Episode 69
Building My Fan Base with Julian Vaughn
In this episode, the show's guest is Julian Vaughn, a young man who has reached number one on the Billboard chart with his effortless blend of jazz, R&B, funk, Calypso, and other sensory sensitivities to music, making his own distinctively delightful sound. Julian is a songwriter, producer and bassist extraordinaire who loves being on tour and doing live shows because of the people and how they connect with his music. After returning from tour, the first thing Julian does is write new music while the inspiration is still fresh in his mind.
Julian has had radio success and believes that if he likes a song, the fans will love it. He has a large catalog of songs and changes his set list often to keep things fresh. He prefers being independent to signing with a label because it gives him more creative control. His music is designed to make people feel good and he hopes they will want to listen again and recommend his songs to others.
Listen to hear Julian talk about maintaining relationships, his musical influences, and how he makes his music. Find out when Julian knows when a song is ready to be released, the artists he has collaborated with, what he'd rather do if he wasn't making music or playing basketball when you tune in.
Episode Highlights:
03:27 - The most important thing I pulled from Wayman was the structure, the approach to a song. A lot of guys basically get in and they don’t approach it the right way.
07:41 - I think that the relationships that I’ve built, they're legit. These are people that are fans at the same time, but they’re just good people. They don’t want anything from you.
30:48 - I keep it going simply because I don’t feel like I have reached my full potential yet, even learning different things about different instruments. There is a level in my head and I know where it is, and I just don’t feel like I am there yet. So, that drives me because I have something to prove in each record.
32:30 - Independent all the way. I would never sign a deal. I'm very transparent. When we're signing these deals, we’re signing away our masters. We’re signing away our creativity and you’re never going to get the bigger stick in these deals. Once you’re in it for especially the period of time I’ve been in it, you learn the business.
34:43 - I hope they walk away humming what they’ve heard. When you catch them humming, you're hooked to the song. You got them because it’s stuck in their head and it won’t leave. So, I want my fans to walk away with a good feeling.
51:15 - The first thing I play is what I keep because it’s raw. Instead of just going back and keep messing with it, that first thing you played, that's what’s supposed to be on there.
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