Built Not Discovered

Michael K

This is Built, Not Discovered — a podcast about the invisible part of success. The psychology, the discipline, and the decisions made when no one is watching.

Episodes

  1. Aug 30

    "The Room Where It Happens" Can AI make an artist?

    Ai can man music, but can it make an artist? Summary This episode explores the impact of AI on the music industry, emphasizing the importance of human creativity and the process of making music. Featuring insights from industry experts and young artists, it discusses the ethical, artistic, and industry implications of AI-generated music. keywords AI in music, music industry, human creativity, music technology, artist process, AI ethics, music innovation, industry regulation, artist development key topics AI's impact on music charts and industry regulations The importance of human creativity and surprise in music Artists' perspectives on AI diluting authenticity The role of process and collaboration in artistic success Industry responses and ethical considerations around AI takeaways AI is a tool, but it cannot replicate the human process of surprise and collaboration. The greatest moments in music happen unexpectedly in the room, not through prompts. Industry institutions are starting to regulate and label AI-generated music. Human artists are built through discipline, craft, and relationships, not just discovery. AI can discover patterns but cannot build uncharted artistic paths. sound bites "Think about what that means." "The process of becoming an artist cannot be prompted." "The surprise is in the process, not the output." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI's Impact on Music Industry 02:19 Legal Battles and Industry Settlements 04:18 The Loss of Authenticity and Experience in Music 05:38 Thomas Bangalter on Surprise and Creativity 07:01 The Role of Human Collaboration in Music Creation 08:16 Technology as an Instrument, Not a Replacement 09:07 Built Not Discovered: The Value of Human Craft 10:05 AI's Limitations in Building Uncharted Artistic Paths 11:09 Industry Regulation and the Future of Music 11:38 Conclusion and Call to Action Guest: Ivie from Da Gyrls

  2. Aug 14

    "One Eye On My Bags"

    Episode 4: "One Eye On My Bags" A Sony deal in my pocket. One bag. And nowhere to sleep. In this episode I land in America for the first time — a tiny office at 550 Madison Avenue, a night in Penn Station with one eye on my bags, and a train journey to Trenton, New Jersey that would change everything. From Kool & The Gang's family circle to the early days of the Fugees. From a piano tuner who heard something in a basement studio in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, to the moment a girl group called Choice walked through the door — and one of them said "this is Jessica's dad's house." The connections weren't given to me. Every single one was built.

  3. Jul 31

    SMP 001. The untold story.

    In 1992 I was 18 years old with no connections, no introduction, and no one to open a door for me. So I picked up the phone and called Sony Music Publishing. What happened next had never been done before in the music industry. A publishing company becoming a record label to release one song. My song. SMP 001. The record broke in the clubs, played on Oxford Street, got me limousines to radio stations across the country. Epic Records and Columbia came knocking. And then everything that should have happened — didn't. This is the story nobody knows. The record that started everything. The decision that changed the direction of my entire life. And why I got on a plane to America and never looked back. Built, Not Discovered. Episode 3.

  4. Jul 23

    Amy — The Girl on the Floor

    A while back I threw a party at my house in London. One of the guests was Nick Shymanski — Amy Winehouse's manager throughout her career, the man she wrote Rehab about when he tried to get her into treatment. That night Nick brought up a memory. A small flat in Stratford, East London. An afternoon in 1999. A sixteen year old girl who kicked off her shoes and sat on the floor before she sang. You don't forget a voice like that. This is the story of that afternoon — and the conversation about her direction that I've thought about ever since Back to Black sold ten million copies. Built, Not Discovered. Episode 2.

  5. Jul 16

    Alecia — Before The World Knew Her Name

    In 1996, I was a young London songwriter working in America on a Sony Music Publishing deal. Through a chain of connections starting with the legendary Kool & the Gang, I ended up in a tiny home studio in Langhorne, Pennsylvania — writing and recording with a sixteen year old girl called Alecia Moore. You know her as Pink. This is the story of those sessions. The demos that helped get her signed to LaFace Records. The moment she broke down and asked me if she'd ever make it. The day she pushed back on what the song required — and what that told me about who she already was at sixteen. Nobody had discovered her. She was already building herself. This is Built, Not Discovered. And this is where the story starts. 🎵 My new single Lying Ways — written in those same 1996 sessions and never released until now — is out today. Link in bio.

  6. Season 1 Trailer

    Episode 1 -trailer 2

    In 1996 I wrote a song in a tiny home studio in Pennsylvania. It was recorded by someone who went on to become one of the biggest stars in the world. For thirty years it sat in my vault — unheard, unreleased. Until now. Lying Ways drops this Friday July 17th — alongside Episode 1 of Built, Not Discovered. Subscribe so you don't miss it. Link in Bio

  7. Trailer

    Episode 1- trailer

    In 1996 I wrote a song in a tiny home studio in Pennsylvania. It was recorded by someone who went on to become one of the biggest stars in the world. For thirty years it sat in my vault — unheard, unreleased. Until now. Lying Ways drops this Friday July 17th — alongside Episode 2 of Built, Not Discovered. Subscribe so you don't miss it.

  8. Season 1 Trailer

    The Truth About Success | Built, Not Discovered

    The Truth About Success | Built, Not Discovered — Episode 0 Most people believe success is something that happens to you. That somewhere out there, someone is waiting to discover you. I spent decades in rooms most people never see — writing, producing, and developing artists before the world knew their names. And I watched the same thing happen again and again. Nobody gets discovered. They get built. This is Built, Not Discovered — a podcast about the invisible part of success. The psychology, the discipline, and the decisions made when no one is watching. From working with a sixteen year old Pink in a home studio in Pennsylvania, to the early sessions that shaped some of the most iconic careers in music — this is the story behind the story. New episodes every Thursday on Spotify and YouTube. Subscribe so you don't miss Episode 1.

    The Truth About Success | Built, Not Discovered
  • 3 Trailers
    5 Episodes

Trailers

About

This is Built, Not Discovered — a podcast about the invisible part of success. The psychology, the discipline, and the decisions made when no one is watching.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael K
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Michael K
  • Show Website
    Built Not Discovered