The boom and bust of the music industry creates some incredible life lessons. One month you’re on top of the world, the next you’re scrounging for any kind of placement.

This is especially true for our guest this week, Brandyn Burnette.

Brandyn got his first publishing deal at just 19 years old. He traveled all over the world writing and recording with different artists, learning how to collaborate, producing some amazing music. Then things began to turn.

After some internal politics at his label, he was dropped with little music to his name. After some time to adjust, Brandyn pivoted to become independent artist, taking control of his career, and giving birth to EMAN8. Brandyn joins us to tell his story, and the valuable lessons he learned on this episode of The Big Break.

You can Follow Brandyn on Instagram and Twitter

Show Notes

1:33Growing up and moving all over

4:14Starting writing music in St. Louis

5:50Getting a scholarship to NYU

7:01Did you have a goal for your songs when you first started?

8:27Leaving NYU and starting to record

9:07Getting a publishing deal and getting signed to Warner

10:01Moving to LA and starting to collaborate with other artists

12:38Who was the producer you met in New York that got you started?

13:45Getting news in Ballet class about how his mix turned out

14:50Evolving from a raw musician to a complex sound

15:58What was it like going to Norway and recording?

18:11Bombing the Warner Brothers meeting

19:39Getting the call about signing to Sony

23:35How big of a deal was getting the Sony advance?

24:10Learning the importance of money

26:27Time is money, and learning to value your time and not waste it

30:47What was that like going from a signed artist to an independent artist?

33:00Learning that the label is not prioritizing him, losing traction, and deciding what to do

33:56Thanks for Nothing and working with Mike Caren and Sean Douglas

35:09Making a hook for Cutfather

37:25Brandyn’s song outplays the song he wrote “First Flight Home”

38:30Getting dropped from Warner

39:40Bouncing back and pursuing independence

40:55What was your plan immediately after getting dropped?

42:09Struggling and resetting

43:451000 Degrees of Separation and making music unconventionally

44:50Learning about streaming playlists and pursuing curators

49:05Do you still see yourself as the “CEO” of yourself as an artist?

50:30Focus on the creative, but appreciate the value of your team.

52:39Helping the “next you”

54:03What other projects do you have in the works right now?

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