November 19, 2025 • 57 mins
Heather Vassar shares how an athlete’s mindset shaped her journey from Texas Tech softball standout to one of Nashville’s most powerful music executives. She led more than 450 global campaigns, helped launch Shaboozey’s breakout success, and worked with legends like Dolly Parton, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, and Kacey Musgraves.
She breaks down consistency, discipline, digital strategy, and the athlete mentality needed to build artists in a fast-changing industry—all while launching her own label.
Follow Heather:
https://www.instagram.com/heathervassar
Follow Football Is Sexy:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/footballissexy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/footballissexy
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@footballissexy
Shop Apparel:
https://footballissexy.shop
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:04):
Let's go. My name is Monica with Football
is Sexy, and I'm so excited. We got my girl Heather Vassar in
the house. A music industry powerhouse at
the forefront of music, working with Shibuzi people like, I
don't know, Dolly Parton, SkylarGrey, Chris Stapleton, Kacey
Musgrave, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, and it goes on and on
(00:27):
and on. And now she's starting her new
company, which I can't wait to talk about.
Everybody, let's give it up for Heather.
Thank you. What is happening?
And we insert all the claps. Oh my God, thank you for being
here. No, thank you.
Thanks. I'm so excited to talk life,
music, football, all the things with you.
(00:48):
Yeah. But before we even get to all
that, tell me a little bit aboutyou, Heather.
You have, I mean, your career for being so young especially.
Thank you. Yeah, I.
Don't know about that. Every day.
You're so young Every. Day I'm like oh man, how how
long can I keep going? But.
It feels also at the same time only like just in the beginning.
(01:11):
So I keep trying to remind myself of that, of like.
I feel like that for you. I feel super lucky just because
of like fuck what was I do not deserve sorry.
Oh good. You want to run it.
No, we'll keep going. I feel super lucky just because
of having the career that I've had.
But you know, I'm born and raised in such a small West TX
(01:33):
town, been one of the few of my family to ever leave Texas.
And I thought, you know, what amI going to do?
And I was an athlete all growingup and, and I that's what I
thought I would do. Went to college and played ball
and then, you know, that life took a turn even they're doing
that. And that's where I found my love
of music and, and started and onplaying and writing.
(01:56):
And so then I was just like, youknow, wide eyed and had no clue
what the music industry was. And, yeah, moved as a songwriter
and an artist and took a took myhand at that for a few years.
And I thought, oh man, I don't know who makes money in this
business, but it is not me. And I was not making any money
in that, in that world. And I didn't know that there was
(02:17):
a, you know, I didn't know the music business.
And so when I, when I got to Nashville, I was a, you know, I
was a, a big fish in a small pond in West, TX.
And then I got to Nashville and I was like, oh, shit, these
people are really good. And I'm not anywhere close.
And so, yeah, I, I was like, I don't know.
(02:38):
And the artist thing wasn't, I never wanted to be sort of on
stage, but I just love music andI loved writing and.
And so, you know, even when I was growing up and I'm like
writing songs and, you know, my family was like, you have to
sing them. And I'm like, I can't really
sing, you know, I'm not a singer.
I'm not that. And so, yeah, so by the time I,
by the time I got to Nashville and I was like, I don't know, I
(03:00):
don't know who makes money in this business, but it's not me.
But I need to figure out a way that I can make money in this
business. And so, yeah, that's how I ended
up on the on the label side and on the business side.
Yeah, just just starting, starting on, on that side.
And in that world that I found my footing that I was like, OK,
this is this is what I'm great at.
This is what I can. Do so well.
I love how she just took us all the way too.
(03:22):
But I want to go back a little bit because an athlete, I think
I've, I talk about this a lot, being an athlete, I really am a
big advocate for sports. I believe it really helps you in
life. You know, how to celebrate your
wins, how to work hard for something, how to deal with
other teammates, how to deal with coaches.
(03:44):
There's just so many life lessons around sports.
And she didn't say it. So I'm going to go ahead and say
she's a badass softball player, right?
Yeah, I was a catcher. Played at Texas Tech my freshman
year. I caught my whole life.
I started when I was 4. You know I say 4I was 4 years
old. I, I have an older sister and
we're 1314 months apart. And so I played up on her team,
(04:07):
which I use this. It's funny you say that because
I use sports analogies and musicall the time.
They're such parallel because you're right.
Like if when I like start talking to an artist or sign an
artist, I can always tell those that we're athletes.
There's a different accountability, a different
discipline, and maybe probably because I recognize it so.
Deeply but. Yeah, absolutely.
(04:27):
And so and, and there's a different just like teamwork
ability there and communication style.
And so it's probably because I recognize it that I, it's so
attractive to me and an artist. But yeah, I started playing, I
and I played every, you know, being from such a small town,
you know, I played volleyball, basketball, softball.
I threw shot put diskas in trackall the way there.
(04:50):
I did, you know, of course, you know, there's, there's, you
know, not, not many, not many ofus.
And so but. You never play flag football.
That wasn't a thing back then. Yeah, it wasn't a it wasn't a
thing. And so not not for the girls at.
Least I played a little flag football.
That's why I'm so excited to have you here, because we have
so much in common. Because I played all the sports,
(05:10):
hated volleyball. I was not good at volleyball and
I don't like playing shit that I'm not I didn't like.
The spandex. I legit probably quit because of
the spandex. Oh, are you serious?
Right. You know, Yeah.
No, the the four this right here.
The forearm it just no it. Hurt, hurt.
Too bad. It hurt.
It hurt. And then I can't spike and that
was frustrating. I couldn't.
I was too short for that. And like, this is not fun.
(05:31):
I'm not going to just sit here and set all day.
You would have. Been a great like, specialist or
even setter because you're like.Probably you look.
Very agile. Yeah, I was.
I could, I could serve, right? And so same, you know, same
throwing arm, same serving. I could really serve, but I
can't jump or, you know, run fast.
In my life, I broke my leg sliding into third base.
That was the end of my softball career.
(05:52):
Oh, man. No, no, no, I broke it.
Yeah. Third base.
It was not good. That's a whole another story.
Yeah, but yeah. Yeah, I mean, so I I played, you
know, since I was young and I always played up, which is
that's again, something that I use with, with even artists.
And so I've been able to take what I know of the sports world
and bring it and bring it in. And so because I always played
up because, you know, I played on my sister's team just so
(06:15):
probably to keep the sanity of my parents.
And that was so valuable becauseI'm a big proponent.
You play to the level that you want to be at, not at the level
that you are, right? And especially as artists.
So I translate that to them as like, whatever stage you want to
be at. If you want to be singing in
(06:36):
arenas and if you want to be singing, name a venue.
When you're playing these hole in the wall bars, when you're
like playing these Rider rounds,things like that, you need to
show up like you're playing at that.
Arena, you need to show up. And because you have to prove
that you're there, right? You have to prove that you
should be at that level. And so and not just playing to
the two people probably in frontof you at the beginning of a
(06:57):
career, you know, that's in a hole in the wall bar.
And so for me, it's like that's what I did all of growing up.
I was just fortunate enough. It really wasn't my decision,
but I just played up and that made me better because I think
it either makes you better or you end up quitting because one
of the you don't rise to the occasion.
But for me, it was like, it justmade me better, right?
And yeah, I started catching when I was four or five and my
(07:20):
parents couldn't Get Me Out of the gear.
And I I genuinely thought that that's what.
And the Catch Me a position is not for the week.
That's how you ended up. I didn't know that's how you
ended up in the music business because of being in the music
business is not for the week. It prepared you, girl.
Yeah, no, 100% a hundred. I had no idea.
About it, I tried it one time and I was like Oh no, this bat
is it's way too close to my face.
(07:43):
Like there's no, I mean, you know, my, my parents would have
like, we'd have like 8 game guarantees and they were like,
you can't catch eight games in arow.
And I'd be like, yes, I can watch me, you know?
See, and this is. This is all getting to.
Your your assistance, the person, yes.
I love it. And so, being that you came from
Texas, were you a fan of the Cowboys?
(08:05):
Of course. I mean, I don't want to ever
assume but. Yeah, I mean it, It was the only
team that I knew of, you know, like it it was, there was
nothing else, you know, that that was even an opportunity to
even discuss in my house. And so I was like, we are a
Dallas Cowboy fan. That's it.
Did you get to go to the games growing up or watch them on TV?
Or Oh yeah, I mean, we watched them all the time again.
(08:26):
I mean, because I come from a sports family, we watched every
every you know, game on TV and you know, would would go to like
friends. It was obviously even really big
of then once you get high schooland.
Cuz what year were you kind of like?
For me, my early years was like the days of Joe Montana, Jerry
Rice, what was like mine. Is Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith?
(08:48):
Okay. Yeah, I got it like one of my
best friends in junior high, like she came back with a sign,
Troy Aikman and Emmett Smith football and that's she get like
gifted it to me and I still haveit, you know, it's just like, Oh
my, there was nothing better. And I just felt like I was.
It was over the moon. I love it.
See how Dallas Cowboy fans and 49er fans can get along?
(09:12):
I'm just throwing it out there. And we talked about that right
off the tip. I was like, OK, I'm good, you're
good, OK. We're good, yeah.
You gotta love it. Yeah, I mean, I don't hold, you
know, so tightly to the to the fandom on the Cowboy side, just
leaving Texas. And obviously, you know, I have
a love of of being in Nashville for for a lot.
So I support my Titans and go. And then for me, sports has
(09:35):
changed where like I feel fortunate enough to to meet
amazing people that are tied to organizations.
And so then I become naturally afan because you learn more about
the organization, just the people behind it and and
players. And so it's like, I'm a big
49ers fan, as you know. You heard it here, baby.
Let's go. And as you know, because we're
going to talk about, you know, how we met.
(09:56):
Sure. Shout out to Shelly, coach
Shelly, who was your leadership coach?
Yeah, executive leadership coach.
And because of you. And I was like, OK, I I see how
they're moving. I need you are what you hang
around. That's right.
You know, And so I'm a big believer in that.
And so I've been fortunate at fortunate enough to know Shelley
(10:19):
for a while. And that's how we met.
And I'm I just love what's happening organically and the
women supporting women, you know, you know, and then Annie
boss goes into the fold now and we're talking, you know, music
and sports, like literally without even planning it.
I know like you can tell me, butI'm living.
(10:41):
My dream is sports and music. Oh, that's what I was going to
say. Like what?
What? Else what do you want?
What else do you need? Right, sports and music.
You know, so yeah, I agree. I agree.
So let's go back a little bit. You were a songwriter.
So so was I. Again, Here we are, here we are.
Another thing that we have in common is I was also a
(11:03):
songwriter. I didn't never pick up an
instrument, but I was all about the lyrics and my my mentor.
We make a great team. So, you know, because I started
with instruments and I was like,what do I do with these?
Because I play by ear. And so I picked up guitar, I
picked up piano and my family was like, I don't know how to
play the piano. And I'm like, I don't know.
(11:24):
I just would play a song. And so, but I didn't.
I could play other people's songs, but then when I would
make up my own, then I didn't have lyrics.
See. So we would have made.
Maybe there's some hits among us.
I mean, I don't know, I believe.It I believe.
It there's still time and it's so funny because I play a hell
of a air guitar and air John, I just need you to know like I'm
bad pass on the air drums. I'm just I'm just telling you
(11:46):
and but I always was the words person, right?
And being that I was a die hard Prince fan from 7th grade, my
mentors that they don't know, but like my who I looked up to
lyrically was Prince, Bernie Taupin and Diane Warren.
Those were my 3 like and I to me, they just told the story the
(12:08):
way I wanted to very visual all the things.
But when did you, because I knowfor me, when did you realize
that like like I remember when Iwhen I was graduating high
school, everybody's like going to college and I was like, that
wasn't calling my name. And I literally remember
(12:28):
thinking I'm either going to go into music or sports and I was
like, I can't make any money at sports as a woman.
This is back. I'm not going to tell you what
year, but maybe 1987, not sure. And I'm like, so that put me
into music where I at least had a shot, you know what I mean?
What? There was no shot back.
There was no WNBA. It wasn't going to happen.
(12:51):
So I went into music just like that.
When was it? When was your moment when you
realize that you were going to kind of go the route you went?
Probably, I mean, we have a verysimilar probably path in that
because so when I went to, I went to Texas Tech and started
playing softball there. And if this will tell you
(13:13):
everything you need to know about me.
But that was the, that was the year they took softball out of
the Olympics. And so for me, I thought, well,
that was sort of peak because insoftball, yes, they're like, you
can't really make money as a professional softball player at
the time for sure, right. And even now it's not probably
much of anything. I'm not, you know, but so that
(13:35):
my freshman years when they tookit out of the Olympics.
And so I thought if that is thatwas sort of the goal, you know,
I've been, I've been like, I would go to all of the Olympic
like training team like programsand summer, whatever, you know,
And so I was doing all of that with the aspiration that I'm,
they go like, I'm going to be inthe Olympics.
That was the goal, right? When they took it out, I
thought, well, now what? Right, you know, and it was
(13:57):
because USA was so good, right? They were, they were just beyond
talented. And I was playing against some
of those girls in high school. And I need to see some footage.
I need to see some pictures. Oh, there's some.
Press on there. There's some press OK.
But but so when? When that happened, I thought
and like this and I was getting really tired of 4:00 AM workouts
(14:20):
and 2A days and, and doing school and I just thought like,
I don't know. I don't know.
And at the same it was, it was interesting because I can look
back now and at the same time mylove of music was really
growing. I was in a band in college and
you know, I was playing a lot. And so who was your go to in the
you know, mine was Prince who was like your.
You know, it's funny. I mean, I grew up in a very like
(14:40):
conservative Christian, so I started a Christian music and so
I grew up, but at the same time,like my dad loves like Chicago
and like, you know, the rock side, right and Boston.
And then my mom loves like The Judds more than a.
Feeling right? Oh yeah.
Right. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, and like, and of course, George Strait King, right?
(15:02):
I was just like iconic king. And so I grew up on George and
The Judds and and then in like Christian music.
And so I make a joke now that I've, you know, I'm not much of
a movie watcher, but I've seen all the westerns and all the
faith faith films. So I got you on that.
OK. But yeah, so those were sort of
and that's I naturally fell intocountry music that way.
(15:24):
I wasn't writing it. I was writing Christian music at
the time. OK, and that ended up even being
a little bit more of it like cuzI did Christian music when I
went to when I moved to Nashville.
So I'd, I had I'll back up. So I went to once I quit playing
softball at tech, I was only taking, you know, the minimum
number of hours at school. And so I had to fill my time
(15:44):
with something. And so I started taking music
classes at a smaller junior college and got all of those as
approved as electives. And I did.
I mean, I took fiddle lessons and piano lessons and I can't
play fiddle. I was gonna say wait, give me a
fiddle. I cannot.
I cannot. That's the one that I.
Love a good fiddle, it's. One, it's the most frustrating
(16:04):
instrument for me because I playby ear, OK, that I don't have
like the the, you know, skill set right and fiddle like you
cannot. It's either incredibly sounding
or dying cow. Like there's like, no, yeah,
there's no between like guitar, you can fudge the chords, the
same piano. Like you can hit, you know, and
you can sort of. That's so funny.
Yeah. You can like, you know, navigate
(16:26):
around it. Violin and fiddle is not that
way. The precision is like so key and
I that was not me. And so but yeah, I was in a band
and. And you know, like I said, took
so many lessons. I even took vocal lessons and
songwriting classes and, and even music business classes and
I thought, OK, like now I understand.
(16:47):
And so I, it was sort of the same thing.
I can't make money on the sportsside, even though I love that
and it's so just innate in me. And, but I thought maybe I'll
try my hand in music and, and just naturally fell into it and
met a producer and moved out to Nashville and sort of left and
never left like sports behind. I always at intramurals.
(17:09):
It's always very much, you know,a a part of who I am, but as far
as you know, making, building a career and making a living, it
just wasn't on on the sports side to LA at the time.
So now you're in Nashville and Ilove, I love all of that.
I mean, your journey, it's all making sense.
Sure. It really is making sense.
So now you're in Nashville. And I got to ask because it's
(17:33):
Shibuzi. Yeah.
How did that? And I'm sure you've said this
1000 times, but you're going to say 1001?
That's right. I'll say it.
I'll say it. Again and again, yeah.
Let's go, because it's somethingyou should be so incredibly
proud of. How?
When was the first time you saw him or heard him or heard his
name? So interestingly enough, I had
left. I was at Universal Nashville on
(17:53):
the label side and I left at theend of 2019 to help start the
Nashville division of Empire. They were known as a like hip
hop distribution company at the time.
I remember actually. And, and, you know, I had, I
had, there were mentors and people in my, in my career that
they were like, call me when that fails because like, you
(18:13):
know, a hip hop distribution company in Nashville is like.
Unheard of. Unheard of, Yeah.
And that was the end of 2019. And then COVID hit, obviously,
and I ended up flying out in 2020 out here to LA and met him.
I'd been sent his music, I'd. Been someone sent you his music?
(18:33):
So I'd been sent his like his producer had sent a SoundCloud
link of his music. I'm sorry, back in my day you
got a tape. OK, Yeah, You got a tape?
No, we got a SoundCloud. I was an artist, by the way.
That's amazing. We're gonna talk about it.
You'll laugh. I might play one of my archive
songs, but anyway, so I will. Not be playing any of my archive
songs. No, it's hilarious because I'm
not. I mean, it's pretty bad, but I
(18:55):
only say that because I'm like, OK, so you got to like, it just
changed so much. OK, so someone sent you his
music. What was your first thought when
you heard it? Anything.
You're just like. No, I immediately you hear it
and you're just like, this is interesting, very interesting,
right? This is like cool.
And I have no idea what to what to do with this, right, Which
(19:17):
for me, I'll accept it. You know, that that's all you
have to tell me is like, have meaccept a challenge and, and I'll
try and figure it out. And so, yeah, I, I, I was like,
this is really cool. There were some really cool
lyrics in it. And I just thought, I don't know
what in the world to do with this, but like, it's cool and
let me and, and I didn't know, you know, I didn't know what he
(19:39):
looked like. I didn't know anything.
It was just, you hear it. And they're just like, this is
really cool. I need to meet this.
Person. So I flew out to LA and, and met
at the London West Hollywood lobby.
And of course it was deserted because of, you know, in the, in
the time that it was and him andhis manager at the time and, and
one of his other, like his creative director, essentially.
(20:03):
I mean, we hung out for hours and.
Were you shocked? How tall is he?
So tall. OK, I'm not crazy.
He doesn't. Know he, No, he's 65.
So he walks in and he's just a presence.
Yeah, right. And I've never met him or it
doesn't matter any, any, any room that he walks in like he
takes over the room in the best way.
And so yes, very tall and you know, in his wranglers and you
(20:27):
know is. Like small.
T-shirts and and yeah, it was just like, I was like, I don't
again, it was like, I don't I don't know that I know what to
do with this, but this is cool and like, let's figure this out.
And so I was signing a lot of artists at the time and.
And so, you know, like adding him to the to the roster was was
(20:48):
amazing. He was, yeah, it was, You know,
I wish I had the foresight that I, that I.
Now. That I have now, but, you know,
hindsight's always 2020 but, and, and, but, yeah, I feel I
just feel super lucky and super fortunate that yeah, he went
with us and, and we were able tosort of start getting to work.
And so it was because it was so early, you know, I'd.
(21:12):
I. He had been in the business a
while. He was signed to a label before
and. And so there's a lot of, you
know, navigating when when you're in the signed to a
different label and moving over.And then at the same time, he
had never really done country music before.
And so it was a lot of trying tofigure out of like, OK, how do
we bridge the gap from where you've been to where you want to
go and what this world looks like?
(21:33):
He was the the first artist thatI had ever sat with one when he
walked up, I got handed a movie script that he had written of
the world that he wanted to build.
And I was like, I work at a label, right?
I was like, I'm on the. I was like, I don't know what
you want me to do with this. What was it?
Scorsese? Yeah, let me, let me call him
(21:53):
right. Now, yeah, I was just like, OK,
yeah. I was like thanks, man, you
know, and so but he was the first artist that ever had ever
worked with that talked about world building.
And for me that it was fascinating.
It's like this is what I want the world to feel like, like,
you know, sound like and so and fans experience and I was like
(22:15):
this. I'm like this.
I want to be a part of and help build into that world.
Because of. Where he had been like just
musicality wise to then where hewanted to go, we had to sort of
bridge the gap of of songs and albums and content.
So you know, we even the first song that we dropped, it was
called Beverly Hills, but then the next one right it then it we
shot in a saloon. So it's sort of like balancing
(22:37):
both worlds of hip hop and country and and where where he
had been. And so, yeah, it was, it was
fascinating. And just, you know, also just
such a grind. I mean, he was, we were all in
such a grind for several years to to build into what what he is
now, which is. Amazing a bad ass powerhouse.
(22:59):
How did the bar song tipsy? How did that come to be?
Yeah, so. When was the first time you
heard it? Tell me a little bit about that.
So I was actually in LA for the Grammys the first time that I
heard it, and the album had beendone right and then.
It's never. Done.
It's never done. Yeah.
And he went back in for sort of a last ride of like, can I beat
(23:21):
any of the songs of the songs that we have on the project?
And he, and he tells this story better than I do, so I'm not
trying to speak for him, but he had had this idea of of this
interpolation of this flip. And initially I think he had it
on a different song. And then when he got in the
studio and in the in the room, he started with with obviously
(23:41):
Tipsy and yeah, so the song sortof came to be.
And and I had just happened to be here.
And mind you, we were already rolling out songs the October
before for the album. We were already in release
cycle. And so I get here for the
Grammys and, and they play it for me through a phone just in
(24:03):
the car. We're driving from meeting to
meeting. I love it.
And they're like, OK, you got tohear this one.
But it was all under the kind ofthe, the, you know, notion of
like, will country music play this song?
So that's how it's sort of like,you've got to hear this one and
will they play it? Can we take this one to country
radio? And you they play it and it
wasn't mixed. It wasn't, you know, it was.
(24:23):
Yeah, it there wasn't, it wasn'tfinal by any means.
And I was just like, man, like Ato answer your question, I have
no idea if country radio will play this.
I said we're probably going to have to like get them to play
that, play it right, But they would be foolish not to.
Like this should absolutely be the focus.
This is, you know, again, you, you hear it once and then when
(24:45):
you're singing it the rest of the day, it's sort of your tell,
right? You know, when you're having it.
Stuck in your head? It's stuck in my head.
I've been listening to it since it came out, of course.
And you and. Everybody.
That song never gets old. Yeah, like that song.
Literally never. There's only a few that I think
never get old, and that's one ofthem.
And I'm not just saying that because you hear like that's
real. You hear it like, you know, I'll
hear it like I'll be in the mallor something, or, you know,
(25:07):
somewhere in the airport, right?And then you hear it and you're
like, Oh yeah, this is still this.
Still, I'm sober and I still love this shit.
I'm just saying even my sober people be dad.
That's right, let's go. Yeah, because it's just, it's
just a good vibe. It's such a fun, you know, and
it just makes you feel good, which is what most people want,
you know? And so it like pulls at your
(25:29):
emotions in such like such a great way.
And it was so timely just because of the nostalgia of, you
know, we're, we lean back into the 90s and, and we love how,
how, you know, those songs soundand, and, you know, and I feel
like we're, I'm at the age now that it's just like I pull back
from, you know, wanting those records and want that sound.
(25:49):
Do you remember back then this would have been AB side and then
it would have turned into like this?
Amazing thing, you know what I mean?
So many songs, just everybody knows I'm a die hard Prince,
man. Many of his big, big hits
started off as B sides at last minute.
Those are the last minute songs.So to me it's like kind of like
(26:10):
his B side but in the, you know,2025 version.
Yeah, yeah. Oh my God, that's crazy.
So I just got to ask you like, so you, you took him, you signed
him. Now he's blowing up.
What was give me the moment where you might have had when?
(26:32):
Because I've, I've gone through this myself where you're just
like, you hear it, you're by yourself and maybe you get a
little emotional. You're just like, wow.
I, I had, I had something to do with that.
Did you have a moment like that where you're just like, wow,
because we, we, we go so hard. You work so hard.
Sometimes we don't appreciate what we're building.
(26:54):
Yeah. Would you agree with that?
Oh, absolutely, I and it took mea minute because when you have
something to prove and when you're trying to prove something
at the same time and also build right, because it's like this,
you you'd also don't want to drop the ball at the one.
Right. You know, no, you don't.
It's a good analogy. And no one did it this week, but
(27:15):
they did it last week. Yeah.
Unbelievably. Like, how did you do that?
And. So for me, the pressure became
even more intense because then it was, you know.
Carry it through. Yeah, you got to carry it
through. And so I would be, you know, on
the calls and, and figuring out plans and what's next and and,
you know, even the strategy behind it was the content and
(27:36):
there's, you know, so much goes into it and I was like head down
all gas like with it with my team.
And I'm just like, don't let up.Like, do not let up because, you
know, then then the milestones and the goals change, right?
When you're like, okay, this is hot and we want a billboard Hot
100, right? And there was a time that we
(27:57):
were like, are we gonna get it? Are we not?
Because there was a lot of big releases that year, right.
And around that time, because then it was before summer
releases. Yeah.
So there was a lot of heavy hitters coming that again, even
for a country record. So country music prior to last
year was about 6 to 8% of all listening, right.
So it's not a lot of listenership.
(28:19):
So when you get it, it's it's sort of like you've got to hold
on to it and and do everything you can to write it.
And so I didn't take, I didn't take that moment initially
because then it was like so and so grateful fielding
opportunities and, and performances.
And, you know, it's, it's sort of like exactly what you work
(28:40):
for. And then then the work starts.
You know, it's sort of like I tell artists, and it's probably
no different than athletes. Once you get signed to a team
and once you've signed to a label, that's actually when the
work starts. It's not that all the work that
you've done before. That was just practice, right?
And so then that became of like,Oh, now we're in the game and
that then it's like, well, you don't let off when you're in the
(29:01):
game. It's like, no, you, that's when
you give it all you've got. So yes, to answer your question,
did I take a moment? I, I was super lucky that in
fact, it's, and I'll even say his name because I was so
grateful for that conversation. But Copeland, he, he's at
YouTube and he pulled me aside and he was like, I just want to
(29:21):
make sure that you are taking this in.
Like, I just want to make sure that you are like that you
realize what you've done and, and what you've been able to be
a part of and that you're enjoying it.
Because my schedule is never busier.
I was never on a plane more. I was never in more meetings and
I was never getting so much at me at the same time because I,
(29:42):
you know, then, then it was sortof like we proved what we could
do and then every artist wants that on the other side of that.
So then I'm getting pitched evenmore artists.
And so just the influx of, of conversation and the influx of,
of, of not only artists, but teams and it just became so
overwhelming too on that side that I was so grateful that he
(30:02):
had, I just happened to run intohim, wasn't even in a meeting.
And he was just like, I just wanna make sure that you are
soaking this in. I love that.
And I thought, and in that moment I wasn't right.
And so then, yeah, I was like, Iprobably should, I probably
should enjoy this, you know, and, and so then my perspective
shifted like in that moment where I, I tried to be very
(30:23):
mindful and, and just grateful honestly of just like, OK, I
don't know that I'll ever get tobe a part of a song that big or
that special again in my career.The odds are very low if, if at
all, cuz there's, there's very few people that actually get to
experience that. And so to be grateful in that
and to also ride that wave and capitalize on it as much as we
(30:47):
all could, you know, and, and itjust that there's, there was a
different intention behind the like sort of been my approach to
everything else after that. Right.
And it's so true. And for people that like aren't,
they're just listeners, like they don't know what goes on.
I mean, back in my day, I mean it, I can't even imagine what it
(31:08):
is now, but even back in the day, like you would get signed
and some labels would sign you just to shelf you because they
don't want you to compete with the nut like So I'm just saying
when you say odds, dealing through politics, dealing
through the grind, dealing through there's millions of
songs, millions of and, and for it to get to that level is I'm
(31:28):
sorry. I'm going to give it to her
right now. I know how hard that was.
So I'm going to give you your moment right now.
That is fucking amazing. And I always try to cuss at
least once. And there it is, Buck.
Yeah, that was fuck yeah. It was amazing.
I mean, if there's a moment thatdeserves that, it is, it's that.
It is that, it is that. And so I've been around music a
(31:49):
lot and I've not to anywhere where you were, but like got to
hang out with Prince and Rick James and all the things.
And when people knew that I was doing that, I would get little.
I would even get and I'm like, Oh, I am not like that's not my
all that to say. A lot of people ask me and I'm
going to ask you, it's so different today.
(32:10):
TikTok, digital, all the things I know right now I could name 5
amazing artists that I that I think are great.
What advice would you give them in today's world?
Somebody young, Somebody not young, What it what would what
would be like? One big thing that you could
(32:32):
give somebody who's maybe listening to this that wants to
be a Shabuzzi, that wants to be on the radio.
Yeah, it's it's funny. And I'm not just saying this
because I'm on on, you know, football sexy podcast, because
it really does go back to an athlete mentality.
And so, but for me it is. And I tell artists this on the
daily. And so for all the artists that
(32:53):
have ever heard me say this, I'msorry that you get to hear me
say it again. But it's it especially because
of the algorithms, because of TikTok, because of Spotify, like
we're up against algorithms. And so it really is consistency
and it's making like great records and being consistent in
that. And so I, I tend to tighten it's
(33:15):
the consistency and cadence of the content, right?
And that goes back to song content, lyric content, get to
know you content. So it really is as consistent as
you can stay as an artist. And for me, that's, that's
practice, right? Like that's that's.
Consistent posting consistent. Releasing post just as
(33:36):
consistent as you could be as anartist in posting and releasing
music and making art. Do that right, because that will
naturally build and tell your story and what you want to know
and say that is so important andto get your art out there and to
start building fans, right? Because it's, it used to be that
(33:58):
you would like make a record andthe label would send you out on
the road and you know, then theythey would do XY and Z on a
marketing plan. And artists have never had this
much accessibility, direct accessibility to fans.
However, they've also never had this much of responsibility.
So much is on their shoulders because and I tell artists I
(34:19):
it's not my face and my name that that is making this
content. I wish that, you know, I could
AI is changing a lot of this. So that's a whole another topic
that you know, but it isn't likeit.
It requires so much of the artist where where they're in
front of camera, they're in front of the fans.
And so I tell them, don't look at these platforms as social
(34:42):
media. This is you right in front of
your fans. Entertain them.
This is entertainment. How are you entertaining them on
each platform? And also driving back to the
music, driving back to somethingyou created that you want the
world to hear and know and see. And it really is just being so
(35:03):
consistent in that and just continuing because it is a very
it's the probably the most toxicrelationship with that you'll
ever have is with social media because it rewards, but then it
it. It can take it back.
It can take instant gratification.
Yeah. And even even for our platform,
you know, and most people have one platform way bigger than the
(35:26):
other platforms, right? Because you've you've dialed in
that and now you're like, OK, let me go do this.
And you're like, Oh my God, thisis not working out the way that
one worked out. You know what I mean?
And it's very difficult. And you can have one reel that
just takes off and the next one gets like 20 views.
You're like, what is happening? Right now and it's just as good
I I think when artists forget because they're creative,
(35:46):
they're creative beings, right? And so they forget they're like,
oh, that wasn't good content. And it could be something as
simple as just the timing. It could be just even I've.
Learned. Just the again, just the
algorithm because we're up against a machine and so.
Don't take it personal. That's right.
And don't take it because that actually that that content, they
got 20 views. You could post that in a week
(36:08):
and it could get 20 million and it has nothing to do with
actually what's it's not bad content.
And so that's the consistency side.
It's like when you have those 10that flop or that don't get
views and you're just like, you know, and so I teach like I'm
not precious with, with content with artists, you know, I'm
like, put it out there, like putit out there because we're in
(36:31):
swipe culture and it comes and goes, you know, and, and a lot
of times artists look at social media platforms as very linear
and it's just not, there's very few that are majority of those
that are that are watching TikTok is without sound.
And also they're not going to your actual profile and
scrolling that. So it's not linear.
It's very spherical in that where it's like you'll hit a FYP
(36:54):
page in a very different way, then you'll hit somebody else's,
right? It just depends on, and it's all
individual algorithms. So there is a strategy behind
that, which is what I feel like I like, I am so thankful that
that's sort of, you know, like that's what's made me really
successful in, in my job is because I understand that, but
it's also being able to articulate that to the artist
that they're like, I just want my song heard and I'm like, I
(37:15):
do. Understand that.
Work with me. By the way, you want to know my
biggest When I started football,I was sexy.
The first reel that went viral, that got me on the map.
You're going to laugh. I had no idea what I was doing.
I wasn't even on Facebook like Ididn't I what I've learned like
I didn't know anything and I would just got on Instagram and
I was at the gym and I'm like, Oh my God, I'm going to post
(37:36):
this and I post it. I didn't even know.
Honestly, I didn't even know howto post.
I post it right before I was literally like doing leg day and
I was like, fuck it, let's just post this horrible.
I was already pissed. Not again.
I hate leg day. I hate leg day so much so I'm
sitting there doing my little curls and my phone right here it
go print print like it was goingright now.
I apologize like what is going on?
(37:58):
It was just like buzzing and it was non-stop and I was like what
the hell is going on? So I checked it and it's taking
off The video I put up is going crazy and I'm like and I was
like thinking my phone's broke like this what is happening?
Look why this and you know what video it was what it was me
wearing my Niner hat walking into the Dallas Cowboy training
(38:21):
count. I know I that full circle.
You brought it back and I brought it back.
Do you like that? I love it.
I love it. I'm professional.
You're a professional. Lookout, Kelly, I got you.
Yeah, but isn't that wild? And it put me on the map.
And you know, I probably wouldn't do that today, but it,
(38:42):
you know, that kind of content, you never, you know, only
because one day the Cowboys willhave me on their field because I
love football and I love passion.
I'm just saying. Maybe I can make that happen.
We'll see. That would be awesome.
You know, I'm getting pushed back because I've heard, because
(39:02):
even though I'm football sexy and I'm doing all this stuff for
women in football and stuff, butsome, some teams don't want me
there because I am AI find that absolutely crazy.
And I will break down that wall.There'll be a team that will
help me. I don't know what that team is,
but hopefully it's somebody and we can break that barrier.
(39:23):
But I've I've heard it through the Grapevine.
Oh, you're not getting the mediapass because yeah, you're doing
this. But I was like, oh, I I don't
have time for that. Anyway, sorry, I went off a
little rant. My point was to all of that is
that you never know. And so I think that's great
advice. All the artists.
I hope you're hearing that. And I heard don't, and this is
(39:45):
me, don't worry about the makeup.
Don't worry about that. Sometimes just put it out there.
Would you agree? Just put it out.
Because it's always the ones, itnever fails.
It's the ones that even when I post, it's the ones that I'm
like, oh, I haven't, I haven't posted today.
Or you know, and it's the like. You didn't think anything about
it and you you took 2 seconds tothink about it and you throw it
(40:07):
up there and you're like, how did?
Oh, and the ones I'm like this is going to go, sure, this is so
good. And he's like, no, it didn't go.
It's like whatever. And so now, and can I throw this
out there as well? I've learned as a creator
because I realized I guess I am one of those now is like no
expectations. That's right, literally put it
(40:29):
out because you want to, becauseit says something, because it
shows who you are. And then I literally do like a
little not prayer, but like, okay, God, take this to whoever
supposed to be like universe, take this where it's supposed to
be. And I don't have any
expectations. And I and actually Shelly helped
me with that too, is like, just put it out and then don't look
(40:50):
at your phone for like a a couple hours, Like move on, go
about your life, you know? Yeah, because I.
Mean it can consume you and it can consume all of us, you know,
and it has clearly just even based off of, you know, daily
rates and view rates and, you know, so it's, it is, it's so
important to have those boundaries or to have that like,
(41:14):
you know, no expectation or, youknow, and it's, it's different
in music in a sense, because it is they are, you know, they're
making a song and getting that out there.
And, and, but I have to remind myself of that when, when I'm
like, this one should go, this song should go like this is the
hit, you know, and it doesn't, but I think I try and remind
them. And funny enough, I actually saw
(41:37):
this, like Lizzo had posted about this and truth hurts
didn't take off until two to three years after release.
And so it's always reminding theartist of like, you never know,
like, it may not be right now, but it could be.
It could be in 10. Years.
I'm waiting for my Whisper by Ernie Halter.
I'm just throwing it out there. Fighter by Annie Bosco just
(41:57):
throwing it out there. Hey, I'm ready for it.
I heard the house that built me was like 6 years.
Yeah, or something like that, like crazy.
And I'm sure there's so, I mean,there's just so many songs that,
you know, have the same story. And that's the other thing that
even I learned when I moved to Nashville.
This is not about me. But like I remember going there
(42:18):
with no expectations as well. I just want to go there.
I want to find my my tribe. I want to like it.
It it's that, it's that having goals, but also the it's, it's
a. It's a fine line.
You want to have goals, but you also want to be like where it
doesn't define you. Does that make sense?
(42:38):
Yeah, it's so interesting because I was in my career, I
had such like a death grip on mycareer of trying to control it
and going of like, this is whereI want to be and this is what I
want to do. And and I'm going to be CEO of a
record label one day. And, and all of these things
that I was like had such a deathgrip.
And the the irony of the whole thing is that was January of
(43:00):
2024 and I thought I could walk away today.
I don't want to, but I could walk away today and be fulfilled
and I and I could be happy and find my next thing.
And it was as soon as I let thatgo of having that like just grip
on, then that was the year that changed my, changed my life.
Well, and that's a perfect segueto tell me where you are right
(43:26):
now. Yeah, so I left Empire in May of
this year and it was probably one of the scariest decisions.
It was and really tough, you know, I had to leave a lot like
the artist that I had signed there and and.
Everything built. And everything that I built,
yeah. And so and was able to be a part
of, but there, there had just been, you know, the, the end of
(43:51):
the year prior, I just started having this like, you know,
feeling inside that I thought, Ijust, I want to do something
different. I want to do something and, and
I wanted to have skin in the game and I wanted to have my own
company and, and you know, and so I, I sort of started like
(44:11):
planning it and, and was just brainstorming, just thinking
about it. And, and really it boiled down
to, and it came down to the, I thought, man, I'm looking these
artists in the face everyday andI'm like, be raw, be vulnerable,
chase your dreams, live on the edge.
It's almost like I'm pushing them to this ledge of like,
vulnerability and also chasing your dreams.
(44:32):
And I was looking at myself in the mirror and I'm like, oh, I'm
not doing that. And so I started to feel like
such a hypocrite. And I thought, well, if I'm not
doing that, nobody's going to dothat for me, like on my behalf,
for me. And so I was like, what if I
took the care that I take with the artists that I get to work
with? What if I took that much care
into what my career was and whatthat looked like?
(44:54):
It also super helpful that it worked out that I was sort of at
the top, you know, and like had all the success and I thought
I'm. Going to go start my own thing.
Let's go. As you should.
Well, another. Let's go.
I make the joke, I'm like, I'm either a glutton for punishment
or just like, you know, love to have the foresight that because
I'm always thinking 2 years ahead within the business, like,
(45:15):
and I'm like, where do I think the business is going and, and
how can I be of service to that?And how can I like make the most
of that? So now you are your own.
Boss not my. Own boss you I'm not going to
tell you the advice I got many many years ago from the manager
of En vogue. We're taking it back.
But I I'm I'm excited to see where where you're going to go
(45:41):
where you're going to take this yeah.
Then I was thinking about the invoke because he's talking to
me. He's like man managing 3 girls
in one band. That's a whole that's a whole
thing. Do you have three women yet?
Oh yeah. So I well not management.
So I so launched label, so casual media partners, I
launched it with different verticals.
(46:01):
Adding sports was it has been really important to me to do
that. I think sports and music tie in
just so effortlessly, right. And so that is that is sort of
like year, hopefully year 2 of adding to that of, of, of what
that looks like. But for me, it's like I wanted
to get back in the athlete worldand parlay a business that
(46:22):
brought in something so naturally, right?
And so because there's always music in sports, there's always
anthems, there's always, you know, and every athlete loves,
you know, has a playlist and andthe artists need sports and
athletes to promote and to be a part of and a partner on.
And so, yeah, it just when I wasagain brainstorming of what this
(46:46):
looks like adding sports to thatwas really important, whether
that's having athletes as as part of the record label side
or, you know, there's a lot of alot of.
Dude, would you have signed DeonSanders?
Do you know he has a record? Do you remember back in the day?
Oh, a long time ago. Remember, you could sign Deanna.
I know. I have a friend of a friend.
I'm just saying he might still drive.
(47:06):
There's still time. I mean, look, you never know.
I. Never.
What is it? It ain't about the money.
I. Think I think every meeting.
I think every meeting because you never know.
You never know. And so I take every meeting and
I listen to thousands and thousands of records a day and
so much music just because you never know.
And so and then, yeah, so I, I managed Skylar Grey and I
(47:28):
managed a a producer, songwriterand.
I love that song. I have to say.
I've been listening. Which one?
I called it the week of the songof the week.
This week was sober. So that was, that's one of those
it's I, it's perfect timing thatshe wrote that over 10 years
ago. See.
Yeah. Is she sober?
No, but when she wrote it, it the the concept.
(47:50):
Of the song is juded about love.Yeah, it's like you make me like
you make. Me.
I love that. Yeah, it's such a great record
when I first heard it. And so that's been so fun to to,
you know, join forces with. Her and it's not about sobriety
by the way, but because I'm sober and because I love love,
I'm just saying that's right. I love love, right.
It just was like, I want to feelthat way, like I'm just feeling
(48:12):
like single Monica, by the way, and just throwing it out there.
But that song is just. Fire.
It's so good. It's so good.
I'm excited for you. I would love to come see you.
I'm just throwing that out there.
Yeah, absolutely. But so I'm really excited to see
where your career is going. I have no doubt that you're
going to be amazingly successful.
(48:32):
I can't wait for your next artist, whatever that I mean.
You have Skylar Grey now, so. So.
Skylar Grey on the management side and Dylan Rudolph on the
producer, songwriter side and then record label side.
So I have super lucky to partnerwith with some really great
people, some of my business partner like Jenna Andrews and
Steven Kirk. We had songs on the Netflix show
Hit Makers and they've they're, you know, they have two songs on
(48:57):
K Pop Demon hunters and, and so they've been amazing partners
and we have some artists that we're developing.
And then I've got, you know, I probably have, I mean, I
launched with 50 releases this year coming out on on my record
label. So yeah, it's it's been you
know, it's one of those things it's I'm in the grind and I know
what that feels like. And so it's sort of you once,
(49:20):
once you find a rhythm. And for me, it's very much about
finding a rhythm just in life ingeneral and a balance.
And I have to work really hard at that because I could, I could
be. Be in it.
Well, I saw you slamming some golf balls off this beautiful
Cliff. Yeah, Cliff, yesterday I was
like, that looked hot, by the way.
That's that's a good look. I'm saying it's kind of sexy.
(49:40):
I was waiting for it to go viraland it hasn't.
So I was a little, I was a little mad because I was like,
if one's going to go viral, it should be this.
One. No, I tried to help it, you
know, I liked it. I comment.
I'm like, I appreciate it. Yeah, it was.
It was gorgeous. We have a segment called What
the Helly? And I thought it only makes
sense that it's going to be Shabuzzi is now has an anthem
(50:02):
for the football Thursday night game.
What the Helly? It's wild.
I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's amazing.
You know, it's, it's just again,it ties into the worlds that I
wanna bring and be a part of it,be together.
And it's like, absolutely. And so he's incredible.
(50:22):
So amazing. Yeah, so amazing.
Well, I know you're so busy. You're not.
You watch football, you watch sports, but you're busy.
I know you're busy. I know.
So I'm not going to ask you somesome of the crazy things that's
going on, but I thought it mightbe you.
Can't. I just don't know that I'll have
a great answer. No, no, it's OK.
So. So if you don't mind, I love to
do a helmet game. Let's do it.
(50:43):
Can we do it? Yeah.
OK, So the the great things are easy.
You're just going to pick a helmet and then just tell me
anything that comes to your mind.
We'll do like 2. OK.
OK. AM.
I going to cheat. No cheat.
Oh well, funny enough my school colors growing.
Up. Tell them who it is.
So it's Pittsburgh Steelers. The fact that she knew that
(51:05):
where y'all know, but some people don't know that.
So I'm just like, yes, she knowsthat the team.
Yeah, I mean, I couldn't name you one player right now that
that is on the Steelers, but because that was my like high
school colors growing up, there's always been an affinity
there. But I've got I don't know that I
have anything because I have no idea what's going on with them,
which is maybe the problem. They need to be a little bit
(51:26):
noisier. There you go.
You know I can help you. OK, so Aaron Rodgers is now
their quarterback. OK, did not know that.
He's so wild. OK, that's a good turn there.
Wasn't anticipating that, but. OK, that's OK.
And he's a lot. Yeah.
Well, that's all we have to say.That's I mean, that's true.
That's true. He's a lot.
That that announcement alone is is.
(51:47):
Is good, right? Astonishing a little bit.
OK, let's try one more. Let's see what we got.
Now you know that this. Is I know.
You never know. You never know.
Oh, even worse, I need another one.
Listen, that was I need. To know, OK, that was Minnesota.
Vikings I I know who who they all are.
OK, OK, this is Bengals. I know who they all are if that
(52:07):
helps. But.
That's OK. I'm never going to get asked
back on this podcast because. I No, I love you.
This is great because this is good for the newbies.
They need to know that it's not everybody knows.
Yeah, you. Don't have?
To know either last one, well, we know that with the season,
yeah, that makes sense. It's of course.
So we'll we have to end on this one.
Yes, even though I don't know very much about them, that's OK,
but because they're in Texas. Houston Texans.
(52:31):
Yeah, All you need to know is that you care more for the
Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, well, the Texans weren't
like when I was growing up. They weren't a thing.
Well, they were an expansion team, so yeah, they were so
around probably. So they came around a lot later,
a lot later in my, in my life, in your world.
Yeah. Then I was just like, you know?
But you did good because you at least you knew who these people
(52:53):
were. I could I know all of the team
names. There you go.
Yeah, yeah, I'm and you know, soyou need to know that's right.
That's all you need to know. I think you did great.
Let's give it to her for what the hell now?
The easy one, The easy one. As we wrap up, we always like to
ask our guest, because you're a basketball, you know, you're
athlete, I call it. Who's got next?
(53:14):
Who's got next? So is there somebody that you
know that you think might be a good fit to sit in the same
chair that you're sitting in? Talk a little life with me, Talk
a little football, check some helmets out, all the things.
Is there anybody that you think I know?
I always wait to ask you on camera.
(53:35):
Yeah, 'cause that way you can't think about.
Yeah. Shelly was like, are you
serious? When I was spot, I'm like, yeah,
yeah, yeah, it's OK 'cause I want it organic.
Yeah, they do they need to be anathlete or just.
Anybody. I mean, I would say like my
buddy Nick who's who's learning all the Bad Bunny, you know,
songs for the Super Bowl. And so he might be, he might be
(53:57):
a great personality to. Step to the front, let's talk
some Bad Bunny. And we didn't know this because
I follow him and he's learning the Bad Bunny in time for
halftime. And I'm digging his video that
those videos are going crazy. They're going crazy.
Yeah, they're absolutely going crazy.
Yeah, I had. I had no idea.
You know, I saw one. I'm like, Oh my God, that's.
(54:19):
So and he's learning, so I we could tie that in.
There you go. Next step to the front, my
friend. Let's go.
Go, buddy. Oh my God.
Is there anything else that you want to talk about, promote,
tell everybody about? I mean, casual media partners,
you're signing artists. Signing artists.
Is it just country? No, no.
In fact, I I'm about 5050 of country and pop right now.
(54:41):
I'm not, I'm not even looking for like I, I don't take the
approach of that look for a genre obviously on like my A&R
ears. And what I know best is is from
country to singer-songwriter to pop.
And so I think with where music is going, it's, I don't have to,
you know, be bound by a genre to, to sign, But I always listen
(55:01):
to music. I get sent a lot of music, but I
listen to everything because I'malways looking for, you know,
the next thing, the next thing and the next thing it's I'm a
big, you know, I love music. And so I love sort of where
it's, it ebbs and flows. I love how it you on the the
journey of life that it does andand it's been a big part of of
(55:22):
my life. And again, it's, you know, it's
so yeah. I'm always looking for artists
to sign. I'm always looking for teams to
work. With our DMS might go crazy
after this. I mean, they might.
They might, all right, yeah, but.
I mean, look, I, I, I listen to all of it.
So I. Love it and that's.
Awesome. You never know.
You never know. That's amazing that you still
listen, cuz sometimes I think artists, they just want a
chance. Yeah, you know, they just want
(55:43):
to. Yep.
And. And if you listen, that's a
chance. Yep.
That's how I you may not hear from me.
After I. But that's also not bad news,
you know, And I have to tell artists that all the time too.
Of, of of I will listen and I may not always get back to you
or I may not always get back immediately or have an opinion
because sometimes I have to livewith them too.
(56:03):
I can. I will always have AI mean I'm
opinionated in and of itself. And so I will always have a, a
first gut. And there are songs that stand
out from the jump. Like I, I feel like one of my
superpowers is like, I know a hit song when I hear one, I may
not always call that it's a hit and it ends up being a hit, but
every time I've said it's a hit,it's a hit.
And so for me, it's like, all right, so I'll listen for those.
(56:26):
I have about 30 demos right now from the 90s that I'm going to
play Heather when we got this podcast that.
Should be the. I'll take some.
So let's go. Oh my God.
Well, thank you so much. This was so much fun.
I love talking all the things with you.
Congrats on everything. Thank you.
More than happy. I, you know, I told you off
(56:47):
camera, but I don't feel deserving to be here of, of
because I, you know, have I've been a little busy lately, but
in in the music world. But if for me, I'll talk sports
all day. Long oh, sports and music.
You're welcome on my podcast anytime like those two things
we're going to do. So make sure you follow Heather
Vassar on all her social medias.Be on the lookout because I have
(57:08):
a feeling we're going to have the next big thing coming out of
casual media partners. That's right.
And as always, keep it. Sexy.
Let's go.
Let's go. My name is Monica with Football
is Sexy, and I'm so excited. We got my girl Heather Vassar in
the house. A music industry powerhouse at
the forefront of music, working with Shibuzi people like, I
don't know, Dolly Parton, SkylarGrey, Chris Stapleton, Kacey
Musgrave, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, and it goes on and on
(00:27):
and on. And now she's starting her new
company, which I can't wait to talk about.
Everybody, let's give it up for Heather.
Thank you. What is happening?
And we insert all the claps. Oh my God, thank you for being
here. No, thank you.
Thanks. I'm so excited to talk life,
music, football, all the things with you.
(00:48):
Yeah. But before we even get to all
that, tell me a little bit aboutyou, Heather.
You have, I mean, your career for being so young especially.
Thank you. Yeah, I.
Don't know about that. Every day.
You're so young Every. Day I'm like oh man, how how
long can I keep going? But.
It feels also at the same time only like just in the beginning.
(01:11):
So I keep trying to remind myself of that, of like.
I feel like that for you. I feel super lucky just because
of like fuck what was I do not deserve sorry.
Oh good. You want to run it.
No, we'll keep going. I feel super lucky just because
of having the career that I've had.
But you know, I'm born and raised in such a small West TX
(01:33):
town, been one of the few of my family to ever leave Texas.
And I thought, you know, what amI going to do?
And I was an athlete all growingup and, and I that's what I
thought I would do. Went to college and played ball
and then, you know, that life took a turn even they're doing
that. And that's where I found my love
of music and, and started and onplaying and writing.
(01:56):
And so then I was just like, youknow, wide eyed and had no clue
what the music industry was. And, yeah, moved as a songwriter
and an artist and took a took myhand at that for a few years.
And I thought, oh man, I don't know who makes money in this
business, but it is not me. And I was not making any money
in that, in that world. And I didn't know that there was
(02:17):
a, you know, I didn't know the music business.
And so when I, when I got to Nashville, I was a, you know, I
was a, a big fish in a small pond in West, TX.
And then I got to Nashville and I was like, oh, shit, these
people are really good. And I'm not anywhere close.
And so, yeah, I, I was like, I don't know.
(02:38):
And the artist thing wasn't, I never wanted to be sort of on
stage, but I just love music andI loved writing and.
And so, you know, even when I was growing up and I'm like
writing songs and, you know, my family was like, you have to
sing them. And I'm like, I can't really
sing, you know, I'm not a singer.
I'm not that. And so, yeah, so by the time I,
by the time I got to Nashville and I was like, I don't know, I
(03:00):
don't know who makes money in this business, but it's not me.
But I need to figure out a way that I can make money in this
business. And so, yeah, that's how I ended
up on the on the label side and on the business side.
Yeah, just just starting, starting on, on that side.
And in that world that I found my footing that I was like, OK,
this is this is what I'm great at.
This is what I can. Do so well.
I love how she just took us all the way too.
(03:22):
But I want to go back a little bit because an athlete, I think
I've, I talk about this a lot, being an athlete, I really am a
big advocate for sports. I believe it really helps you in
life. You know, how to celebrate your
wins, how to work hard for something, how to deal with
other teammates, how to deal with coaches.
(03:44):
There's just so many life lessons around sports.
And she didn't say it. So I'm going to go ahead and say
she's a badass softball player, right?
Yeah, I was a catcher. Played at Texas Tech my freshman
year. I caught my whole life.
I started when I was 4. You know I say 4I was 4 years
old. I, I have an older sister and
we're 1314 months apart. And so I played up on her team,
(04:07):
which I use this. It's funny you say that because
I use sports analogies and musicall the time.
They're such parallel because you're right.
Like if when I like start talking to an artist or sign an
artist, I can always tell those that we're athletes.
There's a different accountability, a different
discipline, and maybe probably because I recognize it so.
Deeply but. Yeah, absolutely.
(04:27):
And so and, and there's a different just like teamwork
ability there and communication style.
And so it's probably because I recognize it that I, it's so
attractive to me and an artist. But yeah, I started playing, I
and I played every, you know, being from such a small town,
you know, I played volleyball, basketball, softball.
I threw shot put diskas in trackall the way there.
(04:50):
I did, you know, of course, you know, there's, there's, you
know, not, not many, not many ofus.
And so but. You never play flag football.
That wasn't a thing back then. Yeah, it wasn't a it wasn't a
thing. And so not not for the girls at.
Least I played a little flag football.
That's why I'm so excited to have you here, because we have
so much in common. Because I played all the sports,
(05:10):
hated volleyball. I was not good at volleyball and
I don't like playing shit that I'm not I didn't like.
The spandex. I legit probably quit because of
the spandex. Oh, are you serious?
Right. You know, Yeah.
No, the the four this right here.
The forearm it just no it. Hurt, hurt.
Too bad. It hurt.
It hurt. And then I can't spike and that
was frustrating. I couldn't.
I was too short for that. And like, this is not fun.
(05:31):
I'm not going to just sit here and set all day.
You would have. Been a great like, specialist or
even setter because you're like.Probably you look.
Very agile. Yeah, I was.
I could, I could serve, right? And so same, you know, same
throwing arm, same serving. I could really serve, but I
can't jump or, you know, run fast.
In my life, I broke my leg sliding into third base.
That was the end of my softball career.
(05:52):
Oh, man. No, no, no, I broke it.
Yeah. Third base.
It was not good. That's a whole another story.
Yeah, but yeah. Yeah, I mean, so I I played, you
know, since I was young and I always played up, which is
that's again, something that I use with, with even artists.
And so I've been able to take what I know of the sports world
and bring it and bring it in. And so because I always played
up because, you know, I played on my sister's team just so
(06:15):
probably to keep the sanity of my parents.
And that was so valuable becauseI'm a big proponent.
You play to the level that you want to be at, not at the level
that you are, right? And especially as artists.
So I translate that to them as like, whatever stage you want to
be at. If you want to be singing in
(06:36):
arenas and if you want to be singing, name a venue.
When you're playing these hole in the wall bars, when you're
like playing these Rider rounds,things like that, you need to
show up like you're playing at that.
Arena, you need to show up. And because you have to prove
that you're there, right? You have to prove that you
should be at that level. And so and not just playing to
the two people probably in frontof you at the beginning of a
(06:57):
career, you know, that's in a hole in the wall bar.
And so for me, it's like that's what I did all of growing up.
I was just fortunate enough. It really wasn't my decision,
but I just played up and that made me better because I think
it either makes you better or you end up quitting because one
of the you don't rise to the occasion.
But for me, it was like, it justmade me better, right?
And yeah, I started catching when I was four or five and my
(07:20):
parents couldn't Get Me Out of the gear.
And I I genuinely thought that that's what.
And the Catch Me a position is not for the week.
That's how you ended up. I didn't know that's how you
ended up in the music business because of being in the music
business is not for the week. It prepared you, girl.
Yeah, no, 100% a hundred. I had no idea.
About it, I tried it one time and I was like Oh no, this bat
is it's way too close to my face.
(07:43):
Like there's no, I mean, you know, my, my parents would have
like, we'd have like 8 game guarantees and they were like,
you can't catch eight games in arow.
And I'd be like, yes, I can watch me, you know?
See, and this is. This is all getting to.
Your your assistance, the person, yes.
I love it. And so, being that you came from
Texas, were you a fan of the Cowboys?
(08:05):
Of course. I mean, I don't want to ever
assume but. Yeah, I mean it, It was the only
team that I knew of, you know, like it it was, there was
nothing else, you know, that that was even an opportunity to
even discuss in my house. And so I was like, we are a
Dallas Cowboy fan. That's it.
Did you get to go to the games growing up or watch them on TV?
Or Oh yeah, I mean, we watched them all the time again.
(08:26):
I mean, because I come from a sports family, we watched every
every you know, game on TV and you know, would would go to like
friends. It was obviously even really big
of then once you get high schooland.
Cuz what year were you kind of like?
For me, my early years was like the days of Joe Montana, Jerry
Rice, what was like mine. Is Troy Aikman, Emmett Smith?
(08:48):
Okay. Yeah, I got it like one of my
best friends in junior high, like she came back with a sign,
Troy Aikman and Emmett Smith football and that's she get like
gifted it to me and I still haveit, you know, it's just like, Oh
my, there was nothing better. And I just felt like I was.
It was over the moon. I love it.
See how Dallas Cowboy fans and 49er fans can get along?
(09:12):
I'm just throwing it out there. And we talked about that right
off the tip. I was like, OK, I'm good, you're
good, OK. We're good, yeah.
You gotta love it. Yeah, I mean, I don't hold, you
know, so tightly to the to the fandom on the Cowboy side, just
leaving Texas. And obviously, you know, I have
a love of of being in Nashville for for a lot.
So I support my Titans and go. And then for me, sports has
(09:35):
changed where like I feel fortunate enough to to meet
amazing people that are tied to organizations.
And so then I become naturally afan because you learn more about
the organization, just the people behind it and and
players. And so it's like, I'm a big
49ers fan, as you know. You heard it here, baby.
Let's go. And as you know, because we're
going to talk about, you know, how we met.
(09:56):
Sure. Shout out to Shelly, coach
Shelly, who was your leadership coach?
Yeah, executive leadership coach.
And because of you. And I was like, OK, I I see how
they're moving. I need you are what you hang
around. That's right.
You know, And so I'm a big believer in that.
And so I've been fortunate at fortunate enough to know Shelley
(10:19):
for a while. And that's how we met.
And I'm I just love what's happening organically and the
women supporting women, you know, you know, and then Annie
boss goes into the fold now and we're talking, you know, music
and sports, like literally without even planning it.
I know like you can tell me, butI'm living.
(10:41):
My dream is sports and music. Oh, that's what I was going to
say. Like what?
What? Else what do you want?
What else do you need? Right, sports and music.
You know, so yeah, I agree. I agree.
So let's go back a little bit. You were a songwriter.
So so was I. Again, Here we are, here we are.
Another thing that we have in common is I was also a
(11:03):
songwriter. I didn't never pick up an
instrument, but I was all about the lyrics and my my mentor.
We make a great team. So, you know, because I started
with instruments and I was like,what do I do with these?
Because I play by ear. And so I picked up guitar, I
picked up piano and my family was like, I don't know how to
play the piano. And I'm like, I don't know.
(11:24):
I just would play a song. And so, but I didn't.
I could play other people's songs, but then when I would
make up my own, then I didn't have lyrics.
See. So we would have made.
Maybe there's some hits among us.
I mean, I don't know, I believe.It I believe.
It there's still time and it's so funny because I play a hell
of a air guitar and air John, I just need you to know like I'm
bad pass on the air drums. I'm just I'm just telling you
(11:46):
and but I always was the words person, right?
And being that I was a die hard Prince fan from 7th grade, my
mentors that they don't know, but like my who I looked up to
lyrically was Prince, Bernie Taupin and Diane Warren.
Those were my 3 like and I to me, they just told the story the
(12:08):
way I wanted to very visual all the things.
But when did you, because I knowfor me, when did you realize
that like like I remember when Iwhen I was graduating high
school, everybody's like going to college and I was like, that
wasn't calling my name. And I literally remember
(12:28):
thinking I'm either going to go into music or sports and I was
like, I can't make any money at sports as a woman.
This is back. I'm not going to tell you what
year, but maybe 1987, not sure. And I'm like, so that put me
into music where I at least had a shot, you know what I mean?
What? There was no shot back.
There was no WNBA. It wasn't going to happen.
(12:51):
So I went into music just like that.
When was it? When was your moment when you
realize that you were going to kind of go the route you went?
Probably, I mean, we have a verysimilar probably path in that
because so when I went to, I went to Texas Tech and started
playing softball there. And if this will tell you
(13:13):
everything you need to know about me.
But that was the, that was the year they took softball out of
the Olympics. And so for me, I thought, well,
that was sort of peak because insoftball, yes, they're like, you
can't really make money as a professional softball player at
the time for sure, right. And even now it's not probably
much of anything. I'm not, you know, but so that
(13:35):
my freshman years when they tookit out of the Olympics.
And so I thought if that is thatwas sort of the goal, you know,
I've been, I've been like, I would go to all of the Olympic
like training team like programsand summer, whatever, you know,
And so I was doing all of that with the aspiration that I'm,
they go like, I'm going to be inthe Olympics.
That was the goal, right? When they took it out, I
thought, well, now what? Right, you know, and it was
(13:57):
because USA was so good, right? They were, they were just beyond
talented. And I was playing against some
of those girls in high school. And I need to see some footage.
I need to see some pictures. Oh, there's some.
Press on there. There's some press OK.
But but so when? When that happened, I thought
and like this and I was getting really tired of 4:00 AM workouts
(14:20):
and 2A days and, and doing school and I just thought like,
I don't know. I don't know.
And at the same it was, it was interesting because I can look
back now and at the same time mylove of music was really
growing. I was in a band in college and
you know, I was playing a lot. And so who was your go to in the
you know, mine was Prince who was like your.
You know, it's funny. I mean, I grew up in a very like
(14:40):
conservative Christian, so I started a Christian music and so
I grew up, but at the same time,like my dad loves like Chicago
and like, you know, the rock side, right and Boston.
And then my mom loves like The Judds more than a.
Feeling right? Oh yeah.
Right. Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, and like, and of course, George Strait King, right?
(15:02):
I was just like iconic king. And so I grew up on George and
The Judds and and then in like Christian music.
And so I make a joke now that I've, you know, I'm not much of
a movie watcher, but I've seen all the westerns and all the
faith faith films. So I got you on that.
OK. But yeah, so those were sort of
and that's I naturally fell intocountry music that way.
(15:24):
I wasn't writing it. I was writing Christian music at
the time. OK, and that ended up even being
a little bit more of it like cuzI did Christian music when I
went to when I moved to Nashville.
So I'd, I had I'll back up. So I went to once I quit playing
softball at tech, I was only taking, you know, the minimum
number of hours at school. And so I had to fill my time
(15:44):
with something. And so I started taking music
classes at a smaller junior college and got all of those as
approved as electives. And I did.
I mean, I took fiddle lessons and piano lessons and I can't
play fiddle. I was gonna say wait, give me a
fiddle. I cannot.
I cannot. That's the one that I.
Love a good fiddle, it's. One, it's the most frustrating
(16:04):
instrument for me because I playby ear, OK, that I don't have
like the the, you know, skill set right and fiddle like you
cannot. It's either incredibly sounding
or dying cow. Like there's like, no, yeah,
there's no between like guitar, you can fudge the chords, the
same piano. Like you can hit, you know, and
you can sort of. That's so funny.
Yeah. You can like, you know, navigate
(16:26):
around it. Violin and fiddle is not that
way. The precision is like so key and
I that was not me. And so but yeah, I was in a band
and. And you know, like I said, took
so many lessons. I even took vocal lessons and
songwriting classes and, and even music business classes and
I thought, OK, like now I understand.
(16:47):
And so I, it was sort of the same thing.
I can't make money on the sportsside, even though I love that
and it's so just innate in me. And, but I thought maybe I'll
try my hand in music and, and just naturally fell into it and
met a producer and moved out to Nashville and sort of left and
never left like sports behind. I always at intramurals.
(17:09):
It's always very much, you know,a a part of who I am, but as far
as you know, making, building a career and making a living, it
just wasn't on on the sports side to LA at the time.
So now you're in Nashville and Ilove, I love all of that.
I mean, your journey, it's all making sense.
Sure. It really is making sense.
So now you're in Nashville. And I got to ask because it's
(17:33):
Shibuzi. Yeah.
How did that? And I'm sure you've said this
1000 times, but you're going to say 1001?
That's right. I'll say it.
I'll say it. Again and again, yeah.
Let's go, because it's somethingyou should be so incredibly
proud of. How?
When was the first time you saw him or heard him or heard his
name? So interestingly enough, I had
left. I was at Universal Nashville on
(17:53):
the label side and I left at theend of 2019 to help start the
Nashville division of Empire. They were known as a like hip
hop distribution company at the time.
I remember actually. And, and, you know, I had, I
had, there were mentors and people in my, in my career that
they were like, call me when that fails because like, you
(18:13):
know, a hip hop distribution company in Nashville is like.
Unheard of. Unheard of, Yeah.
And that was the end of 2019. And then COVID hit, obviously,
and I ended up flying out in 2020 out here to LA and met him.
I'd been sent his music, I'd. Been someone sent you his music?
(18:33):
So I'd been sent his like his producer had sent a SoundCloud
link of his music. I'm sorry, back in my day you
got a tape. OK, Yeah, You got a tape?
No, we got a SoundCloud. I was an artist, by the way.
That's amazing. We're gonna talk about it.
You'll laugh. I might play one of my archive
songs, but anyway, so I will. Not be playing any of my archive
songs. No, it's hilarious because I'm
not. I mean, it's pretty bad, but I
(18:55):
only say that because I'm like, OK, so you got to like, it just
changed so much. OK, so someone sent you his
music. What was your first thought when
you heard it? Anything.
You're just like. No, I immediately you hear it
and you're just like, this is interesting, very interesting,
right? This is like cool.
And I have no idea what to what to do with this, right, Which
(19:17):
for me, I'll accept it. You know, that that's all you
have to tell me is like, have meaccept a challenge and, and I'll
try and figure it out. And so, yeah, I, I, I was like,
this is really cool. There were some really cool
lyrics in it. And I just thought, I don't know
what in the world to do with this, but like, it's cool and
let me and, and I didn't know, you know, I didn't know what he
(19:39):
looked like. I didn't know anything.
It was just, you hear it. And they're just like, this is
really cool. I need to meet this.
Person. So I flew out to LA and, and met
at the London West Hollywood lobby.
And of course it was deserted because of, you know, in the, in
the time that it was and him andhis manager at the time and, and
one of his other, like his creative director, essentially.
(20:03):
I mean, we hung out for hours and.
Were you shocked? How tall is he?
So tall. OK, I'm not crazy.
He doesn't. Know he, No, he's 65.
So he walks in and he's just a presence.
Yeah, right. And I've never met him or it
doesn't matter any, any, any room that he walks in like he
takes over the room in the best way.
And so yes, very tall and you know, in his wranglers and you
(20:27):
know is. Like small.
T-shirts and and yeah, it was just like, I was like, I don't
again, it was like, I don't I don't know that I know what to
do with this, but this is cool and like, let's figure this out.
And so I was signing a lot of artists at the time and.
And so, you know, like adding him to the to the roster was was
(20:48):
amazing. He was, yeah, it was, You know,
I wish I had the foresight that I, that I.
Now. That I have now, but, you know,
hindsight's always 2020 but, and, and, but, yeah, I feel I
just feel super lucky and super fortunate that yeah, he went
with us and, and we were able tosort of start getting to work.
And so it was because it was so early, you know, I'd.
(21:12):
I. He had been in the business a
while. He was signed to a label before
and. And so there's a lot of, you
know, navigating when when you're in the signed to a
different label and moving over.And then at the same time, he
had never really done country music before.
And so it was a lot of trying tofigure out of like, OK, how do
we bridge the gap from where you've been to where you want to
go and what this world looks like?
(21:33):
He was the the first artist thatI had ever sat with one when he
walked up, I got handed a movie script that he had written of
the world that he wanted to build.
And I was like, I work at a label, right?
I was like, I'm on the. I was like, I don't know what
you want me to do with this. What was it?
Scorsese? Yeah, let me, let me call him
(21:53):
right. Now, yeah, I was just like, OK,
yeah. I was like thanks, man, you
know, and so but he was the first artist that ever had ever
worked with that talked about world building.
And for me that it was fascinating.
It's like this is what I want the world to feel like, like,
you know, sound like and so and fans experience and I was like
(22:15):
this. I'm like this.
I want to be a part of and help build into that world.
Because of. Where he had been like just
musicality wise to then where hewanted to go, we had to sort of
bridge the gap of of songs and albums and content.
So you know, we even the first song that we dropped, it was
called Beverly Hills, but then the next one right it then it we
shot in a saloon. So it's sort of like balancing
(22:37):
both worlds of hip hop and country and and where where he
had been. And so, yeah, it was, it was
fascinating. And just, you know, also just
such a grind. I mean, he was, we were all in
such a grind for several years to to build into what what he is
now, which is. Amazing a bad ass powerhouse.
(22:59):
How did the bar song tipsy? How did that come to be?
Yeah, so. When was the first time you
heard it? Tell me a little bit about that.
So I was actually in LA for the Grammys the first time that I
heard it, and the album had beendone right and then.
It's never. Done.
It's never done. Yeah.
And he went back in for sort of a last ride of like, can I beat
(23:21):
any of the songs of the songs that we have on the project?
And he, and he tells this story better than I do, so I'm not
trying to speak for him, but he had had this idea of of this
interpolation of this flip. And initially I think he had it
on a different song. And then when he got in the
studio and in the in the room, he started with with obviously
(23:41):
Tipsy and yeah, so the song sortof came to be.
And and I had just happened to be here.
And mind you, we were already rolling out songs the October
before for the album. We were already in release
cycle. And so I get here for the
Grammys and, and they play it for me through a phone just in
(24:03):
the car. We're driving from meeting to
meeting. I love it.
And they're like, OK, you got tohear this one.
But it was all under the kind ofthe, the, you know, notion of
like, will country music play this song?
So that's how it's sort of like,you've got to hear this one and
will they play it? Can we take this one to country
radio? And you they play it and it
wasn't mixed. It wasn't, you know, it was.
(24:23):
Yeah, it there wasn't, it wasn'tfinal by any means.
And I was just like, man, like Ato answer your question, I have
no idea if country radio will play this.
I said we're probably going to have to like get them to play
that, play it right, But they would be foolish not to.
Like this should absolutely be the focus.
This is, you know, again, you, you hear it once and then when
(24:45):
you're singing it the rest of the day, it's sort of your tell,
right? You know, when you're having it.
Stuck in your head? It's stuck in my head.
I've been listening to it since it came out, of course.
And you and. Everybody.
That song never gets old. Yeah, like that song.
Literally never. There's only a few that I think
never get old, and that's one ofthem.
And I'm not just saying that because you hear like that's
real. You hear it like, you know, I'll
hear it like I'll be in the mallor something, or, you know,
(25:07):
somewhere in the airport, right?And then you hear it and you're
like, Oh yeah, this is still this.
Still, I'm sober and I still love this shit.
I'm just saying even my sober people be dad.
That's right, let's go. Yeah, because it's just, it's
just a good vibe. It's such a fun, you know, and
it just makes you feel good, which is what most people want,
you know? And so it like pulls at your
(25:29):
emotions in such like such a great way.
And it was so timely just because of the nostalgia of, you
know, we're, we lean back into the 90s and, and we love how,
how, you know, those songs soundand, and, you know, and I feel
like we're, I'm at the age now that it's just like I pull back
from, you know, wanting those records and want that sound.
(25:49):
Do you remember back then this would have been AB side and then
it would have turned into like this?
Amazing thing, you know what I mean?
So many songs, just everybody knows I'm a die hard Prince,
man. Many of his big, big hits
started off as B sides at last minute.
Those are the last minute songs.So to me it's like kind of like
(26:10):
his B side but in the, you know,2025 version.
Yeah, yeah. Oh my God, that's crazy.
So I just got to ask you like, so you, you took him, you signed
him. Now he's blowing up.
What was give me the moment where you might have had when?
(26:32):
Because I've, I've gone through this myself where you're just
like, you hear it, you're by yourself and maybe you get a
little emotional. You're just like, wow.
I, I had, I had something to do with that.
Did you have a moment like that where you're just like, wow,
because we, we, we go so hard. You work so hard.
Sometimes we don't appreciate what we're building.
(26:54):
Yeah. Would you agree with that?
Oh, absolutely, I and it took mea minute because when you have
something to prove and when you're trying to prove something
at the same time and also build right, because it's like this,
you you'd also don't want to drop the ball at the one.
Right. You know, no, you don't.
It's a good analogy. And no one did it this week, but
(27:15):
they did it last week. Yeah.
Unbelievably. Like, how did you do that?
And. So for me, the pressure became
even more intense because then it was, you know.
Carry it through. Yeah, you got to carry it
through. And so I would be, you know, on
the calls and, and figuring out plans and what's next and and,
you know, even the strategy behind it was the content and
(27:36):
there's, you know, so much goes into it and I was like head down
all gas like with it with my team.
And I'm just like, don't let up.Like, do not let up because, you
know, then then the milestones and the goals change, right?
When you're like, okay, this is hot and we want a billboard Hot
100, right? And there was a time that we
(27:57):
were like, are we gonna get it? Are we not?
Because there was a lot of big releases that year, right.
And around that time, because then it was before summer
releases. Yeah.
So there was a lot of heavy hitters coming that again, even
for a country record. So country music prior to last
year was about 6 to 8% of all listening, right.
So it's not a lot of listenership.
(28:19):
So when you get it, it's it's sort of like you've got to hold
on to it and and do everything you can to write it.
And so I didn't take, I didn't take that moment initially
because then it was like so and so grateful fielding
opportunities and, and performances.
And, you know, it's, it's sort of like exactly what you work
(28:40):
for. And then then the work starts.
You know, it's sort of like I tell artists, and it's probably
no different than athletes. Once you get signed to a team
and once you've signed to a label, that's actually when the
work starts. It's not that all the work that
you've done before. That was just practice, right?
And so then that became of like,Oh, now we're in the game and
that then it's like, well, you don't let off when you're in the
(29:01):
game. It's like, no, you, that's when
you give it all you've got. So yes, to answer your question,
did I take a moment? I, I was super lucky that in
fact, it's, and I'll even say his name because I was so
grateful for that conversation. But Copeland, he, he's at
YouTube and he pulled me aside and he was like, I just want to
(29:21):
make sure that you are taking this in.
Like, I just want to make sure that you are like that you
realize what you've done and, and what you've been able to be
a part of and that you're enjoying it.
Because my schedule is never busier.
I was never on a plane more. I was never in more meetings and
I was never getting so much at me at the same time because I,
(29:42):
you know, then, then it was sortof like we proved what we could
do and then every artist wants that on the other side of that.
So then I'm getting pitched evenmore artists.
And so just the influx of, of conversation and the influx of,
of, of not only artists, but teams and it just became so
overwhelming too on that side that I was so grateful that he
(30:02):
had, I just happened to run intohim, wasn't even in a meeting.
And he was just like, I just wanna make sure that you are
soaking this in. I love that.
And I thought, and in that moment I wasn't right.
And so then, yeah, I was like, Iprobably should, I probably
should enjoy this, you know, and, and so then my perspective
shifted like in that moment where I, I tried to be very
(30:23):
mindful and, and just grateful honestly of just like, OK, I
don't know that I'll ever get tobe a part of a song that big or
that special again in my career.The odds are very low if, if at
all, cuz there's, there's very few people that actually get to
experience that. And so to be grateful in that
and to also ride that wave and capitalize on it as much as we
(30:47):
all could, you know, and, and itjust that there's, there was a
different intention behind the like sort of been my approach to
everything else after that. Right.
And it's so true. And for people that like aren't,
they're just listeners, like they don't know what goes on.
I mean, back in my day, I mean it, I can't even imagine what it
(31:08):
is now, but even back in the day, like you would get signed
and some labels would sign you just to shelf you because they
don't want you to compete with the nut like So I'm just saying
when you say odds, dealing through politics, dealing
through the grind, dealing through there's millions of
songs, millions of and, and for it to get to that level is I'm
(31:28):
sorry. I'm going to give it to her
right now. I know how hard that was.
So I'm going to give you your moment right now.
That is fucking amazing. And I always try to cuss at
least once. And there it is, Buck.
Yeah, that was fuck yeah. It was amazing.
I mean, if there's a moment thatdeserves that, it is, it's that.
It is that, it is that. And so I've been around music a
(31:49):
lot and I've not to anywhere where you were, but like got to
hang out with Prince and Rick James and all the things.
And when people knew that I was doing that, I would get little.
I would even get and I'm like, Oh, I am not like that's not my
all that to say. A lot of people ask me and I'm
going to ask you, it's so different today.
(32:10):
TikTok, digital, all the things I know right now I could name 5
amazing artists that I that I think are great.
What advice would you give them in today's world?
Somebody young, Somebody not young, What it what would what
would be like? One big thing that you could
(32:32):
give somebody who's maybe listening to this that wants to
be a Shabuzzi, that wants to be on the radio.
Yeah, it's it's funny. And I'm not just saying this
because I'm on on, you know, football sexy podcast, because
it really does go back to an athlete mentality.
And so, but for me it is. And I tell artists this on the
daily. And so for all the artists that
(32:53):
have ever heard me say this, I'msorry that you get to hear me
say it again. But it's it especially because
of the algorithms, because of TikTok, because of Spotify, like
we're up against algorithms. And so it really is consistency
and it's making like great records and being consistent in
that. And so I, I tend to tighten it's
(33:15):
the consistency and cadence of the content, right?
And that goes back to song content, lyric content, get to
know you content. So it really is as consistent as
you can stay as an artist. And for me, that's, that's
practice, right? Like that's that's.
Consistent posting consistent. Releasing post just as
(33:36):
consistent as you could be as anartist in posting and releasing
music and making art. Do that right, because that will
naturally build and tell your story and what you want to know
and say that is so important andto get your art out there and to
start building fans, right? Because it's, it used to be that
(33:58):
you would like make a record andthe label would send you out on
the road and you know, then theythey would do XY and Z on a
marketing plan. And artists have never had this
much accessibility, direct accessibility to fans.
However, they've also never had this much of responsibility.
So much is on their shoulders because and I tell artists I
(34:19):
it's not my face and my name that that is making this
content. I wish that, you know, I could
AI is changing a lot of this. So that's a whole another topic
that you know, but it isn't likeit.
It requires so much of the artist where where they're in
front of camera, they're in front of the fans.
And so I tell them, don't look at these platforms as social
(34:42):
media. This is you right in front of
your fans. Entertain them.
This is entertainment. How are you entertaining them on
each platform? And also driving back to the
music, driving back to somethingyou created that you want the
world to hear and know and see. And it really is just being so
(35:03):
consistent in that and just continuing because it is a very
it's the probably the most toxicrelationship with that you'll
ever have is with social media because it rewards, but then it
it. It can take it back.
It can take instant gratification.
Yeah. And even even for our platform,
you know, and most people have one platform way bigger than the
(35:26):
other platforms, right? Because you've you've dialed in
that and now you're like, OK, let me go do this.
And you're like, Oh my God, thisis not working out the way that
one worked out. You know what I mean?
And it's very difficult. And you can have one reel that
just takes off and the next one gets like 20 views.
You're like, what is happening? Right now and it's just as good
I I think when artists forget because they're creative,
(35:46):
they're creative beings, right? And so they forget they're like,
oh, that wasn't good content. And it could be something as
simple as just the timing. It could be just even I've.
Learned. Just the again, just the
algorithm because we're up against a machine and so.
Don't take it personal. That's right.
And don't take it because that actually that that content, they
got 20 views. You could post that in a week
(36:08):
and it could get 20 million and it has nothing to do with
actually what's it's not bad content.
And so that's the consistency side.
It's like when you have those 10that flop or that don't get
views and you're just like, you know, and so I teach like I'm
not precious with, with content with artists, you know, I'm
like, put it out there, like putit out there because we're in
(36:31):
swipe culture and it comes and goes, you know, and, and a lot
of times artists look at social media platforms as very linear
and it's just not, there's very few that are majority of those
that are that are watching TikTok is without sound.
And also they're not going to your actual profile and
scrolling that. So it's not linear.
It's very spherical in that where it's like you'll hit a FYP
(36:54):
page in a very different way, then you'll hit somebody else's,
right? It just depends on, and it's all
individual algorithms. So there is a strategy behind
that, which is what I feel like I like, I am so thankful that
that's sort of, you know, like that's what's made me really
successful in, in my job is because I understand that, but
it's also being able to articulate that to the artist
that they're like, I just want my song heard and I'm like, I
(37:15):
do. Understand that.
Work with me. By the way, you want to know my
biggest When I started football,I was sexy.
The first reel that went viral, that got me on the map.
You're going to laugh. I had no idea what I was doing.
I wasn't even on Facebook like Ididn't I what I've learned like
I didn't know anything and I would just got on Instagram and
I was at the gym and I'm like, Oh my God, I'm going to post
(37:36):
this and I post it. I didn't even know.
Honestly, I didn't even know howto post.
I post it right before I was literally like doing leg day and
I was like, fuck it, let's just post this horrible.
I was already pissed. Not again.
I hate leg day. I hate leg day so much so I'm
sitting there doing my little curls and my phone right here it
go print print like it was goingright now.
I apologize like what is going on?
(37:58):
It was just like buzzing and it was non-stop and I was like what
the hell is going on? So I checked it and it's taking
off The video I put up is going crazy and I'm like and I was
like thinking my phone's broke like this what is happening?
Look why this and you know what video it was what it was me
wearing my Niner hat walking into the Dallas Cowboy training
(38:21):
count. I know I that full circle.
You brought it back and I brought it back.
Do you like that? I love it.
I love it. I'm professional.
You're a professional. Lookout, Kelly, I got you.
Yeah, but isn't that wild? And it put me on the map.
And you know, I probably wouldn't do that today, but it,
(38:42):
you know, that kind of content, you never, you know, only
because one day the Cowboys willhave me on their field because I
love football and I love passion.
I'm just saying. Maybe I can make that happen.
We'll see. That would be awesome.
You know, I'm getting pushed back because I've heard, because
(39:02):
even though I'm football sexy and I'm doing all this stuff for
women in football and stuff, butsome, some teams don't want me
there because I am AI find that absolutely crazy.
And I will break down that wall.There'll be a team that will
help me. I don't know what that team is,
but hopefully it's somebody and we can break that barrier.
(39:23):
But I've I've heard it through the Grapevine.
Oh, you're not getting the mediapass because yeah, you're doing
this. But I was like, oh, I I don't
have time for that. Anyway, sorry, I went off a
little rant. My point was to all of that is
that you never know. And so I think that's great
advice. All the artists.
I hope you're hearing that. And I heard don't, and this is
(39:45):
me, don't worry about the makeup.
Don't worry about that. Sometimes just put it out there.
Would you agree? Just put it out.
Because it's always the ones, itnever fails.
It's the ones that even when I post, it's the ones that I'm
like, oh, I haven't, I haven't posted today.
Or you know, and it's the like. You didn't think anything about
it and you you took 2 seconds tothink about it and you throw it
(40:07):
up there and you're like, how did?
Oh, and the ones I'm like this is going to go, sure, this is so
good. And he's like, no, it didn't go.
It's like whatever. And so now, and can I throw this
out there as well? I've learned as a creator
because I realized I guess I am one of those now is like no
expectations. That's right, literally put it
(40:29):
out because you want to, becauseit says something, because it
shows who you are. And then I literally do like a
little not prayer, but like, okay, God, take this to whoever
supposed to be like universe, take this where it's supposed to
be. And I don't have any
expectations. And I and actually Shelly helped
me with that too, is like, just put it out and then don't look
(40:50):
at your phone for like a a couple hours, Like move on, go
about your life, you know? Yeah, because I.
Mean it can consume you and it can consume all of us, you know,
and it has clearly just even based off of, you know, daily
rates and view rates and, you know, so it's, it is, it's so
important to have those boundaries or to have that like,
(41:14):
you know, no expectation or, youknow, and it's, it's different
in music in a sense, because it is they are, you know, they're
making a song and getting that out there.
And, and, but I have to remind myself of that when, when I'm
like, this one should go, this song should go like this is the
hit, you know, and it doesn't, but I think I try and remind
them. And funny enough, I actually saw
(41:37):
this, like Lizzo had posted about this and truth hurts
didn't take off until two to three years after release.
And so it's always reminding theartist of like, you never know,
like, it may not be right now, but it could be.
It could be in 10. Years.
I'm waiting for my Whisper by Ernie Halter.
I'm just throwing it out there. Fighter by Annie Bosco just
(41:57):
throwing it out there. Hey, I'm ready for it.
I heard the house that built me was like 6 years.
Yeah, or something like that, like crazy.
And I'm sure there's so, I mean,there's just so many songs that,
you know, have the same story. And that's the other thing that
even I learned when I moved to Nashville.
This is not about me. But like I remember going there
(42:18):
with no expectations as well. I just want to go there.
I want to find my my tribe. I want to like it.
It it's that, it's that having goals, but also the it's, it's
a. It's a fine line.
You want to have goals, but you also want to be like where it
doesn't define you. Does that make sense?
(42:38):
Yeah, it's so interesting because I was in my career, I
had such like a death grip on mycareer of trying to control it
and going of like, this is whereI want to be and this is what I
want to do. And and I'm going to be CEO of a
record label one day. And, and all of these things
that I was like had such a deathgrip.
And the the irony of the whole thing is that was January of
(43:00):
2024 and I thought I could walk away today.
I don't want to, but I could walk away today and be fulfilled
and I and I could be happy and find my next thing.
And it was as soon as I let thatgo of having that like just grip
on, then that was the year that changed my, changed my life.
Well, and that's a perfect segueto tell me where you are right
(43:26):
now. Yeah, so I left Empire in May of
this year and it was probably one of the scariest decisions.
It was and really tough, you know, I had to leave a lot like
the artist that I had signed there and and.
Everything built. And everything that I built,
yeah. And so and was able to be a part
of, but there, there had just been, you know, the, the end of
(43:51):
the year prior, I just started having this like, you know,
feeling inside that I thought, Ijust, I want to do something
different. I want to do something and, and
I wanted to have skin in the game and I wanted to have my own
company and, and you know, and so I, I sort of started like
(44:11):
planning it and, and was just brainstorming, just thinking
about it. And, and really it boiled down
to, and it came down to the, I thought, man, I'm looking these
artists in the face everyday andI'm like, be raw, be vulnerable,
chase your dreams, live on the edge.
It's almost like I'm pushing them to this ledge of like,
vulnerability and also chasing your dreams.
(44:32):
And I was looking at myself in the mirror and I'm like, oh, I'm
not doing that. And so I started to feel like
such a hypocrite. And I thought, well, if I'm not
doing that, nobody's going to dothat for me, like on my behalf,
for me. And so I was like, what if I
took the care that I take with the artists that I get to work
with? What if I took that much care
into what my career was and whatthat looked like?
(44:54):
It also super helpful that it worked out that I was sort of at
the top, you know, and like had all the success and I thought
I'm. Going to go start my own thing.
Let's go. As you should.
Well, another. Let's go.
I make the joke, I'm like, I'm either a glutton for punishment
or just like, you know, love to have the foresight that because
I'm always thinking 2 years ahead within the business, like,
(45:15):
and I'm like, where do I think the business is going and, and
how can I be of service to that?And how can I like make the most
of that? So now you are your own.
Boss not my. Own boss you I'm not going to
tell you the advice I got many many years ago from the manager
of En vogue. We're taking it back.
But I I'm I'm excited to see where where you're going to go
(45:41):
where you're going to take this yeah.
Then I was thinking about the invoke because he's talking to
me. He's like man managing 3 girls
in one band. That's a whole that's a whole
thing. Do you have three women yet?
Oh yeah. So I well not management.
So I so launched label, so casual media partners, I
launched it with different verticals.
(46:01):
Adding sports was it has been really important to me to do
that. I think sports and music tie in
just so effortlessly, right. And so that is that is sort of
like year, hopefully year 2 of adding to that of, of, of what
that looks like. But for me, it's like I wanted
to get back in the athlete worldand parlay a business that
(46:22):
brought in something so naturally, right?
And so because there's always music in sports, there's always
anthems, there's always, you know, and every athlete loves,
you know, has a playlist and andthe artists need sports and
athletes to promote and to be a part of and a partner on.
And so, yeah, it just when I wasagain brainstorming of what this
(46:46):
looks like adding sports to thatwas really important, whether
that's having athletes as as part of the record label side
or, you know, there's a lot of alot of.
Dude, would you have signed DeonSanders?
Do you know he has a record? Do you remember back in the day?
Oh, a long time ago. Remember, you could sign Deanna.
I know. I have a friend of a friend.
I'm just saying he might still drive.
(47:06):
There's still time. I mean, look, you never know.
I. Never.
What is it? It ain't about the money.
I. Think I think every meeting.
I think every meeting because you never know.
You never know. And so I take every meeting and
I listen to thousands and thousands of records a day and
so much music just because you never know.
And so and then, yeah, so I, I managed Skylar Grey and I
(47:28):
managed a a producer, songwriterand.
I love that song. I have to say.
I've been listening. Which one?
I called it the week of the songof the week.
This week was sober. So that was, that's one of those
it's I, it's perfect timing thatshe wrote that over 10 years
ago. See.
Yeah. Is she sober?
No, but when she wrote it, it the the concept.
(47:50):
Of the song is juded about love.Yeah, it's like you make me like
you make. Me.
I love that. Yeah, it's such a great record
when I first heard it. And so that's been so fun to to,
you know, join forces with. Her and it's not about sobriety
by the way, but because I'm sober and because I love love,
I'm just saying that's right. I love love, right.
It just was like, I want to feelthat way, like I'm just feeling
(48:12):
like single Monica, by the way, and just throwing it out there.
But that song is just. Fire.
It's so good. It's so good.
I'm excited for you. I would love to come see you.
I'm just throwing that out there.
Yeah, absolutely. But so I'm really excited to see
where your career is going. I have no doubt that you're
going to be amazingly successful.
(48:32):
I can't wait for your next artist, whatever that I mean.
You have Skylar Grey now, so. So.
Skylar Grey on the management side and Dylan Rudolph on the
producer, songwriter side and then record label side.
So I have super lucky to partnerwith with some really great
people, some of my business partner like Jenna Andrews and
Steven Kirk. We had songs on the Netflix show
Hit Makers and they've they're, you know, they have two songs on
(48:57):
K Pop Demon hunters and, and so they've been amazing partners
and we have some artists that we're developing.
And then I've got, you know, I probably have, I mean, I
launched with 50 releases this year coming out on on my record
label. So yeah, it's it's been you
know, it's one of those things it's I'm in the grind and I know
what that feels like. And so it's sort of you once,
(49:20):
once you find a rhythm. And for me, it's very much about
finding a rhythm just in life ingeneral and a balance.
And I have to work really hard at that because I could, I could
be. Be in it.
Well, I saw you slamming some golf balls off this beautiful
Cliff. Yeah, Cliff, yesterday I was
like, that looked hot, by the way.
That's that's a good look. I'm saying it's kind of sexy.
(49:40):
I was waiting for it to go viraland it hasn't.
So I was a little, I was a little mad because I was like,
if one's going to go viral, it should be this.
One. No, I tried to help it, you
know, I liked it. I comment.
I'm like, I appreciate it. Yeah, it was.
It was gorgeous. We have a segment called What
the Helly? And I thought it only makes
sense that it's going to be Shabuzzi is now has an anthem
(50:02):
for the football Thursday night game.
What the Helly? It's wild.
I mean, it's, it's, it's, it's amazing.
You know, it's, it's just again,it ties into the worlds that I
wanna bring and be a part of it,be together.
And it's like, absolutely. And so he's incredible.
(50:22):
So amazing. Yeah, so amazing.
Well, I know you're so busy. You're not.
You watch football, you watch sports, but you're busy.
I know you're busy. I know.
So I'm not going to ask you somesome of the crazy things that's
going on, but I thought it mightbe you.
Can't. I just don't know that I'll have
a great answer. No, no, it's OK.
So. So if you don't mind, I love to
do a helmet game. Let's do it.
(50:43):
Can we do it? Yeah.
OK, So the the great things are easy.
You're just going to pick a helmet and then just tell me
anything that comes to your mind.
We'll do like 2. OK.
OK. AM.
I going to cheat. No cheat.
Oh well, funny enough my school colors growing.
Up. Tell them who it is.
So it's Pittsburgh Steelers. The fact that she knew that
(51:05):
where y'all know, but some people don't know that.
So I'm just like, yes, she knowsthat the team.
Yeah, I mean, I couldn't name you one player right now that
that is on the Steelers, but because that was my like high
school colors growing up, there's always been an affinity
there. But I've got I don't know that I
have anything because I have no idea what's going on with them,
which is maybe the problem. They need to be a little bit
(51:26):
noisier. There you go.
You know I can help you. OK, so Aaron Rodgers is now
their quarterback. OK, did not know that.
He's so wild. OK, that's a good turn there.
Wasn't anticipating that, but. OK, that's OK.
And he's a lot. Yeah.
Well, that's all we have to say.That's I mean, that's true.
That's true. He's a lot.
That that announcement alone is is.
(51:47):
Is good, right? Astonishing a little bit.
OK, let's try one more. Let's see what we got.
Now you know that this. Is I know.
You never know. You never know.
Oh, even worse, I need another one.
Listen, that was I need. To know, OK, that was Minnesota.
Vikings I I know who who they all are.
OK, OK, this is Bengals. I know who they all are if that
(52:07):
helps. But.
That's OK. I'm never going to get asked
back on this podcast because. I No, I love you.
This is great because this is good for the newbies.
They need to know that it's not everybody knows.
Yeah, you. Don't have?
To know either last one, well, we know that with the season,
yeah, that makes sense. It's of course.
So we'll we have to end on this one.
Yes, even though I don't know very much about them, that's OK,
but because they're in Texas. Houston Texans.
(52:31):
Yeah, All you need to know is that you care more for the
Dallas Cowboys. Yeah, well, the Texans weren't
like when I was growing up. They weren't a thing.
Well, they were an expansion team, so yeah, they were so
around probably. So they came around a lot later,
a lot later in my, in my life, in your world.
Yeah. Then I was just like, you know?
But you did good because you at least you knew who these people
(52:53):
were. I could I know all of the team
names. There you go.
Yeah, yeah, I'm and you know, soyou need to know that's right.
That's all you need to know. I think you did great.
Let's give it to her for what the hell now?
The easy one, The easy one. As we wrap up, we always like to
ask our guest, because you're a basketball, you know, you're
athlete, I call it. Who's got next?
(53:14):
Who's got next? So is there somebody that you
know that you think might be a good fit to sit in the same
chair that you're sitting in? Talk a little life with me, Talk
a little football, check some helmets out, all the things.
Is there anybody that you think I know?
I always wait to ask you on camera.
(53:35):
Yeah, 'cause that way you can't think about.
Yeah. Shelly was like, are you
serious? When I was spot, I'm like, yeah,
yeah, yeah, it's OK 'cause I want it organic.
Yeah, they do they need to be anathlete or just.
Anybody. I mean, I would say like my
buddy Nick who's who's learning all the Bad Bunny, you know,
songs for the Super Bowl. And so he might be, he might be
(53:57):
a great personality to. Step to the front, let's talk
some Bad Bunny. And we didn't know this because
I follow him and he's learning the Bad Bunny in time for
halftime. And I'm digging his video that
those videos are going crazy. They're going crazy.
Yeah, they're absolutely going crazy.
Yeah, I had. I had no idea.
You know, I saw one. I'm like, Oh my God, that's.
(54:19):
So and he's learning, so I we could tie that in.
There you go. Next step to the front, my
friend. Let's go.
Go, buddy. Oh my God.
Is there anything else that you want to talk about, promote,
tell everybody about? I mean, casual media partners,
you're signing artists. Signing artists.
Is it just country? No, no.
In fact, I I'm about 5050 of country and pop right now.
(54:41):
I'm not, I'm not even looking for like I, I don't take the
approach of that look for a genre obviously on like my A&R
ears. And what I know best is is from
country to singer-songwriter to pop.
And so I think with where music is going, it's, I don't have to,
you know, be bound by a genre to, to sign, But I always listen
(55:01):
to music. I get sent a lot of music, but I
listen to everything because I'malways looking for, you know,
the next thing, the next thing and the next thing it's I'm a
big, you know, I love music. And so I love sort of where
it's, it ebbs and flows. I love how it you on the the
journey of life that it does andand it's been a big part of of
(55:22):
my life. And again, it's, you know, it's
so yeah. I'm always looking for artists
to sign. I'm always looking for teams to
work. With our DMS might go crazy
after this. I mean, they might.
They might, all right, yeah, but.
I mean, look, I, I, I listen to all of it.
So I. Love it and that's.
Awesome. You never know.
You never know. That's amazing that you still
listen, cuz sometimes I think artists, they just want a
chance. Yeah, you know, they just want
(55:43):
to. Yep.
And. And if you listen, that's a
chance. Yep.
That's how I you may not hear from me.
After I. But that's also not bad news,
you know, And I have to tell artists that all the time too.
Of, of of I will listen and I may not always get back to you
or I may not always get back immediately or have an opinion
because sometimes I have to livewith them too.
(56:03):
I can. I will always have AI mean I'm
opinionated in and of itself. And so I will always have a, a
first gut. And there are songs that stand
out from the jump. Like I, I feel like one of my
superpowers is like, I know a hit song when I hear one, I may
not always call that it's a hit and it ends up being a hit, but
every time I've said it's a hit,it's a hit.
And so for me, it's like, all right, so I'll listen for those.
(56:26):
I have about 30 demos right now from the 90s that I'm going to
play Heather when we got this podcast that.
Should be the. I'll take some.
So let's go. Oh my God.
Well, thank you so much. This was so much fun.
I love talking all the things with you.
Congrats on everything. Thank you.
More than happy. I, you know, I told you off
(56:47):
camera, but I don't feel deserving to be here of, of
because I, you know, have I've been a little busy lately, but
in in the music world. But if for me, I'll talk sports
all day. Long oh, sports and music.
You're welcome on my podcast anytime like those two things
we're going to do. So make sure you follow Heather
Vassar on all her social medias.Be on the lookout because I have
(57:08):
a feeling we're going to have the next big thing coming out of
casual media partners. That's right.
And as always, keep it. Sexy.
Let's go.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.