Welcome to Stay Independent - a space to find tangible and actionable ways to grow your independent artist career.
Join us as we deep dive into music industry secrets with independent artists, tastemakers, and industry leaders. Hosted by Kirk Brandenburg, founder and director of Know Name, a music media company based out of Nashville that helps artists all over the country grow independent careers.
What Walker Burroughs Found that American Idol Couldn't Give Him
Today we're sitting down with Walker Burroughs to talk about his journey as an artist - from feeling miserable after appearing on American Idol to being fulfilled as an artist today.
Follow Walker Burroughs:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/walkerburroughs/)
TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@walkerburroughs)
Timestamps:
0:00 - Walker's experience on American Idol
6:45 - "Who are you" conversation and finding fulfillment
20:00 - Finding out what makes you "you" as an artist and a person
30:20 - Why did you become a musician?
33:51 - New music and inspiration
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17 Nov 2025
Reacting to Tyson Ritter's Indie Artist Videos
You might know The All-American Rejects most recently from their viral House Party Tour and opening for the Jonas Brothers' stadium tour this year. What's fascinating is how Tyson's been speaking out about the independent artist grind lately.
While major label artists are struggling with traditional models, he's been vocal about new approaches to building sustainable careers in music.
The perspective from someone who's seen both sides of the industry? That's what I want to dig into today.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:00 – NPR Clip
5:04 - Commerce and art clip
11:21 - Pardon My Take clip
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10 Nov 2025
"I Was On The Voice - What Now?"
So you've built up a pretty big following on Instagram and TikTok - what's next? Today we're sitting down with Kate Cosentino to talk about her approach to content strategy and what to do once you've built up an audience on social media.
Interested in your own artist content strategy audit? Take our Brand Archetype Quiz (5 min) then schedule a time here: https://know-name.involve.me/artist-brand-archetype-quiz
Follow Kate Cosentino:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katemcosentino
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3J9oPSOtWiwtitCxyKWD1v?si=hlhkcRIzTESLHmI5oaWsmg&nd=1&dlsi=1404aea101214007
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@katemcosentino
Timestamps:
0:00 - How You've Been Doing on Social Media
6:58 – Goals For The Future
10:00 – Content Strategy Discussion
21:50 – Core Principles of Content
37:30 – 1,000 Loyal Fans and Brand Positioning
52:43 – Content Format Examples
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3 Nov 2025
5 Lies the Music Industry Tells Moms
Today we're sitting down with Emily Rose to debunk some of the biggest myths about being a mom and having a career in the music industry.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:41 – Lie Number 1
4:33 - Lie Number 2
10:25 - Lie Number 3
15:23 - Lie Number 4
23:02 - Lie Number 5
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20 Oct 2025
How Do New Artists Find an Audience?
It can feel virtually impossible to find an audience starting out as an independent artist. So today we're sitting down with Rachel Rose to talk about leveraging different content formats on Instagram and TikTok to connect with an audience.
Interested in your own artist content strategy audit? Take our Brand Archetype Quiz (5 min) then schedule a time here: https://know-name.involve.me/artist-brand-archetype-quiz
Follow Rachel Rose:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rachelrosemusic
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/3zkvyeL7lN2eqIzfW1fFfK
Timestamps:
0:00 - Moving to Nashville
3:00 – Exploring Her Music and Branding
29:42 - Exploring Content Formats on Social Media
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13 Oct 2025
"Why Aren't My Social Media Posts Getting Views?"
Ever wonder why your posts on TikTok and Instagram aren't getting the traction you're hoping for? Today we're sitting down with Aisley Autumn to talk about leveling-up your social media posts to connect with your audience - no matter what size that might be.
Interested in your own artist content strategy audit? Take our Brand Archetype Quiz (5 min) then schedule a time here: https://know-name.involve.me/artist-brand-archetype-quiz
Follow Aisley Autumn:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aisleyautumn
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@aisleyautumn
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/06BUhgwXbee2peKgy5RmYF?si=0uz7FqWgRvCezRi3SWQt3g&nd=1&dlsi=eef01e8eec384866
Timestamps:
0:00 - Trying Different Trends on Instagram/TikTok
5:59 – Purple Cow Approach and Connecting with Your Audience
14:57 - Exploring Her Branding and Inspirations
36:52 - Exploring Content Formats on Social Media
6 Oct 2025
How Do I Market My Music with No Money?
Today we're starting a new series with our first guest Menna. Kirk and Menna sit down to discuss her music and branding, and explore different ways to communicate those through her social media.
Follow Menna on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mennanation
Listen to Menna on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kLvMAFanr3jQ7iuciSCuM?si=fWAqBLPKTYuqd07QCsghsg
Timestamps:
0:00 - 20 Songs and No Budget for Promotion
4:10 – What are You Trying to Say with Your Music?
8:04 - Philosophy Behind Your Branding
24:27 - What's Your New Music About?
32:10 - Translating Your Story to TikTok
39:18 - Exploring Content Formats on Social Media
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29 Sept 2025
3 Ways Creatives Can Avoid Burnout
Creative burnout is difficult to navigate, especially in the music industry. So today, we're talking with Nashville songwriter Allison Morris about 3 specific ways that creatives can avoid burnout.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Burnout in the Music Industry
4:08 – Step 1
15:39 - Step 2
26:40 - Step 3
32:09 - Final thoughts
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15 Sept 2025
Why Artists HATE Networking (Is There Another Way?)
Why do we all hate networking, yet are constantly being told to network to thrive in the music industry? Our guest today is Mark Maxwell, author of "Networking Kills: Success Through Serving" - and we're defining what success in the music industry looks like, and breaking down a better alternative to networking.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Defining Success in the Music Industry
2:38 - The Problem with Networking
5:50 - Redefining Success for Artists
13:46 - Overcoming Scarcity Mindset
20:43 - A Better Alternative to Networking
29:36 - The Importance of Craft and Creativity
33:42 - Building Lasting Relationships in Music
37:13 - Artists That Have Done It Well
44:36 - The Heart of Service in Music
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25 Aug 2025
5 Branding Mistakes That New Artists Make
Today we're walking through the top 5 most common branding mistakes made by new artists. Our guest today is James Muriel, a brand consultant who comes from the branding agency world in London and worked on CeCe Winans' Grammy Award Winning Album “Let Them Fall in Love.”
Timestamps:
0:00 - Why Branding Matters
5:03 - Defining Brand and Brand Positioning
13:26 - Red Bull Branding
16:37 - Branding Mistake Number 1
23:59 - Branding Mistake Number 2
35:05 - Branding Mistake Number 3
39:05 - Branding Mistake Number 4
50:05 - Branding Mistake Number 5
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18 Aug 2025
How to Make Your First $100,000 on Social Media
Today we're walking through how to scale from $0 to $100,000 per year on social media as an artist. To help us navigate this journey, our guest is a talent manager for 30 content creators with a combined 4 million followers. She specializes in managing micro-influencers and turning their platforms into profitable businesses.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:44 - Starting from $0 on social media
10:07 - Making $10k from social media
23:08 - Making $50k
31:04 - Making $100k
40:55 - Revenue streams for creators
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11 Aug 2025
Year 1 vs Year 10 of Being an Indie Artist (with Spencer Crandall)
Today we're sitting down with Spencer Crandall as he enters his 10th year as an independent artist - currently with over 500 million streams and more than 3 million followers on TikTok. We're walking through Year 1 to Year 10 of his career to learn how he got to where he is now, and how you can use his strategies to level-up your career as an artist today.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
2:17 - Year 1
14:11 - Year 3
22:27 - Year 5
37:50 - Year 10
49:48 - How Do You Spend Your Time?
51:22 - Revenue Percentages
55:07 - Tips for New Artists
58:58 - Streaming Revenue
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4 Aug 2025
The Secret Way Artists Make BANK
Let's talk about one of the strategies that artists use to make some serious money that you might not know - sync licensing. Today we're diving into the world of sync licensing and exploring its significance as a growing revenue stream for independent artists. What do these deals look like, and how can artists leverage them in their careers?
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:58 - Understanding Revenue Streams in Sync Licensing
8:53 - How Artists Can Break Into the Sync World
12:48 - What Do Sync Deals Look Like?
24:39 - What Makes an Artist Better to Work With
28:38 - How to Look for Sync Libraries
31:04 - Movie Trailers and Sound Design
37:45 - Different Sync Libraries
45:26 - The Impact of AI on Sync Licensing
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28 Jul 2025
What He Learned From Playing 800 Shows
Nordista Freeze has played more than 850 shows as an independent artist - and he's aiming for at least 1,000 soon. So today we're talking about the importance of live performance in today's music industry, and what it looks like to build community and impact culture through music.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
03:34 - The Road to 1000 Shows and the Importance of Live Shows
9:45 - The Secret to Self-Touring
17:26 - How to Make an Unforgettable Live Show
21:45 - Impacting Culture Through Music
25:33 - Space Prom
34:38 - How to Build a Touring Base in a New Market
38:57 - Strategies for Touring Success
44:30 - The Benefits of Staying Independent
48:20 - What Does Your Schedule Look Like?
21 Jul 2025
The Spotify Executive Who Changed Country Music Forever
Meet the man who has helped change the country music landscape over the last several decades. Today we're sitting down with the legendary music industry expert John Marks, whose 55-year career spans terrestrial radio, SiriusXM, Spotify, and helping launch country artists like Florida Georgia Line and Kelsea Ballerini. Join us as we dive into what it takes for artists to stay independent and succeed today.
Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
2:35 – Reflections on a 55‑year career in music
7:52 – How has the music industry changed over your career?
12:44 – What artists need to stand out in 2025
16:38 – How Florida Georgia Line became successful
20:28 – What are you looking for in artists to give them a shot?
33:47 – How do you identify a good song?
37:32 – Dealing with change in the music industry
45:00 – The unique problem of Nashville
48:49 – How to encourage artists to take chances
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14 Jul 2025
Why He Just Turned Down a $250k Record Deal (with Canaan Cox)
Canaan Cox recently turned down a $250,000 record deal - something he never would've imagined doing when he first started on his journey to become a successful independent artist. So why did he do it? And how did he amass over 120 million career streams on Spotify? Today, we sit down with Canaan to talk about turning down label offers, building a sustainable career, and what it really means to be an independent artist today.
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro
01:38 - Why Canaan turned down this label deal?
12:37 - What it would actually take to sign a deal?
16:02 - What gives him the confidence to turn it down?
21:46 - Turning point in Canaan's career
27:00 - What does a week in his life looks like?
33:50 - How he splits time with music, touring, and social media
43:00 - What makes his music videos so good
46:10 - The importance of resourcefulness as an independent artist
50:47 - How would your career look if you weren't independent?
57:36 - Why does independent artistry keep growing in 2025?
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27 Jun 2025
Introducing "Stay Independent"
Host Kirk Brandenburg introduces "Stay Independent," a podcast offering actionable strategies for artists to cultivate successful independent music careers.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 26 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
33
Social presence
94
YouTube
0
Engagement
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