This week Ari sits down with Heather Vassar, the Senior Vice President at EMPIRE—a fully independent record label, publishing company, and distributor. Heather’s career began at Universal Music Group Nashville, where she developed digital strategy for renowned artists such as George Strait, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, and Keith Urban. In 2019, Heather joined EMPIRE where she now plays a pivotal role in operations, marketing, and strategy for a diverse roster of artists including Shaboozey, Wyatt Flores, Niko Moon, Sophia Scott, Don Louis, Reyna Roberts, Tenille Arts, and Randy Houser.

Heather and Ari discuss the incredible success of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” which has been number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for 19 weeks straight—the longest any song has held that position. Heather reveals how this hit (released on an indie label) became the biggest song in the world and how they have sustained its momentum. She shares the entire journey from signing Shaboozey, to putting out his initial singles, releasing his album, collaborating with Beyonce, all the way to his massive global success today. Thanks to her extensive experience at both major and independent labels, Heather has sharp insights to share about deal structures, ownership models, artist development, and how the industry has shifted (in the majors and the indies) over the last five years, all of which you’ll hear about in this episode.

https://www.instagram.com/hvassar/

00:00 The Hustle Behind Success

02:49 Empire Records: A New Era in Music

06:07 Shaboozey’s Journey to Stardom

09:12 Navigating the Independent Label Landscape

12:01 The Creative Process: From Songwriting to Release

14:50 Breaking Through: The Success of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

18:07 The Role of Radio in Today's Music Industry

20:49 Building a Fanbase: The Digital Approach

24:02 The Importance of Flexibility in Music Releases

33:56 Navigating Legalities in Music Production

39:08 Strategic Album Rollout and Market Timing

45:51 Building a Global Music Infrastructure

50:02 Maintaining Momentum After a Hit Release

55:04 Balancing Art and Market Trends

01:00:10 Educating Artists in the Digital Age

Edited and mixed by Ari Davids

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

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