How He Got a Million Monthly Listeners and a Sold Out Tour Independently

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Nashville-based singer-songwriter Jared Benjamin. Jared broke down how he went from picking up a guitar during the pandemic to earning over 100 million streams, selling out headline tours, and building an intensely loyal community across TikTok and Discord. They discuss his creation process, content strategy, delegating production, leveraging pre-save ad campaigns, and releasing his debut album, Icarus Too Close to the Sun.

Follow Jared Benjamin:

https://www.instagram.com/jaredbenjaminofficial/

http://tiktok.com/@jaredbenjaminofficial

Check out Ari’s Take:

https://aristake.com

4:05 Interview Begins: Welcome & Icarus Debut Album Announcement

5:06 Transitioning from Fast Singles to a Cohesive Debut Album

9:43 Early Short-Form Visual Strategy & Writing Skits

17:25 Lessons from Bad Industry Deals & Going DIY

20:15 Learning Production on YouTube & Collaborating with Producers

25:20 Writing "Three Steps Ahead" at AntiSocial Writing Camp