that she got a collab song with Sanrio, which is like Hello Kitty in France, which she's obsessed about. Make sense, just covered in tattoo with it. You guys get paid for that.
Speaker 3:Yes it was just a no brainer. So, yeah, I think it was like important for us to, like you know, support as well those market that are like fully behind her and Was that a difficult one?
Speaker 2:because it's obviously a very different market to UK.
Speaker 3:like no really, they just A lot of people that work in Kpop and stuff and they're like it's just completely different.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think it was. It was different for us because we didn't do like a Jpop Kpop song. It was a UK like, like an English song, like who went viral over there in Asia. So it was completely different approach that, oh, we are gonna write for Kpop or Jpop, it just they just love the song out there as well and the whole dance thing, and so it was like it was different. But they are so efficient yeah so efficient.
Speaker 3:You go over there and they plan a whole day of content, like a whole week of content, for you, and it's just like Everything works better in Japan.
Speaker 3:I want to live in Japan. It's just, yeah, they are like the team over there is incredible, like we had this lady by Kanye. And this girl is like a power, like she would literally wake up eight o'clock and stay with us until Because we were all jet lag we decided to go shopping at 2am. You know as you do, because everything is open 24 seven and this girl was with us as well as planning you know the whole day and then like making sure the artist was okay, as well as, like you know, making sure that everything goes to plan and hang out with us and it's in the UK. We're like five o'clock, o'clock, o'clock.
Speaker 2:I have to go, like you know doing like random meeting for no reason.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like they are so efficient over there. It was. It was crazy, and I think they're really like. They really took care of her, like I think the first time we went we did all the promo and I think we clicked with them as well, like Really well and yeah.
Speaker 1:Does that put you in a difficult situation or decision to make in terms of like UK artist, uk culture, usa, but also it's like Popping off over in Asia.
Speaker 2:Which is a huge market market?
Speaker 1:do you feel like you have different directions to take, or are you just gonna like keep putting stuff out and see what happens?
Speaker 3:Yeah yeah yeah, it's Like I say, like it's about what she wants to put out next, like we're gonna try and, you know, do little bits and bobs, like with, hopefully, some artists in Japan, like, hopefully, like you know, that opens definitely like the possibility. Like I say, like don't close your eyes on everything that's out there. But it's not necessary like a strategy like, oh my god, we need to do a collab with you know, so and so from Japan, or it's, it's out there.
Speaker 1:We just like, yeah, yeah, in terms of like budgeting and things like that. Is it mainly the advance from the label that's allowing you to do this, or have you already managed to get like income streams? From the artist from various things.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we got like income stream because we success, you know you have like Branding who comes to you, so she gets income from that. She already gets income from the song she gets income from obviously like a lot of sync. You know came through as well. Naturally, because it was blown up it was yeah, like exactly life as well was really like obviously. She told the whole summer like obviously, so that brings in as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, different streaming one go basically yeah, because we got so many complaints about like streaming not paying enough. But really, when you've got that level of Exposure, there's just so many more monetization opportunities.
Speaker 3:Really streaming doesn't pay enough if you just have publishing. Yes, I think that's the key and that's why I keep repeating to like and I do it for all my roster. I'm like adamant, like master point, master point. Writers get fucking master point.
Speaker 1:What's master point?
Speaker 3:like you need a share of the master, like the right, not just publishing. I think, like and Ray is really good at like being an advocate for that like I don't know if you see in like her campaigns, like I think Publishing income is long, it's not like you know it takes long to come. Like if you have a hit, amazing you get, you know, depending on your percentage. But like, yeah, master point is where it's out so who owns what the publisher owns?
Speaker 1:the publishing. The everything that comes from.
Speaker 3:Like here is. And like like yeah, copyright. And then the label owns the master side, which is record and follow up.
Speaker 1:This is another podcast. What's the plan now?
Speaker 2:and let the girl drink her coffee. Yeah, now it's going cold.
Speaker 3:The plan now like obviously we have Mason Rich, like you know. Like obviously now it's completely new management. We have a lot of like songwriters and producers and DJ and I think, like some of them are gonna pop next year. So I'm just, like you know, bracing myself for another year of running around.
Speaker 2:We have almost finished our time, have we? Yeah, it ends in five minutes. Do you want people to know your socials?
Speaker 3:this time. Yeah, like I said last time, send me songs, reach out. What's your Instagram?
Speaker 2:Triggy pop clody still will put on the screen.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well yeah, coming from the head of that and we'll put it in the description.
Speaker 3:Like this account that created when I was like super young, and I'm very embarrassed when I have to go like to very professional meeting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, triggy pop clody With all the memes. The meme is worth following.
Speaker 3:I follow. If you like memes, send me memes as well, alongside with music.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for coming on. It's been great. I was when you said that there was like a link between the podcast and your signing. I was like how good is this going to be? I'm like you know I've topped up. It was great.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's great news, see you in two years, you know yeah definitely over the world, yeah do a catch up.
Speaker 2:Yes, well, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for having me guys. Thank you, and if you're watching this on YouTube, make sure to give it a like and subscribe, if you haven't already, and we'll see you in the next one. Bye.