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Welcome back to Musicians Can Thrive! We're going to kick off this new season with the stories you know and love. Featuring a variety of independent artists developing their own definition of what it means to thrive in the music industry. A few things are going to change though. You might hear from multiple people in the same episode. I have stories that I'm going to weave together so you can see different perspectives right next to each other. There are also some live show interviews I did at an event called Tillery Live, during South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. I actually co-hosted this rap, R&B, and hip hop showcase with my friend Abhi at PRMTD. Entertainment. It was very fun. And it's also my first experiment with interviews that have video to go with the audio. So you'll find those short-form interviews on YouTube. Go ahead and subscribe to the channel so you don't miss the rest of the videos I have coming.  If you're a returning listener, you already know I'm interested in how people are building careers in the music industry, independent of a big label. But lately, I'm especially interested in how we can make those careers sustainable. Over the course of decades. So that's behind what most of these episodes are exploring. I'm hoping you can listen to this and find something helpful among the variety of different stories and experiences from artists who are out there showing up. And doing what it takes, week in and week out. Find @musicianscanthrive on Instagram for behind-the-scenes stories, clips from live shows I attend around Austin, and other ideas I share exclusively on IG. Thanks for being part of the Musicians Can Thrive community - your host, Gigi.

Vintage Jay is a rapper and entrepreneur here in Austin, TX, with a deep love of the creative process, and a desire to use his music as a means of supporting the local community that helped him become the man he is today.

Cody Brandell is an R&B artist with a passion for telling stories through his music. He's also an artist with a vision for how he can build a life around music, that doesn't get held back by having a "plan B."

D.Harmon has a vision for his music career. He's a versatile creator, unafraid of moving to a new country to support his art.

I talk with Tree of Lyfe about the positive difference practicing accountability and having a plan for your creative path makes.

With hints of pop, hip hop, and even a little electronic house touch, nearly every song of Jonny's makes your body start moving to the beat before you're aware of what you're doing. And his hooks have a finely honed catchiness to them that many independent artists struggle to find in their first few projects.

Yandi shares his approach to collaborations, and his perspective on when getting paid is a priority, and when it's more important to focus on your music's reach.

Mama Duke is a gifted storyteller, and a rap artist capable of giving J.Cole a run for his money.

How do you share your values in your music? Our guest today is Alyssa Hoffman, a songwriter and singer based near Diesdorf, Germany.

Asante is creating a world where independent artists can thrive financially and artistically.

There’s more than a few gems here for you about managing your money, AND making it. Drew Imani is a singer-songwriter based in Austin, TX. She’s prioritizing the development of several complementary sources of income, so she can design her life around songwriting and music as much as feels right for her.

One of my favorite things we discuss in this episode is why it’s so important to separate the kinds of work that you do in one day. Creative work like songwriting and recording uses one part of your brain, and strategic work like planning your next steps for the quarter, and coordinating new gigs or partnerships uses the opposite side of your brain.