SXSW
Page: 5
It’s nearly 9:30 p.m. in Austin, Texas and Kx5 — the electronic dance music supergroup of Kaskade and deadmau5 — quietly take the stage. They hardly go unnoticed, though, as the fans packed on the lawn at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park begin to scream for the legends.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Austin!” Kaskade yells into his mic, showing the city some love before returning his full attention back to his deck, as he and deadmau5 perform with precision a steady stream of syrupy and hypnotic hits beginning with set opener “Bright Lights.”
With lyrics like, “There’s a place… we can go… for a feeling…” the pair set the tone for the third and final night (Saturday, March 18) of Billboard’s South By Southwest concert series. And together, the two deliver a much-needed communal dance party to cap off what was, for most, a nonstop week.
The headlining set could not come at a better time for Kaskade and deadmau5, either, as just 24 hours earlier Kx5 released its self-titled debut album — over a decade after the two first partnered up. Rightfully so, the night is a celebratory culmination of all of the above.
Throughout the set — which clocks in at just over an hour long and utilizes over 50 lights and frequent fog blasts — Kaskade and deadmau5 deliver sky-high drops tailor made for roller coaster enthusiasts — especially on new track “Eat Sleep,” which blends into a snippet of an industrial, deconstructed remix of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”
Later, during the atmospheric album cut “When I Talk” deadmau5 lights up — creating his own personal mini fog machine — while “Sacrifice,” which features Sofi Tukker, prompts Kaskade to yell “C’mon!” while reclining his upper body into a small standing backbend.
As the show reaches its halfway point, the soaring drops and bursts of fog seem to occur in more rapid succession as the show builds, The crowd reacts accordingly, with one devoted fan dancing along holding two circular press-down night lights that in this environment more resemble floating orbs.
To prepare for the set’s peak, the pair dive into “Escape,” a melodic daydream off Kx5 on which British singer-songwriter Hayla questions: “What if I escape?” For most in attendance, this show offered just that — even if only for a brief while.
During the song, deadmau5 shows Kaskade something on his phone, to which the two react with wide eyes and jaws dropped before honing in with laser focus for their final minutes on stage. And just then, the Kx5 logo that opened the show reappears onscreen, indicating they are indeed coming full circle.
The ride is ending.
But not before one final hit. The one, of course, that started it all: “I Remember.”
“This song is old enough to vote!” deadmau5 declares with a wide smile. He then hops down from the platform which has housed him and Kaskade for the last 60-plus minutes, bringing his beer with him, to take a well-deserved bow and applaud his partner, who stays glued to his deck until the last resounding note reaches the final row of fans.
And as the two begin to walk off the stage, the anticipated chant for an encore begins. But after a closer like that, Kx5 made sure to give a performance no one will forget.
Even so, one bawling fan could be heard telling friends: “I need to see this again.”
One of Feid‘s first-ever performances in the U.S. was at a South by Southwest (SXSW) festival about five years ago. “I went to different bars, tents, and venues asking people to let us perform,” he previously told Billboard. “I played everywhere we could and now being part of Billboard’s stage is awesome and it’s beautiful.”
Fast forward to 2023, the Colombian singer-songwriter — alongside Puerto Rican trap star Eladio Carrión and Austin-based DJ Gabby Got It — now headlined “Billboard Presents THE STAGE at SXSW,” which took place Friday (March 17) at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin.
Billboard officially returned to South by Southwest with three nights of star-studded concerts. Electronic music titans Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) will close the event on Saturday (March 18).
Check out the best moments from Feid & Carrión’s show below.
A Packed House: Rain or Shine
From chilly days to severe thunderstorms, the weather in Austin has been a bit wonky but in true Billboard fashion, the show must go on — and fans showed up no matter what. Doors opened at 7 p.m. local time but just hours before, a long line of eager fans wrapped around the Moody. In honor of Feid’s show, which just so happens to fall on St. Patrick’s Day, the majority of fans dressed in green (his signature color) and rocked the white Ferxxo sunnies. A lot of fans also brought homemade posters and their county’s flag. The Moody was at capacity with nearly 5,000 concert-goers in attendance and a couple more watching the show from a parking garage afar.
A Mini Reggaetón Carnival
As some fans made their way to the pit, others took advantage of the fun activations found in the outdoor venue. Think of a mini carnival with food, drinks, free candy, cute photo spots, and even a fun slide. Notably was Austin’s own Gabby Got It (real name: Gabriela Alma Lopez-Bucio), who kept the crowd entertained and on their feet with her reggatón-heavy DJ set including bangers from Wisin y Yandel, Karol G, and many more.
Eladio Brought the Heat to Austin
It was 50 degrees outside but Carrión made sure to turn up the heat with his 45-minute set that kicked off with “Flores en Anonimo” and continued with his trap hits “Sin Frenos,” “Tata” and “Kemba Walker,” to name a few. “Hace un frío cabron!” (it’s cold as f—), he expressed at one point but nonetheless, the Boricua act removed one of his shirts and continued to perform some of his most commercial bangers like “Mi Error,” “Me Gustas Natural” and “No Te Deseo el Mal.” Carrión then wrapped his SXSW performance with tracks “Ele Uve,” “North Carolina” and “Biza.”
Feid Fulfilled His SXSW Dream
Rocking his go-to outfit (shorts, sneakers, a sweater and glasses), Feid hopped on stage at 9:35 p.m. and kicked off his hour-long set with “Castigo,” followed by “Chimbita” and “Belixe.” He then greeted his faithful crowd and let them he was living a dream. “Austin, how are you, mor? This is a special night because five years ago we performed at SXSW and now we’re here,” he gushed. Joined by two DJs and an energetic guitarist on stage, the Colombian act performed hits such as “Mojando Asientos,” “Friki” and “Normal,” before gifting fans with a streak of bangers that went viral on TikTok: “Ultra-Solo,” “Yandel 150,” “Hey Mor,” “Chorrito Pa’ Las Animas” and “Feliz Cumpleaños, Ferxxo,” to name a few. Though he often hopped from one side of the stage to the other, there were a few times Feid would bust out with the social media dance challenges. “¡Que chimba esta noche!” he expressed, which translates to “what an amazing night!”
The newest onscreen video game adaptation has come in the form of Tetris, a Jon S. Braid thriller film about the true story of Henk Rogers, who created the beloved puzzle game in 1988.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Billboard was at the film’s SXSW premiere this week, where host Tetris Kelly surprised the cast with the hilarious coincidence of matching names. “Really?” Taron Egerton, who plays Rogers, said to Kelly upon hearing his name. “Is that real? Well, I’m very glad to meet you.”
Egerton also opened up about taking roles that portray famous stories, as he previously played Elton John in Rocketman. “You try not to dwell on those things too much. You have to divorce yourself from any pressure you feel from playing recognizable people or stories that are well known,” he shared. “If you are nervous at work every day, you wouldn’t be able to do your job.”
Polina, who spearheaded the soundtrack on the film, also shared what it was like to make the movie’s music. “I got to record some of my favorite songs,” she revealed. “I usually write soundtracks but this time around, I performed the soundtracks and it was such an honor to perform Blondie and Pat Benatar. Such legends and iconic songs.”
As for how she ranks when playing Tetris, Polina said with a laugh, “I think I suck at Tetris.”
Watch Tetris Kelly talk to the Tetris cast at SXSW in Austin, Texas, above.
Billboard kicked off its three-day concert series with performances by Lola Brooke, Armani White and 03 Greedo on Thursday (March 16).
Lil Yachty was set to headline — performing songs off his recently released No. 1 album Let’s Start Here — though due to sudden severe weather, never made it on stage.
Opening acts Lola Brooke and Armani White, however, got the energy up before last-minute addition Greedo took to the stage.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Brooke, who performed in a racecar-inspired outfit with long silver hair, fittingly opened her set with 2022 single “Here I Come.” She also pleased the crowd with her breakout hit “Don’t Play With It,” which she released in 2021 and at the top of this year entered Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The New York rapper also kicked off 2023 with a label deal, signing to Arista Records in collaboration with Team Eighty Productions.
Armani White was up next, who made quite the intro by throwing Fruit Snacks to fans as an early-evening pick-me-up. He then dove right in, opening with the hook of his viral hit “Billie Eilish” to pump up the thickening crowd who happily screamed along. He also treated the audience to “Diamond Dallas” and “Goated,” which he rapped alongside a saxophonist.
And finally, 03 Greedo became the unintentional closer, becoming the last performer of the night before severe weather forced an evacuation minutes before Lil Yachty was scheduled to begin. Ultimately, his set was cancelled.
As for 03 Greedo — who was released from prison in January after serving nearly five years behind bars on gun and drug charges — he delivered a compelling comeback set.
As he wrote on Instagram at the time of his release: “Yes, I am free from prison but I am still not completely out … I am in a halfway house for up to 6 months with a five minute phone call a week … “I honestly just don’t want to talk to alot of people yet … I got a lot I want to clear in my head first.”
Judging by his set, music may be the best way through, as he performed hits from his 2018 Alamo Records debut mixtape The Wolf of Grape Street like “Substance” and “Run For Yo Life,” the latter of which includes the line, “B—h it’s my year.” And with his freedom and a performance like this one under his belt, it very well could be.
Due to inclement weather conditions the March 16 concert was cancelled. All tickets purchased for this concert through the Moody Amphitheater box office or Ticketmaster will be refunded.
Original ticket purchasers will receive communications and refunds directly from Ticketmaster.
During a SXSW panel on Thursday, March 16, Billboard’s Kristin Robinson moderated a conversation between fast-rising singer-songwriter JVKE and SoundExchange president and CEO Michael Huppe.
Titled “The Creator Boom: How the Industry Can Transform,” Robinson clarified from the start that perhaps a more appropriate name would be how the industry already is transforming, and noted the ways in which independent artists who take off on TikTok, like JVKE, are helping write a new rulebook, with companies like SoundExchange (a non-profit collective rights management organization) helping newcomers play the game — and get paid.
Below are the five biggest lessons learned from the conversation.
WEIGH THE OPTION OF STAYING INDEPENDENT
JVKE was indeed offered multi-million dollar offers from major labels to sign, and said “there were so many different options and pressures, and it’s a safe option to take the check up front and recoup in 5-10 years, but in that moment I was just like, ‘I’ve seen how much I can grow on my own and we’re curious to see how much further we can go.’ We’re doing it for the greater good, to encourage artists to see how high the ceiling is.”
His best advice for others looking to follow in his path? “It’s really important that every up and coming artist has a tenacious mindset and commitment to overcoming every obstacle, the heart to keep going. It starts with the artist, you yourself have to really go after it. At first, just focus on being self-sufficient – because we have the ability to be now.”
Huppe agreed, and added , “Lower barriers to entry and being DIY means creators are exploding, we’re having so many more people enter the system. It’s fascinating and very fertile for the industry. The problem with that is what used to be a little more orderly, sometimes it feels like chaos out there. Part of what we do is bring order to the chaos.”
WORK TO ATTAIN VIRAL SUSTAINABILITY
“I’m always trying new things and there’s always this balance of trying to fund what you want to do, but you want to balance that with real impact,” said JVKE of his struggle to both sustain momentum and use his platform wisely. “There’s always so much joy that I find in connecting with my fans and I’m always looking through my DMs, looking at my Discord, all sorts of platforms to connect with fans. Now I have a tour coming up and I think that’s really important for a modern artist, to know there are real people, not just numbers [driving your success].
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT FOR RISING ARTISTS
Huppe said that when he first entered the industry, the biggest threat was pirate cassette operations. “Now,” he said, “the biggest change is what used to be an ownership model. For 80 years the industry was based around ownership, everything was for sale.” He added that there are, of course, new products being monetized today, like virtual merchandise in the metaverse. But even so, he said, “Now people own very little and it’s all about access. Record labels have adapted and the artists, especially the younger up and coming artists, have really grabbed onto it and seized it.”
Which is exactly why JVKE believes it’s “the best time ever to be [emerging] because you can make music, put it out, get equipment [shipped to] your bedroom. All of those gates to entry that used to be there are pretty much gone, and I think that’s why we see so many people releasing songs now. And I think in the next few years we’re going to see a lot more up and coming artists with a similar story to me.”
BALANCE CONTENT WITH MUSIC
For an artist like JVKE who took off thanks to TikTok, he spoke to the digital dance of balancing out creator content with posts that directly tease or promote his music. “It was more of a grind when I started out,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s all a mission to connect with people personally. As much as we talk about the algorithm, it’s also just reaching people where they are. Every artist likes doing different things, for me I love writing songs and the raw element of throwing up my phone and playing it and seeing if people like it. Part of growing, for me, means expanding my team so I can stick to what I’m best at. But at first an artist has to do it all themselves.”
MIND YOUR METADATA
Metadata, simply explained by Huppe, “Is data about data.” He said,” In today’s streaming world where 85% of the U.S. recorded music market is streaming, it’s that metadata that determines where the money goes.” He said that over 36 billion performances are reported into SoundExchange each month, with the company paying out every month, totalling over $1 billion annually. “The payment needs to flow properly so people can make a living,” he said. “Metadata is not the sexy part of this, it’s not why anyone does this, but your life will be substantially different if you do it well.”
On Thursday, March 16, Billboard’s editorial director Hannah Karp moderated a Featured Speaker panel called “Music Publishing in the New Songwriter Economy.” The compelling conversation featured a lineup that Karp called “music’s most entrepreneurial songwriters and publishers.”
Panelists included Warner Chappell Music’s co-chair and CEO Guy Moot alongside two of the publisher’s superstar producers, Murda Beatz and Nova Wav (the duo of Brittany “Chi” Coney and Denisia “Blu June” Andrews).
The foursome discussed the new songwriting economy, with Karp teasing “they promised to share secrets to make money — and it’s not using Chat GPT.” And as Moot noted, though the industry is “rapidly changing,” he believes songs are and always will be “the essence” of the music industry.
Yet, despite being such a backbone, songwriters and producers continue to face familiar and new challenges, from getting paid to competing with artificial intelligence. “We gotta get all the money,” Murda said bluntly, speaking of his biggest obstacle. “We should be getting athlete contracts. Sometimes we get paid quick, but sometimes [it takes] months.”
To which Coney added: “We’re creating music for the future.”
Below are the five biggest lessons learned from the panel.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A PUBLISHER
“We weren’t looking for a publisher, we were looking for a partnership,” said Coney, speaking of Nova Wav signing with WMC. She cited a commercial the duo did with Lexus and an upcoming Bose opportunity, and said, “Warner has been doing an amazing job at making sure we’re well taken care of. Music is the vehicle, but our brand is much bigger.”
Added Murda: “As creators, we have to diversify. You don’t want all your eggs in one basket … That’s a big role, branding yourself and building something that’s very sustainable. It creates longevity, so you’re not known for just a hit.”
“A big part of our job is getting our songs noticed, so we’re also part of the promotion process,” explained Moot. “Internationally, it’s important for American writers to travel and us as publishers to educate on the opportunities and potential [overseas]. These are big markets, and people are open to collaborating.”
YOU DON’T NEED TO BE IN L.A… AND MAYBE YOU SHOULDN’T BE
Moot said the fact that creators are “genre agnostic” today “is a great thing … There is an appetite to collaborate with different music formats” — and especially with artists from other countries. He predicted C-pop will soon have a mainstream moment much like K-pop, and said WMC is encouraging its writers to travel to Asia. “It’s a fertile place to write. I say all the time, ‘Why does everyone want to come to L.A. and get in that one room?’”
“Focus on Asia for six months, and then with the creds out there you can come back to L.A. and have an easier time getting in rooms here,” added Murda.
THE MOST LUCRATIVE WAYS TO SPEND YOUR TIME
When asked what the most lucrative way to spend time today is, Coney definitively said film, explaining the duo can earn thousands of dollars writing a song for a film. Murda added that commercials pay even more: “American Express will take a song for half a million or something.”
Yet, Moot cautioned, “It’s not just about the money, it’s about how many eyeballs… Teens discover music on a Netflix show or social media. Value is in dollars, but it’s also in awareness and getting noticed.”
He also shared an important pro tip: “Most of our biggest synch songs are never written for synch… We never thought Lizzo would get this many, it just happens. I will say if you use the word ‘sunshine,’ that is the most popular word for synch. But it is an artform, we shouldn’t downplay that. But I think if you’re thinking, ‘This is going to get a synch,’ [it won’t].”
DON’T VIEW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS A THREAT
While Coney admitted AI “is a little scary,” she also said, “I do think [we need to] utilize it in the correct ways — because it’s here to stay, it’s growing like a wildfire. We’ve been thinking of ways to really use AI to our advantage. Approaching AI on the songwriting side as far as making an app or plug-in for people who don’t have a crazy voice as a demo singer… [We talked about making] a plug-in with [Blu June’s] voice and [having users] type in the words, but that started happening with AI. We’re focusing on how can we integrate and be better with what’s already out.”
Moot agreed, encouraging the packed room to “just embrace it. I’ve seen so many people try and shut it down, but it’s one of the most exciting developments I’ll ever see in my career and lifetime.” He also explained the opportunity AI could create for a tiered system, with the value of “human imperfection” increasing, and ultimately pushing a class of producers and songwriters to a higher, “top tier” level.
“At the end of the day, we are tastemakers,” concluded Murda. “We’re wanted for our taste and AI can’t express that. Never forget that you’re the taste.”
BE SMART WITH YOUR MONEY
When asked about the best tips for money management, Murda offered an unconventional answer: “You gotta spend money then you learn how to save it. If you’re fortunate enough to make money off this shit, spend that shit too. Treat yourself and find things you’re passionate about to invest in.”
As for Nova Wav, the pair offered a slightly different, but very valuable, lesson: “We’ve learned to pay them taxes.”
A wide coalition of music industry organizations have joined together to release a series of core principles regarding artificial intelligence — the first collective stance the entertainment business has taken surrounding the topic. Announced during the panel “Welcome to the Machine: Art in the Age of A.I.” held on Thursday (March 16) at South by Southwest (SXSW) and moderated by Billboard deputy editorial director Robert Levine, the principles reveal a growing sense of urgency by entertainment industry leaders to address the quickly-evolving issue.
“Over the past few months, I think [generative artificial intelligence] has gone from a ‘someday’ issue to a today issue,” said Levine. “It’s coming much quicker than anyone thought.”
In response to the fast-approaching collision of generative AI and the entertainment business, the principles detail the need for using the new technology to “empower human expression” while also asserting the importance of representing “creators’ interests…in policymaking” regarding the technology. Principles geared toward the latter include ensuring that AI developers acquire licenses for artistic works used in the “development and training of AI models” — and keep records of which works are used — and that governments refrain from creating “copyright or other IP exemptions” for the technology.
Among the 40 different groups that have joined the coalition — dubbed the Human Artistry Campaign — are music industry leaders including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), SoundExchange, ASCAP, BMI and more.
Read the full list of principles below and get more information, including the full list of groups involved in the effort, here.
Core Principles for Artificial Intelligence Applications in Support of Human Creativity and Accomplishments:
Technology has long empowered human expression, and AI will be no different.
For generations, various technologies have been used successfully to support human creativity. Take music, for example… From piano rolls to amplification to guitar pedals to synthesizers to drum machines to digital audio workstations, beat libraries and stems and beyond, musical creators have long used technology to express their visions through different voices, instruments, and devices. AI already is and will increasingly play that role as a tool to assist the creative process, allowing for a wider range of people to express themselves creatively.
Moreover, AI has many valuable uses outside of the creative process itself, including those that amplify fan connections, hone personalized recommendations, identify content quickly and accurately, assist with scheduling, automate and enhance efficient payment systems – and more. We embrace these technological advances.
Human-created works will continue to play an essential role in our lives.
Creative works shape our identity, values, and worldview. People relate most deeply to works that embody the lived experience, perceptions, and attitudes of others. Only humans can create and fully realize works written, recorded, created, or performed with such specific meaning. Art cannot exist independent of human culture.
Use of copyrighted works, and use of the voices and likenesses of professional performers, requires authorization, licensing, and compliance with all relevant state and federal laws.
We fully recognize the immense potential of AI to push the boundaries for knowledge and scientific progress. However, as with predecessor technologies, the use of copyrighted works requires permission from the copyright owner. AI must be subject to free-market licensing for the use of works in the development and training of AI models. Creators and copyright owners must retain exclusive control over determining how their content is used. AI developers must ensure any content used for training purposes is approved and licensed from the copyright owner, including content previously used by any pre-trained AIs they may adopt. Additionally, performers’ and athletes’ voices and likenesses must only be used with their consent and fair market compensation for specific uses.
Governments should not create new copyright or other IP exemptions that allow AI developers to exploit creators without permission or compensation.
AI must not receive exemptions from copyright law or other intellectual property laws and must comply with core principles of fair market competition and compensation. Creating special shortcuts or legal loopholes for AI would harm creative livelihoods, damage creators’ brands, and limit incentives to create and invest in new works.
Copyright should only protect the unique value of human intellectual creativity.
Copyright protection exists to help incentivize and reward human creativity, skill, labor, and judgment -not output solely created and generated by machines. Human creators, whether they use traditional tools or express their creativity using computers, are the foundation of the creative industries and we must ensure that human creators are paid for their work.
Trustworthiness and transparency are essential to the success of AI and protection of creators.
Complete recordkeeping of copyrighted works, performances, and likenesses, including the way in which they were used to develop and train any AI system, is essential. Algorithmic transparency and clear identification of a work’s provenance are foundational to AI trustworthiness. Stakeholders should work collaboratively to develop standards for technologies that identify the input used to create AI-generated output. In addition to obtaining appropriate licenses, content generated solely by AI should be labeled describing all inputs and methodology used to create it — informing consumer choices, and protecting creators and rightsholders.
Creators’ interests must be represented in policymaking.
Policymakers must consider the interests of human creators when crafting policy around AI. Creators live on the forefront of, and are building and inspiring, evolutions in technology and as such need a seat at the table in any conversations regarding legislation, regulation, or government priorities regarding AI that would impact their creativity and the way it affects their industry and livelihood.
On Wednesday, March 15, fast-rising rapper blxst and his business partners, manager Victor Burnett and attorney Karl Fowlkes, opened up to Billboard’s Heran Mamo during one of SXSW’s 2023 featured sessions: How Music, Entrepreneurship, & Independence Intersect.
While the three discussed everything from how they first connected to what’s coming up next (“I’m cooking up something big right now,” teased blxst), the conversation primarily focused on the artist’s multi-faceted entertainment company Evgle.
Launched as an independent label in 2018, with Burnett and Fowlkes joining as co-founders, Evgle has since expanded to be all-encompassing – a reflection of blxst himself, who compares his many skills including production, graphic design and more to the feeling of constantly playing a video game – and always leveling up.
Most recently, blxst – who was named Billboard’s 2022 R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year – released a sequel EP, Just For Clarity 2, through Evgle’s partnership deal with Red Bull Records. Here are the insights he and his tight-knit team shared about how to be a successful entrepreneur and maintain your independence along the way.
1. Build With People Who Share Your Goals.
As Mamo pointed out during the conversation, Fowlkes is the rare forefront lawyer – and, much like blxst and Burnett, never wanted to confine himself to just one role. As he put it, “Lawyers have a vantage point in so many aspects of the business, we all view ourselves as dynamic people… we don’t just do one thing. We’re the type of people who want to run a business, be a lawyer, be a professor… so having those aspirations, it was easy to connect with [blxst and Victor] because of common themes of generational wealth and building something really special.”
And while blxst added, “I always had a vision of making this bigger than me, and having other artists eat as well,” perhaps Burnett best summarized why this trio works so well. “One thing that made us like each other was: we want to own everything.”
2. Hire Believers.
When asked how they built the 10+ person team at Evgle, the three said they sought people who have specific traits: self-sufficient, already working in their craft, and able to walk into an opportunity they may not think they are capable of handling at first. “You have to hand things off and trust, that’s the base of it,” said Burnett.
Added Fowlkes, “People don’t view music companies as start ups, but this is a start-up. So we needed people who believed. Creating a culture where people believe is super important when you’re building any company at the ground stages.”
3. Learn Your LOMO.
Blxst said the debate between remaining independent and signing to a major is a case-by-case scenario, but as it pertains to him, “I wanted to build my own leverage first, I understood the importance of bringing something to the table.”
Fowlkes, speaking like a true attorney, then revealed the acronym LOMO: length obligation money and ownership. “Coming into any partnership you should know those things,” he said, noting that Issa Rae talks about the concept often. “If you want to come in at the highest point of ownership, there’s a lot you have to [do first].”
4. Make Noise.
Burnett, who has a masters in PR and media development, shared his advice for young independent artists looking to break through on their own terms. He recalled something his professor told him that stuck: “Keep your channel noisy. Stay in front of your consumer with merch, pop-up shops, activations. Make sure the consumer is always interacting with your brand.”
5. Start Now.
“Don’t wait 20 years into your career to worry about what’s next,” cautioned Fowlkes. “Jay-Z, Nas, so many have created these channels for themselves, but later in their career. The cultural currency that [blxst is] developing… If you can strike when you’re hot, when you’re at your peak, if we can capitalize at that moment, it’s [game] over.”
6. Manifest Your Goals.
Early in the session, blxst discussed where the idea for the company name came from. “I always had confidence issues growing up,” he confessed. “The eagle is one of the highest-flying birds, but doesn’t fly in flocks … That represented confidence.”
On Wednesday, March 15, Billboard editor Taylor Mims moderated a panel at SXSW that discussed the touring industry’s post-pandemic status. Featuring panelists Sara Mertz (VP of music partnerships at Tixr), Liz Norris (manager at Activist Artists Management) and Sarah Tehrani (music touring agent at WME), the panelists voiced concerns about saturation on the road, rising touring costs and the increase in specialized live experiences.
Mertz recalled how as quarantine restrictions lifted and tickets went back on sale, there was “lots of excitement” and a massive rush back to get back the road. But then the industry was then hit with subsequent variants, leading to cancellations en masse. “What we’ve been experiencing the last few years is a pendulum,” she explained.
And while Tehrani added that she has hopes for the industry to level out next year — for which agents at WME are already booking now — Norris explained that “nothing will be the exact same as it was in 2019,” given consumer behavior has changed over the last few years, along with other factors.
“People want a more specialized, curated experience than ever,” said Tehrani. “Rather than these big, throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks festivals that are focused on going and discovering new music, we’re seeing more interest in boutique festivals.” For example, music fans seem more interested, in Tehrani’s approximation, to see a one-day legacy hip-hop festival than ever, and meanwhile larger-scale, broad appeal festivals are struggling to get the same sales as they once did.
Some artists Tehrani works with, like R&B singer-songwriter UMI, have even tried incorporating new elements to make their tours stand out, like adding in a meditation practice offered as a VIP experience at her shows to boost fan engagement and spread her passion for wellness.
Such experiences are becoming more crucial as the cost of touring continues to rise with inflation — and as a result of cutbacks on positions like bus drivers and sound engineers — leaving consumers to be pickier about which shows they attend.
But still, this strategy is challenged by a high no-show rate. “Attrition remains an issue,” said Mertz. “I don’t know what it is. I was just meeting with a couple of clients last night and they’re like, ‘We don’t understand it, at our sold-out shows, still 20-25% of people are not showing up. Why?’”
In 2021 the issue was attributed to lingering pandemic concerns, but now one of the only explanations the panelists provided was the possibility of increasingly cunning scalpers. “I do think that scalper activity has increased a lot over the last few years,” said Mertz. “It’s a business now.”
For Norris, whose management firm represents Dead & Company, Michael Franti, and the Lumineers, she said one of the industry’s most pressing concerns is “to do a lot of work to make sure the fans aren’t the ones that pay the price” of today’s higher touring costs.
At the same time, the panelists did identify some positive changes that have emerged in live music over the last few years. “Mental health is now at the forefront,” said Norris.
“Having a therapist and physical therapists on the road is new,” added Tehrani. “We’ve always had vocal coaches and stuff like that, but people are definitely thinking about how to take better care of each other. That’s a very good thing”
To TikTok, or not to TikTok, that is the question.
Plus, many more regarding the app’s instrumental role in making hits — and how an artist can participate in the process meaningfully — were addressed during “The Fight for Artistic Authenticity on TikTok” panel at SXSW 2023.
Moderated by Billboard‘s Lyndsey Havens, the panel featured experts Ash Stahl, CEO of TikTok-first creative studio Flighthouse; Alana Dolgin, head of influencer strategy at independent record label and influencer management company Homemade Projects; and Mekaila Morris, senior manager of creators & content at Interscope Records.
The conversation opened with stories of successful TikTok campaigns each panelist had worked on. Stahl remembered working on Surface‘s “Sunday Best,” the electro-pop duo’s vibrant 2019 track that became part of the first crop of TikTok smash hits the following year. “We had a team member just add in a little ad-lib at the beginning that was like, ‘2020 rewind’ and then just put this song at the end of it,” she said. “You can see this huge spike of millions of new listens on Spotify that, one year later, really reinvigorated the song.”
Dolgin described SAINt JHN‘s “Roses” (which was originally released in 2016 and later remixed by Kazakh producer Imanbek at the end of 2019) as being in the “first class of viral hits on TikTok” and mapped out the song’s trajectory to becoming a global anthem, starting in Russia and then spending $2,000 — “which obviously now we know is absolutely nothing in this space,” she said — to move it through the U.S. and ultimately around the world.
Dolgin explained that part of the artistic authenticity element on the platform is knowing when it’s not the right move to have the artist behind a trending song hop on TikTok and participate in whatever fanfare is elevating its exposure through UGC (user-generated content) and streams. “You don’t necessarily need to be on TikTok if you’re an artist. There’s so many songs that are going viral constantly that have nothing to do with the artist that when you try to bring the artist in it truly doesn’t make sense, I think it does more harm than good,” she said.
Having also had success working Cardi B’s “Up,” Dolgin added: “We use her voice all the time with ad-libs that go viral. Sure, she posts on TikTok sometimes, but she approves every sound snippet.”
Morris continued that thought, speaking about Machine Gun Kelly‘s 2022 single “Emo Girl,” featuring Willow, and how she worked closely with him to determine the most authentic ways for him to be on TikTok. “[With] taking the artists’ vision and learning how they want to represent themselves online, you have to understand the nature of the platform and what makes sense.”
Compared to labels’ close working relationships with artists, Stahl described Lighthouse as being “two degrees separated” from them. “I prefer working with artists that aren’t really looking to get on platform because it’s kind of difficult when we’re so separated,” she explained. “We’re not looking to make content, we’re looking to create success with music.”
“You can do both,” she continued. “You can find avenues to create really successful content, and sure, there might be a song that’s a really good fit for the platform as is, or you might need to throw in an ad-lib or make a little mash up. You can do that with the artists where it’s coming from their profile, or you can do that from finding an influencer that has a good fan base and have them launch the sound from their page or from the DSP release on platform.”
Stahl gave a compelling example. During the pandemic, she got her client — EDM producer Said the Sky, whom she’s been managing for the last nine years — to practice making TikTok videos. The result was a now-viral snippet (featuring an ad-lib that goes, “Wait, I can do that better,” followed by dubstep music), which, despite Said the Sky never wanting to officially distribute it, has now soundtracked more than 100,000 TikTok videos, according to Stahl.
When it comes to knowing when’s the right time to invest in a TikTok campaign, Morris discussed tapping into one’s intuition. She recalled how client Gracie Abrams‘ performance of “I Know It Won’t Work” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! went viral on TikTok. “Instead of focusing on what the single is for the project, it’s like, ‘Hey, we’re seeing internet culture touch this track and really, really resonate with it,” she said.
“If it’s moving, put f—nig money into it. That’s the best advice I could give to someone,” Stahl added. “Don’t be like, ‘Oh well, it’s already moving. We’ll just let it ride out.’ My advice would be if it’s moving, take full advantage. We know that it’s working in this specific niche or community on TikTok, let’s take that and try to do it in another niche, or let’s go find that community on a different platform and go for it again.”
From Dolgin’s perspective as someone who works exclusively with creators, it’s all about pairing the right influencers with song campaigns and “never about making the song go viral,” she said. “But, I will always guarantee that you’re getting the best influencers possible for the song and for the sound.”
Morris ultimately compared working in TikTok to working in stocks because of they’re constantly watching how songs and sounds are peaking and falling on the platform. “But you have to take the whole market into account,” she said. When it comes to forecasting trends regarding TikTok and the future of artists and their music on the platform, Stahl predicted there will be more “made by, made for TikTok” independent artists like JVKE who have no barrier to entry, while Dolgin said TikTok will champion specific creators and give them more resources to become successful like Alix Earle. Meanwhile, Morris explained how TikTok is culturally shifting to a more community-focused place.
“As genres start to merge as well, we’re going to start to lose these like clear identifiers, which is going to require people to really hone in on what they like and who they want to be and who they want to speak to,” she said. “And as more people get on TikTok, I think we’re going to have less of those big, big moments, but we’re going to have really valuable smaller moments within the communities with these artists, where they’re truly deeply connecting with people. Then it’s our job to bring those forward and become more consumable to the mainstream.”
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.