An incredible frontwoman. A very honest, open conversation about making a living doing what you love. This week we speak to Yonaka's Theresa.

She shares a lot of direct big sister energy about what it takes to turn this whole music thing into a career, touching on some of the big questions. Do you have to leave your hometown? How do you stop other people ruining your songs? How do you build a world for your fans.

YONAKA INSTA - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/weareyonaka/

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Theresa drops the one “gut rule” she lives by when writing and it’ll either free you up instantly… or make you realise you’ve been letting other people ruin your songs.

- The most honest “enjoy the journey” reality check you’ll hear.

- A simple mindset shift that makes you play harder in a room of 10 than most people do in a room of 1,000.

- The wild early Yonaka graft stories (proper chaos) that’ll make you feel way better about where you’re at right now.

- She explains why they don’t write to briefs and how that approach keeps the music feeling real in 2026.

- How the “world” of Yonaka actually forms and why most artists accidentally confuse new fans without realising it.

- The Brighton “scene” conversation: what was organic, what was luck, and what you can copy even if you’re not in a cool city.

- A sneaky real-life networking hack Theresa used through normal jobs that literally changed the band’s path.

- The personal vs band socials balance: why she keeps hers normal, and what that does for fans without overthinking it.

- The straight-talking hometown show advice that every new band needs but nobody wants to hear.

- The “move away or stay put?” big sister answer for anyone stuck in a dead town trying to make music work.

- How she learned to be a proper frontperson and the exact moment touring with huge bands flipped a switch for her.

New episodes every Monday x

Like it or not - if you're planning 2026 as your year to smash the whole 'making a living from your music thing' - you gotta be thinking about your content and social media strategy.

So we are delighted to share a masterclass from one of the best in the biz - Liam James Ward - CEO of Something Something who have worked with (and this is just a snippet) - Alex Warren, Jennifer Lopez, Lewis Capaldi, Marshmello, Yungblud and more.

This episode is full of ways to get your music - your passion - your art - in front of as many people as possible.

Lock in baby!

LIAM INSTA - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/liamjameswrd/⁠

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Liam’s top 3 social priorities for musicians in 2026 - why you need to nurture the fans you already have, stop copying everyone else, and spend money on making better content (not just boosting meh posts).

- A simple mindset shift: community works whether you’ve got 10 fans or 10 million, if you build a system that connects people properly.

- The “don’t copy and paste” warning: what worked for another artist won’t automatically work for you, so learn the principles, then adapt.

- Identity first, tactics second: if you don’t know who you are yet, you’re not ready for “growth hacks” or ad spend.

- Liam’s practical exercise: pay attention to what you naturally love online (not just other musicians) and use that to map your taste and your vibe.

- “Consume consciously”: notice what makes you scroll away, what makes you stay, and what actually grabs your attention.

- Platform strategy made simple: you can focus on one platform if that’s your bandwidth, but you should still exist on Instagram + TikTok as a minimum so people can find you.

- Nurturing fans in real life: examples of IRL moments that deepen community and create content at the same time (meetups, small fan experiences, travel-together ideas).

- Relatable case studies to watch: Glass Beams, Father Of Peace, South Arcade, and why their content feels like you’re “in on the lore.”

- The truth about “fan pages / burner accounts”: learn about it all, but do it in a genuine way (no fake accounts, no phone farms), and think multi-channel when it makes sense.

- January planning advice: start with the big peak of your year (single, tour, headline show), then work backwards into monthly and weekly moves.

- Tools and music picks: why direct-to-fan platforms and analytics matter (Substack, Chartmetric, Cobrand).

New episodes every Monday x

Right then - regardless of if we like it or not - sorting out your money and finances if key to being able to make a living as a musician - and being a happy human overall.

Today's guest Sarah Anderson - is basically a queen of money advice for musicians. Working with both huge superstars, plus new artists towards the start of their career. Smashing it on the serious badass corporate side, but also the real world music and culture side too.

We love her one liner 'helping musicians maximise their money' - cos that's what this show does. We cover everything you need to know to help get your ££ $$ (and yen) sorted for the year ahead.

SARAH INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/sarah_rose_anderson/

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- The real difference between being PAYE and self-employed, explained without confusing jargon.

- Why the way you’re paid matters just as much as how much you’re paid.

- What PAYE actually means for musicians working bar jobs, venues, or casual side gigs.

- How self-employed income lets you offset music expenses like gear, travel, software, and promo.

- Why PAYE income usually can’t be “mixed in” with your freelance music income for tax purposes.

- A common trap: thinking all income just gets lumped together (it doesn’t).

- How choosing the wrong setup can mean paying more tax than you need to.

- What to check before taking a side job so it doesn’t mess up your tax situation.

- The difference between being a freelancer at a venue vs an employee of that venue.

- Why musicians juggling multiple income streams need to be extra clear on this stuff.

- How small decisions early in the year can have big effects at tax time.

- Sarah’s big takeaway: understanding your setup = keeping more of your money.

New episodes every Monday x

A v v cool, vv talented human being. Who is open and honest about his journey through music, and how it can help you as an artist dreaming of making a living from your music.

Kyle Dion has smashed it in a number of ways - huge songs - playing the VMAs - collabs with your favourite artists like Kali Uchis, DUCKWRTH and Ja Rule. And on this episode he reflects on that crazy journey - and shares why the most important person is you.

Oh, and the moon.

KYLE INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/kyledion/

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Kyle on why he wouldn’t speed up his journey, and trusting the pace you’re meant to grow at.

- Protecting your focus early on, and how letting too many people in can make things feel cloudy.

- Kyle’s 2026 word: “surrender” and what that looks like when you’re building a music career.

- His favourite reflection ritual: solo movie night, late-night park walk, and literally sliding down a slide under the moon. ☾

- The pressure of “it has to happen fast” and how to stay grounded when the industry feels obsessed with quick wins.

- How fans helped spread Kyle’s music in the early days, and why community-led discovery used to feel more “free.”

- Chat on today’s algorithms: even established artists have to fight to reach the people who already love them.

- Using TikTok + IG in a way that feels authentic (and messy, in the best way), plus going live to build real connection.

- Kyle’s creative direction breakdown: learning Photoshop + editing early, staying hands-on with visuals, and why perception matters.

- Collaboration without ego: how writing with others leveled him up, plus proud 2025 moments (US tour, festivals, VMAs) .

New episodes every Monday x

A two-fold banger of a guest today. Cos not only is our episode today with a rockstar who tours the world playing to thousands of adoring fans. BUT he's also a wizard with marketing background so he can teach ya the real world results of sorting your social shizz out.

Ande Hunter from As December Falls is todays guest - and this episode is the ultimate definition of why putting the work in on the boring stuff is what allows you to do the rockstar stuff.

He's open about merch stratgies, Facebook ad techniques, how to self-promote your gigs and so much more.

Thank you Ande for your openness. And being cool as f. Obvs.

AS DECEMBER FALLS - https://www.instagram.com/asdecemberfalls/?hl=en

THE POD ANDE MENTIONS - https://youtube.com/@musicmarketing?si=irx0rv6YGl6WwHBQ

THE MARKETING TRAINING ANDE MENTIONS - https://indepreneur.io/

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Why bands need to learn digital marketing, not just “post more.”

- How to show your music online to people who have never heard of you, and make them care.

- The value of writing “bad songs” early, and why that phase is necessary, not embarrassing.

- The gym analogy for songwriting, plus why “overnight success” is usually a myth.

- How long it took As December Falls to write the first song they’d still proudly play now.

- The power of testing instead of guessing which song is “the single.”

- Their release strategy shift: thinking more like hip hop (more singles, more frequency) vs the classic band album cycle.

- The content system that changed everything.

- Practical breakdown: filming 30–40 takes per track, trimming to 15–30 seconds, and posting daily.

- Why low-budget performance content can outperform expensive music videos.

- Their streaming results from organic short-form.

- The surprise platform: Facebook Reels. Why they bothered and why it paid off.

- Real talk on demographics: Facebook skewing older, but still pulling lots of under-35 fans for them.

- Career “needle movers”: why it’s rarely one moment, and more like 10 things stacking together.

- Charting as a storytelling tool: how “we’re battling huge artists” can motivate physical sales fast.

- Catalog explained properly: why owning your back-catalog is long-term financial stability.

- Label deals in plain English: advances, recoupment, and why “free support” often becomes your bill.

- Merch as the real engine: how they built a sustainable business from merch.

- Email list growth: building direct fan contact (and why that’s the real asset).

- Live touring economics: how they progressed from 100-cap rooms to sold-out Rock City.

- The shift from promoters to self-promoting, and how risk changes as venues scale.

- Running ads for shows: why they’d rather spend to create new fans than play empty rooms.

New episodes every Monday x

The Stream Queen returns! Beth Cherry is a streaming expert who has worked on songs from Coldplay to PinkPantheress - thru to one of the most streamed songs of all time - Tones & I - Dance Monkey.

This is Beth's second time on the show - and we try our best to ask all the questions you want to know about streaming platforms, and how you can use them to help you make a living from your music.

Lock in - it's time to get celestial. x

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

THE TEAM AROUND YOU - https://www.theteamaroundyou.com/

Episode Features:

- Beth’s top three priorities for artists trying to make a living from streaming in 2026.

- Why world-building matters more than obsessing over individual playlists or numbers.

- Thinking of DSPs and socials as connected “planets” - and how to make it effortless for fans to move between them.

- Reframing vague goals like “I want a million streams” into practical, achievable strategies.

- How asking better questions leads to clearer campaigns, collaborations, and growth.

- Why artists should give themselves permission to be artists again - not full-time marketers.

- The platforms Beth believes are most impactful right now.

- Simple, actionable ways to use each platform without overcomplicating your strategy.

- Why YouTube is still massively underrated for discovery, community, and ads.

- How Bandcamp creates deeper fan intention through physicals, downloads, and direct support.

- Using Substack as a modern direct-to-fan channel that artists actually control.

- Organic social strategy in 2026: making the journey from Reel or TikTok to streaming easy.

- Collaboration as a growth tool - on socials, playlists, live shows, and beyond the studio.

- Quality vs quantity in content: why one thoughtful post beats 200 rushed ones.

- What consistency actually looks like without burning yourself out.

- The real role of playlists in 2026 - why editorial and algorithmic discovery should work together.

- Why pitching your music still matters, even when it feels like shouting into the void.

- How pitching helps algorithms as much as it helps editors.

- Planning your year backwards: starting with how you want to feel and building the strategy from there.

New episodes every Monday x

Radio host. DJ. Producer. Label Boss. And an absolute legend in the game.

Danny Howard has perspectives on multiple sides of the music industry - and especially if you're an electronic music artist - this is a masterclass on what you should focus on to help you make a living from your music.

Plus - if you've been wanting to get your music to Danny - he shares the best way to do that on this episode too. 👀

DANNY INSTA - ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dannyhowarddj/⁠⁠

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Danny’s top three priorities for artists under 25 trying to make a living from music in 2026.

- Why finding your thing and doubling down on it beats trying to do everything at once.

- The uncomfortable truth about social media: why artists who don’t show up lose to those who do.

- How to use social content without selling your soul or doing cringe trends.

-The biggest lesson Danny’s learned as a label boss and radio DJ: consistency beats talent spikes.

- Why artists disappear after a hit - and how discipline keeps careers alive.

- Reframing rejection: why silence isn’t failure and how to keep momentum anyway.

- Smart demo strategy: why aiming slightly lower first helps you build faster.

- How labels actually think about signing music (story, momentum, and business reality).

- Modern tools like Trackstack and how DJs and A&Rs actually use them.

- Why creating your own momentum before approaching labels massively increases your chances.

- Old-school networking stories that still work in 2026 (yes, even waiting outside Radio 1).

- How commenting on posts can be more powerful than DMs for building real awareness.

- The kind of social content that actually grabs Danny’s attention.

- A real conversation on “faking it” online - where creativity ends and integrity matters.

- Why authenticity still decides who lasts and who gets found out.

- How Danny plans his year, sets goals, and stays accountable creatively.

- Danny’s pick for one to watch in 2026.

New episodes every Monday x

An incredibly valuable and relevant episode.

Today's guest is an expert in music tech, music business, so much so that one of the most recognisable brands in music - Billboard - has her as one of their main correspondent and host of their music industry podcast.

We first found Kristin Robinson's work last year when she broke down some of the techniques behind Charli XCX's 'Brat' on Jules Terpak's pod and ever since have found her takes on industry bits incredibly insightful and valuable.

So we're vvv hyped to have her share her top tips and thoughts to help artists at the start on this episode.

Regardless of your personal stance on AI etc - this is a useful show to help you be across and aware of where the industry could likely be heading. x

KRISTIN INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/wordsbykristin/

BILLBOARD ON THE RECORD - https://www.instagram.com/billboardontherecord/

OUR INSTA - ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/helpingmusicianspod/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode Features:

- Why AI isn’t something emerging artists need to panic about, but oversupply absolutely is.

- The real challenge of 2025+: not talent, but cutting through fragmentation and noise.

- Kristin’s honest take on tools like Suno and why most artists don’t need to touch them yet.

- How AI can help musicians by automating the boring, soul-draining parts of the job.

- The rise of “fan pages” that are secretly run by artist teams and why they work.

- How to recycle content without killing your main profile or annoying your audience.

- Why mixing and mastering AI can be useful when cash or connections are limited.

- The philosophical question: if a song changes your life, does it matter who (or what) made it?

- Why Gen Alpha may not care about AI music in the way older listeners do.

- A real example of an AI song going viral without people realising it wasn’t human-made.

- Why the future of music is increasingly grey, not “AI vs human”.

- How AI-assisted songs are already quietly part of mainstream releases.

- Why live music is becoming more valuable in the age of AI, not less.

- Why studying artists two steps ahead of you is more useful than copying superstars.

- The endurance-race mindset every aspiring musician needs to survive long-term.

- Why you don’t want your first song to be the one that goes viral.

- The myth of the “lazy successful artist” and why work ethic always catches up eventually.

- Kristin’s advice on reaching out to journalists: respectful emails cost nothing and matter.

- Why guilt-based promotion pushes fans away instead of building careers.

- What promotional strategies are working right now for emerging artists.

New episodes every Monday x