This Week’s Disruptors 5/7/24
We’re back this week with another round of DISRUPTORS. This group of executives is making an impact here in Music City. Get to know them all! - Zak (Founder, Nashville Briefing)
Alex Lunt
Manager, Type A
Alex has been independently managing musicians for over a decade. Alongside management, he started as a show promoter and then quickly turned to tour managing global acts. In 2023, Alex started managing the then unknown artist Dasha. Over the next 8 months, he helped her go from 75,000 monthly listeners on Spotify to over 18 million. Under Lunt’s management, Dasha earned the highest ranking ever (No. 28) for a country artist on the Billboard Global Excluding the U.S. Chart for her hit song “Austin.” He also played an integral part in helping Dasha secure deals with Warner Records and WME. Today, Alex focuses on building his management business alongside making strategic investments in startups and real estate.
Proudest moment: “Just the moment I am living in now, across my whole roster”
Andrew Hart
Vice President of Brand Partnerships, Breakaway Music Festival
Andrew began his career at 13 as a writer and producer in radio, eventually becoming a beloved on-air personality in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles. After 15 years in radio, he pivoted to experiential marketing, where he’s spent the last eight years bringing brand activations to life at major global events. In April 2024, Andrew was named VP of Brand Partnerships at Breakaway Music Festival. He leads sponsorship efforts across their dynamic festival properties. Breakaway stands as the nation’s premier touring music festival series, specializing in EDM and Pop genres. With a footprint in 10 major cities and counting, BMF attracts over 200,000 young professionals and mobilizes an impressive army of 2,000+ college ambassadors. Together, they bring to life an unparalleled live music experience featuring the biggest artists in the EDM and Pop scene.
Proudest moment: “Richard Branson told me that he didn’t expect me to keep his attention for as long as I did in a conversation...and then he made me promise not to tell anyone about it. He definitely meant well...probably. That’s when I knew I should probably go into sales.”
Ben Farber
VP - Streaming Strategy & Revenue - Country, Warner Records
Ben is currently a VP of Streaming Strategy & Revenue at Warner Records, specializing in the country, folk & Americana space. Farber’s career started with an internship at Interscope Records during college, followed by his first job at a boutique digital marketing agency called Total Assault. He then transitioned his career into streaming, where he joined the Artist Partnerships team at Pandora before joining Warner Records in 2018. Since then, Farber has been at the forefront of building Warner Records in the country streaming space, working closely with their ever-growing roster including Zach Bryan, Warren Zeiders, Brandy Clark, The Castellows, Michael Marcagi, Dipper and most recent artist signings, Dasha & Orville Peck.
Proudest moment: “Personally, I think the most impactful for me has been the rise of our most recent Warner signing, Dasha. Taking her from a developing artist to a rising country star with her breakout single ‘Austin,’ which has soared into the Top 20 on the Spotify chart both in the US & globally, has been an amazing thing to be a part of.”
Davina Thomas
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, 24/7 Artists
Davina Thomas is an experienced music entrepreneur, GRAMMY-winning music industry figure, and artist advocate focused on empowering creators globally. As Founder & Co-CEO of 24/7 Artists, she’s grown a global community of over 25,000 creative professionals and enthusiasts that foster innovation, promote personal growth, and give artists in every neighborhood the confidence and tools to pursue their dreams. The platform provides access to industry experts via more than 70 world-class courses, a suite of productivity resources to help manage an artist’s career, and a peer-to-peer support network to level up any artists’ journey together. Before building 24/7 Artists, she co-founded House Studios, an influential recording space in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) music scenes that contributed to the success of artists like Logic, Ari Lennox, Wale, VicBlends, and Mannywellz. Starting with just $800, Davina and her personal and professional partner, Yudu Gray Jr., ultimately led the success of the studio to an exit valuation of nearly $20 million. Beyond her impact in music, Davina is a mother of three who loves to learn and continually helps others to pursue their passions.
Proudest moment: “Taking our previous company, building it from scratch, starting with $800, and turning it to a $20 million exit valuation. But really…the proudest moment of my career though was when I didn’t give up. When we started building 24/7 Artists we thought it would be a breeze. Lord were we mistaken. We used up every dollar, maxed out every credit card, called in every favor, and we at one point doubted our abilities. Now, we’re on the other side with a company growing daily and impacting tens of thousands of artists around the world.”
Jamie Dee Hart
Founder/CEO, Hart & Songs
Jamie Dee Hart is a music rights management advocate who’s passionate about giving back and educating creators at all levels of their career. She’s the Founder & CEO of Hart & Songs, an artist and rights management firm ensuring independent artists, producers, and songwriters properly register songs and effectively collect their royalties. Jamie manages Ryan Nealon, an LA-based pop singer-songwriter with a growing audience across TikTok and Instagram from several viral moments. She also works with chill electronic producer Koresma, who has over 150 million streams across all DSPs. Her past projects have encompassed a broad range of activities, from producing a live concert at Madison Square Garden for a Latin GRAMMY-nominated album, to providing social media strategy to breakout Clubhouse star Axel Mansoor. Jamie received her Master’s Degree in Music Entrepreneurial Studies from Azusa Pacific University and continually helps foster the next generation of young executives.
Proudest moment: “Launching my own artist and rights management company, Hart & Songs. It all began with signing indie pop singer-songwriter Ryan Nealon. I got to watch him ride multiple viral moments ultimately leading to 70 million video views online, 1990% growth on Instagram, and over half a million fans online. Being a part of his growth and achieving so much together while being independent…I couldn’t be prouder.”
Matthew Dorle
Director of Digital - Talent Manager, Night Talent
Matt Dorle is a Talent Manager and Director of Digital at the premier digital management company Night Media. He manages the day-to-day business for their largest client James Stephen “Jimmy” Donaldson, aka “MrBeast” along with their first athlete, professional golfer - Bryson DeChambeau. He is primarily focused on establishing YouTube channels and growing audiences through the use of both long-form and short-form content. He got his start in entertainment working at UTA as part of the Music Brand Partnerships team back in 2018 before moving into the gaming and esports department where they represented some of the largest live-streaming creators on the internet. After 8 years in Los Angeles/Orange County, Matt moved to Nashville last summer ‘23 and is now the sole employee for Night in Nashville, looking to expand their services beyond just the digitally-native creator.
Proudest moment: “The first deal I was ever a part of in the industry was the Fortnite x Marshmello in-game concert, followed by Post Malone’s Posty Fest. However, candidly I am most proud of the quieter accomplishments such as granting Make-A-Wish kid’s wishes to meet their favorite celebrity or building a successful YouTube channel for a professional athlete. In terms of some partnerships I am most proud of recently would include integrating the MrBeast IP into Fortnite and popular mobile game Stumble Guys, along with the first ever YouTube Creator, co-branded Nerf Blaster.”
