Sound Connections

Episodes

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  #167: EXPERTS: The Future of Music Discovery Through Context & Emotion: Ty Roberts & Göran Andersson 20.10.2026 56m

  What would it take to make music discovery more personal, contextual, and meaningful?In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm speaks with Ty Roberts, co-founder of Gracenote and currently Chief Commercial Officer at MusiMap, and Göran Andersson, Head of Strategy at MusiMap and veteran music producer and music technology entrepreneur, about the technology shaping music discovery.They explore why music recommendations often rely on popularity rather than listening context, how human-curated metadata and audio analysis can help describe music more deeply, and how emotional intelligence and listener profiling could improve personalized listening experiences.The conversation also examines the challenges of fragmented music metadata, the potential for context-aware music experiences in streaming services, and the role of technology in connecting listeners with music they might otherwise never discover.Listen to the full conversation to explore how better music data and listener insights could reshape the way people discover music.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #166: FOUNDER: Beyond Generative AI: Building Technology for Musicians: Andrew Carlins 12.10.2026 47m

  What does it take to build a scalable music technology company in a market many investors consider too niche?In this episode of Sound Connections, host Jakob Wredstrøm speaks with Andrew Carlins, Co-founder and CEO of Play Anything, about how assistive AI is making music learning more accessible.Andrew shares how a Stanford classroom project became a music technology company, developing tools that turn recordings into sheet music and offer personalized piano learning.The conversation also explores the realities of building a venture-backed music startup, from securing music licensing agreements and navigating publisher relationships to validating organic demand, managing investor expectations, and balancing technical development with user growth. Andrew reflects on the challenges of being a non-technical founder and why community could become an important source of long-term differentiation.Listen in for insights into the future of AI-powered music education and the business of building music technology.
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  #165: FOUNDER: AI and the New Economics of Independent Music Careers: JC Sanchez 05.10.2026 43m

  What happens when AI takes care of more of the business behind an artist’s career?In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with JC Sanchez, founder of Orphiq and a former music strategist at Spotify, Meta, and Sony, to explore how AI could change the way artists and their teams manage careers.JC shares why the next generation of music technology should reduce complexity rather than give artists another job to learn. The conversation explores artist management, AI-powered workflows, direct-to-fan relationships, product-led growth, and the growing middle of the music market.They also discuss why smaller audiences could become increasingly viable as AI lowers the cost of managing and monetizing a career, and why artists may not need to become full-time marketers or business operators to build sustainable careers.Listen in for a grounded conversation about AI, artist independence, management technology, niche audiences, and the changing economics of building a career in music.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #164: FOUNDER: Building the Infrastructure Behind Modern Artist Commerce: Tommy Stalknecht 30.09.2026 50m

  Artists can have millions of listeners, ticket buyers, and fans, yet still have limited visibility into who those people are.In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm speaks with Tommy Stalknecht, founder and CEO of Single Music, about the infrastructure connecting music, e-commerce, chart reporting, fan communities, and direct-to-fan experiences.Tommy shares how Single started by solving a specific reporting problem between Shopify and the music industry, then expanded into a broader B2B platform supporting digital music, video, communities, and commerce for artists, labels, and merchandise companies.Tommy also discusses the realities of the superfan economy, the balance between fan engagement and monetization, privacy and consent, and how communities can support everything from fan relationships to decisions about where an artist should tour.A practical conversation about music commerce, infrastructure, data ownership, and building technology that stays behind the artist rather than competing for the fan’s attention.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #163: FOUNDER: Rethinking Music Education Through AI and Personalized Learning: Raul Rodrigues 27.09.2026 59m

  Learning an instrument has never been more accessible, but keeping people motivated remains one of music education’s hardest problems.Raul Rodrigues, founder and CEO of Upbeat Studio, joins Sound Connections to unpack the business and technology behind modern music education. Starting with drummers, Upbeat is building educational tools designed to move beyond libraries of content and toward a more personalized learning experience.Raul breaks down the challenging economics of music education, why distribution can matter as much as product quality, and how Upbeat approaches retention in a market where keeping people engaged over the long term remains difficult.Raul also explores how AI could bring the most valuable parts of a great teacher into digital products, why learning music is ultimately about more than becoming a great musician, and how instruments themselves could eventually become part of the learning experience.Tune in for a grounded conversation about building in music education and preparing for a future where AI may reshape how people learn.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #162: FOUNDER: The New Economics of Music Fandom: Jacquelle Amankonah Horton 21.09.2026 54m

  What happens when superfans stop being treated as the end of the music experience and become part of building it?Jacquelle Amankonah Horton, founder of Fave, returns to Sound Connections to explore how fandom has evolved since our first conversation. Drawing on her background at YouTube and Google and years spent building tools around creators and fans, Jacquelle explains why the next opportunity in music may sit beyond traditional artist-to-fan relationships.We explore how fan-to-fan communities create their own products, events, experiences, and economies, why conventional merchandise can miss what fans actually want, and how artist teams can identify and support the people already shaping their communities.Jacquelle also shares how Fave is evolving from a place for superfans to connect into infrastructure that helps fans bring ideas to life, while giving artists new insights and potential revenue opportunities without requiring them to constantly create more content.It’s a closer look at fandom as culture, community, and an emerging layer of the creator economy.Listen in and join the conversation.[Link in bio]Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.#SoundConnections #Fave #Superfans #MusicIndustry #MusicTech #FanEngagement #CreatorEconomy #MusicBusiness
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  #161: EXPERT: The Business of Turning Music Royalties into Growth Capital: Michael Bizenov 14.09.2026 59m

  Music rights generate value, but turning that income into capital can still be difficult for many creators.In this episode of Sound Connections, Michael Bizenov, Managing Partner and President of Sound Royalties, joins Jakob Wredstrøm to unpack the business of financing music royalties and how alternative financing can give creators access to capital without giving up ownership of their work.Michael shares how his background in banking and entrepreneurship shaped his approach to the music industry, from evaluating royalty streams and managing risk to building financing solutions around the individual creative. They discuss why ownership matters, the role of financial literacy, and how Sound Royalties has built its business by focusing specifically on financing rather than becoming a label, distributor, manager, or publisher.The conversation also explores how the company evaluates royalty income, uses data and technology alongside human judgment, and grows with creators as their businesses develop.Tune in for a conversation on music finance, rights, trust, and the business behind creative careers.[Link in bio]Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.#SoundConnections #MusicFinance #MusicRights #CreatorEconomy #MusicBusiness
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  #160: FOUNDER: Exporting African Music: Rights, Revenue, and Global Growth: Yoel Kenan 07.09.2026 1h 3m

  African music is growing globally, but the business behind that growth is still catching up.In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm speaks with Yoel Kenan, a longtime music executive and entrepreneur whose career has taken him from major-label roles at Universal and BMG to building businesses focused specifically on African music. After founding Africori and helping develop it into a significant distribution business, Yoel is now returning his attention to African music rights, catalog investment, and the wider opportunity around cultural entrepreneurship.Together, they unpack why the growth story of Sub-Saharan African music is more complicated than the headline numbers suggest. Yoel discusses the gap between huge levels of music consumption and comparatively low monetization, the role of telecom companies and streaming platforms, challenges around publishing and rights registration, and why missing contracts and unclear ownership can make catalog investment particularly difficult.From exporting African artists and songs to building stronger marketing systems, investing in catalogs whose audiences are still moving toward streaming, and supporting the next generation of cultural entrepreneurs, Yoel sees significant opportunity, but on a longer timeline than many investors expect.This is a candid conversation about patience, infrastructure, ownership, and what it will actually take for African music’s global momentum to become a stronger and more sustainable business.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #159: FOUNDER: Building the Infrastructure for Scalable Music Licensing: Chantal Epp 01.09.2026 46m

  Music is everywhere, but the systems for licensing it at scale are still remarkably fragmented.In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with Chantal Epp, founder of ClicknClear, to explore the hidden challenges and opportunities within music licensing. Chantal shares how her background in music and cheerleading led her to identify a licensing gap in choreographed sports, and how that insight evolved into a technology platform connecting music rights holders with businesses that want to use music legally.They discuss why licensing thousands of songs for a single sporting event cannot be handled one deal at a time, the complexity of securing rights for video-on-demand content, and why the music industry has struggled to monetize many of the markets already using its music.Chantal also opens up about the realities of building a music tech company over seven years, securing deals with every major record label and music publisher, raising capital as a sole founder, and staying lean while waiting for the market and licensing ecosystem to catch up.A conversation about music rights, technology, entrepreneurship, and the infrastructure needed to unlock new revenue across the music industry.If you want to learn more about ClicknClear:Website: https://www.clicknclear.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clicknclearmusic/LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/clicknclearmusicInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clicknclear_Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #158: FOUNDER: The Business of Artist Analytics in the Age of AI: Oskar Eichler 25.08.2026 48m

  Music is becoming increasingly data-driven, but having access to data is only the beginning.In this episode of Sound Connections, Oskar, founder of Songstats, joins Jakob to discuss the business of artist analytics, music technology, and the growing role of AI in how artists and music companies understand their data.Oskar shares his journey from building music-related tools as a young DJ and technologist to developing Songstats into a platform that brings data from streaming, social media, radio, playlists, and other sources together in one place.The conversation explores the challenges of turning music data into something artists can actually use, building a music tech company without outside investors, and developing a business model that combines artists with enterprise customers.Oskar also discusses the shift from dashboards and apps toward AI-powered interfaces, including Songstats' work allowing AI tools to interact directly with its data. The conversation looks at what this could mean for artist decision-making and the wider music ecosystem.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS. If you want to learn more about Songstats:Website: https://songstats.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/songstats/
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  #157: FOUNDER: The Reality of Building a Music Tech Business: Matt Urmy 19.08.2026 1h 7m

  Building music technology is often presented as a story of rapid growth. Matt’s journey with Artist Growth tells a very different story.In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob sits down with Matt Urmy, Founder of Artist Growth. He reflects on more than a decade of building software for the business side of music. What began as a product for independent artists eventually led him toward a deeper industry problem: management companies, labels, and agencies were still relying on spreadsheets, email, and disconnected systems to manage their operations.They explore the difficult shift from B2C to B2B, the challenges of raising capital before finding product-market fit, and what it takes to keep a company going through years of slow enterprise adoption.Matt also shares his perspective on building software in the age of AI, where developing products is becoming easier, but understanding customers, building reliable data infrastructure, and creating lasting value remain difficult.A grounded conversation about capital, technology, resilience, and the realities of building a company in music tech.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #156: FOUNDER: Reinventing the Tools Behind Music Creation: Casey Kolb 10.08.2026 57m

  Can music software become more powerful without making creativity feel less human?Casey Kolb, founder of Lunacy, joins Sound Connections to explore the changing world of audio plugins and what it takes to build tools that feel as inspiring visually as they sound.From his years as a film composer in Los Angeles to spending a year and a half programming Lunacy’s first flagship product, Cube, Casey shares the persistence behind turning a side project into a growing music tech company. We discuss product design, pricing, seasonal revenue, community building, fundraising, and why Lunacy has been careful to protect its creative independence while scaling.The conversation looks ahead to Nova and a future where creators can build and share their own plugins with AI assisting the code rather than replacing human creativity.Tune in for a thoughtful conversation on sound, technology, and what the next generation of music tools could become.
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  #155: FOUNDER: Inside the Next Generation of Music Companies: Aidan Schechter 13.07.2026 55m

  What happens when the future of the music business is built by small, agile companies instead of industry giants?In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with Aidan, CEO of Patchbay and Partner at 1916 Enterprises, to explore how music, technology, investment, and entrepreneurship are reshaping the industry's future.Aidan explains why independent music businesses are becoming more powerful, how AI is accelerating product development, and why the next generation of music companies will rely on collaboration rather than scale. From artist management and publishing to software and venture investing, he shares how small teams can now accomplish what once required entire enterprises.The conversation also explores data infrastructure, the changing economics of music, and why relationships remain the industry's greatest competitive advantage.Rather than replacing people, technology should remove administrative complexity; giving artists, managers, and executives more time to discover talent, build relationships, and create meaningful careers.If you're interested in music technology, AI, entrepreneurship, independent music, or the future of the creative economy, this episode is for you.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #154: EXIT: Building a Music Tech Company Before the Market Was Ready: Vijay Basrur 26.06.2026 1h 1m

  A missed CD delivery exposed a gap in India's music industry. That moment led Vijay to build OKListen, an independent music platform that spent more than a decade growing alongside a market that wasn't yet ready for it before ultimately being acquired by AWAL.In this episode of Sound Connections, Vijay shares what it was like to build a music tech company in one of the world's largest music markets while streaming, independent music, and consumer willingness to pay were still evolving. He reflects on bootstrapping the business, spending five years balancing a corporate career while keeping the company alive, and why patience became a competitive advantage.The conversation explores the realities of building music businesses in emerging markets, from raising capital and competing against global platforms to understanding when market timing matters more than execution. Vijay also discusses India's evolving independent music ecosystem, the economics behind music tech, and why founders often need conviction long before the market validates their ideas.If you're interested in music technology, entrepreneurship, emerging markets, or the business of music, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what it takes to build for the long term.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #153: FOUNDER: AI Is Rewriting the Business of Music Software: Noam Levinberg 11.06.2026 57m

  Are traditional music production tools entering their last era?Noam Levinberg, founder of Safari Audio, believes the future of music creation may look very different from the world producers know today.In this episode, we explore the rapid impact of AI on music software, why traditional plugin businesses are being challenged, and how the next generation of creators may never adopt the workflows that defined the last 30 years of music production.Noam shares the story behind Safari Audio, a bootstrapped company that has grown to more than 170,000 users by building creative, unconventional tools for music producers. We discuss startup building, product-market fit, software distribution, customer loyalty, and the difficult challenge of staying relevant in a market changing faster than ever before.Whether you're a music producer, founder, engineer, or music technology enthusiast, this episode offers valuable insight into the future of creative tools and entrepreneurship.Subscribe for more real conversations on music, startups, and innovation.
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  #152: FOUNDER: The Metadata Problem Costing Creators Millions: Niclas Molinder 01.06.2026 1h

  What happens when creators make music, but the industry does not know who to pay?In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with Niclas Molinder, songwriter, producer, founder of Session, and one of the music industry's leading advocates for creator rights.Niclas shares how missing rights data continues to cost creators credits, royalties, and recognition, and why solving this problem has become his life's work. He explains how Session was built to capture metadata directly during the creative process, why industry legends Björn Ulvaeus and Max Martin joined the mission, and what it takes to build a company around one of music's least glamorous but most important challenges.The conversation also explores Session's journey into Salt, the realities of founder-led innovation, and the broader education efforts behind the Music Rights Awareness Foundation and Clip.If you're curious about how the music business really works, this episode offers valuable insights into the systems that determine who gets credited, who gets paid, and why that still matters more than ever.Listen now and join the conversation.If you want to learn more about Session visit here: - Website: https://www.sessionstudio.com/ - Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/SessionCredit?_rdc=1&_rdr# - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sessioncredit/
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  #151: EXPERT: The Business Model Independent Music Is Missing: Thierry Ascarez 11.05.2026 44m

  Streaming changed music, but it did not solve the business problem for most independent artists.In this episode of Sound Connections, we welcome Thierry Ascarez, Chief Business Officer at Winamp, to discuss how the company is reimagining its role in the music industry after nearly three decades of history.From its origins as the iconic MP3 player that helped define the early internet music era, Winamp is now building a platform designed to help artists monetize, manage, and control their careers beyond streaming. Thierry walks through the company’s journey across audio streaming, radio technology, advertising, acquisitions, public markets, and the decision to return Winamp to the center of the group’s strategy.Together, Jakob and Thierry explore why independent artists increasingly need to think like entrepreneurs, how direct fan relationships can create new revenue, and why owning data, websites, and monetization tools matters in today’s music economy.The episode also takes a candid look at music tech as a difficult but necessary space to build in. Thierry reflects on patience, resilience, investor expectations, and the belief that meaningful innovation in music still needs people willing to stay the course.Tune in for insight into the future of artist tools, music business infrastructure, and the next chapter of Winamp. If you want to learn more about Winamp, visit here: www.winamp.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/winamp/https://www.facebook.com/Winamphttps://www.instagram.com/winampforcreators/Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.
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  #150: EXPERT: From Fan Economy to Artist Economy: John Lister 04.05.2026 46m

  Most music platforms are built for listeners. This one is built for creators.In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with John Lister, Head of Community at Rap Fame, to explore how a global rap platform is reshaping music creation, discovery, and artist communities.From recording directly on a phone to joining crews, entering competitions, and exchanging real-time feedback, Rap Fame turns music creation into a shared process. Artists don’t just upload music; they grow through each other.What we cover in this episode:How peer feedback influences modern music creationWhy artist-to-artist communities drive deeper engagementThe role of competitions and recognition in creator growthHow platforms like Rap Fame support independent artistsAt its core, this conversation explores a shift: when artists support, challenge, and learn from each other, entirely new paths for growth, monetization, and creativity begin to emerge.If you're building in music, working on a creator platform, or thinking about the future of music technology, this episode offers a grounded look at what’s actually working today.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.If you want to learn more about Rap Fame visit:Website: https://www.raptech.co/Linkedin: / rap-tech-studios-ltd-rap-fame-appInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rapfame_app...Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rapfame_app?_...
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  #149: FOUNDER: Turning Cultural Gaps into a Streaming Business: Faraan Irfan 27.04.2026 53m

  What does it take to build a music streaming service around culture, access, and long-term value?In this episode of Sound Connections, we sit down with Faraan Irfan, Founder and CEO of Saarey Music, to unpack how he’s solving one of music’s biggest access problems.Saarey is a streaming platform dedicated to South Asian classical music, built on exclusive rights, deep cultural metadata, and a business model that challenges traditional streaming economics. With strong engagement and global users, the platform is proving that underserved genres can become powerful digital businesses.Faraan shares his journey from personal frustration as a listener to building a company that works directly with artists, preserves rare recordings, and creates meaningful access for a global audience.A grounded, honest conversation on building in music tech beyond the mainstream.If you want to learn more about Saarey music: Socials: Saarey website: https://www.saareymusic.comSaarey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saarey/Saarey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saareymusicSaarey Insta: https://www.instagram.com/saareymusic
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  #148: FOUNDER: The Rise of Functional Music in Wellness Spaces: Freddie Moross 30.03.2026 42m

  Freddie Moross, founder of Myndstream, joins Sound Connections to unpack the growing role of functional music in wellness, hospitality, and care environments.This conversation explores how intentional audio can shape experiences inside spas, hotels, and treatment spaces, and why music should be treated as infrastructure rather than background noise. Freddie explains how soundtracks can guide guest journeys, influence emotional outcomes, and help wellness spaces create more meaningful environments.We also discuss the economics behind the global wellness industry and why wellness-focused consumers represent one of the fastest growing and most engaged segments in hospitality.Along the way, Freddie shares lessons from building a music technology startup in a niche category, including the advantages of starting with owned assets, the challenges of licensing and distribution, and what it takes to scale a focused product in a complex industry.Now live on Sound Connections Podcast.[Links in bio]Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.