The FM Podcast | Episode 20 - Publicity + Radio Promo (Wild Card Episode!) with Geoff Goddard

EPISODE 20

OK so brace yourself because things are gonna be a little crazy this week! First of all, I have to let you know that this week’s show is the final episode of Season 1 of The FM Podcast and we’ll be back with Season 2 in a couple of months. 

Make sure that you stay subscribed to the podcast though because we’ll be sending out updates and letting you know when we’ll be back. 

So, our guest on the show this week is someone who I’ve known for a long time - Geoff Goddard - who is a managing partner at The Frontside Group. And when I asked Geoff to be on the show to talk about Radio Promo - he thought it might be fun to switch things up a bit + do a kind of a Wild Card episode where he interviews me instead of me interviewing him. And what we ended up with is a little bit of both. This is more of a conversation about what we’ve both learned in the business after 20 years than it is about publicity or radio promo specifically, but hopefully you’ll enjoy it + learn something new!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 19 - Mental Health Resources For Musicians with Amanda Power

EPISODE 19

This week on the show we’re discussing a topic that has become increasingly important over the last year - Mental Health Resources for Musicians. And joining me on the show is the Executive Director of the Unison Benevolent Fund - Amanda Power.

Unison is a non-profit, registered music industry charity that provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community. They help professional music makers in times of hardship, illness or economic difficulties.

We are so lucky to have an organization like this in Canada, especially over the last year and Amanda and I had a great discussion about how the pandemic has affected the music industry, how musicians and those that work in the music industry can get mental health assistance, and she shares some tips to help with our mental health well-being.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 18 - Indie Artist DIY with Kaeley Jade

EPISODE 18

This week on the show we’re going to talk about how indie artists have to DIY it at the beginning of their career which can seem like A LOT when you’re just starting out! And joining me on the show is Edmonton indie pop musician Kaeley Jade. When Kaeley released her 1st single a couple of years ago, she immersed herself in the music industry and began learning all aspects of the business.

I met her earlier this year when she started working with Fritz Media and I was so impressed with how much she was doing herself and how well she was doing it, so she seemed like the perfect person to talk to about how to DIY it. And I’m sure she’ll have some really good tips for you!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 17 - Rights + Revenue Streams with Rebecca Webster

EPISODE 17

This week on the show we talk about Rights and Revenue Streams for musicians and joining me on the show is Rebecca Webster who is the  Director of Industry Relations & Communications at the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency ( or the CMRRA). And before Rebecca joined the CMRRA in 2019, she was actually a fellow independent music publicist like me, and she ran highly-respected music public relations company Webster Media Consulting Inc. for ten years. 

Music Rights and Royalties is probably one of the most confusing parts of the music industry (even for me!), and Rebecca and I had a great talk about where musicians can get started, find resources, and how the CMRRA can help - so get ready for some really good tips!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 16 - COVID vs Summer Music Festivals with Debbi Salmonsen

EPISODE 16

The topic of this week’s episode is COVID vs Summer Music Festivals and joining me on the show is the Artistic Executive Director of the Vancouver Folk Music Festival - Debbi Salmonsen. We all know that things have been extremely difficult for the live music industry over the past year and Debbi and I discuss how the Vancouver Folk Fest adjusted their plans in 2020 + 2021 and how she thinks things will look for all music festivals in the future.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 15 - Branding + Content Creation with Brandon William Fletcher

EPISODE 15

We all know that Branding is something that is very important for musicians. It’s one of those things that can feel like just one more thing to add to the list of all of things you have to do as a musician in 2021, but it is one of the most important parts of being a musician. Figuring out who you are as a musician and how you’re going to express that to the world, as an extension of your music, should be one of the first things you do in your music career.

So the topic of this week’s episode is Branding and Content Creation and joining me on the show is Brandon William Fletcher. Brandon is a Vancouver based art director and filmmaker and he runs his own Creative Studio called Faked Potatoes. His images and work have been commissioned by a wide range of clients including M83, Manila Grey, James Reid, Scott Helman, Warner Music Group, Universal Music, and Blonde Diamond. He’s also a Board Member at Music BC and he recently made the Long List for the 2021 Prism Prize for "Best Music Video of the Year".

Brandon and I had a great chat and I hope you enjoy it!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 14 - Social Activism in Music with Neon Empty

EPISODE 14

So this week’s show is all about Social Activism in Music + joining me on the show is Vancouver rapper Neon Empty (aka Bryce Lokken) who just released a single last week called 'Red Lives Don't' a song that he describes as “an expression of frustration and disgust with white Canada’s hypocrisy about racial inequality during the summer 2020 - the summer of Black Lives Matter.”

Neon Empty, who is Métis, uses shocking language on 'Red Lives Don't' to get people’s attention in order to highlight a very important problem that we have in Canada - anti-Indigenous racism. He uses it to be heard in the same way that Black Lives Matter activists use "Defund The Police”.

And to quote Neon Empty: “This song is a callout to Canada's hypocrisy. You can't tackle systemic racism in Canada without addressing our deepest-rooted, bloodiest, most vulgar problem: the hatred of Indigenous people and our constant attempt to silence, destroy, and minimize those who look like my grandmother.” His grandmother, by the way, is a residential school survivor + we’ll get into that during the interview.

This is a really great chat + just a heads-up that there are a few more f-bombs than usual in this episode, so it’s probably not suitable for work or around the kids, etc. I hope you enjoy it!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 13 - How To Be A Better Singer with Greg Barker

EPISODE 13

This week's show is all about singing, which is something I pretty much have ZERO experience in. And joining me on the show is someone who thankfully knows more about singing than I do - Greg Barker - who is one of the founders of Singdaptive. Greg is going to tell us all about Singdaptive, which is a multi-instructor online learning platform for singer-musicians. As well as his new venture - Exchangely which is  asynchronous + team-based 1-on-1 coaching for singers.

So if you’ve been sitting at home during the pandemic wondering how you could become a better singer, this is definitely the show for you! 

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 12 - Social Strategy + Digital Ads with Phoenix Bain

EPISODE 12

Social media is something that most musicians struggle with. Both on the organic side - that is, creating content for all of their social channels each week - and on the social advertising side.

It’s something that we see our clients struggle with here at Fritz Media which is why we added additional services last year, including social media strategy + digital advertising. And joining us on the show this week is one of our very own digital strategists here at Fritz Media - Phoenix Bain!

Phoenix has over 8 years of experience in digital ads management, social media marketing, email marketing, event planning and execution, and grant writing in the non-profit and for-profit sector. She’s been an incredible addition to the Fritz Media team, creating amazing social media strategy + advertising plans for our clients, + she shares some of her secrets with us, including lots of social media tips + tricks for musicians.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 11 - Pivoting + Touring with Grant Paley

EPISODE 11

The COVID pandemic has not been great for the music industry and I think it’s fair to say that the live sector of the industry has been hit the hardest. In fact, since March of last year the live music industry in Canada has suffered a 92% average revenue loss + 64% of the industry is at risk of permanent closure which is scary for all of us because the live sector is the backbone of our business.

So the topic of this week’s episode is Pivoting and Touring and joining me on the show is Grant Paley. Grant is a music industry veteran with over 10 years experience in the business. He started out as a musician, as the frontman & DJ of Moses Mays, and after a decade of touring, he transitioned to behind the scenes + became a music agent and he's never looked back. Grant spent 12 years at Paquin Artists Agency where he developed his own unique roster of live and electronic acts, and he left last year to co-found Midnight Agency with Nick Middleton (who you might know from The Funk Hunters and Westwood Recordings), which is launching this week!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 10 - Music Journalism In The Digital Age with Sajae Elder

EPISODE 10

So a few weeks ago we did an episode about the state of music journalism in Canada + I talked to Mike Devlin who is an arts reporter for the Victoria Times-Colonist. And this week’s episode is sort of a Music Journalism in Canada Part 2 episode, where we take a look at music journalism in the digital age + explore the online side of things since we mostly discussed music journalism at traditional media outlets on Mike’s episode. 

And joining me this week is Sajae Elder who is a Toronto-based culture writer + content creator for The Fader, Complex, Vice, Buzzfeed + many others. Sajae + I discuss what music journalism looks like in the online space in 2021, whether music journalism is still relevant, and what it’s like to be a Black woman working as a culture journalist in Canada.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 9 - Artist Management with Savannah Wellman

EPISODE 9

The theme of this week’s episode is Artist Management + I talk to Savannah Wellman from Tiny Kingdom Music. 

Savannah runs Tiny Kingdom with her business partner and best friend Meagan Davidson + their company not only manages musicians but they also do grant writing and they recently started their own record label which just released ‘Boxes’ - the killer collab from Vancouver musicians  IAMTHELIVING + Teon Gibbs. 

Savannah’s experiences in the music industry have seen her on both sides of the curtain. Her journey included a degree in music, followed by years of performing + touring in various projects, and continued at Music BC where she was the project manager for artist development initiatives including the PEAK Performance Project. 

Savannah + I had a great chat about what it’s like to be managing artists in 2021 + how her business has been affected by the COVID pandemic 

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 8 - Starting Out In The Music Industry with Bukola

EPISODE 8

On this week’s episode I talk to Vancouver musician + Fritz Media client Bukola about what it’s like to be starting out your career as an artist in the music industry right now. Bukola is releasing her debut EP Chronicles of a Teenage Mind this summer + her first single/video is coming out this Friday (March 19th)! 

Bukola is only 19 years old but she’s been pursuing her dreams of becoming a professional musician since she was 9 and has been building momentum ever since! In fact, the CBC recently named her as one of the Top 10 Soulful Female Artists in the 2020 CBC Searchlight competition! Bukola calls her musical style Acoustic Soul - blending contemporary R&B and Jazz music to create her own soulful sound. 

She's been deeply influenced by artists such as India Arie, Daniel Caesar and H.E.R. and with the amount that she’s already accomplished at such a young age, I’m sure she’ll be the one influencing artists in the future!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 7 - Patreon / Recurring Income Streams with Tyler Bancroft

EPISODE 7

So it’s now officially a full year since we’ve been living with the COVID pandemic + it obviously has had a very detrimental effect on the music industry. It’s affected everyone in the business, from record labels to booking agents to managers to promoters to publicity companies like mine, and of course, the musicians themselves. Everyone has had to pivot to figure out different ways to bring income in.

Many musicians are trying different things to see what works, like ticketed live streams + some artists are dipping their toes into recurring revenue streams + trying subscription models like Patreon. And one of those bands is Vancouver band + provider of The FM Podcast theme music - Said The Whale! And our guest on the show this week is Tyler Bancroft. Tyler is the vocalist/guitarist for Said the Whale + he also runs Be Good artist management, which manages acts like Titus Bank + Big Kill, along with his own band Said the Whale. Tyler + I discuss their recent launch of a Said The Whale Patreon page for their fans + what they’re doing to find recurring + sustainable income for the band during this crazy time.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 6 - The State of Music Journalism with Mike Devlin

EPISODE 6

When I started working as a publicist in the music industry, my job was a lot different that it is now. When I started, there were fewer outlets to pitch for coverage because music blogs were barely a thing AND there were local music writers at nearly every print newspaper across Canada. Which is crazy to think about now, but that's how it was.

And out of all of those journalists that I used to call up on the phone, there are not very many that are still working in the industry in the same capacity. Some are out of the business completely, some have started their own online publications, and a very limited few are still in the exact same place. And one of those people is my guest on the show this week - Mike Devlin! Mike is an arts reporter at the Times Colonist in Victoria, BC. That's where he was when I started in the biz, and that's where he remains to this day. Mike and I discuss the State of Music Journalism in 2021 - how much things have changed, and what the future looks like for music criticism.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 5 - Grants + Funding with Erin Kinghorn

EPISODE 5

Here in Canada we are lucky to have a lot of different options for funding our arts projects. And the music industry in particular has an incredible national foundation called FACTOR which is a public/private partnership that supports the production of sound recordings by Canadian musicians and helps Canadian music companies make recordings available to a wider public. We also have funding available through our Music Industry Associations (MIAs) in each province and territory, and some provinces also have additional funding available through organizations that offer funding to all creative industries (like Creative BC + Ontario Creates). And there's many other options as well. Like I said, we're very lucky! This week on the show Jen talks to Erin Kinghorn. Erin runs eEK! Productions - a Toronto-based marketing, production management and grant administration company, AND she’s also a partner in Digital Promotions Group. Erin tells us all about how to navigate the music funding system here in Canada and has some good tips for musicians who haven't written a grant before.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher

The FM Podcast | Episode 4 - Diversity + Education with D.O. Gibson

EPISODE 4

Although things are moving in the right direction, the lack of diversity in the Canadian music industry is still a problem, not just for the artists trying to gain access but for those that work within the industry as well. This week on the show we discuss diversity + education in the music industry. Jen talks to rapper, motivational speaker, and author, D.O. Gibson, about how he is creating change within our industry. We discuss his conference - The Northern Power Summit - and their upcoming event Black 365, his school outreach program Stay Driven, and, of course, his music!

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The FM Podcast | Episode 3 - Lessons Learned with Ryland Moranz

EPISODE 3

When you choose to have a career in music, you often end up wearing a lot of different hats + learn about many different aspects of the business. And Alberta-based singer-songwriter Ryland Moranz is definitely an artist that knows all about this. Ryland releases his own music as a solo musician, is a part of Leeroy Stagger's band The Rebeltone Sound + he's even worked as a tour manager. Jen talks to Ryland about his experiences in wearing all of these hats, to see if he could share some of the lessons that he's learned in the process.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

The FM Podcast | Episode 2 - Pivoting + Live Streaming with Dan Mangan

EPISODE 2

The COVID pandemic has had a huge effect on the music industry + without live shows, many artists + businesses have had to pivot in order to stay afloat in the last year. And who better to talk to about pivoting than Vancouver indie musician Dan Mangan. Dan is not just an artist, he's also the co-owner of Side Door Access, a business that Dan describes as "Airbnb but for shows" + they obviously had to pivot big time last year + have become a lucrative + solid platform for musicians to do ticketed live stream shows. Jen talks to Dan about how his music career has been affected by the pandemic + how Side Door Access turned lemons into lemonade by skillfully pivoting their business.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

The FM Podcast | Episode 1 - Digital Marketing with Danielle McNeill

EPISODE 1

For the very first episode of The FM Podcast, Jen talks to digital marketer Danielle McNeill. Danielle is the lead digital strategist at Fritz Media + also runs her own digital marketing firm, The Social Circle. Great conversation about how to navigate social media as a musician in 2021!

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts