An incredibly talented, producer, DJ, and human being - Jake Shore basically gives you a masterclass on all the things you need to be thinking about if ya wanna start making a living from your music on this episode.

The importance of not moving the goalposts, why working on yourself is actually the greatest project, and the importance of building a niche fanbase, not a massive one.

We love love LOVE this show - and hope you do too. x

JAKE SHORE INSTA - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/itsjakeshore/

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

Episode Features:

- Why you should “stop and smell the roses” before chasing the next milestone

- The trap of comparing yourself to others - and why it’s a game you can’t win

- How competing with your past self is the only metric that actually matters

- The importance of “moving like nobody’s watching” even after you get a team

- Why working on yourself (mental, physical, emotional) is just as important as making music

- The truth about consistency: there’s no magic pill, just showing up repeatedly

- How to make content that actually connects by doing what you’d do off camera

- Why trying to appeal to everyone kills your growth - and how to build a cult fanbase instead

- The power of small reps: why 100+ pieces of content is where things start to click

- How to think about branding authentically by pulling from your real life influences

New episodes every Monday x

Two billion (yes, B) streams. World tours. But most importantly, an incredibly humble, open, warm human being. Today's episode is with gnash - who you almost definitely are familiar with the music of ('i hate u, i love u' 'imagine if' 'the broken hearts club').

Arguably one of the most empowering episodes we've ever had on the HMP - as a lot of this chat is about the importance of being of service to other people - why you need to make people feel seen - and why there's always two paths to take.

Lock in, this is a special one x

GNASH INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/gnash/

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

Episode Features:

- Why tying your identity to success can quietly ruin your creativity (and how to avoid it)

- The mindset shift from “is this good?” to “is this honest?” that changes everything

- Why your job as an artist isn’t to impress people - it’s to make them feel seen

- The unexpected truth about building a career: your life has to come first, not your music

- How focusing on service instead of success can actually lead to both

- The danger of chasing numbers and why they rarely translate into real fulfilment

- Why going viral and making meaningful music are often pulling in opposite directions

- The simple habit that can unlock better ideas than sitting in the studio all day

- What gnash learned from nearly quitting music to become a lawyer (and why he didn’t)

- How honesty, not perfection, is the thing that actually builds connection with fans

New episodes every Monday x

Sometimes the bio of our guest does the best job of summarising why you should listen to the episode - and todays guest - Zack Gray - has a line that does just that - 'I help EDM producers become headliners'.

And not just that - Zack is a v talented musician / songwriter / DJ himself so has a lot of empathy for the struggles. But at the same time, shares all of what he's learnt, both from his own journey and the artists he's helped build up.

Also - even if you're not in electronic music - this episode is still full of actionable insights and gems to help ya move a few steps closer to the whole making a living thing.

ZACK GRAY INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/zackgray/

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

Episode Features:

- Why “good music” still matters, but is nowhere near enough on its own anymore

- The reason so many talented producers stay stuck, even when the songs are there

- What Zack means by helping EDM producers become headliners, not just better producers

- Why understanding the music business properly gives artists a huge edge in 2026

- The difference between building a fanbase and just chasing vanity numbers online

- How to think about content in a way that actually supports your music instead of draining you

- Why most artists do not need a manager or label as early as they think they do

- The mindset shift that helps artists stop waiting to be discovered and start building leverage

- How to know whether a song deserves a bigger push, and when to keep going with it

- What separates the producers who eventually headline from the ones who never break through

New episodes every Monday x

An incredibly talented producer and DJ - Wave Wave - human name Tjark - has experienced a lot of the v cool things you're probably dreaming of.

Tours around the world, releases on labels by the likes of Solomun and John Summit, as well as some incredible success on socials.

He's super open on this episode - the lessons learnt along the way - the importance of fans not just followers, and so much more.

Lock in x

WAVE WAVE INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/wavewavemusic/

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

Episode Features:

- How Tjark went from making music in the countryside to building an international DJ career.

- The mindset shift that stopped him chasing “the next Calvin Harris hit” and helped him find his own lane.

- Why working harder is not always the answer, and what finally helped him make better music.

- How a simple social media format exploded and completely changed his career.

- The hidden downside of blowing up online, and why followers are not the same as real fans.

- Why Tjark is walking away from the content format that he was known for.

- What happened when he started sending his music out more boldly, even when he was unsure about it.

- The power of collaboration, connections and “one person knows one person” in dance music.

- What playing his own US tour taught him about building a real audience.

- The practical habits, routines and creative triggers that help him actually finish music.

New episodes every Monday x

Ooooft listener we have got a banger for you. In this episode we chat w Nick Ruffalo - an incredibly talented human who’s worked closely with artists on building killer content, branding and overall strategies - but also understands the reality of being an artist.

We get into what actually moves the needle (and what doesn’t), the metrics you should actually care about, why most artists get stuck pushing the wrong songs, and how to build a fanbase that genuinely converts, not just racks up views.

We also talk about cringe, consistency, content systems, and the mindset shifts that separate the artists who break through from the ones who don’t.

Plus we have potentially Sam's favourite social media insight from a guest ever. 👀

Lock in. Plenty of sauce incoming.

RUFF INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/ruffmusicofficial/

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

Episode Features:

- The social media patterns the biggest breakout artists all have in common

- Why consistency still wins, even when the algorithm feels impossible

- The mindset shift that stops artists giving up too early

- The music industry trap that keeps artists pushing the wrong song

- The only social metrics that actually matter in 2026

- Why “superfans” might be the wrong thing to focus on

- How to get fans to care enough to actually take action

- Why cringe is secretly one of the most powerful tools in marketing

- The content systems serious artists use instead of winging it every day

- What it really takes to turn social media into a music career, not just attention

New episodes every Monday x

An incredibly talented vocalist, songwriter, and all round human being. This weeks show is with Joe Keogh - whose voice you almost definitely recognise from the stunning songs of Amber Run.

Joe is super honest on this episode - the ups and downs that come with big deals - the importance of sorting your contracts - and arguably most importantly focusing on enjoying the journey.

AMBER RUN INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/amberrun/

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

Episode Features:

- What nobody tells you about “making it” too early

- Why you need to separate your music from your identity

- How to stay ambitious without letting music destroy your mental health

- Why some of the biggest wins in your career can mess with your head

- The truth about major label deals from someone who’s lived it

- What artists really need to understand before signing anything

- Why “success” on paper doesn’t always mean money in real life

- How to think about long-term survival, not just short-term hype

- What Joe wishes he understood about money, ownership and recoupment

- The difference between building a career and chasing validation

- Why artists need to celebrate the small wins before they burn out

New episodes every Monday x

An incredibly talented producer / DJ - and a human who also really cares about helping musicians make a living doing what they love.

Badger - who you may know from his belters with everyone from Tempa T to Natasha Beddingfield - has been a pioneer in using social media as an incredible tool to get your ideas out there, and build a world-tour level brand. In this episode he breaks down incredibly actionable systems and ideas on how you can structure your socials and content - and asks the most important question - 'what's your kitchen'?

BADGER INSTA - ⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/badger_music_maker/

BADGER MUSIC ADVICE INSTA - https://www.instagram.com/uncool_badge/⁠

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

Episode Features:

- How to actually use social media to build a music career

- The mindset shift that helps artists take content seriously

- Why some songs should stay unreleased

- The balance between making loads of music and making the right music

- How to find a content format that people remember

- Using content to test what listeners actually connect with

- Building an artist identity without boxing yourself in

- What it takes to turn momentum into something long-term

- How to approach collaborations when you’re still coming up

- Making the jump from edits and remixes into original music

New episodes every Monday x

You may know todays guest as one half of Billen Ted - DJs, producers, writers, with their own number one record, as well as significant credits on tunes from the likes of Anne-Marie, KSI and Rudimental to name just a few.

He's also a manager, runs a music marketing company, is a former music tutor, among many other v cool bits that make him arguably one of our most qualified guests we've ever had on the show.

One line to get you ready - 'one song can buy you a house' - and Tom explains exactly what he means by that...

TOM INSTA - ⁠https://www.instagram.com/tombillented/⁠

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

Episode Features:

- Tom’s “3 things I’d tell younger me” is basically a reality check for anyone spiralling because progress feels slow.

- How to not lose your head when other people “win” first.

- “Match fit” in music explained properly - the one concept that makes setbacks feel like training, not failure.

- Why side jobs and weird gigs can build elite producer skills.

- What to do if your song starts popping off on TikTok and you’re not ready - Tom gives a clear first move that can save you from getting rinsed.

- “One song can buy you a house” (sort of) - he breaks down the actual money doors a hit opens (and the mistakes people make).

- The Chrystal / MK story is insane - proof songs aren’t dead after 3 months and you might be sitting on gold without realising.

- A real take on AI as a “co-producer” - useful, practical, and not just doom chat.

- Some awesome case studies - Becky Hill, Anne-Marie, and the behind-the-scenes stuff you don’t see on socials.

- The “Wellerman” moment - a meme idea he tried to shut down that turned into a global moment (proper lesson in seizing opportunities).

- How marketing + TikTok understanding can build an artist project fast (without pretending it’s “overnight”).

New episodes every Monday x