Have you ever dreamed of traveling the world to experience its natural beauty and live among wildlife? For Swiss photographer Dylan Carvalho, this dream is a reality. Carvalho's work takes him to some of the most remote and rugged areas of the planet to capture stunning images of the natural world.

Through his lens, we see the world in a new light. We're transported to far-off lands and reminded of the majesty of the natural world. Carvalho's travels have taken him to some of the most breathtaking places on earth, where he's photographed gorillas in Bwindi, white rhinos in South Africa, trekked through dense jungles in the Amazon, and witnessed the awe-inspiring beauty of the savannah woodlands of Botswana. It’s a childhood fantasy realized.

Carvalho's work goes beyond just photographing wildlife. He also shares stories about the local communities of the places he visits, from coffee farmers in Uganda to wildlife rangers in Bwindi. It's a compelling, first-hand look at the people and cultures that make these places so unique. (Check out this video of Carvalho visiting farmers in Mt. Elgon, Uganda, who talk about the challenge to sustain their business.)

Carvalho primarily shares his adventures and wildlife photography on Instagram and TikTok. I highly recommend you give him a follow as his work will bring a much-needed dose of calm and inspiration to cluttered social feeds. 😌

Carvalho's work is proof of the power of photography to inspire, educate, and connect us with the world around us. Following a stint in the Swiss army and gigs as a safari guide, his story is also proof that it's possible to achieve your dreams if you put your mind to it. His storytelling often encourage others to do the same.

I first discovered Carvalho's work when exploring the world of fine art NFTs and digital collectibles. Fine art photography has been steadily growing in the NFT world, providing young and upcoming photographers with an opportunity to share their work and tap into new revenue streams.

While prepping for another trek around the globe, I checked in with Carvalho to learn more about his passion for photography and wildlife, his experience visiting remote places, and the inspiring journey he’s on. He has plans to expand his storytelling, design customized tours, and continue to share photography on his socials. Read on to get to know Dylan and what’s next.

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Hello, Dylan! I'm curious, where are you located currently, given that you're a global nomad?

“Right now, I’m back in Switzerland for a moment to prepare an expedition to Uganda. That said, I don't have a fixed location where I reside. It's been 3 years since I left Switzerland, and since then, I have been constantly on the move, splitting my time between Africa, Europe and America. While I do travel frequently, I make sure to plan my trips so that I can stay for extended periods in one particular country, sometimes for weeks or even months.”

What inspired you to become a wildlife photographer?

“Well, as a kid, I always had a fascination for wildlife and would often spend hours watching documentaries on the subject. I knew I wanted my story to be told on a network or TV, but as I grew older, I realized the potential of YouTube and how I could create my own show on this platform. When I turned 18, I picked up my first camera and started taking pictures of animals - anything from lizards to ducks to dogs. These activities brought me so much joy and meaning that I knew I wanted to turn my passion for wildlife photography into a career. And that's how it all started.”

How do you go about planning your photo expeditions, and what drew you to Africa as a base?

“It all started with my first trip outside of Europe, which was to Uganda, where I had friends. I spent seven weeks in the country and knew right then that I wanted to begin my journey in Africa. To prepare for my career as a wildlife photographer, I went to the Swiss Army to save money for a one-year program by Ecotraining, which enabled me to become a professional safari guide.

My approach to photography is simple: if you want to take better photographs, you must first understand your subject better. This means learning about their eating habits, behavioral patterns, and other key information that can help you locate animals and recognize when important moments are about to happen.

Research is the foundation of my approach to photography. For example, if I know that I'll be heading to the Pantanal in Brazil, I will start creating an ID list of all the animals I want to capture weeks before my trip. I'll read studies, consume information, and prepare a solid base of knowledge before arriving at my destination. This helps me to plan my photo expeditions better, find my subjects more easily, and capture the best possible shots.”

You've made some of your photography available as NFTs for collectors. Can you share your experience of releasing NFTs and whether it connected you to a new audience?

“I made a couple of sales of my NFTs, which was a great feeling, but more importantly, I was able to connect with a lot of people who were interested in my work. This led to more opportunities, such as being contracted for major NFT conferences in Lisbon, Paris, and NYC to photograph their events. Not only did this give me more exposure and credibility within the NFT community, but it also provided me with great networking opportunities.”

What are the biggest challenges you face when photographing wildlife in Africa?

“When it comes to photographing wildlife in Africa, there are certainly some challenges that need to be overcome. Firstly, it requires a lot of time spent in the wild, which can become rather costly. However, I found a solution to this problem by becoming a guide and content creator. I can be hired by guests or a lodge, which allows me to be immersed in nature for an extended period. This means that I can spend more time observing and photographing wildlife, which is essential for capturing the perfect shot. Finally, there are also logistical challenges, such as transportation and equipment. However, with planning and preparation, these can be overcome.”

What has been your most memorable experience while photographing wildlife in Africa?

“As someone who has been fortunate enough to photograph wildlife across Africa, it's hard to pick just one experience that stands out as the most memorable. However, if I had to choose, I would say that tracking the Mountain Gorillas of Bwindi's impenetrable rainforest was an experience like no other.

The trek through the dense jungle was challenging, but the anticipation of seeing these magnificent creatures up close kept us going. And when we finally found the family of gorillas, the experience was truly unforgettable.

The lighting wasn't ideal at first, but as luck would have it, some clouds rolled in and created a perfect opening for me to capture some truly stunning photographs. Seeing these majestic animals in their natural habitat was an awe-inspiring experience that I will never forget.”

What are your essential gear requirements when you go into the field to capture wildlife?

When it comes to capturing wildlife, there's a lot more to it than just pointing and shooting. Of course, your camera and lenses are a must-have, but to take your shots to the next level, you'll want to consider a few other things as well.

A sturdy tripod is essential for keeping your camera steady and capturing sharp images, especially when shooting in low-light conditions. A beanbag can also be a great alternative for keeping your camera stable on uneven terrain. Don't forget about lens filters, which can help reduce glare and enhance colors in your shots.

When you're out in the field, weather can be unpredictable, so make sure to pack a rain cover to protect your equipment from the elements. Adequate clothing is also important, as you may find yourself trekking through muddy or wet terrain as well as blending in with the right colours.

Once you've captured your shots, the post-production process is just as crucial. Bring your laptop and hard drives to store and organize your images for editing later. With these essential gear requirements, you'll be ready to capture stunning wildlife shots in the great outdoors.

Can you tell us more about your art and the Carvalho brand of photography? How do you approach capturing unique and creative shots of wildlife that stand out from other photographers?

Standing out in wildlife photography is a hard one. One approach that I pursued to stand out from the crowd is to use wide-angle lenses. This technique can create a sense of depth and immersion for the viewer, but it's not always easy to pull off, as the animal in question needs to be relatively close.

To capture stunning wide-angle shots of wildlife, it's important to consider the animal's behaviour and movement patterns. Photographers also need to be patient and persistent, as it can take time to get the perfect shot. Getting down low to the ground can also create an interesting perspective and make the animal appear larger than life.

Another way to make your wildlife shots stand out is to focus on capturing unique behaviours or moments. This requires careful observation and anticipation, as well as a willingness to experiment and take risks with your photography.

Your videos feature local communities extensively, including highlighting coffee farmers and promoting fair trade. How do you envision your work contributing to conservation efforts and changing people's perception of the African continent and its wildlife?

“Highlighting local communities, such as coffee farmers, is an important aspect of promoting fair trade and sustainable practices. By showcasing these communities and their unique cultures and traditions, photographers can help change people's perceptions of the African continent and its people. It's important to approach these communities with respect and sensitivity and to involve them in the creative process whenever possible. Ultimately, by combining my passion for photography with a commitment to supporting local communities and conservation efforts, I strive to make a real difference in the world.”

Your videos often feature motivational content to encourage people to dream and pursue their passion. Do you feel this message resonates well in the context of your own story? What do you want people to ultimately take away from engaging with your content?

“Motivational content can be a powerful tool for encouraging people to dream big and take action towards their goals. By sharing your own story and experiences, you can help others see what's possible and inspire them to pursue their own passions. It's true people get inspired by my work and I always get feedback from my relatives and friends back home on how proud they are of the path that I chose to pursue.

Ultimately, the message that I hope people take away from my content is one of inspiration and empowerment. I want people to see that it's possible to pursue their passions and make a difference in the world, no matter where they come from or what challenges they may face.”

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When you think of boybands, the image that comes to mind is likely that of a carefully crafted group with a heavily scripted approach to their music and image. However, PRETTYMUCH, the group hailed as the official successor of One Direction, broke the mold with their unique approach to music and artistry.

Formed in 2016 with the help of pop impresario Simon Cowell, the group consists of Brandon Arreaga, Edwin Honoret, Austin Porter, and Zion Kuwonu. Many of the same songwriters and producers that worked on One Direction's global superhits also helped craft PRETTYMUCH's early songs (including Savan Kotecha and Ilya who are titans in the world of pop). The band was also signed to Sony and were managed by some of the same team who were part of One Direction’s success.

Despite the similarities between PRETTYMUCH and One Direction, there was one crucial difference that set the former apart. Each member of the group brought their own point of view, unique aesthetic, and sense of authentic artistry to the band from the very beginning. This was a radically different approach than how many boybands had operated until that time.

The group's raw and honest approach fit the times of Instagram's heyday, Snapchat’s first rise, and the birth of live broadcasting on social media. Having each of the band members be themselves, filter-free, right from the beginning was a perfect match for that era of social media.

And then there was the music, of course. I remember sitting in Max Martin's West Hollywood studio and hearing the early PRETTYMUCH demos, including “Would You Mind” and “Open Arms.” I was blown away by the quality of the performance and the universal appeal of the music. When I spent time with the group in the house they shared in the Hollywood Hills, I was impressed by their energy and undeniable star power. There was no doubt in my mind that PRETTYMUCH, and more importantly, each of the band members separately and together, was the real deal.

Their debut followed along with a bunch of great singles, but the group wasn't necessarily interested in selling out stadiums and pleasing the bosses. The more they got to know the music industry, the more they learned about making pop, and the more they were interested in making their music interesting and fun.

Warner Records recognized that vision, and the group departed Sony to join a new roster. The group released "Stars," "Corpus Christi," and the gorgeous "Parking Spot" from their Smackables project that showcased a mature R&B inspired pop that helped shed their boyband image.

The global pandemic put many of their plans on hold, ultimately causing the group to pursue new passions that led to the decision to break from the major label system to have full creative independence. The group's freewheeling and creative spirit was a vital part of their DNA, and it was only a matter of time before they broke free. (Nick Mara, the group’s fifth member, took the opportunity late 2022 to pursue other creative endeavours and leave the group while their friendship lives on.)

Music NFTs and digital collectibles were the perfect vehicle for the group to freely share the many songs stuck on their hard drives while opening up a new revenue source and a meaningful way to connect with fans. After the release of their genesis release "H2L" in 2022, four more NFT releases followed, including "Better Than The First Time," "Nervous," "Enough Love," and "Wrong."

The pop quartet has also continued to release music on streaming platforms, including the double-A single, “Excited” and “Maria,” which dropped at the end of March.

At the start of an exciting new era for PRETTYMUCH, let’s take a moment to delve a little deeper into their thoughts on Music NFTs and digital collectibles, as well as their newfound creative freedom. We spoke with Edwin to detail the future and reflect on the past. (Spoiler alert: An album may be on the way this year.)

What inspired you to venture into Web3 and explore the new music format?

“We have always been at the forefront of NFTs from a creator and trading standpoint. I introduced NFTs as a way for us to get our music out there, monetize it, and continue to commission off of it. I thought that was such a powerful thing. It's about putting the power back in the hands of the artist and not in the hands of the collector or investor.

When I saw that NFTs were putting that power back into the artist's hand, it definitely inspired me to learn more about it and to step into the space. So I started trading a little bit, and it opened my eyes to the community aspect of NFTs. People wanted to see people win, people wanted to help people. C

oming from a boy band perspective, I know a lot about community. I know what it takes to drive a fan base and to interact with a following. Web3 is the ideal setup for PRETTYMUCH. We know exactly what we want to do, bring community to the music, and put ourselves in control of the music together with our fans.

The whole concept is just based on a fair exchange. It's the idea that if I have a Lamborghini and you have a rare Pokemon card, as long as we think that the value is the same, there's an even exchange, and everyone's happy. When I have conversations with fans about what it means to support an artist, they always ask, ‘What are the ways that we can support you?’ I really couldn't give them an answer because the money was always given to somebody else.

Now that we’re independent, the support comes directly to us. The equal exchange where the giver and receiver both see value in something and walk away happy is the most empowering part to me”

How did you go about selecting your first NFT?

“Enough Love” was a demo that Brandon brought to us. We loved the record and how different it sounded. It didn't sound like anything else, especially with the pre-chorus, how the words get chopped up. We actually sang every word in that pre-chorus individually to give that choppy effect.

We recorded it once, and we still kind of didn't know where it fit in our release plan in our structure, so we kind of banked it for a bit. And then once we started talking about getting out of our record deal, then we started constructing our release plan for our independent album.

Also, the lyrics of “Enough Love” are very true to our situation. It’s about the fans who have stuck with us from the beginning. It felt right to make that track our genesis Music NFT release.

How has the response been from fans that you're getting into the NFT space?

I think there’s a lot of propaganda around Web3, crypto, and the ecosystem. A lot of people don’t know a lot about it, and so we help educate our fans so they understand it’s a meaningful way to support us.

We don’t dive into something without really understanding it. What we do and how we do things is ultimately how we are perceived. We wouldn’t jump into something that wouldn't benefit the fans or us.

We realize though it can be a big hurdle for fans who can listen to our music for free. It’s about explaining to our community that Music NFTs are a great way to support us monetarily, directly.

What's your take on Music NFTs from an artistic point of view? Does it spark new creativity?

Yes. We can take more risks musically and do what we want to do for our fans. It’s not about pleasing anybody else.

When I listen to the artists on Sound.xyz, for example, I hear so much diversity. Many of these artists don’t have a lot of followers on social media, but it’s a level playing field.

There are people with zero followers who are making high-level records that can compete with big artists signed to major labels in this new space. PRETTYMUCH was in the major label space, so we know how it works. There’s a lot of ego once you’re there. We’ve gone through the ups and downs of it all, and we dropped the ego. It lets us create freely. It encourages us to make better music and to push the dial harder.

It also inspires us to want to collaborate with artists who don't have that following or stick to the status quo, the status that we've been so accustomed to being around.

Who are the people in the NFT space you look up to?

I look up to Daniel Allen, Grady, and Reo [Cragun] who I can call my friends. I look up to them because they made the Web3 system their own, and they did it in such a way where it gets everyone around them excited. They've given us so much advice, and they have taught us so much when it comes to the Web3 space, how to drop music, and lots of best practices. Overall, there is so much camaraderie in the Web3 community. Artists want to see artists win.

Elsewhere in the music business, there can be so much politics, which makes the creative process hard sometimes. My aspiration in Web3 is to help build the community where people in Web3 can look at and be like, ‘wow, I wanna be a part of that.’ Everyone in Web3 can move as a force and show there’s a different way to release music, have your fans hear it, and also be able to make a living off of it.

What do you think is the biggest misconception from artists about music NFTs? What may be holding them back?

It’s the miseducation. It creates some fear about jumping in. You have to educate yourself and give it a try. The moment you do a drop and you see how fans can directly support you, you understand how it’s a game-changer.

You have to come in selflessly being a part of the community and love for real talent. It should not be about money.

At the end of the day, and I know you know this too, Arjan, talent will always prevail. And if you're pushing yourself, if you're hungry, your talent will always show, and someone out there will respect your music and your art and see its worth. Everyone in the NFT space has a winning chance.

Disclaimer: As a day one supporter of PRETTYMUCH, Arjan is a proud collector of “H2L,” “Better Than The first Time,” “Enough Love,” “Nervous,” and Wrong.”

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Vérité returns this week with her brand-new single, titled “Are We Done Yet?,” which is taken from her forthcoming new album due in 2023. It marks an exciting new era for the New York artist who continues to blaze a trail for independent artists by adopting impactful new ways to create, release, and promote her music.

Over the past 7 years, Vérité has built a flourishing career without the support of a major label. She’s redefining what it means to be independent by keeping music at the center of everything she does while also keeping a laser-sharp focus on innovative new ways to build her career that feels authentic to her.

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It should come as no surprise that Web3 and Music NFTs have been an exciting new format for Vérité to experiment with. She’s been sharing observations and experiences of her Web3 journey on Twitter and in blog posts to help further build the space and make a positive impact. Why is Vérité so interested in Web3? She has a long-term vision for building her career as an independent artist, and embracing new technology is a way to keep evolving and staying ahead.

Her new single “Are We Done Yet?” is available for streaming and as a one-of-one collectible on Catalog. I first blogged about Vérité in 2014 and was excited to catch up with her and learn more about her new project and music-first approach.

Arjan: Congratulations with the release of “Are We Done Yet?” Tell us a bit more about the new chapter you’re embarking on.

Vérité: Thank you! “Are We Done Yet?” is the first track from my new album project, and sonically it gives you an idea of what you can expect from the album. Also thematically, the artwork for the single is a tastemaker for the bigger project. In the single artwork, you see this figure with a bag over his head and his hands bound. It’s an anonymous figure that captures the sadness and rage of my own emotion that will exist throughout the entire album campaign. I also plan on producing visualizers for each song on the album instead of music videos. The visualizers will make up something like a graphic novel that will convey the full story of the album

It’s a beautiful and moving new track. How did it come about?

The song captures the ups and downs that I was experiencing when I spent a lot of time sitting in my own trauma [of a relationship]. The world was shifting while my life fell apart. There was so much happening. It was like motion sickness, like nausea. This song personifies the concept of constant change in two different ways. On the one hand, I’m talking about a relationship and someone directly, and on the other hand, it’s a rhetorical question, ‘are we done yet?’ ‘Can we just slow down?’ I enjoy writing things taken from different perspectives so people can pull from it what they need.

What’s your songwriting process like? Are you a fast writer?

It really depends. When I’m writing and it’s flowing, yes, it will be quick. The whole first verse and the first chorus of “Are We Done Yet?” were written in an hour. I was just sitting alone at my piano, cycling through, coming up with the piano line, mumbling, just stringing some words together. You’re just kind of pulling it out of thin air. This was when we were still in the COVID lockdown.

Who did you work with on the song?

I was working with Mathias Wang, a Norwegian producer. We were working and shaping the entire sonic world the song fits into. It was great because I never would’ve connected with him [if it wasn’t for Zoom] and we’ve collaborated on so much music now. I like producing on Zoom because we can both produce on the call while taking breaks to work on things individually. We’d then come back with stems and send them back and forth. I find it actually very productive

“As a creative being, I want to figure out how I can take my art and have it resonate with as many people as possible using all the tools I’ve available.”

You’re making “Are We Done Yet?” available on streaming platforms and as a one-of-one collectible on Catalog. Do you like this strategy of having the song available for streaming but also to collectors who want to own it?

The NFT space is so new and everyone’s trying to figure it out. When we talk about Web2 and Web3 it’s so easy to get stuck in terminology. It’s easy to forget that it’s about music. I don’t look at it as a binary thing—Web2 versus Web3. I look at it holistically as an independent artist. I feel I’m a problem-solver and as a creative being, I want to figure out how I can take my art and have it resonate with as many people as possible using all the tools I’ve available. I view every platform, whether that’s on the blockchain, a DSP, or whatever it is, as a constellation around me and my work. I want to be as agnostic and malleable as possible so that when the marketplace or technology shifts, I’m prepared. The more diverse the tools I equip myself with, the more chance I have to continue to have this career for the next 10 years. When it comes to the Web3 stuff the question simply is what value do these new tools add to me as an artist? What value do they add to my fans? Do they expose me to a new audience? The answer is yes. Web3 allows me to reach more people.

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Do you find you’ve expanded your fanbase because of Web3 and Music NFTs?

Yes. I want to be where listeners consume music. And if there are people who value that music as fine art, I’m going to meet them where they exist and price my music that fits collectors. As I said, it’s just a tool in my toolbox. And in six months, if something shifts, I'm going to be malleable and figure out what’s the next thing because I have a really long vision for what I want to be doing.

“Thinking of my music as fine art has really opened the door to creating new revenue streams that allow me to create more freely.”

The pandemic has been a huge catalyst for you to explore new ways to promote and release new music. What has it meant for you creatively?

When I started in this world, it was when COVID hit and I felt very boxed in. I recognized the strategies that I had used to build my career up to this point would not take me much further. I really didn’t want to dance on TikTok. I haven’t put all this work into remaining independent and keeping my creative autonomy to shift to doing something that’s so unnatural for me. Thinking of my music as fine art has really opened the door to creating new revenue streams that allow me to create more freely. Take my new music for example. I didn’t create it to make sure it algorithmically resonates. It’s not a traditional pop song, it’s not even a traditional alternative song—it exists in its own world. It’s art. Its existence defies what box the algorithm wants to put it in. I'm here to do exactly what I want to do and then I’ll figure out where it fits.

The new Web3 tools also provide a new artistic dimension and possibilities.

Exactly. It has expanded my definition of artistry. There's the artistic practice of writing a song. There's the artistic practice of bringing those songs into a visual landscape, but it's also an artistic practice to build the mechanisms through which fans experience the music. My brain is really rare in this way, but like I see the whole picture and I participate in the whole picture from the inception of the first melody to the release of the song and the strategy that goes into building a lifelong career as an independent artist.

“The more diverse the tools I equip myself with, the more chance I have to continue to have this career for the next 10 years.”

You’re releasing the first single from your new project in partnership with Venice. How did that collaboration come about?

I just started working with Venice and we're going to be collaborating on this record together. I had a really long and successful relationship with AWAL since I decided to not sign to a major label back in 2015. That partnership ended and then COVID hit so I essentially had a year and a half of experimentation with other distributors and in Web3. Partnering with Venice makes a lot of sense because they were very in tune with both streaming and Web3. They’re also highly innovative and understand all of my pursuits in this new world. We are able to really build something that works super well for me, and give all of the support and resources that I need with the freedom to continue being bold, continue experimenting, and push the boundaries.

You are an NFT trailblazer and a thought leader that other independent artists look up to. Who are some of the people you look up to in Web3?

There are so many! The people that brought me into this world are RAC and Justin Blau. During the pandemic, I started a podcast during COVID where I set out to have real conversations about artists and their experience creating art, building a business, and trying to live a life somewhere in the middle. I had both of them on as guests, and my conversation with RAC talking about the fundamental value of music and talking to Justin about how all of that could be applied in a highly entrepreneurial fashion was really inspiring. Both of them exist above the noise of it. They've just really used these tools in really innovative ways to feed back into the center of what they're doing, their art. For Andre [Anjos, RAC], it was like really having like this fine art perspective and for Justin utilizing it, you know, to build Royal and to provide really meaningful, like opportunities for fans to own a piece of music.

Thank you so much for chatting, Verite!
I really appreciate you taking the time to listen. It means a lot.

🎶 Listen to “Are We Done Yet?” on Apple Music
🖼 Collect “Are We Done Yet?” on Catalog

Cooper Turley is a driving force in the Music NFT space who is firmly committed to finding new and novel ways to support artists. Today, he announced the launch of Coop Records which blends his interest in Web3 and crypto with his love for music. Coop Records is an investment fund that aims to help build the future of music, including supporting artists and new Web3 ventures.

It’s an exciting new chapter for Turley who continues to blaze a trail for the development of the Music NFT space and Web3. According to recent research shared by Water & Music, Music NFTs still only count for a small part of the total NFT market. However, Music NFTs represent a promising new format for artists to build community and grow their fanbase to achieve success.

Turley is no stranger to the power of community. As an avid electronic music fan, he was transformed by the communal experience of live music at a young age. The joy of building together, sharing music with friends, and helping nurture what’s new and next still drives him to this day. Coop Records is proof that Turley is serious about supporting artists in Web3.

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I spoke with Turley earlier this week to learn more about Coop Records, and more broadly about his relentless passion for music and the artists that create it.

Arjan: Your commitment to finding new ways to support artists is deeply rooted in your love for music. What sparked your interest in becoming actively involved in the music industry?

Cooper: My relationship with music started a long time ago. I started hanging out with friends in my junior year of high school who were all really into live music. I started going to a lot of live concerts and seeing artists like Avicii, Zed’s Dead, and RL Grime—people that were leading electronic culture at the time. It really marked an important moment for me because I realized how much I loved music. All my friends were picking colleges to go to and I decided to head to Colorado to study music business. That’s where I really started to form an identity around music. I was a journalist at the time writing for different blogs covering shows. I had a brief stint as a DJ where I was basically remixing other people’s songs and putting mixes together on SoundCloud.

Seeing live music really helped shape your point of view. Do you remember your first show?
Avicii at the Naval Yard [Philadelphia] in 2011! I will never forget it. It was shortly after “Levels” came out and was my favorite song at the time. I remember going to the show with some friends. It was a really amazing experience. I remember being overwhelmed by how many people were coming out to support this one artist that I liked as well. That whole day was such an incredible experience. I went to a dozen more shows in the couple of months that followed. I was hooked on the live show experience.

You’ve been really focused in your recent efforts on uplifting new and emerging artists. Have you always had an interest in finding the next big thing?
I’ve always enjoyed doing that. Back in college when I was working out or practicing for sports, I would be the one who was picking all the songs that we would come out to the court on. I was always making playlists for friends. It was the SoundCloud era—there was a whole culture around discovering new music. I remember always having a really big love for discovering new music early on even if it was only with a couple of people. There’s something really special about being early to artists. Plus, the feeling of loving something new and sharing it with friends who then love it as well is an amazing experience. That drive has been the through-line for most of my career—finding new artists and helping them to figure things out and sharing that with others.

Did it take a minute to figure out what you wanted to do in music?
Yes. It wasn't until recently that I was able to really find a career path with it because I was never an artist. I didn't really love management and I never really found a lane for me to be able to pursue music as a career. So for a long time, I kind of lived this double life of music being my identity and my passion, and then crypto being the avenue that paid the bills. I finally figured out a way to merge those two worlds together with Coop Records.

Before asking more about Coop Records, there’s another element to your new venture and that’s crypto. When did your crypto journey start?
That was in my senior year of college. I was studying music business at the University of Colorado Denver, and a professor taught a class on the future of the music industry. He highlighted the idea of smart contracts and the ability to expedite royalty payments in the industry. The concept of smart contracts being able to expedite royalties immediately clicked for me. At that point in time, I started to do more of a deep dive around wider crypto, Ethereum in particular, and Web3 trends. But my entry into crypto was through the concept of smart contracts and the way that it can be applied to the music industry.

You’ve become a prolific collector in the Music NFT space. I have a feeling that’s not only because you love music and want to support it, but also because you want to lay the foundation for this new format to succeed.
Absolutely. I'm very fortunate to have done well for myself financially to be able to collect at the level that I am. A lot of the early artists that I was supporting are people that I've known for many years prior to collecting their music. Being able to collect their music felt like the most forward way that I could really support their craft. From a broader perspective, I’m fascinated by the idea of collecting music. I'm very proud of the collection I have. And as you alluded to, it's one thing for me to tweet about music, and it’s another thing for me to put my money where my mouth is, and really be collecting these songs in mass. And I'm extremely happy with the collection I have now. And I'm also very proud of some of the assets that I own today.

I believe Music NFTs weren’t the first collectibles you got into.
In college, I went to three or four live shows a week and I got very active in fan communities for artists like Pretty Lights, GRiZ, Illenium, and others. I really got into collecting artists pins—buying and selling them. I was active in Facebook groups and on marketplaces, really taking part in these fan communities. That’s why the idea of having a strong sense of community around music was very native to me.

One of your recent initiatives is the Web3 Launchpad to support artists interested in getting into Web3. Can you tell us more?
I put together a structured curriculum for ten artists that have never touched Music NFTs before. Over the course of four weeks, I take them from zero to minting their first Music NFT. I know I may be known as a collector, but it’s important to me to give back in ways that doesn’t involve capital, like with the launchpad and my weekly newsletter.

I love your focus on building community through music and finding new ways for new artists to succeed. Today, you’ve announced the launch of Coop Records. Tell us more.
I'm really excited to announce Coop Records. It's an early-stage fund that invests in the next generation of music. It's a $10 million fund that I'm running as a solo GP to invest in companies and artists at the intersection of music and technology. I've been very active in the investing space as an angel investor and more recently I’ve really enjoyed working with early-stage founders who are figuring out the building blocks of Web3. There are a lot of people, including artists, who are very passionate about doing music in Web3 but they may need a strong, capable team around them to build. This fund is a way for me to allocate capital to people that want to build teams around products and protocols in Web3.

Congratulations! So even though the name includes the word “Records” this is not a label?
It’s a hybrid. I was very intentional to use “Records,” because I want people to think of it as a label, but it’s basically a hybrid of a venture fund and a record label. Developing artists will be an important part of my mission.

Are you sharing where you’ll be making your first investments?
The first investments out of the fund will be announced soon. I'm actively looking for new deals to invest in, but as of today the fund is live and actively deploying into new companies. There’s no application process. I have a strong network within Web3 and I follow a lot of different initiatives the fund could potentially support.

Is there an area you’re really interested in developing for Coop Records?
There’s a concept of artist seed rounds that I'm really excited about. I think it's really interesting to think about investing in an artist brand that encompasses all of their different verticals—from streaming to publishing, to touring and NFTs. Finding a way to really put that all into one formal vehicle and then offer that vehicle to investors. And so there are some artists that I'm working with on this concept.

Can you share more details about the people that have invested in Coop Records?
The vast majority of the investors in the fund are crypto founders, venture fund founders, and active angel investors in the space. It’s basically people who run other crypto funds and founders of prominent crypto projects. And then there are people actively collecting music NFTs. Some music managers are getting involved as well. There are a couple of select artists participating as well that I'm really excited about but I can’t disclose them individually.

From your perspective as a music fan, collector, and investor, what is the biggest hurdle for Music NFTs to further develop as a new format?
I honestly think it's unlearning the current system around how we release music. I think that people are so boxed into the way in which music their music is being monetized. I think the biggest thing to getting adoption of Music NFTs to grow is really about challenging the notion of how you should be building relationships with your fans. Instead of thinking about how to get 10 million monthly listeners, you should also think about how to get a thousand collectors. I think that those are two very different demographics. The biggest challenge here is recognizing that fan bases are not a one size fits all. Fans collecting Music NFTs create an additional sense of community and purpose around the artists. It’s very similar to what I experienced when I was collecting pins early on in my career.

Congratulations on your new venture. Is there anything else you’d like to add?
When I first started collecting, I was just doing it ‘cause it was fun and cool, and I like supporting new artists. But recently, I've talked to a lot of artists here in L.A, and I think that the system needs a shake up and a wakeup call. Artists are feeling very uninspired lately. It's very difficult for an independent artist to pursue their craft. This new layer of music [collectibles] that we're developing is going to be foundational in the future. We're a long way away from that being finalized and but I can feel something really special bubbling here.

Thank you for chatting!
Thank you! I just wanna say thank you for always shining such a spotlight on the space. I talk to so many of my friends about how big of a role blogging and curation played in the last generation of music. We're going to need a very similar wave of curation around this next chapter of music for it to really take hold. And I think that you are one of the very few people in the world that's doing this in a really transformative way. I really appreciate you taking the time to talk about this.

For more updates on Cooper Turley and Coop Records, please follow Cooper on Twitter and make sure to subscribe to his weekly Web3 Music newsletter

Nico Franc’s wonderous “Stuck” gives me goose bumps every time. There’s something about the finely-tuned bittersweet sentiment of the song that instantly connects. Experiencing the task of weeding through tons of new music every week for years, I’ve developed a fine sense of what works and what doesn’t. “Stuck” is one of those songs that immediately stands out from the pack for its quality and authenticity. It’s a perfectly-crafted pop song filled with little details, twists, and turns that keep on giving no matter how many times I’ve already played the song.

I remember hearing “Stuck” for the first time when Franc performed it at the wavWRLD party at NFT.NYC as a special guest during Peter Saputo’s set. That brief acoustic moment in New York made it clear that Franc is a gifted performer who knows how to turn a great pop song into an audience anthem. Lucky for everyone, “Stuck” is available on a streaming platform near you now. Plus, if you really love it, you can own the song as a digital collectible. “Stuck” was first released as a one-of-one Music NFT on Zora.

I’ve written before that I love to scour the web to find great new music. I always look for that diamond in the rough that has the power to cut through. I dig for songs that break through the noise and shine in total clarity. “Stuck” is one of those rare finds that has pure, unbridled hit potential. It taps into a universal sentiment that people everywhere can instantly relate to. It’s not about the individual melody, lyrics, or performance per se—it’s about the feeling those three create together. (Not to mention clever use of an electronic guitar, the build towards the end of the song, the pitch-perfect harmonies, and a surprising final second.)

Written by Franc and co-produced by Franc, Dean Woodson, and legendary hitmaker Rob Cavallo, “Stuck” is about leaning in while letting go of love. Franc sings, “So I wrote you a text that I knew I'd regret/But you liked it/Said it might've just made your year/And it's only February.” “Stuck” is a story about things in life that are seemingly just impossible to say goodbye to.

If you’re a fan of “Stuck,” make sure to also check out “Paint In The Dark,” a song that Franc released earlier late last year and minted on Zora as well as his genesis NFT. It’s equally sublime.

With co-signs of artists like Peter Saputo and Dylan Dunlap, I had to find a moment to get to know Nico Franc and learn more about the terrific songs he has been putting out, along with learning more about his experience tip-toeing into the world of Web3 and Music NFTs.

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Arjan: I’m loving “Stuck” so much, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you better. Who is Nico Franc? How did you end up making music?
Nico: Before moving to Los Angeles to pursue music full-time, I was at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia studying industrial design. I had a love for music as well and pursued that on the side. I spent my weekends booking shows and playing music. My sister lives out here in L.A. and I came to visit a few times. I loved it and I decided to move here to focus on music full-time. I just started out here busking and street performing. During the pandemic, I really focused on songwriting and becoming a better producer.

At what point did you know music was special to you?
I was a very shy kid but but always very drawn to music. I think music was my ability to communicate how I felt. My dad's a drummer, and we have a lot of musicians in the family. I started playing the piano and composing as a child. I’ve always felt the most comfortable playing music.

After moving to Los Angeles, what has your journey been like?
My focus has been on touring and playing shows. I’ve booked five national tours and played hundreds of shows. I’ve been on stage a lot, and I love doing live music. It has been important for me to develop that as a platform first.

With the focus primarily on touring and playing live, have you also released music?
I’ve only released a few songs so far. I’ve been learning a lot about songwriting and production with the guidance of Rob [Cavallo]. It’s been wonderful to take songs I’ve been performing live and turn them into a recording. My focus has been on translating the feeling of songs on stage into a cohesive production.

I find it very refreshing that you favor live shows over putting out music often to give yourself time to learn and grow as a songwriter and producer.
I love doing live shows and creating spaces where we can all sing something silly together. To me, the joy of music is when it's shared. I put myself in circumstances where I have the ability to curate those moments myself. I live for that. The songs I’ve released so far have been songs I’ve played live for a while, including “Stuck.”

Tell us more about “Stuck.” I’m such a fan of the song.
It’s a song about my ex-girlfriend. We met in 2018 and the circumstances didn’t work out for us. She was living in another country. We were together one night, and we had a drink, and when I got home that evening, I started writing the song. She ended up moving to another country, and I went on tour for a few months and we were just pen pals. I remember sitting in a coffee shop in Chicago at one point and I had this very visual explanation of this emotion that I had and the song just flowed out. I was on tour and started playing it right away and it really resonated with people. It kept tweaking it. It took a few months for all the pieces to come together.

You first released “Stuck” as a Music NFT a few days before its release on streaming platforms. Why did you decide to do that and jump into Web3?
Peter [Saputo] has been doing a lot in the space and he has been an unbelievable inspiration. Daniel Allen has been as well. He’s such a pioneer. My brother-in-law is in the tech world and we talked about it, and I’ve been studying and exploring it. I feel Music NFTs are like fan merch except that they are tied to the blockchain. It’s cool to release music this way, but I’m mostly excited about building a different kind of relationship with fans. Peter and I were up late one night after going out at NFT.NYC, and it was a spontaneous move to put up “Stuck” and just see what would happen.

Can you talk more about building relationships with fans using Music NFTs?
A good way to explain is to talk about the Grateful Dead. They are one of my favorite bands. Their live shows are incredible, and their shows are never the same. There’s always a different setlist. The moments are always different. But the fans that went to the same show have a special bond together because they experienced something unique together. There’s instant camaraderie. The blockchain feels a little like that. You have proof that you are part of a group of fans that experience an NFT together. It’s really about community and the people you are connected with. It’s still early days, and there’s a barrier to participate, but I’m excited for the future.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?
There will be more music, and I’m figuring out my next live shows.

It was great chatting with Nico Franc. You can listen to “Stuck” here and you can bid to own the song right here.

Daniel Allan celebrated a milestone achievement in July when he successfully minted his new Glass House EP. The Los Angeles-based electronic artist and producer sold an impressive 1000 EP collectibles in less than 24 hours. “We just made history,” he celebrated on Twitter. Allan’s sophomore EP follows the equally successful mint of 2021’s Overstimulated that first got him noticed in the Web3 space. Both efforts have firmly put Allan on the map as one of the poster children of successful music artists in Web3 who are pushing the boundaries of the music industry.

Inspired by fan-funded writing sessions in Malibu, CA, Glass House is a genre-bending effort that showcases Allan’s love for electronic music while also incorporating his interest in hip-hop, pop, and alternative music. The tightly curated EP is solid proof of that. From the alt-pop stylings of “Chasing Paradise” (featuring Slender Bodies) to the poppy “Gorgeous” (featuring Reo Cragun) to the percussion-happy “Cool Water” with its distorted vocals and thick synth stabs, the entire EP demonstrates Allan’s production savvy and forward-looking aesthetic.

Much has been written about Allan’s groundbreaking Web3 journey, but with his momentum building, it’s time to shift the focus to the artist, his music, and the native Web3 culture he’s shaping with his art.

I recently chatted with Web3’s rising star to understand what shaped his love for music, his immigrant upbringing, his childhood friendship with Jack Harlow, and how Music NFTs have unlocked his creativity.

Arjan: You’re known to many as ‘The Music NFT Guy,’ but who is Daniel Allan, the artist? Tell me more about where you grew up and how you developed your love for music.
Daniel: That’s a very refreshing question! I'm from Louisville, Kentucky. I grew up in an immigrant household. Both of my parents immigrated from Ukraine. They are both very musical. My mom has a Ph.D. in musicology and my dad played in bands throughout his life. My brother always had a love for music too and my interest in music really started to flourish when he gave me his iPod and I discovered rap music. Hearing artists like Biggie, LL Cool J, and Tupac started my love for music.

Coming from such a musical family, did you play music growing up?
You really don’t have much of a choice as a Russian immigrant kid. You have to play an instrument. Other Russian kids did as well, and we all played together. I started playing the piano when I was five years old. I hated it though, to be honest. I was decent at it, but I remember when I was doing piano recitals, I never really knew how to read music. I’d ask my mom to read the music for me, and then I would just memorize how my mom played it. When it came time for the recital, I would add sections or skip parts, or not know when to flip the page. That’s when I started getting a little tired of playing other people’s music and in hindsight that may have been the moment that I was creatively triggered to make my own music.

What was it like to grow up as a young artist in Louisville, KY?
Louisville is not considered a cool town, but I’m really thankful for growing up there. I wasn’t much of a social kid and my family didn’t have a lot of money, but there are values that I learned growing up there that I don’t take for granted, especially living in Los Angeles. Music was not an automatic career choice for me. I also had a love for playing tennis. Not a lot of people know this, but I actually played tennis very competitively. I played Division 1 College tennis at Boston University. Tennis was something that I was taking really, really seriously. Music was something that I had on the side. It's really funny how it worked out that music is my main gig now.

After playing the piano as a young kid and discovering hip-hop later, how did you end up producing music?
Louisville presented me with a lot of opportunities to work on music at a young age. I remember when I was in middle school, I met a lot of rappers who were freestyling up and down the halls in between classes. They had no place to record so I figured I could probably help out. I saved up some money and I bought some studio gear. I set up shop in my closet at home and I started inviting people over to record. That was really my first foray into production.

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When did you start getting interested in electronic music?
I ended up stumbling into my first music festival when I was 16 years old. It was Lollapalooza where I saw Above & Beyond that really got me interested in electronic music. I came back home and I started making EDM while doing beats with rappers in my studio closet.

While on the topic of Louisville and local rappers, did you ever cross paths with Jack Harlow?
Of course! He was in the first session I ever did! I was 13 at the time, and he was 12. I went to Manual High School and Jack went to Atherton High School, but all of his friends went to Manual High School as well. When Jack recorded new music, his friends would be running around with his CDs at my school. We had a mutual tennis friend who introduced me to Jack and his friend Eli who had a downstairs basement where they would record. He invited me over and it was just my first time sitting in and seeing what happened during a session.

Let’s talk more about Glass House. It’s a 4-track EP that’s the follow-up to Overstimulated. What was your sonic vision for this new project?
Glass House is the most honest project that I've ever made. Being a creator in Web3 really helped unlock things for me as an artist. I felt creatively blocked for a long time after moving to Los Angeles. I signed a few short-term record deals and I was writing pop-electronic style of music that I kind of just had a formula for and was decent at. But I have always been curious about stepping into other lanes of music and music production. Web3 and Music NFTs encouraged me to experiment more musically. Music NFTs gave me the freedom to fully dive in and make the most honest music I’ve ever made. I just want to make the music that I'm most proud of.

What was the experience of having the two-week writing camp in Malibu and letting your creative mind just wander?
There’s a ton of music that came from the camp. I think I ended up with 64 demos. I selected only four for the EP because I wanted to specifically curate the four best. There’s not one track that necessarily stands out as a single. I wanted them to all feel they were created in the same place. Sonically, the songs touch an alternative side of my influence, which is something I've gotten into in the past few years, like using a little bit more live drums and guitar but finding a way to still make it feel electronic. What I'm trying to do with Glasshouse is to blend styles. Take “Chasing Paradise” for example. It incorporates a guitar riff so it sounds like an alternative record, but it gradually morphs into a production that’s more electronic.

How do you hope people will experience the music?
That’s an awesome question. I wanted every song to feel like the view from that house in Malibu, like a drive down the PCH. I wanted to capture that moment when you’re taking a drive and you’re by yourself, and you’re hit with reflection and melancholy. Like you’re looking onto the water at sunset.

The EP is available to collect as a Music NFT now, but are you releasing it via traditional streaming platforms as well to broaden your reach?
Yes. I did get a distributor for the project. Following “Chasing Paradise,” I will release another track as a single early September and then the entire project will be available to stream everywhere on September 30.

Learn more about Daniel Allan’s Glass House
Follow Daniel Allan on Twitter
Preview Glass House on OpenSea

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