February 20, 2026 • 35 mins
On this week's Friday episode Yamaha Music's Chris Gero joins Steve Baltin to discuss the gear company's support of young artists and what they look for in artists they work with. This is a must listen for any artist.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Hey, the Steve bolved and how's it going.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
So On this week's Friday episode of In Service of
I sit down with yamaham Music's Chris Guerrow talk about
what he looks for the artists that they work with.
At Yamaha, one of, if not the largest instrument companies,
they have an incredible program support young artists, and we
(00:30):
talk about what they look for, what he looks for
the relationship he has with artists both it's huge like
Elton John and up and coming artists, and how gear
companies have become one of the biggest support systems of
young artists at this point in time because they understand
(00:50):
it quite simply, they need new musicians to be playing
instruments to keep going. So really fun talk with Grants,
who I've known for a while. Hope enjoyed this one
as much as I did, and hope you learn a
lot from it because of the valuable valuable resource for artists.
(01:24):
September to fall or September to like April, it is
your busiest time.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
So tell me about nam this year. You know, it's
funny for people who aren't so familiar. So basically what
this podcast, we're kind of doing, you know, and you
and I have talked so much about artists discovery anyway,
And it's funny. Before this, I was on a call
with the new artist, really cool young La artist and Iziamo,
and I've kind of become a mentor to just all
these artists because literally no one else will talk to them,
(01:51):
yeah you know, And I'm like sure, I mean it
doesn't you know, it doesn't hurt me to spend time
talking to them, you know. And it's like, so the
idea of this was I already had this podcast that
have talks to huge names. I was like, well why
not bringing you know, an element of the show is
called inservice of have there been an element of inservice
(02:12):
up to their artists too, because they just don't know
where to go?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah? Yeah, do you get do you get that a lot?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, especially with like you know, I mean, press in
twenty twenty five is nonexistent, and most journalists are idiots.
They have no idea what they're doing. They can't even
put together a fucking sentence. Yeah, you know, I mean,
so I was telling her about, like, you know, the
gear companies have such great artists development programs because simply
(02:43):
as you and I have talked about, you need to.
If there's not new artists, there's no you know, the
gear companies are dead.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's very very true. There there is.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
You know, the way that talent is discovered, you know
now has changed so dramatically, and and the for me,
I kind of troll social media to keep current as
(03:19):
to what's out there, and and I don't really follow
too much the label uh sorry thing just went off.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
The the uh the why did that go off?
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (03:37):
I see, I don't follow really kind of the the
the label uh patterns. Uh, I follow you know what,
who's out there and and you know who's doing what
and really kind of regardless of their of their numbers.
But but we have two two types of artists you know,
(04:00):
on on the roster, and it is well three types.
It is the really big superstars that are and generally
most of them are you know, over fifty, and then
we have really kind of the you know, kind of
the current level you know everyday musician artists that are
(04:26):
you know, that are just out there doing it, and
then the then the emerging talent. And right now where
we spend a significant amount of time is in is
in the top tier because they require a lot of management.
And then in the emerging talent. So I I every
single day look at who's out there playing, and you know,
(04:51):
and I'm happy to say that, you know, there are
significant amount of unknown artists, you know, that are really
significantly talented, that you know, have no traction at all.
Nobody knows who they are or or they have millions
of followers, you know, you know and and you know
(05:15):
and a and a really you know, comprehensive uh you
know program going on for them. But that doesn't mean
that they're like necessarily like you know, everybody under the
sun knows who they are, so you know, that's kind of.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
How we we do it. That's kind of how I
do it anyway.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
And and when I see somebody I like, I I
you know, I'm not a critic. I don't want one
of the one of the I think one of the
pitfalls in in what I like, Uh I don't. I'm
(05:53):
I'm very uh uh critical of being critical of somebody
else's music.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
That's why I don't typically.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Like I've been asked to, you know, give feedback on
you know, on programs before.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Of other people's music.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
I don't do that, particularly because I don't. If I
knew exactly what made something amazing other than my own
taste of what I think.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I like, I would be a billionaire. You know.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
It just doesn't it doesn't work like that. When when
Taylor Swift was brought to me when she was twelve
years old, I turned it down because the Taylor Swift
of what she became is not the same Taylor Swift
at twelve years old. And my sensibility of what I
feel is good is just different. And and that happens,
(06:51):
and you know, obviously I didn't see that, and nor
did a lot of other people in this town, you know.
And so so it's kind of an interesting way. What
typically happened for many, many years would be we'd get
contacted by a label or contacted by a manager or
(07:12):
a lawyer what have you, saying that I have this
artist I would like you to, you know, have a
look at and and you know, but now none of
that really exists in the same way.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah. No, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I've had a lot of artists just contact me directly,
and I feel like that's very effective.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And we do get that. We do
get that. You know, there's there's to be honest with
you, it's actually kind of funny.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
There's there's I'm a pretty shy person by nature in
a business that I have no business being shy, and
especially you know, for what I do for a living
in the position that I'm in. And I I I typically,
like I get my email is full every day of
people hitting me up with stuff, and and and there's
(08:04):
this one particular very talented young lady who is like
just been blowing me up, like straight up. And she's
super talented, but she's already you know, she's already an
established artist, and and you know, and I I kind
of freeze in the moment because I I don't.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Typically what happens is they.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
They either want my personal time or they want you know,
yamaha to you know, to either pay them or some
kind of you know, uh, you know, some kind of
you know interaction that you know that that that will
require an investment on our time. And so I I
(08:50):
get that every single day. I get it, you know,
and my my my team gets it every single day.
And and so I try to really limit my ability
to that.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Only because.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
You know, we have very finite budgets and you know,
and we can only take on so much in a year,
and you know, and and it's really very very difficult
to make any kind of commitments other than what direct
and this is a corporate thing, but what the initiative
is directly from the company, and how that is going
(09:27):
to input impact what you know, what that looks like
for the brand and making sure that all the pieces,
like with that artist in tof all kind of fit together.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean it's funny.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I definitely am not shy, but you know, I also
don't go actually out so listening. But it's really funny
because like, for example, I found this Dutch artist by
the name of Isabelle van Gelder and I just found
her on Instagram and I was like, this is amazing,
reached out to her her first American interview. We became friends.
(10:02):
But then I had an artist by the name of
isy Escobar reach out to me and say, well, I
never would have thought you would do a story with
a new artist, but you know, I saw your piece
with Isabelle, can you, you know, check out my stuff?
And I was like, sure, it doesn't hurt anything to
listen to it. I put it on. She reminded me
of Adele. She's blowing up huge, She's gonna be massive,
(10:23):
And I mean, you know, it's interesting. Like again, artists
now have to be so much more, they have to
be so much more direct, and they have to be
so much more you know, in charge of stuff. And
you know, again, if it's done well, it can work
out really well. But for me, I love discovering new
artists who are going to like blow up.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
You know, yeah, yeah, same same.
Speaker 6 (10:46):
I just I there's there's a lot to my job
and it's not just you know, it's not just one
most people think.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Well, artists relations is having a relationship with an artist
and helping them, you know, especially among manual amongst manufacturers,
it's related to uh, you know, getting them product. Uh,
it's way bigger than that, you know. We we we
are very very deeply involved in artists' careers and the
(11:22):
commitment way past just an instrument. And you know, we're
either building content together, or we're making music together, or
we're uh you know, we're creating you know, uh uh
uh this idea that you know, we are part of
that family and and you know, there's often a lot
of you know, uh, long term trust, you know, involved,
(11:45):
but at the end of the day, it's to help
support the artists and to help support our brand, you know,
kind of simultaneously.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
So you know, I do very much. So I do
very much. So enjoy h you know, collaborating with with talent.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
I really enjoy that process because that's part of the
fabric of who I am really kind of anyway, So
so you know, the the cut and dry just you know,
you know, they provide pianos for Elton to go on tour.
That's that's about one one twentieth of the of the
(12:24):
actual job.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Interesting.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So for you, sorry, I was just I don't want
to talk interview my time today.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
That guy moved you to a medical emergency. So we're
trying to reschedule so tomorrow yep, okay.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
But you know, for you, I mean, have there been
artists this year, like with the emerging talent that you
know you really enjoy working with that you really see
like again, you know the success stories that you know,
like you just like it's funny because I have a
friend name is Brooke Kalucci. She's a drummer who has
(13:03):
like four hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Very talented and
she just signed with Yamaha, like you know, I was
asking her about it and she was working with someone
else there. But it's like, you know, you guys pick
up so much talent, Like, have there been particular ones
that really have stood up to you? And again you
know because you of course you like them all, but
(13:26):
there are those ones that just stand out where you
see like again, this person is going to blow up.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
My favorite artist, uh uh you know, you know, I've
been at this for a long time and I'm I'm
close to a lot of you know, big artists.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
And and.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
But you know, we started a very we started looking
around realizing that you know a lot of our talent
roster is is is aging, and you know there's you know,
at some point in time, you know, uh, you know,
(14:13):
they'll stop doing what they're doing. You know, we weren't
spending as much time looking at uh, you know, up
and coming artists, and so a couple of years back,
three years back.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
We decided to.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Really move forward in looking at you know, you know
horizonal artists, up and coming artists that uh you know
that and started to invest in that. And one of
the early artists that you know caught my eye was
this young.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Man by the name of Benson Boone.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Sure you have heard of him, uh, And and we
very very early started investing in a relationship there and
before he took off, and and when he took off,
and he's still taking off.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Uh. It was quite.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
A joy to get to know him and to work
with him and his group. And he went from playing
you know, two hundred seat theaters to you know, he's
gearing up for stadiums now and you know, and and
you know, we are very very big part of you know,
his his career. And he is absolutely, hands down one
(15:39):
of the most prolific.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Artists I believe I've ever worked with.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
And and to see him, you know, go out of orbit,
you know, like almost over it feels like it's overnight.
It's not, but it's just like his his star has
just become so prolithic. And I I watching.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Him perform, you know, he.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I spent a lot of time with him in rehearsals
before he went out on this this tour that he
did that he's just winding down.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
The entire tour sold out in nine seconds.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
And and watching him in rehearsals, I realized, you know,
he's he's at three hundred percent in rehearsals. And then
then seeing him, you know, live, you know, with the
you know, with twelve thousand young kids, you know, reacting,
you know, he he he.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Has all of the you know, he has all.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Of the firepower of somebody like Freddie Mercury and then
some He has just got this incredible writing talent and
performance and stage presence like I have not. You know,
he's twenty three years old, and I don't think I've
seen that kind of level of what am I looking
(17:11):
at honestly since Freddie Mercury, Elton.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
John Billy, Joel.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
You know, he's just that big of a of a
but you know, but he's got this whole his target is.
You know, I took my two daughters, nine and eleven
to their very first concert and all they did was
cry all the way through it, and you know, like
it's really, really unbelievable. So he is my number one
(17:43):
favorite new artist that that we're currently working with.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Interesting and what was it about him?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Like looking back on it, you know, when you first
started And it's funny because my friend Jeff Burns was
managing him for a long time. They're very close works
with him. What was it about him that you looked
at that, Like when you saw it immediately you were
just like, this dude is a star.
Speaker 7 (18:07):
Yeah, you know, there's there's there's qualities that you have
to have that you can't that we all look at
as producers or you know, even on just for me
(18:28):
as a producer, so for and and.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Artistically I look at it.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
You know, you you have to have really good writing.
You have to have, you know, really good stage presence,
you have to know your instrument.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Uh, you know.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
You have to be really super smart in how you approach.
You know, you have to be able to sing really well,
and you can't. It's really hard if you have to
fake it, you know, you know, or put out auto
tune in it, because then it's not part of that thing.
And then you have to have this unspoken magic that is,
(19:07):
you know, when you walk in the room and you
own the room, and and you get on stage and
you own that level of command. And when I met him,
all of those things clicked immediately. And the very first
time I talked to him, I said, you know, like
you have every bit of that every bit of that
(19:28):
magic that is just very very rare, that not a
lot of that, not a lot of you know, people
have and as you fully know, you know, people kids
our age don't really understand them, you know, the even
(19:52):
the need to sing in tune, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Or or what good writing is. I'm I'm I am
very pleased to see really.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
Talented kids coming coming up and really talented musicians, you know,
you know, coming back around.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
That makes me quite happy. But he is just that
pure talent.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
And when I saw him for the very first time,
I was just like, you know, what am I looking
at here?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
You know, and you just and that's the point that
you just know it.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
And then you know, I'm like, you know, like, you know,
I want to do a record with him, but it's
already too late. There's already all kinds of people crawling
all over him, and and uh, you know, and and
and uh, it's it's just it's just that really super
rare diamond that you know. I've worked with uh phenomenal
(21:01):
amount of artists who are missing even one of those components.
And then you have to try to make it work,
and it's like nails on a chalkboard. You're just you
just know in your heart you're not going to get
there because there's this there's.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Pieces of it that are missing, if that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, it's interesting too, I mean for you you know,
like I said, you know, I had that with my
friend Izzy. You know, I mean, like, isn't it something
that like, you know, it's hard to explain to people,
but it's like as a music ban which is what
we are first, that's like the greatest feeling there is.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Yeah, yeah, you see something and you just let go.
I may not ever see this ever again, you know,
you know, in my life and and as many times
as I've been approached to either be part of somebody's career,
produce a record, you know, you know, help them brand
and you know, what have you, you just don't see
(22:03):
that level of just pure raw talent at that levels.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
It's really really rare.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And it's fun he gets for you.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Do you feel like that's one of the things that
like keeps you going and keeps you excited?
Speaker 4 (22:16):
Yes, very much. So did you say did you did
you say you know his manager? Yeah? Jeff, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting.
How how how do you know him? Steve?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
He managed my friend Queen Hervey for a while.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Queen Hervey got it understood. Yeah, I'm just now starting
to get to know Jeff. There's two guys there, Jeff
and and this this other guy named Ryan and uh
uh that that are managing him. But he's you know,
he's surrounded by all of his best friends and it's
it's quite an energetic uh uh.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
You know, they're quite an energetic bunch of a bunch
of bunch of kids, you know, quite.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Funah is a great dude. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I met him through the you know, Queen Herbie and
her husband, Amy and Nick, they used to be Carmen.
I've been good friends with them for years and he's
working with Amy for a while and they're still very close. Yeah,
you know, and so I met him like through them,
and you know, yeah, I've been hearing about Ben since
since like day one.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah, yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Well, as you know, it is a very small industry.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Yeah, yeah, it totally is.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
As as a matter of fact, you know, we were already
working with Benson and we were already supporting him, but.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
It wasn't it wasn't until the Adele.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Caesar's residency did everything really kind of kick into place
because all of the same production guys that were on Adele,
which we were making custom pianos for her, uh for
that show, came to us and said, well, you do
the same thing with with Benson and and and so
(24:09):
obviously the answer was absolutely yes. And so that that's
when the commitment just you know, kind of kicked into overdrive.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
And uh, you know, we went ahead.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
And made currently the two custom pianos that are out
on the on that tour. You know, we just kind
of stopped everything and and did those. But it's exactly correct.
One person knows one has worked. You know, we're all intertwined,
you know, you know, in it together.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Yet It's funny.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
That's why I was just talking with this young artist
another is he is?
Speaker 1 (24:39):
He?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
All o? It's like, that's the best second advice I
could give, and I would love you know, what's your advice?
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Is?
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Like what I was telling her is like, you know,
just be someone that people like. She approached me in
a really good way as well. Just be someone that
people want to work with. It's not enough to be talented.
It's a small industry, man, So piss off one person.
You're screwed.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, very much.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
So and and and a lot of people just don't
really understand that, you know, all of that stuff that
comes with with you know, with this, you know, are
all in play. You know. You know, so many many
artists are quite fragile and insecure, and and you know
(25:25):
telegraph that out in not so great ways as you
as you fully know, you know, what I try to
tell everybody that I work with is that, you know,
you may never get the chance to do this again,
and you know, treat everybody with the greatest respect, and
and you know, and and you know, be kind. The
(25:49):
The business is hard enough, you know, and and some
people get that, and some people don't. And part of,
you know, part of the thing with me, Steve on
top of it is I really super choose what pain
I want to be inflicted.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
You know, upon myself.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
So I often, you know, if I'm feeling like this
is going to be torture for me, you know, even
though I really want to be part of it, or
I want this artist, I want to work with this artist,
or I want this artist to be on the roster,
oftentimes I will turn it down based upon either reputation
(26:34):
or just the gut the guttural thing there that this
is going to be way harder to deal with than
then than ever you know, worth it.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
You know, I've spent thirty some odd years doing this job.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
And I as I got older, you know, my tolerance
level of that has just seemed to have just kind
of got gone away, and and and I just try
to leave that, you know at the door, you know,
and and and you know, younger kids just look at
it a little bit different. But I, you know, even
(27:12):
older artists, you know, I just you know, I just
kind of run my patients out on you know, on
the There's no room for that here, you know, like
you know, we're kind of all in it together. And
I very much so want people to be successful, but
I also want my sanity, you know as well.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
And it's funny because I never liked to suck negatively
about people. Well, I will off the record all day,
and actually I do a publicly cheap but I never
ask other people to do it. So for you like,
for me, I found the nicest person that I've ever
worked with. And I mean there are a couple, you know,
Slash is amazing, He's a great dude, but there's no
one who's nicer than Stevie Wonder who has been you know,
(27:57):
And I always it's funny, I coined the Stevie rule.
I'm like, unless you've ever written an album as good
as song as the he of Life or inter Visions,
which you probably have not, then you don't have room
to be an asshole because Steve is the nicest guy.
So for you who have been those artists who have
now been your favorite to work But besides Benson, my
favorite artists that are just again you look at them
(28:19):
and they're like the nicest gods.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Yeah, you know. So so I'm often I'm often asked,
you know, like you know, I'm often.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
Asked that that question, and and and you know, people
misunderstand I think what I do for a living, often
even within my company, you know, I think that they
think that it's a very romantic, you know, jet setting life,
(28:54):
where you know, I'm off to Paris, you know, in
Elton's jet and you know, and it's not any of that.
And it's never been in any of that ever. And
I surround myself with out of the thousand some odd
artists that I've worked with over my career, I'm close
(29:15):
to many, uh maybe five people and and and it's
all for the very same reason.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Now now, I.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Very much so, I have my own theory that I
call the Icarus effect, and that is, you know, if
I get too close to somebody.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
Who you know, who is who is who is very
much so.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Known, a known, you know, entity, known talent that that.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Is complex, I don't get close to them.
Speaker 5 (30:05):
I I'll get called and I'll come in and do
what I need to do, and I we're all friendly.
I don't get involved in any politics. I don't get
involved in I don't try to be in the wrong
places in the wrong time, and I don't try to
you know, guess why that person is complex.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
I just do my job and I and I and
I get out.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
I am very very fond of of some artists that
are very very complex. But I don't I don't get
I don't you know, get burnt in the process.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
And I've watched over the years a lot of people
do that.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
The artists that I am very close to that I
consider to be you know, good friends. Even those people
I don't see all that often because I'm off doing
other stuff. But but my but my, you know, my
go to people all kind of have the same very
human qualities in them. Sarah McLaughlin, Michael McDonald, James Taylor,
(31:11):
uh uh, Nathan East Uh there it's Benson is one
of them.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
They have they all have the same quality in them
where they're so good, uh and and and and meaningful
and and with purpose and and and that over the years,
you know, you just you like you just pick up
where you left off and and there's no there's no
(31:44):
competitive feel to.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Any of it.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
And and you know, and they're just truly truly decent,
good people and and that that's kind of the Those
are the people that I and not to say, like,
you know, this is as you know, this is a
very tough business. And people can be very competitive. That's
(32:09):
the best word for me to use. And and in
that competition, uh, you know, everybody's trying to be known
and be seen and and and and that can be
quite competitive. And and it being quite competitive, it can
be very very not so friendly, right, And I try
(32:31):
to I try to stay away from you know, really
kind of really kind of you know all all of that.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
I I I get where being number one can mean
that you have to be difficult. And I because I
understand that because I'm you know, I often tell everybody,
you know, I'm in it to win it, and I
quite honestly can be difficult because I'm a perfectionist and I,
(33:02):
you know, I expect everybody to kind of rise to
the occasion, you know, really as well. But I surround
myself with you know, with with kind people, and I,
you know, I have to wake up and tell myself
to be kind, you know, every day in a in
a very competitive business.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
Yeah, So what for you then, is the most rewarding
aspect of it? And it's going to run out in
a few minutes, so will make this last question, but like,
what for you is the most.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Fun in your job? That like keeps it?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
You know, we talked about music discovery, But after thirty
years of doing this, like what is it for you?
Is just like okay, this is why I still love
getting up and doing the job every day.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Yeah. The creative part for me, I'm still very much
so an artist.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
I love making something gigantic of nothing. I love the
collaborative spirit of of working with an artist and the
artist saying this is the most beautiful thing you know,
I've ever done, and or and or an artist working
(34:15):
on a project that that just you know, goes completely
into a place that you know just has profound impact
on the world. Those are my Those are my two
because there's many days I wake up and I like go,
I can't do this today, you know, But that that's
(34:36):
that's it is, is knowing how deeply somebody is affected
by the work that I that that I do, or
that my team does.
Hey, the Steve bolved and how's it going.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
So On this week's Friday episode of In Service of
I sit down with yamaham Music's Chris Guerrow talk about
what he looks for the artists that they work with.
At Yamaha, one of, if not the largest instrument companies,
they have an incredible program support young artists, and we
(00:30):
talk about what they look for, what he looks for
the relationship he has with artists both it's huge like
Elton John and up and coming artists, and how gear
companies have become one of the biggest support systems of
young artists at this point in time because they understand
(00:50):
it quite simply, they need new musicians to be playing
instruments to keep going. So really fun talk with Grants,
who I've known for a while. Hope enjoyed this one
as much as I did, and hope you learn a
lot from it because of the valuable valuable resource for artists.
(01:24):
September to fall or September to like April, it is
your busiest time.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
So tell me about nam this year. You know, it's
funny for people who aren't so familiar. So basically what
this podcast, we're kind of doing, you know, and you
and I have talked so much about artists discovery anyway,
And it's funny. Before this, I was on a call
with the new artist, really cool young La artist and Iziamo,
and I've kind of become a mentor to just all
these artists because literally no one else will talk to them,
(01:51):
yeah you know, And I'm like sure, I mean it
doesn't you know, it doesn't hurt me to spend time
talking to them, you know. And it's like, so the
idea of this was I already had this podcast that
have talks to huge names. I was like, well why
not bringing you know, an element of the show is
called inservice of have there been an element of inservice
(02:12):
up to their artists too, because they just don't know
where to go?
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Yeah? Yeah, do you get do you get that a lot?
Speaker 1 (02:20):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Yeah, especially with like you know, I mean, press in
twenty twenty five is nonexistent, and most journalists are idiots.
They have no idea what they're doing. They can't even
put together a fucking sentence. Yeah, you know, I mean,
so I was telling her about, like, you know, the
gear companies have such great artists development programs because simply
(02:43):
as you and I have talked about, you need to.
If there's not new artists, there's no you know, the
gear companies are dead.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's very very true. There there is.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
You know, the way that talent is discovered, you know
now has changed so dramatically, and and the for me,
I kind of troll social media to keep current as
(03:19):
to what's out there, and and I don't really follow
too much the label uh sorry thing just went off.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
The the uh the why did that go off?
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (03:37):
I see, I don't follow really kind of the the
the label uh patterns. Uh, I follow you know what,
who's out there and and you know who's doing what
and really kind of regardless of their of their numbers.
But but we have two two types of artists you know,
(04:00):
on on the roster, and it is well three types.
It is the really big superstars that are and generally
most of them are you know, over fifty, and then
we have really kind of the you know, kind of
the current level you know everyday musician artists that are
(04:26):
you know, that are just out there doing it, and
then the then the emerging talent. And right now where
we spend a significant amount of time is in is
in the top tier because they require a lot of management.
And then in the emerging talent. So I I every
single day look at who's out there playing, and you know,
(04:51):
and I'm happy to say that, you know, there are
significant amount of unknown artists, you know, that are really
significantly talented, that you know, have no traction at all.
Nobody knows who they are or or they have millions
of followers, you know, you know and and you know
(05:15):
and a and a really you know, comprehensive uh you
know program going on for them. But that doesn't mean
that they're like necessarily like you know, everybody under the
sun knows who they are, so you know, that's kind of.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
How we we do it. That's kind of how I
do it anyway.
Speaker 5 (05:33):
And and when I see somebody I like, I I
you know, I'm not a critic. I don't want one
of the one of the I think one of the
pitfalls in in what I like, Uh I don't. I'm
(05:53):
I'm very uh uh critical of being critical of somebody
else's music.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
That's why I don't typically.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Like I've been asked to, you know, give feedback on
you know, on programs before.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Of other people's music.
Speaker 5 (06:13):
I don't do that, particularly because I don't. If I
knew exactly what made something amazing other than my own
taste of what I think.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I like, I would be a billionaire. You know.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
It just doesn't it doesn't work like that. When when
Taylor Swift was brought to me when she was twelve
years old, I turned it down because the Taylor Swift
of what she became is not the same Taylor Swift
at twelve years old. And my sensibility of what I
feel is good is just different. And and that happens,
(06:51):
and you know, obviously I didn't see that, and nor
did a lot of other people in this town, you know.
And so so it's kind of an interesting way. What
typically happened for many, many years would be we'd get
contacted by a label or contacted by a manager or
(07:12):
a lawyer what have you, saying that I have this
artist I would like you to, you know, have a
look at and and you know, but now none of
that really exists in the same way.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah. No, it's funny.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I've had a lot of artists just contact me directly,
and I feel like that's very effective.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And we do get that. We do
get that. You know, there's there's to be honest with
you, it's actually kind of funny.
Speaker 5 (07:43):
There's there's I'm a pretty shy person by nature in
a business that I have no business being shy, and
especially you know, for what I do for a living
in the position that I'm in. And I I I typically,
like I get my email is full every day of
people hitting me up with stuff, and and and there's
(08:04):
this one particular very talented young lady who is like
just been blowing me up, like straight up. And she's
super talented, but she's already you know, she's already an
established artist, and and you know, and I I kind
of freeze in the moment because I I don't.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Typically what happens is they.
Speaker 5 (08:29):
They either want my personal time or they want you know,
yamaha to you know, to either pay them or some
kind of you know, uh, you know, some kind of
you know interaction that you know that that that will
require an investment on our time. And so I I
(08:50):
get that every single day. I get it, you know,
and my my my team gets it every single day.
And and so I try to really limit my ability
to that.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Only because.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
You know, we have very finite budgets and you know,
and we can only take on so much in a year,
and you know, and and it's really very very difficult
to make any kind of commitments other than what direct
and this is a corporate thing, but what the initiative
is directly from the company, and how that is going
(09:27):
to input impact what you know, what that looks like
for the brand and making sure that all the pieces,
like with that artist in tof all kind of fit together.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, I mean it's funny.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
I definitely am not shy, but you know, I also
don't go actually out so listening. But it's really funny
because like, for example, I found this Dutch artist by
the name of Isabelle van Gelder and I just found
her on Instagram and I was like, this is amazing,
reached out to her her first American interview. We became friends.
(10:02):
But then I had an artist by the name of
isy Escobar reach out to me and say, well, I
never would have thought you would do a story with
a new artist, but you know, I saw your piece
with Isabelle, can you, you know, check out my stuff?
And I was like, sure, it doesn't hurt anything to
listen to it. I put it on. She reminded me
of Adele. She's blowing up huge, She's gonna be massive,
(10:23):
And I mean, you know, it's interesting. Like again, artists
now have to be so much more, they have to
be so much more direct, and they have to be
so much more you know, in charge of stuff. And
you know, again, if it's done well, it can work
out really well. But for me, I love discovering new
artists who are going to like blow up.
Speaker 4 (10:42):
You know, yeah, yeah, same same.
Speaker 6 (10:46):
I just I there's there's a lot to my job
and it's not just you know, it's not just one
most people think.
Speaker 5 (10:59):
Well, artists relations is having a relationship with an artist
and helping them, you know, especially among manual amongst manufacturers,
it's related to uh, you know, getting them product. Uh,
it's way bigger than that, you know. We we we
are very very deeply involved in artists' careers and the
(11:22):
commitment way past just an instrument. And you know, we're
either building content together, or we're making music together, or
we're uh you know, we're creating you know, uh uh
uh this idea that you know, we are part of
that family and and you know, there's often a lot
of you know, uh, long term trust, you know, involved,
(11:45):
but at the end of the day, it's to help
support the artists and to help support our brand, you know,
kind of simultaneously.
Speaker 4 (11:52):
So you know, I do very much. So I do
very much. So enjoy h you know, collaborating with with talent.
Speaker 5 (12:04):
I really enjoy that process because that's part of the
fabric of who I am really kind of anyway, So
so you know, the the cut and dry just you know,
you know, they provide pianos for Elton to go on tour.
That's that's about one one twentieth of the of the
(12:24):
actual job.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
Interesting.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So for you, sorry, I was just I don't want
to talk interview my time today.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
That guy moved you to a medical emergency. So we're
trying to reschedule so tomorrow yep, okay.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
But you know, for you, I mean, have there been
artists this year, like with the emerging talent that you
know you really enjoy working with that you really see
like again, you know the success stories that you know,
like you just like it's funny because I have a
friend name is Brooke Kalucci. She's a drummer who has
(13:03):
like four hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Very talented and
she just signed with Yamaha, like you know, I was
asking her about it and she was working with someone
else there. But it's like, you know, you guys pick
up so much talent, Like, have there been particular ones
that really have stood up to you? And again you
know because you of course you like them all, but
(13:26):
there are those ones that just stand out where you
see like again, this person is going to blow up.
Speaker 4 (13:33):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
My favorite artist, uh uh you know, you know, I've
been at this for a long time and I'm I'm
close to a lot of you know, big artists.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
And and.
Speaker 5 (13:52):
But you know, we started a very we started looking
around realizing that you know a lot of our talent
roster is is is aging, and you know there's you know,
at some point in time, you know, uh, you know,
(14:13):
they'll stop doing what they're doing. You know, we weren't
spending as much time looking at uh, you know, up
and coming artists, and so a couple of years back,
three years back.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
We decided to.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
Really move forward in looking at you know, you know
horizonal artists, up and coming artists that uh you know
that and started to invest in that. And one of
the early artists that you know caught my eye was
this young.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
Man by the name of Benson Boone.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Sure you have heard of him, uh, And and we
very very early started investing in a relationship there and
before he took off, and and when he took off,
and he's still taking off.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
Uh. It was quite.
Speaker 5 (15:15):
A joy to get to know him and to work
with him and his group. And he went from playing
you know, two hundred seat theaters to you know, he's
gearing up for stadiums now and you know, and and
you know, we are very very big part of you know,
his his career. And he is absolutely, hands down one
(15:39):
of the most prolific.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Artists I believe I've ever worked with.
Speaker 5 (15:47):
And and to see him, you know, go out of orbit,
you know, like almost over it feels like it's overnight.
It's not, but it's just like his his star has
just become so prolithic. And I I watching.
Speaker 4 (16:10):
Him perform, you know, he.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I spent a lot of time with him in rehearsals
before he went out on this this tour that he
did that he's just winding down.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
The entire tour sold out in nine seconds.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
And and watching him in rehearsals, I realized, you know,
he's he's at three hundred percent in rehearsals. And then
then seeing him, you know, live, you know, with the
you know, with twelve thousand young kids, you know, reacting,
you know, he he he.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Has all of the you know, he has all.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Of the firepower of somebody like Freddie Mercury and then
some He has just got this incredible writing talent and
performance and stage presence like I have not. You know,
he's twenty three years old, and I don't think I've
seen that kind of level of what am I looking
(17:11):
at honestly since Freddie Mercury, Elton.
Speaker 4 (17:16):
John Billy, Joel.
Speaker 5 (17:19):
You know, he's just that big of a of a
but you know, but he's got this whole his target is.
You know, I took my two daughters, nine and eleven
to their very first concert and all they did was
cry all the way through it, and you know, like
it's really, really unbelievable. So he is my number one
(17:43):
favorite new artist that that we're currently working with.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Interesting and what was it about him?
Speaker 3 (17:49):
Like looking back on it, you know, when you first
started And it's funny because my friend Jeff Burns was
managing him for a long time. They're very close works
with him. What was it about him that you looked
at that, Like when you saw it immediately you were
just like, this dude is a star.
Speaker 7 (18:07):
Yeah, you know, there's there's there's qualities that you have
to have that you can't that we all look at
as producers or you know, even on just for me
(18:28):
as a producer, so for and and.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Artistically I look at it.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
You know, you you have to have really good writing.
You have to have, you know, really good stage presence,
you have to know your instrument.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
Uh, you know.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
You have to be really super smart in how you approach.
You know, you have to be able to sing really well,
and you can't. It's really hard if you have to
fake it, you know, you know, or put out auto
tune in it, because then it's not part of that thing.
And then you have to have this unspoken magic that is,
(19:07):
you know, when you walk in the room and you
own the room, and and you get on stage and
you own that level of command. And when I met him,
all of those things clicked immediately. And the very first
time I talked to him, I said, you know, like
you have every bit of that every bit of that
(19:28):
magic that is just very very rare, that not a
lot of that, not a lot of you know, people
have and as you fully know, you know, people kids
our age don't really understand them, you know, the even
(19:52):
the need to sing in tune, you know.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Or or what good writing is. I'm I'm I am
very pleased to see really.
Speaker 5 (20:01):
Talented kids coming coming up and really talented musicians, you know,
you know, coming back around.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
That makes me quite happy. But he is just that
pure talent.
Speaker 5 (20:14):
And when I saw him for the very first time,
I was just like, you know, what am I looking
at here?
Speaker 4 (20:21):
You know, and you just and that's the point that
you just know it.
Speaker 5 (20:38):
And then you know, I'm like, you know, like, you know,
I want to do a record with him, but it's
already too late. There's already all kinds of people crawling
all over him, and and uh, you know, and and
and uh, it's it's just it's just that really super
rare diamond that you know. I've worked with uh phenomenal
(21:01):
amount of artists who are missing even one of those components.
And then you have to try to make it work,
and it's like nails on a chalkboard. You're just you
just know in your heart you're not going to get
there because there's this there's.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Pieces of it that are missing, if that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, it's interesting too, I mean for you you know,
like I said, you know, I had that with my
friend Izzy. You know, I mean, like, isn't it something
that like, you know, it's hard to explain to people,
but it's like as a music ban which is what
we are first, that's like the greatest feeling there is.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (21:41):
Yeah, yeah, you see something and you just let go.
I may not ever see this ever again, you know,
you know, in my life and and as many times
as I've been approached to either be part of somebody's career,
produce a record, you know, you know, help them brand
and you know, what have you, you just don't see
(22:03):
that level of just pure raw talent at that levels.
Speaker 4 (22:07):
It's really really rare.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
And it's fun he gets for you.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
Do you feel like that's one of the things that
like keeps you going and keeps you excited?
Speaker 4 (22:16):
Yes, very much. So did you say did you did
you say you know his manager? Yeah? Jeff, Yeah, yeah, yeah. Interesting.
How how how do you know him? Steve?
Speaker 1 (22:32):
He managed my friend Queen Hervey for a while.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
Queen Hervey got it understood. Yeah, I'm just now starting
to get to know Jeff. There's two guys there, Jeff
and and this this other guy named Ryan and uh
uh that that are managing him. But he's you know,
he's surrounded by all of his best friends and it's
it's quite an energetic uh uh.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
You know, they're quite an energetic bunch of a bunch
of bunch of kids, you know, quite.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
Funah is a great dude. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
I met him through the you know, Queen Herbie and
her husband, Amy and Nick, they used to be Carmen.
I've been good friends with them for years and he's
working with Amy for a while and they're still very close. Yeah,
you know, and so I met him like through them,
and you know, yeah, I've been hearing about Ben since
since like day one.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Yeah, yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Well, as you know, it is a very small industry.
Speaker 4 (23:32):
Yeah, yeah, it totally is.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
As as a matter of fact, you know, we were already
working with Benson and we were already supporting him, but.
Speaker 4 (23:42):
It wasn't it wasn't until the Adele.
Speaker 5 (23:47):
Caesar's residency did everything really kind of kick into place
because all of the same production guys that were on Adele,
which we were making custom pianos for her, uh for
that show, came to us and said, well, you do
the same thing with with Benson and and and so
(24:09):
obviously the answer was absolutely yes. And so that that's
when the commitment just you know, kind of kicked into overdrive.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
And uh, you know, we went ahead.
Speaker 5 (24:18):
And made currently the two custom pianos that are out
on the on that tour. You know, we just kind
of stopped everything and and did those. But it's exactly correct.
One person knows one has worked. You know, we're all intertwined,
you know, you know, in it together.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
Yet It's funny.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
That's why I was just talking with this young artist
another is he is?
Speaker 1 (24:39):
He?
Speaker 3 (24:39):
All o? It's like, that's the best second advice I
could give, and I would love you know, what's your advice?
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Is?
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Like what I was telling her is like, you know,
just be someone that people like. She approached me in
a really good way as well. Just be someone that
people want to work with. It's not enough to be talented.
It's a small industry, man, So piss off one person.
You're screwed.
Speaker 4 (25:03):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, very much.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
So and and and a lot of people just don't
really understand that, you know, all of that stuff that
comes with with you know, with this, you know, are
all in play. You know. You know, so many many
artists are quite fragile and insecure, and and you know
(25:25):
telegraph that out in not so great ways as you
as you fully know, you know, what I try to
tell everybody that I work with is that, you know,
you may never get the chance to do this again,
and you know, treat everybody with the greatest respect, and
and you know, and and you know, be kind. The
(25:49):
The business is hard enough, you know, and and some
people get that, and some people don't. And part of,
you know, part of the thing with me, Steve on
top of it is I really super choose what pain
I want to be inflicted.
Speaker 4 (26:08):
You know, upon myself.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
So I often, you know, if I'm feeling like this
is going to be torture for me, you know, even
though I really want to be part of it, or
I want this artist, I want to work with this artist,
or I want this artist to be on the roster,
oftentimes I will turn it down based upon either reputation
(26:34):
or just the gut the guttural thing there that this
is going to be way harder to deal with than
then than ever you know, worth it.
Speaker 4 (26:45):
You know, I've spent thirty some odd years doing this job.
Speaker 5 (26:49):
And I as I got older, you know, my tolerance
level of that has just seemed to have just kind
of got gone away, and and and I just try
to leave that, you know at the door, you know,
and and and you know, younger kids just look at
it a little bit different. But I, you know, even
(27:12):
older artists, you know, I just you know, I just
kind of run my patients out on you know, on
the There's no room for that here, you know, like
you know, we're kind of all in it together. And
I very much so want people to be successful, but
I also want my sanity, you know as well.
Speaker 6 (27:33):
You know.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
And it's funny because I never liked to suck negatively
about people. Well, I will off the record all day,
and actually I do a publicly cheap but I never
ask other people to do it. So for you like,
for me, I found the nicest person that I've ever
worked with. And I mean there are a couple, you know,
Slash is amazing, He's a great dude, but there's no
one who's nicer than Stevie Wonder who has been you know,
(27:57):
And I always it's funny, I coined the Stevie rule.
I'm like, unless you've ever written an album as good
as song as the he of Life or inter Visions,
which you probably have not, then you don't have room
to be an asshole because Steve is the nicest guy.
So for you who have been those artists who have
now been your favorite to work But besides Benson, my
favorite artists that are just again you look at them
(28:19):
and they're like the nicest gods.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
Yeah, you know. So so I'm often I'm often asked,
you know, like you know, I'm often.
Speaker 5 (28:30):
Asked that that question, and and and you know, people
misunderstand I think what I do for a living, often
even within my company, you know, I think that they
think that it's a very romantic, you know, jet setting life,
(28:54):
where you know, I'm off to Paris, you know, in
Elton's jet and you know, and it's not any of that.
And it's never been in any of that ever. And
I surround myself with out of the thousand some odd
artists that I've worked with over my career, I'm close
(29:15):
to many, uh maybe five people and and and it's
all for the very same reason.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
Now now, I.
Speaker 5 (29:29):
Very much so, I have my own theory that I
call the Icarus effect, and that is, you know, if
I get too close to somebody.
Speaker 4 (29:41):
Who you know, who is who is who is very
much so.
Speaker 5 (29:55):
Known, a known, you know, entity, known talent that that.
Speaker 4 (30:02):
Is complex, I don't get close to them.
Speaker 5 (30:05):
I I'll get called and I'll come in and do
what I need to do, and I we're all friendly.
I don't get involved in any politics. I don't get
involved in I don't try to be in the wrong
places in the wrong time, and I don't try to
you know, guess why that person is complex.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
I just do my job and I and I and
I get out.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
I am very very fond of of some artists that
are very very complex. But I don't I don't get
I don't you know, get burnt in the process.
Speaker 4 (30:38):
And I've watched over the years a lot of people
do that.
Speaker 5 (30:43):
The artists that I am very close to that I
consider to be you know, good friends. Even those people
I don't see all that often because I'm off doing
other stuff. But but my but my, you know, my
go to people all kind of have the same very
human qualities in them. Sarah McLaughlin, Michael McDonald, James Taylor,
(31:11):
uh uh, Nathan East Uh there it's Benson is one
of them.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (31:23):
They have they all have the same quality in them
where they're so good, uh and and and and meaningful
and and with purpose and and and that over the years,
you know, you just you like you just pick up
where you left off and and there's no there's no
(31:44):
competitive feel to.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
Any of it.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
And and you know, and they're just truly truly decent,
good people and and that that's kind of the Those
are the people that I and not to say, like,
you know, this is as you know, this is a
very tough business. And people can be very competitive. That's
(32:09):
the best word for me to use. And and in
that competition, uh, you know, everybody's trying to be known
and be seen and and and and that can be
quite competitive. And and it being quite competitive, it can
be very very not so friendly, right, And I try
(32:31):
to I try to stay away from you know, really
kind of really kind of you know all all of that.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
You know.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
I I I get where being number one can mean
that you have to be difficult. And I because I
understand that because I'm you know, I often tell everybody,
you know, I'm in it to win it, and I
quite honestly can be difficult because I'm a perfectionist and I,
(33:02):
you know, I expect everybody to kind of rise to
the occasion, you know, really as well. But I surround
myself with you know, with with kind people, and I,
you know, I have to wake up and tell myself
to be kind, you know, every day in a in
a very competitive business.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
Yeah, So what for you then, is the most rewarding
aspect of it? And it's going to run out in
a few minutes, so will make this last question, but like,
what for you is the most.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
Fun in your job? That like keeps it?
Speaker 3 (33:36):
You know, we talked about music discovery, But after thirty
years of doing this, like what is it for you?
Is just like okay, this is why I still love
getting up and doing the job every day.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Yeah. The creative part for me, I'm still very much
so an artist.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
I love making something gigantic of nothing. I love the
collaborative spirit of of working with an artist and the
artist saying this is the most beautiful thing you know,
I've ever done, and or and or an artist working
(34:15):
on a project that that just you know, goes completely
into a place that you know just has profound impact
on the world. Those are my Those are my two
because there's many days I wake up and I like go,
I can't do this today, you know, But that that's
(34:36):
that's it is, is knowing how deeply somebody is affected
by the work that I that that I do, or
that my team does.
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