Artist 2 Artist: Presented by Artist Republik

Based in Providence, RI, Max Shakun has been performing since he was young - he started learning piano in kindergarten, but later switched to guitar and joined his high school’s choir. For nearly the last decade, he’s performed with indie-folk outfit Parsonsfield but once the pandemic hit, Shakun decided to switch gears and return to his own sonic roots. He left the band last summer and set out on a remote recording journey at his home studio. The resulting EP Heatwave captures a feeling more than anything else. Shakun uses summer-y synth and funky guitar to craft a sunny, carefree vibe that you want to bask in for ages. He jokingly calls his sound “carbonated water indie,” and the EP is just as effervescent and refreshing to behold. Drummer and Producer of funk-soul band Miss Mojo and Shakun’s former camp friend (they knew each other when they were 13-years-old and both “had really long hair”) Mack Major worked as the producer on the EP, helping to shape the sound and providing all of the percussion on the tracks. Follow Max Shakun: IG: @max.shakun FB: facebook.com/maxshakunmusic TW: @shakunotstirred Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Nick Nittoli is a songwriter/producer & artist from the Bravo Reality TV Series Platinum Hit. He finished 4th in the competition only to begin writing for the likes of artists like Snoop Dogg, French Montana, YG, Bianca Ryan, Neon Hitch and many others. Nittoli prides himself on being able to merge different genres with his artist project. Which stems from his extensive catalog as a songwriter and producer. Nittoli, is originally from Garfield, New Jersey, but moved to Hollywood when he was a kid. He has repped Los Angeles, ever since. He has recently hit the iTunes top 40 charts in 3 different genres including, hip hop, r & b, and metal. In 2017, Nittoli penned a contract with Bump Into Genius/Warner Chappell Music Publishing and New Heights Ent. Follow Nick Nittoli: IG: @nicknittoli Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Rising indie pop star Tiger Lily makes music that has been described as “the musical equivalent of a blurry low-exposure Polaroid of one of the best nights of your life” by Northwest Music Scene. Tiger lily grew up playing electric guitar and fronting an all-girl grunge band named “Seattle’s Best Underage Band” by Seattle Weekly. After High School, she moved to New York City and launched her solo project. Since then, she’s lived around the world from Medellin to London, Barcelona, Los Angeles & Mexico City. She has performed beside major acts, including Grammy-Nominated duo, Social House, and collaborating with top producers such as bloody white & Jake Crocker (Dempsey hope, Ryan Caraveo). Her music has received praise globally from tastemakers like Spin Magazine, KEXP, EARMILK, IGGY Magazine and DJ Magazine. As EARMILK put it, “From the rain-soaked streets of Seattle to the concrete jungle of New York, tiger lily is clearly making memories and giving them sonic life.” Follow Tiger Lily: IG: @tigerlily_music TikTok: @xotigress Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Nashville indie pop artist/writer/producer Blake Ruby uses a blend of pop melodies, jazz influence and an honest, introspective, songwriting style to blur the lines of genres and musical taste. Amassing nearly 3 million streams to date across platforms, Ruby is quickly making a statement in 2021 with a fresh sonic landscape.  He released his first single, “A Lot Less Happening” in June and his most recent release, “I Surrender”, an off-kilter, art-ballad, that was quickly added to Spotify’s Fresh Finds playlist.  Ruby is set to release one more single in the late summer to be accompanied by a music video. Follow Blake Ruby: Instagram: @rakebluby Website: blakeruby.com Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Going viral with over 500,000 views in under 3 days, Honey Ribar has captured the hearts of fans both domestically and internationally with her unparalleled power-house vocals. She balances a successful YouTube channel of 3.5 million+ views with numerous live performances including Madison Square Garden, the Excel Energy Center, and the Nassau Colosseum. Her infectious personality and insane vocal talent has been recognized globally by celebrities including Zendaya, Hunter Hayes, and James Franco. Honey has been a busy bee over the past year, writing and recording a lineup of fresh, new music. A few months after the pandemic hit, Honey's struggle with addiction had taken a positive turn when she decided to get sober. While in recovery, Honey spent time writing and focusing on the 8 dimensions of wellness, in which she was able to process her emotions and dig deeper into the root of her pain and past trauma. Honey's new music takes us on her journey of recovery and showcases extreme emotional depth with songs like "Oh Lawd" and "Sleeping Ugly". Follow Honey: IG: @honeyribar TW: @honeyribar FB: @honeyribar Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Matt Jacoby has done it all. From drumming to web development, content marketing, coaching & even real-estate! This stack of experience ultimately is driving his purpose in life; to hep musicians become better entrepreneurs & make music a real career. These driving factors led Matt to create Eleven Music Career Center, along with the StreamTribe brand. Let’s dive in and learn more about Matt & his company, Eleven Music Career Center. Follow Matt & Eleven: facebook.com/turnuptoeleven facebook.com/streamtribelive instagram.com/turnuptoeleven instagram.com/streamtribelive linkedin.com/company/eleven-music-career-center/ linkedin.com/company/streamtribe/ Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Ajna hails from Westside, Los Angeles. He is a 22 year old rapper with an insane flow & a sound to match. He is on his way to greatness with a following on Spotify that is well over 7000 monthly listeners. His song “Take Me Back” has gained nearly 55,000 streams since it’s release & continues to grow. Follow Ajna: IG: www.instagram.com/ajnaca Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Joshy Soul is an artist who finds his stride amongst the things he knows best: art and soul. Based in Long Beach, CA, Joshy Soul has soaked up every hint of inspiration during his journey. At an early age gospel music was a critical thread of his youthful fabric. His grandmother from New Orleans would sing hymns of the religious South throughout their house, and this lit a musical fire in his heart that would eventually manifest itself into Joshy Soul. When with his former outfit 'The Cool' Joshy Soul amassed a noteworthy gigography including sold out shows at the Egyptian Theater and Gallivan Plaza in Salt Lake City, headlining the Treefort Music Festival, performing at Hard Rock's Miami Dolphins Stadium, performing with Nick Murphy, and supporting the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, The Roots, Cat Power, Haley Reinhart, and more. He recently released a new single titled “Celebration” on June 9th. Follow Joshy Soul: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshysoul/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshysoul Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNWBGIgh_jQ Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Austin Simmon is a hip hop artist out of Phoenix, Arizona. He has worked with big independent artists, such as j-Wright, packy, and Crypt. He also has a YouTube channel where he does reactions/reviews on music from an rapper’s perspective. He does all of this while also being a 5th grade teacher. Austin’s goal through music is to show that hard work can accomplish anything and that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. Follow Austin Simmon: IG: @thisisaustinsimmon YouTube: YouTube.com/austinsimmon Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

URL started in 2018 a few months after Matt moved home from Los Angeles. He began writing demos in his parents house for a couple of months before showing them to a friend who encouraged him to release “Bon Voyage.” It gained some traction on Reddit & Soundcloud which pushed URL to continue writing non-stop. During this time, URL wrote “Magic Wand” but held on to it for the future. In 2019, he wrote “Yellow Pack” which was noticed by YouTube personality, David Dean Burkhart. The song was featured on his channel which created a small following for URL. Moving into 2020, he wrote a song called “Bedroom Floor” which caught the attention of Phil from Havêa Records. Not long after, URL was signed & immediately began work on his debut EP. In March, URL & longtime collaborator, Inadelle released “Magic Wand” which wound getting on several of Spotify’s editorial playlists. URL’s debut EP is nearly finished & the future seems bright for this young artist. Follow URL: IG: @mynamesurl Twitter @mynamesurl Facebook: @mynamesurl TikTok: @sadboisongz Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Danny Schiller grew up spending time between Barcelona and Chicago and is deeply connected to his Spanish origin. Schiller’s international art is the soothing middle ground between different countries, cultures, and musical styles. By combining Latin Pop and RnB, and seamlessly switching between Spanish and English on occasion, Danny finds a way to communicate through music to diverse audiences. He currently has over 70,000 monthly listeners on Spotify with millions of combined streams across various platforms. He also has a brand new song called Pajaritos that was released on June 11th. Follow Danny Schiller: Instagram @dannyschilla Tiktok @danny_schiller Youtube @Danny Schiller Twitter @danielenric Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Taylor Barber is the vocalist for Left to Suffer. The band has 122,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. 600,000+ views on their highest viewed video on YouTube all while Working with Josh Travis, Lochie Keough, Tom Barber and plenty more in just over 2 years of being a band. Let’s dive in and see what Left to Suffer is all about! Follow Taylor Barber: IG: @taylorsuffers FB: @taylorsuffers TW: @taylorsuffers Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Mundo is an artist, producer and an influencer who has gathered a following on TikTok passing advice and experiences to an audience interested in navigating the music industry. On TikTok, Mundo shares lots of tips and tricks for music production, networking, and increasing productivity. His goal is to get his audience to critically think about themselves, and orientate their attention towards becoming better at making progress towards their goals. Mundo’s own productions have a common eerie and off-color brand, and derive inspiration from an electronic music background. He is currently attending MTSU studying Audio Production and is on track to graduate in May 2022. Follow Mundo: TikTok: @prodmundo IG: @officialprodmundo Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Stanley Ray, an Independent Artist, Actor, and Entertainer, was born on November 4, 1998, in Mt. Vernon, IL. He grew up listening to music, particularly older music by artists like Al Green, Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills, The S.O.S Band, The Isley Brothers, and so many more. But his particular favorite group was Destiny's Child. In 2007, at the age of 8, he began making his own music, which later would become a series of over 100+ demo songs he had recorded up all the way until he was 18 and graduated high school. Shortly after graduating high school in 2017, he moved to Las Vegas to pursue becoming a real singer and actor but later came back home after just a couple months to plot another move after things didn't go as planned. 2 years later in September of 2019, at the age of 20, he moved to Los Angeles and began looking for jobs to become an actor, while also finishing up the recording of what became his debut album "BabyBoy", which came out January 4, 2020. Following the release of his debut album, he released 4 singles "tinderlinderlover", "Lavender Boy", "Being With You", and "Wild Lovin'", along with 4 music videos for each one. From there, Stanley continues to thrive in music and acting, rising as a young talented artist and actor in the entertainment industry. Follow Stanley Ray: IG: @therealbabyboy Facebook: @BabyBoy YouTube: @Stanley Ray TikTok: @StanleyBabyBoyRay Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

2021 has started out well for Kristy, releasing her first course under her business Shape Music, which is a business created for helping Independent artists navigate the music industry. Kristy James is a Multi/Award winning Newcastle singer/songwriter has been in the music industry most of her life. Recently Kristy has signed with Los Angeles Music Library SyncStories concentrating on producing music for TV and Film. She has a huge list of accolades from being a 2020 Australian Business of the Year finalist to obtaining the #2 spot for iTunes albums in 2014. Article Link: https://www.grandrapidsmn.com/around_the_web/entertainment/calvin-harris-nfts-can-completely-revolutionise-the-music-industry/article_5d343cba-4021-5a5e-a9b8-1d4063536abd.html Follow Kristy James: Facebook: KRISTY JAMES: (musician page) www.facebook.com/kristyjamesmusic SHAPE MUSIC: www.facebook.com/shapemusiconline Instagram: KRISTY JAMES: (musician page) www.instagram.com/kristyjamesmusic SHAPE MUSIC: www.instagram.com/shapemusiconline YouTube: KRISTY JAMES: (musician page) https://www.youtube.com/user/officialkristyjames SHAPE MUSIC: www.youtube.com/shapemusiconline Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Starting out in A&R at Capitol Records while attending UCLA, Niels spent the bulk of his career as General Manager of Warner-distributed independent label, Surfdog Records, where he worked with such artists as Brian Setzer, Slightly Stooped, Dave Stewart, Butthole Surfers, and Jason Newsted. At Surfdog, he was also very active in its artist management, publishing, and lifestyle marketing divisions with clients that included Best Buy and Pepsi. Following his 20-year stint with Surfdog, Niels left the company to expand his reach as an independent consultant, working with artists, athletes, actors, and startups with their music-related pursuits. In 2014, he met Blue Élan Records' founders, Kirk Pasich and Connor Pasich, who had just formed the company and was tasked with building its early infrastructure and marketing strategies. Today, the company has a staff of 12 and a roster of over 20 artists. Having brought seven acts to the label over the first six years of his consultancy (including Jesse Dayton, Red Wanting Blue, and Grammy-nominated Janiva Magness), Niels took on the full time position as Executive Director of A&R in late 2020. His first signing in the new role was legendary LA band, Ozomatli. Article Link: https://variety.com/2021/music/news/lil-wayne-uta-anderson-paak-warner-chappell-1234957201/ Follow Neils: IG: @ncschroeter Twitter: @nschroeter Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Jeff Menig is an entertainment industry professional with years of experience in band management, live events, merchandise, consulting, artist development, and marketing. As founder and principal of the newly minted PKULTRA MEDIA, the unrelentingly passionate and persistent entrepreneur makes precision focused usage of the diverse set of skills he’s developed. A whip smart consultant, confidant, advisor, and negotiator, Menig is a quintessential ally suited to lead and/or enhance a driven creative team. Menig builds brands and bands for the social media age, optimizing the multiple opportunities for engagement, communication, and personal interaction for his clients. His keen attention to detail, from visual elements to messaging, makes him invaluable. Menig today combines the philosophical approach, advocated by the new school of educators and thinkers, with his own hard-fought DIY skills and expertise. Ryan "Tuck" O'Leary is the bassist & swing singer in the band Fit For a King. When he's not busy jumping on crowds, stealing drinks and causing a ruckus Tuck fronts the alternative band Off Road Minivan. He is also the host of a podcast called Get Tucked! Article Link: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-generated-over-1m-per-hour-in-q1-and-expects-to-go-public-in-the-fall/ Get Your Dream Feature at www.featuredx.com Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Sarah Beth Perry is the Founder and CEO of With the Band, a fan engagement platform where fans and artists feel a part of something bigger than themselves through fan communities. Perry has grown With the Band from an idea in her dorm room to captivating arenas with fan engagement activations for artists like the Jonas Brothers and Kacey Musgraves. After being a fangirl herself, she realized there was an opportunity to create better relationships between an artist and their fans. She has created fan activations with over 37,000 fans. Creating both the Jonas Brothers and Kacey Musgraves fan project. Being #1 ranked "best fan project" on google. Her and her team are also getting ready to launch a new platform that provides a turnkey solution for artists to manage and monetize their fan bases through Fan Crew, their modern day version of a fan club. Follow With the Band: IG: @withthebandvip TW: @withthebandvip FB: @withthebandvip Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

John Waupsh is the founder of Nerve.fm, a platform that we will be diving into heavily during this episode. Prior to founding Nerve, John spent 15 years leading Product Management, R&D and User Experience at Kasasa, a fintech company serving over 800 banks and credit unions and millions of consumers nationwide. Innovations under John’s leadership have earned Kasasa four Finovate “Best of Show” titles, recognition in Fast Company’s “10 Most Innovative Companies in Finance,” and standing in the FinTech Top 100. Previously, John founded FIRST ROI, which was the first company to drive online business for community banks and credit unions. It was acquired in 2010 by BancVue (Kasasa), which was acquired in 2015 by Riverside Partners. John runs two music labels, including the Preservation Project, which restores and releases lost music from the 1920s to 1980s. John is a keynote speaker in financial technology, a Fintech consultant, and his book, Bankruption: How Community Banking Can Survive Fintech, is available on Amazon. Article Link: https://variety.com/2021/music/news/secretly-group-union-1234936713/ Follow John: Twitter: @waupsh IG: @playonnerve IG: @preservationproject Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik

Matt Boerum is an innovator in the field of 3D audio for music production & virtual reality. He is co-founder and CEO of Audible Reality, an immersive audio technology company from Montreal focused on improving music engagement through unique AI-driven 3D audio software. Matt is an Emmy award-winning audio engineer, as well as a singer/ songwriter and educator with a PhD in Sound Recording and 20 years of experience working on the technical side of the music industry. Prior to starting Audible Reality, Matt was an early researcher at LANDR. He was also essential to the growth, design and success of American University's audio technology program which was nationally ranked in the USA as the #1 audio tech program in 2011. Article Link: https://edm.com/industry/clubhouse-music-industry-tips-and-tricks Follow Matt: IG: @audiblerealityinc  Twitter: @audiblereality_   Facebook: @audiblereality  Join the Republik: www.artistrepublik.com Follow Artist Republik on Social Media: Instagram: @artistrepublik Twitter: @artistrepublik