In the heart of New York City lies a musical haven where veteran artists and aspiring musicians converge to hone their craft and build lasting connections. Join us as we delve into the vibrant community fostered by Funkadelic Studios, a cornerstone of NYC's music scene for over three decades. Building Community: Funkadelic Studios has cultivated a …

Get ready for an in-depth conversation with Shawn Setaro, a respected journalist, author, and podcast host known for his influential work in the hip-hop community. In this episode, we revisit the legacy of his podcast, 'The Cipher,' and delve into his book 'Complex Presents Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6IX9INE and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.' Learn from Sh…

Former "The Voice" contestant and Memphis soul singer, Savannah Brister was kind enough to spend some time with me last year as we cackled (me) and cutely giggled (her) through sharing all the ins & outs of her wild experience on the hit reality TV show. And she held nothing back... What's in Store: The Audition Adventure: Savannah spills the tea o…

After wrapping up my first show at the legendary Bitter End, a visibly excited man rushed up onto the stage where I and my guitarist still stood. All he wanted was to take a picture of me wearing his sunglasses, a tradition he’d started amongst his favorite indie artists. That person was a guy named Mark McLaughlin, and unbeknownst to me, he had ju…

I'm guilty of it too... I've totally caught myself in a fantasy about how great it would be to sign with an indie label. In that fantasy, you're cared for, held in highest regard, and everyone at the label believes in your vision and knows how to execute it at a scale larger than you're currently capable of. But things don't always turn out that wa…

Every musician (especially their parents) has heard the classic "starving artist" trope, but there's someone on a mission to fix that. Meet Ryan McCurdy, a multi-hyphenate who amidst being a stellar actor+, musician+ is also a financial educator for artists. This conversation barely scratched the surface of all there is to discuss when it comes to …

No matter where my clients have found themselves on their music career journey, we've always arrived at that question... "...but what's my genre?" And no matter the answer I give, these musicians are hard pressed to let the world stop turning until they can properly classify themselves and neatly fold up the box they long to fit inside. That's why …

Thanks to our late friend, producer Black Panther, I had heard the sounds of Maya Azucena on their song, "The Half" before I even had the honor of meeting her. Once that changed and I saw her perform, I was floored. She was an absolute force, and I had never seen or heard anyone do what she did on that stage. Since that day, Maya has become my ment…

I am absolutely (proudly) dating myself with this reference, but any millennial worth their salt will know that "Cheers" was the bar where everybody knows your name. In each and every episode, Norm was the character who got acknowledged at the entrance - not once, did he hobble down those stairs and not get noticed and greeted by all the patrons. W…

It's been a WHILE! In this surprise, pop-up episode, Suz explains what's been going on behind the scenes of The Rock/Star Advocate, why she's been so quiet about it, and what you can expect from her and this podcast moving forward. Links mentioned: RENT HER TINY HOUSE in Long Beach, NY: https://www.facebook.com/NickersonBeach/photos/a.1148996179149…

Sometimes inexplicably, our relationships shift and a connection we once thought was solid can seemingly disintegrate overnight. Our music industry network is no exception to this rule of human experience, so what should you or even can you do to fix it? In this episode, we discuss how to remedy a potentially broken industry connection or if it’s e…

Go Under the Musical Influence of Shay Leonia answering 9 Questions about her Musical Self. Shay Started In The Band Literally Being Born into Music and Grew Up in a Family of Musicians in New Jersey to Following Suit with the Rest of Her Family by Learning to Play the Trumpet to Singing on the Subway to Finally Working with Some Major Music People…

We've all been there - our dreaded day job running us ragged, any home-life responsibilities, family, friends, and then... music? And even once you get to music, there's so much unsexy work to do like metadata, registration, emails, oh my! That's why I'm so grateful to have Suz back on the show who was kind enough to share a bundle of ways we can s…

Go Under the Musical Influence of Aedan Thompson answering 9 Questions about his Musical Self. Aedan Started In The Band as Lead Vocalist in Rathe in North Carolina in 2017 to Picking Up the Guitar to Teach Himself, then as a Hobby he Learns & Plays the Drums, Guitar, & Bass Guitar and Now to a One Man Band Project called Sacred Wretch (A Mix Betwe…

Have you ever wondered if you’re suffering from burn out? I know this phrase gets tossed around quite a bit in our industry to the point where it may feel like a casual occurrence, but today’s guest, Suz Paulinski shares why you should take heed and what signs to look for. She’s lived the life of burn out and thankfully found support to survive it …

WARNING: ADULT TOPICS I felt it was important to share what happened to me this week when I decided to take control of my sexual narrative by way of a risque photo shoot and then subsequently sharing the photos online. The photographer ultimately handled the situation and was extremely apologetic that my trust was violated in such a way, but it doe…

As an unsaturated space, musicians are criminally overlooking the opportunity that is being a guest on podcasts. As of December of 2022, there is an estimate of roughly 700K active podcasts in existence while *listenership is expected to exceed 160 million listeners in 2023 (buzzsprout). To put it into perspective, compare to YouTube which has over…

Queen Brené Brown is such an inspiration to us all. She has taught us about vulnerability, how to work through our shame, and live a joy-filled life. But when I first heard her concept around "Dress Rehearsing Tragedy" I felt like she was yelling at me! And that's why I couldn't help but bring you this message today because you just might need some…

Almost reaching 100K visitors each month on their website, Ghost Cult Magazine has just celebrated their 10th year in existence. The Editor-in-Chief, known as "Keefy" has been holding down the fort with respect, passion, integrity, and a healthy dose of anti-bullshit that any self-respecting east-coaster can appreciate. I'm grateful to consider Kee…

There is no doubt, a right and wrong way to build your network and subsequently promote your new music. The stakes are high AF when missteps are made because networking can so easily teeter on the verge of seeming desperate, selfish, or worse... spammy. In this episode, learn my unfiltered opinion on people contacting you out of the blue to listen …

Fame, thank you for being my champion. You loved and supported me even when I couldn't find a reason to love and support myself. I wish we could have had that lunch we always talked about. I wish I could have hugged you and told you how much you meant to me. May the memory of Fame Tehilla Chaya Cohen be a blessing to us always. --- Send in a voice …

"You should go be on American Idol!" We've all heard that from someone thinking they're giving us a compliment and a helpful tip. I've been there. And it used to infuriate me. But then I started seeing my so many of friends go on these shows and suddenly their careers were catapulted. So I started asking myself... should I go on one of these shows?…

I was just blocked online by a musician being a schmuck in the name of "increased engagement". You see, when "haters" comment on your post, the comment is believed to increase the activity of the post. But sometimes the people you think are "hating" are really just trying to save you from yourself because you've fallen victim to... *dun dun* Being …

Ever since I got back from my last minute trip to Los Angeles, I've been having a hard time staying motivated to do even the most menial tasks. That must mean that once again, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has come for me and I will be susceptible to it for the next several months. Also, Noodle just passed which has led to more "No Bones" days …

Suz wraps up Season 5 with special guest, Shay Leonia, as they talk all things mental health and giving yourself permission to do things your own way. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Vm3I3RVJ-yk

I don't know where I'd be without Backline.care. Backline.care matches musicians with mental healthcare professionals no matter where you're located or what your budget is. Not only that, their clinicians are all vetted to have knowledge of the music industry so you won't land yourself in situations with therapists telling you to just "get more sle…

Suz breaks down her 3-part framework of the most important system in her business that has allowed her to grow and sustain her career for 20 years. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QlVGP2HBh5s

Honey Larochelle is a true badass in every sense of the word as a recording artist, coach, healer, business owner, background vocalist, and friend. Tune in for a very special episode where we get down to all the nitty gritty about embracing your opportunity to change your life as soon as right now! Not only does she give us some amazing insight to …

Overwhelmed by life's unexpected plans for your plan? Suz walks you through her 3-part framework to go from blinded by the light to rollin with the homies and reaching your goals no matter what life throws your way. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/u0frFrCCUoE

Sometimes, showing up is the hardest part. I hope today's episode inspires you to take that first step... to give that 1% more... to keep your promise to yourself. "How would this look if it were simple?" Have a topic in mind or a question you'd like to submit? Send me a DM on Instagram at @millennialmusicianpod and I'll even give you a shout out o…

A devil's advocate response to Episode 130, Suz explores 3 important perspectives to consider for reasons for keeping your day job when building a sustainable career in music. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eOyZC8_wijE

Pull up a chair for today's episode featuring an enthralling kibitz (chat) with one of my favorite people in existence, Kelsey Warren of Blak Emoji. Kelsey is not just a connoisseur of music's history, but he's practically an NYC legend in his own right. His music spans multiple genres with the linking thread of electronic, hence, coining his own g…

Suz breaks down the 3 components to growing your side hustle aka monetizing your music while you make moves to quit your day job for good. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YyEcNlRJPUY

If you've arrived here from my newsletter, welcome! If you have no clue what I'm talking about, DM me on Instagram at @millennialmusicianpod to get on my email list. "Associated" has always been one of my favorite songs and I remember the moment the lightbulb went on over my head when writing it so many years ago. I'm proud that it's finally been r…

I practically needed to be *pulled away* (you'll see what I did there soon enough) from today's conversation with indie music superstar and TikTok bad ass, Diana Bidéa. I have been a fan of hers ever since I saw her rip shitty men to shreds on one of her famous PSA videos, but once I heard her music, there was no turning back. Diana has been a trai…

Today's guest is Diane Foy, a multi-passionate artist coach and creator of the Fans, Media, and Industry Attraction Method. As you'll hear in this episode, Diane has a very unique background that has given her the room to truly stretch her legs in the entertainment industry. What really threw me is she actually said, brace yourself... We don't need…

Every solution begets new problems, and the problem I've faced since moving to my beautiful, new apartment is the fact that I have missed my friends. Well, this week provided me the opportunity to see some of them: Tuesday: "Moulin Rouge" with my AMDA crew Wednesday: India Shawn at SOB's Thursday: Mishti & Silver Tooth Cactus at Arlene's Grocery Fr…

Suz shares an anxiety disorder she's lived with since childhood and how that and a chronic illness have taught her counter-intuitive coping skills to deal with stress and overwhelm. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uIY4hGQARt8

Whether you realize it or not, we all know Aaron Scott. The sAnger (yes, with a capital "A") has practically become as synonymous with the hit TV series, "Golden Girls" as the iconic and eternally cherished, Betty White was. Many people experience online virality from an impromptu phrase or even just a facial expression, but Aaron's voice paired so…

I still pinch myself when I think back on the miraculous events that went down the week I worked for Janelle frikkn Monáe. I am grateful beyond measure that I have this experience in my life arsenal and even more grateful to the people who were involved, including my *mom*! You'll also hear about how a comedy legend passed me the mic the other nigh…

Kim Dickens is an advocate and biz partner for artists, sharing with Suz what it means to have a true value exchange in business. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nxZyfD7SS24

"Spicy Calli" as I like to call her, is a renowned, Philly-based jazz-crossover vocalist who is full of charm, pizzazz, and plenty o' piss & vinegar. We had no idea what we were going to discuss on this interview so we just ended up talking about it all! No topic was off the table including the reason why she'll never hear "My Funny Valentine" the …

Suz interrupts her regularly-scheduled programming to bring you an important PSA about taking risks to build the life you want, no matter the uncertainty. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ohKAKlKQASw

I look back on older photos of myself, maybe you have too, where my first thought is, "I would kill to be that size again." But I distinctly remember thinking I was fat even when those photos were taken! As Susan Powter would say, "STOP THE INSANITY!" In an industry where it seems like a "certain type" gets the advantage, sometimes it helps to hear…

Go Under the Musical Influence of Luke Gipson answering 9 Questions about his Musical Self. Luke Started In The Band on Drums with the Marching Bands & Jazz Ensembles in School to Auditioning for and Playing Drums in the Clown Band at Kings Dominion, then when I knew him he was a Floor Guard at Skate America in Mechanicsville, VA and In the Band, W…

Suz switches things up with a mini-sode in a new segment called Hustle Hero of the Week featuring DC-based indie-pop group Sub-Radio Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/O8GEhOxrxU0

Vanity metrics aren't inherently bad, but what we make them mean about us has gotten a little out of hand, dontchya think? In today's entirely unscripted episode, I let you in on what's happening with your brain when you place all your personal value in the hands of Follows, Likes, Plays, Subscribers, Views, and more. It's time we take back the con…

Nicole Blonder and Marni Wander, co-founders of Equilibrium, lay out what it means to focus on your holistic health and give simple, actionable tips you can take today to make self-care a priority. Full show notes accessible on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1Uoa0cc0vKE

Rodney Flood has toured the US and Europe multiple times with artists like Todd Carey, Matt Simons, and The Reign of Kindo. On this episode, we discover just how many instruments Rodney can play, how to stand out in a crowd (sarcasm) and how to book paying gigs just by being awesome. Rodney is truly a mensch, and I can't wait to hear what he has in…

Go Under the Musical Influence of Deane Walden answering 9 Questions about his Musical Self. Deane Started In The Band with the Paper Chasers (R&B, Hip-Hop, Trap Music), to SwitchinLanes (Christian Hip-Hop) to Going Han Solo, Blowing Up on Spotify as Deane Walden (Christian Artist). Recording in a Masonry Locker Room? When You Get Board, You Record…