No Need To Ask with Amani Duncan
No Need To Ask with Amani Duncan
New Artist Spotlight with Madeline Nelson, CEO Heads Music and Hannah Eggen
Welcome to another episode of No Need to Ask Podcast. My name is Amani Duncan and I will be your host on this journey.
On episode 5, we are launching a new series for No Need to Ask entitled "New Artist Spotlight". I am thrilled to be able to have on the show Madeline Nelson, the first female founder and CEO of the independent label and distribution company Heads Music. Joining Madeline is her newest signing Hannah Eggen.
If you appreciate discovery of new talent and music, this is an episode you do not want to miss.
Be sure to catch up on previous episodes, including episode 5 "CEO Talk with Madeline Nelson".
If you like No Need to Ask Podcast, I encourage you to leave a review here.
Thank you and until we meet again, be safe and be well.
[inaudible][inaudible]
Speaker 2:Welcome. And thank you for joining. No need to ask podcast. My name is Amani Duncan, and I will be your host on this journey. So this is a continuation of part, one of the, no need to ask new artists series. And we have with us once again, Madeline Nelson, CEO of heads, music and joining Madeline, and I is Hannah Egen, who is heads music, newest artists, welcome to no need to ask podcasts. How are you Hannah? I'm doing so well. Absolutely. Thank you for joining. I'm such a, such a fan of what I've heard thus far, and it is my pleasure to have you on this podcast, because I think your music and your message and everything about you is something the world it will embrace. And everyone needs to know about you early. So that they're part of the discovery process as well. So Madeline heads music, I, you have such an incredible roster of artists that are on the label, as well as your management. I mean, it includes multi Grammy award winning Wyclef. Who's just incredible jazz jazzy, Emre, Riley, Jeremy Torres, who is just simply incredible. Um, and Ida to Lou, am I saying her her name, right? EDA EDA to Lou. She is dynamic I'm I'm like an Uber fan followed her all over Instagram. Her new video is simply incredible. She's almost at half a million on Oh yes. Yes. Which is wild. It's wild because you wouldn't have thought this is a girl from Norway and this is a pop song. Incredible and incredible on that platform. That's where she's hit already. And it's um, and she put a challenge up and they called me up and asked, can they create a banner ad for the challenge because the song's doing so well. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Well, she's incredible. And obviously Hannah is the voice, the voice. It is simply, I mean, it just moves me every time I listen to your song, eight minutes and 46 seconds. It's just breathtaking. But before we go into the song, which is just so powerful, um, Madeline, you have on the heads music website, um, a quote that I love and it's says because head's music is an Indy. We have the freedom to work, whomever
Speaker 3:We like, and I, you know, coming from the record label, I can so appreciate this statement. Um, it's just powerful and it's, it's really unique. And it's, to me it's a differentiator, you know, as you know, from working in the record business, we, we don't pick who we work with. Right. We have to work the roster and give everyone the same amount of attention and push, um, across the board because that's what they deserve and nothing less. Right. But, you know, talk to us about that. You being like really in the driver's seat to follow, you know, your instincts that we talked about in part one to identify those amazing talents. I mean, it must be this incredible sense of freedom that that's what it is. It really is free to add Sony. I worked across all three labels and, um, so I started to understand that freedom then, even though I was inside a major label because, because I worked for the CEO, you know, part of my job was to tell him what the priorities should be in my opinion, across the labels. And so I got to choose which artists I worked with and that's how I ended up working on J Cole, Al Varner, um, Willow Smith's, uh, first record, uh, with my hair, um, ASAP Rocky things where the artists that I was coming back to Doug and saying, these are the ones, these, these should be the priorities. And so I started to taste the freedom then for the, for the first time, really from, from being inside of a label. Um, but there were, there were all these other parts and pieces that didn't feel like freedom, right? Um, so here, not only do I get to choose which artists I want to work with, I get to choose who I work with on marketing then who I work with on promoting them, who I work with on promoting the video. I who's going to be the PR I have, I get a choice. I don't get stuck with someone who maybe does not share my point of view or my sensibilities exactly how, or what's worse, the artist sensibilities or points of view. Exactly. So those, those things are just as important. When you think about that freedom as an indie on who you get to work with, it's also just as important who you get to work with on, on getting the music out there,
Speaker 1:Memories[inaudible]. But my tee shirt says this Sandra bland, who is the bloody Hannah you're, you're just
Speaker 2:This multi hyphenated phenom. I mean, literally like you're from a small Island in Bermuda. You know, we were talking earlier. I you're the first person I know from Bermuda. I love it. Um, such a beautiful, just the beautiful Island that produces beautiful people. I mean, you're a singer, you're a songwriter, you're a dancer, you're a musician. Um, you're an actress, like it's just multi hyphenated. And I see why Madeline is just gravitating to, to you. You just fit, you fit the paradigm of, you know, the multi hyphenated artists that Madeline always seems to gravitate to rightfully so. Um, you know, let's talk about your early performance days. You know, you started out as a dancer first, was that your main, like passion?
Speaker 3:That was so okay without going way too far, this will be a quick little snippet. I was six years old. Right. I was watching the Olympics with my mom and there was figure skaters. And I was like, mom, I'm going to do that. And it wasn't necessarily figure skating. It was a passion and vigor in their performance that I wanted to do. Like, I know I wanted to perform, I saw the crowd, I just love the movement. Right. So, um, after that, you know, she put me in competitions and things like that. And I did this one competition. Um, I lived in Atlanta for a little while when I was younger and, um, they ate me alive. Okay. I was the only, I was the only one in the, in the, in the room who looked like me, everyone else was potluck it and drugs song. And I come out, they wheel out this old kind of cars. They reload as old as piano, the squeaking across the floor. I come out with my Turkey socks and I sit down at this piano and start playing and I hear boom, get out of here where he came from. I died. And the thing about it, right? Needless to say, I didn't win any of that television. And I cried so hard. I cried crying on stage, you know, shortly after that, we went to Bermuda. Um, and I fell in love with dance. I fell in love with theater. Um, I was the best being society president for four years of my high school endeavors. And then I joined the BMDs, which is the Bermuda musical dramatic society. And for about seven years with them, I did theater and dance and choreography and things like that. And, um, they kind of lended me, you know, right out of high school. Yeah. I'm going all the way. Anyway. Right out of high school, um, I was working in a spa and Wyclef, John legend, Alicia keys. Everyone came into the spa because it was a jazz festival in Bermuda. So I'm like, yo, I'm getting off this Island one way or the other I've done all that. I can, I've done every production. Um, so I printed out my little resume headshot. It was so unprofessional, so crazy. Listen, everything I did. And I was like, this is what I'm done. Just take it. And I gave it to Alicia keys. I gave it to John legend. I gave it to white cliff and I'm like, yo, so why? Perhaps my manager Sharma his store manager. He hit me up and asked me to audition in New York at the Nokia theater. And that audition is actually on YouTube and the rest is history. Um, I started choreographing. He told me to pick up the guitar. I picked that up the next day I went to guitar center and picked it up immediately. Um, I've been, I'm still learning. Of course I haven't mastered anything about this guitar, but I'm learning still.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You're being very humble and gracious.
Speaker 3:You got it. You got it. Yeah. Well, I'm still learning and, and, you know, taking my time with it so that, you know, I will be masterful with it. You know, working with Madeline, working with white flip, they give me opportunities that people will kill for, um, to be able to be in the presence of Carlos Santana and hear his wisdom. And my goodness, this journey, the journey has been heavy, heavily rooted in just patching then, you know, wanting it, you know,
Speaker 2:I think that's so important for the young listeners that, you know, want to be in the music business as an artist. You know, it's, it's, it's the shared experience that helps people understand all that goes into actually getting to the point where you can sign with a label. You know, it's like, I'm always hearing about the shortcuts that everyone's trying to do. And I'm like, there, there are no short, I don't understand what you're doing. There are no shortcuts. If you want to be a career artist, which is really the only artists that anyone wants to invest in, you, you just can't jump the line. And if you do jump, the line is hard to sustain it
Speaker 3:Because you're not putting in the work, changes, change. The microwavable artists do not sustain. They can't scale. They cannot scale. So your determination, I love, you know, I'm saying I'm going to leave Bermuda. Yeah. I'm going to travel the world. I'm going to do everything I can to achieve my greatness. You know, were there moments along your journey, um, where you just felt like, okay, this isn't, I'm discouraged. I'm, I'm tired of hearing. No, I feel like I'm treading water, whatever that may be. But if you can talk to us about that one moment where you were just like, I don't know, you were really being tested. Uh, there are a number I'm trying to pick. One that I think artists, artists can sort of relate to because it is, it is a definite journey of ups and downs. You will definitely be encouraged and discouraged. Um, one of, one of my moments was when I moved to California, I moved to California four years ago. I had an intention to stay here for a month to do a tour with the fan and go back home to Bermuda. That was my point it's four years. And I'm still in California. You know what I mean? I do to know what goes inside of that, to know that I was sleeping in my car to know that I was couch surfing on strangers' couches. Um, you know, just out of the church, like, Hey, you know, can I come over for a potluck? And then, Hey, can I stay over for a little while? You know what I mean? Like definite journey men. And, you know, I questioned myself like, can I really do this? And, and that's a very, I've never voiced that before. Like those are, those are thoughts that you have, what you don't share, because I'm going to get this and everyone's going to know that I'm gonna get this. But to be brutally honest, I had a moment where it's like, damn, should I just go back home and fall in line with the nurses in my family? Right. So, um, what, what pushed me beyond that was going back to the drawing board of writing. Um, when I feel a little discouraged like that, I just write and I, I have the thing called a creative clock and because I literally have to do this or I can't survive. There's a time where I need to profusely write, just write, just write, just write. Then there's a time when I have to read and only read, like, I don't even worry about writing. I don't worry about music or anything. Then there is the time when I have to paint. Right. And then there's a time when I have to practice and I just vigorously practice and, you know, and then performance is just something I'd love to do. So that just always comes, but I need that creative club to keep me going, um, in my creativity. Um, so in those discouraging moments, that's what I do. I turn the clock, I turn the hand of my, what I focus on so that I keep on going, finding that inspiration yes. Or little bit, you know, exactly. I love that
Speaker 2:The creative clock I I'm gonna, I do. I really like it. So my question about the creative clock, does it change or is it pretty consistent with the outlets you use
Speaker 3:Painting, reading, practicing?
Speaker 2:Does it change from day to day?
Speaker 3:It doesn't change from day to day. Um, I will call them long hours. It's like a season I would say like, uh, it's I have different seasons, but I call it a clock because it's just, it's just what it's time to do. I know it's time to focus on this. I know it's time to focus on that. Right. So, um, that's, that's how I kind of do it. I love it. And thank you for sharing
Speaker 2:Your creative process. I know that's, I've learned something. I liked the creative clock idea. I'm going to start using it,
Speaker 3:Honestly. It's, it's really smart for creative people that are,
Speaker 2:You know, I'm, I'm writing a book. I actually, I've written a book and I'm in developmental edits that I keep refusing to.
Speaker 3:Right.
Speaker 2:And I I'm finding all of these reasons to distract myself from sitting down. And, and I don't know if it's fear
Speaker 3:Know, ask you, are you afraid to finish the book?
Speaker 2:It, it may be. Cause because there's no reason why I'm, you know, should be dodging actually sitting down and tackling these edits. Okay.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Yeah,
Speaker 2:Girlfriend, no need to ask. I'm already invested
Speaker 3:In your future. So it really isn't
Speaker 2:The girlfriend, no need to ask platform. Um, but anyway, back to you, since your creative thoughts here,
Speaker 3:What mode, like what made you say to yourself,
Speaker 2:Heads music is where I need to be.
Speaker 3:Well head's music and I's relationship has been a developing, um, strong relationship for a very long time. Um, when I first was introduced to Madeline, I was in awe of her power of her know how have her do it. And when we were in the creative process of, um, putting out music, creating music and things like that, um, and Madeline correct me if I'm wrong. No, we, we clashed in a sense of, um, I wouldn't say creatively crashed, but we, we crashed on like, when should it be put out, when is this happening? You know, what, what, who are you as an artist? You know? And I think, I think in, in Medi trying to figure out who I was as an artist, um, I guess what was said, the direction of things wasn't sitting right with me, um, it just didn't feel good. It didn't feel like me, you know, and that, that, um, I would say deterred the progression of the relationship for a minute and, um, spare. Yeah. And, and that's just, that's just honest, but I think, I think that time of cart, um, and even me metal, and you met me when I was very young, like, I didn't know who I was fully. Right. You helped me figure out who I am as an artist. And, and that's the part that has made me say, hell yes, two heads because of the patients that Maddie has, the, the experience, of course, the ear, of course it's like, but what the patients and development and the understanding of who I was, I argue with Maddie on, on eight 46, eight minutes and 46 seconds. Cause I wanted to put it out a while ago. I was profusely crying. Like this has to come out. Now this is a need, this is necessity right now. Like, do you know what's going on? And she's like, we have to wait Hannah, we have to wait. And it was just look at that, that instinct that she has just ridiculous. So, um, my respect level and like, just like you said earlier, that humble, that humble bug that you need to eat. Right. Eat that. Cause I was like, I'm ready. And you're not exactly. Sometimes you have to defer to the pros. It doesn't mean that your position or your feelings are valid. I think Maddie is so measured with that. Her skill level is bar none when dealing with artists at all different levels. I mean, this woman
Speaker 2:Was, you know, I'm speaking about you. Like you're not here Madeline, but you know, seriously. I mean, you're, you, you know, you're your ear for talent at every level is, is so premiere. But then, you know, you also have worked and discovered so many artists and then also worked with intimately, the Michael Jackson's, you know, the Teddy Riley's. I mean, the, the scope of your experience is, is so broad and diverse. And I, you know, if I was an artist, I would want you to sign me, um, for the sole reason that you you're so invested. I know you're so invested and you can feel that even, you know, when I'm standing on the sideline, watching it, you know, I remember, um, heads music, you know, showcase when we did push live MTV live. I mean, Maddie was the first indie label to ever debut their artists on the platform and just watching her work. And you can feel it, you could feel that energy and, and you know, that's not always the case at a major, no, that's not always the case. You know, that special attention that develop, you know, artist development process, which is, was taken away many, many years ago at major labels. It just no longer existed. And that was one area that I felt, you know, one department that should've stayed, you know, it really should have actually not a department anywhere anymore. You know, it's not, it's not, it's not that blows my mind to always feel that that's an area that really was and is missed in, um, in labels, major labels missed. And it's obvious. Absolutely. So I would love Hannah to, for you to talk about this simply incredible timely dynamic body of work, eight minutes, 46 seconds. Um, yeah, it's, it's powerful lady
Speaker 1:Fears. They aren't gas in my tee shirts. Ooh, is the blue.
Speaker 2:I just want you to talk about everything surrounding this beautiful, beautiful piece of work. This song is so heavy in my heart because being, being, uh, a child of a black woman and a white man is very tough. And, um, you know, throughout my life,
Speaker 3:I've experienced racism from both sides of my family. So this the song, you know, and even though it's on police brutality, it's based off of racism. Like they're profiling us there. It's just ridiculous. So this the song I cried profusely writing it honestly. Um, cliff cliff came with the idea of it. And when we were in the studio working on a totally different song, he was like, yo, and then it just, it just came. And he was like, you'll like, let's put some lyrics to this. And it just, it, it came so easy because the passion and the anger, the despair was there. And, um, you know, like I w I want to personally deliver this song to the families. I message in the song I want, I want to go there and give them this song and give them something that they can have from me because of how deep the song is to me. Um, like it's funny because people in Bermuda, it's like th they're they know about things that are happening in America, but they don't really, they're not invested in it like that little Island who cares, you know, what's going on over there. So I I've heard through Ireland, France and things that people are saying that I'm jumping on a bandwagon and exploiting people, and they don't know, they don't know where my heart is on this. They don't know what's happening inside of me. That made me write this song and my experiences in life. Um, and Nina Simone said it, yo be a reflection of the times. And that's why I keep on reiterating it every time I post about the song, because I am an artist reflecting the times, that's all I'm doing. Yes. You are like Nina Simone, like Billy holiday. Like why cliff? Like every, every true artist who, who respects their surroundings and sees art in everything happening around them. So, you know, that just, it makes me want to push even harder to, you know, make people not, I really don't care what people think about me, but I want people to respect the artistry of what's happening here because that's, that's all it is. You know what I mean? And I have pure intentions with my art. So that's, that's just what it is. This song, this song is very heavy to me. And, um, I just hope that people who hear it can find the strength can find the perseverance
Speaker 2:And, um, the determination to not slow down on making actual change habits. Oh, speak truth to power Hannah. I mean, absolutely. Yes. Yes. And it is powerful friends. We're going to play a bit of eight minutes and 46 seconds
Speaker 1:Now. Hey, now love is the answer. Why they hate the word fall, like the young Brown fence or the way everybody thinks like the wild, wild West gun in his head. He went from plain to the real thing. Bang, bang,[inaudible] pass, but no one's happy fears. They hurt my eyes.
Speaker 2:This powerful song will be released on all DSPs on July 17th. So please make it a point to go to your favorite DSP and download this powerful song. I believe wholeheartedly that every single person needs to take a listen, Hannah, I thank you for using your voice and using your artistry for good to help continue the energy, the passion, and the fervor, not letting the movement dissipate as we've seen so many times. Unfortunately it can't happen again. It can not. And I am often optimistic about the future because what I have seen from the youth, this your generation is powerful. You and your generation are boldly staring in the eye racism. Exactly. And saying no more, no more. And we're ready. We're ready. So I have faith. I have faith. And we stand with you. And I, you know, honestly, what did you know, what a powerful debut, you know, I know you've been in the business and you have, it's just such an like your journey is, is just really beginning on the main stage and what a powerful debut, eight minutes and 46 seconds is for you.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I'm humbled. I'm humbled. I am, I know the type of, um, position I'm being put in and I know what type of shoes I need to fill. And I feel like I can do it. And I feel like with being able to lean back and rely and trust and have that push from Madeline from white class, have that wisdom from different people that I've met in the industry. I, um, my breath is taken. Like, I'm very grateful. I'm very grateful.
Speaker 2:I adore you. I'm your number one fan. I starting the fan club. I mean, you you're giving me chills, honestly. You're, you're magnificent. And I, Oh, I can't wait to hear more and more and more from you. Um, you are with the most dynamic team and I'm so happy that you're putting your trust in Madeline and heads music, because they are simply the best and Madeline's simply the best. So, Oh, I have to take a moment to drink, drink some water that I don't have. You just feel, you know, your energy through my speakers, my headsets. It's beautiful. And I, I'm just humbled and thankful that you are a part of this new artists series for no need to ask podcasts. Um, so what is, you know, Madeline Hannah, what is next?
Speaker 3:We, we really have to work this record, this, this song, this single, um, but Hannah's already created a ton of music. That's, what's beautiful. Um, she's got all kinds of followup. There is no question that she can, um, match this song. She can talk the song. Um, her level of versatility is incredible in the music and very must be very much. And I was having this conversation with Y cleft the other day. Um, and I was telling him that I had purposely listened to, um, Liz O's album beginning to end like 10 times while I was cooking a couple of weeks ago, because the versatility of the album, the fearlessness of like mixing all those genres on one album is exactly what the combination is of Hannah's music, the music that, you know, she's accumulated over the last few years, uh, it reminds me of Liz's album. It's, it's, there's a couple of different genres. There's, um, stuff that sounds like jazz there's wagon. Um, there's like scat music. It's, it's this beautiful like combination though everything that is her, there's nothing that is separate of her style or her personality though, even though different genres. Um, and that's the only thing that I can compare it to right now that I like I love deeply is deliberate album. So what's next for us is to, to do right by this single and prepare the next and the next and the next
Speaker 2:Love it. Yeah. I mean, I'm, I'm here for the journey. Count me. I'm here for the ride, you know, number one fan over here. So before we close this incredible conversation, um, I always do two questions. Um, for both of you, one is called trading places. So if you could trade places with anyone living or anyone that's passed on, who would that person be and why
Speaker 3:I would trade places, Whitney Houston.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:I would want to know what it's like to have that.
Speaker 2:Wow. Wow. Wow.
Speaker 3:I know what it's like to recognize that voice and before anybody else does, you know, um, but I would love to, to have that voice, I would love to know what it's like to, to just stop time when you just sing. Literally one note. I mean,
Speaker 2:That's such a good one. Um, Hannah. Okay. Okay. Okay. I, you for one day. Yeah, just for one day. All right. I'll be Beyonce. Okay. Only because I want to know what I'd like to be beyond saying, but I would also like to know what it takes to be Beyonce. You know what I mean? That's a good, that's a good point of view. It is heavy. Yeah. That's what I want to know. All the details of what it takes the trade secrets. Yes. I love your answers. Both of you go good. Um, what are you reading?
Speaker 3:Ha what am I rereading?
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I read Assata when I was in my early twenties. It was, you know, we all probably read a couple of books that are true, uh, life changers and, and, um, attitude shifters, you know, and when I read it, when I was in my twenties, it just made me feel like I was invincible. There was nothing I couldn't do. There was, I mean, the things that she survived, how tough she is was is, um, I just, she, she just made me proud and, and, and just made me feel, yeah, like I, like I could take on the world. So, so I'm really at again, because I went through a tiny little moment of when I made the sport of imposter syndrome where you, you, the big thing happens and you're like, am I really good enough for this? Right. Um, so I pulled her out. I ordered a new copy the way. Yeah, it's a good one.
Speaker 4:That's a good one. Thank you, Madeline, for sharing Hannah, what page Turner are you, uh, currently invested in?
Speaker 3:So I haven't started it because it's not time yet my creative clock, but I'm in transition and I'm about to start this book called the artist's way. Okay. And yes. So, um, it was, it was suggested to me, and I know that it talks about, you know, just diving deeper on why you create, where it comes from and who you're giving it to, you know, and the power that you possess in your creativity. Um, so I'm always diving deeper into really what I want people to feel, what I want people to realize about themselves in artistry and creativity and in their general lives. And, um, so this is what I'm about to be starting. I love participating. You should get that one. It's, it's like a workbook. I, I D I did it a long, long, long time ago. And for you, um, needing to get back to getting that book finished, the artist's way could be, yeah. And you have us on this podcast right now. I believe that to be true. It's actually really, um, you know, it's like a guided, you know, therapy session, really, because in this section, it's like, um, it's like complete the sentence. People with money are blank. Money makes people blink, you know, so you have to fill that in and it really gets your mind ticking to where you are as a creative, Oh, I need this.
Speaker 2:So friends as always, I will list out these two books in the body of the podcast description. And I encourage you to, if you have not read either, please go to Amazon and order your copy today. I know I will. Hannah Madeline. I mean, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for participating and just for sharing. And I've learned so much, I'm sure the listeners have learned so much as well. Um, it's just, it thrills me to have two dynamic women leaders in their own way, um, on the podcast and to be able to help amplify the stories that I feel need to be heard. So thank you both again, and thank you so much. My extreme pleasure. So friends, and this is the end of no need to ask podcasts with Madeline Nelson and Hannah Eggen. I got it. Right. So until next time, please be well and be safe. Thank you.