Sound Connections

Amplitude Ventures
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

This is the intricate world of music entrepreneurship. Hosted by Jakob Wredstrøm from Amplitude Ventures, this podcast offers listeners a unique blend of insightful interviews, industry expertise, and behind-the-scenes stories from the global music landscape.  From the challenges of breaking into the industry to the nuances of music tech innovations, each episode is a journey into the lives of music professionals, founders, artists, and innovators. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an industry veteran, or just a music enthusiast, "Sound Connections" provides a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving world of music.  Listen and connect with the sounds and stories that shape the industry.

  1. #151: EXPERT: The Business Model Independent Music Is Missing: Thierry Ascarez

    MAY 11

    #151: EXPERT: The Business Model Independent Music Is Missing: Thierry Ascarez

    Streaming changed music, but it did not solve the business problem for most independent artists. In this episode of Sound Connections, we welcome Thierry Ascarez, Chief Business Officer at Winamp, to discuss how the company is reimagining its role in the music industry after nearly three decades of history. From its origins as the iconic MP3 player that helped define the early internet music era, Winamp is now building a platform designed to help artists monetize, manage, and control their careers beyond streaming. Thierry walks through the company’s journey across audio streaming, radio technology, advertising, acquisitions, public markets, and the decision to return Winamp to the center of the group’s strategy. Together, Jakob and Thierry explore why independent artists increasingly need to think like entrepreneurs, how direct fan relationships can create new revenue, and why owning data, websites, and monetization tools matters in today’s music economy. The episode also takes a candid look at music tech as a difficult but necessary space to build in. Thierry reflects on patience, resilience, investor expectations, and the belief that meaningful innovation in music still needs people willing to stay the course. Tune in for insight into the future of artist tools, music business infrastructure, and the next chapter of Winamp. If you want to learn more about Winamp, visit here: www.winamp.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/winamp/https://www.facebook.com/Winamphttps://www.instagram.com/winampforcreators/ Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.

    44 min
  2. #150: EXPERT: From Fan Economy to Artist Economy: John Lister

    MAY 4

    #150: EXPERT: From Fan Economy to Artist Economy: John Lister

    Most music platforms are built for listeners. This one is built for creators. In this episode of Sound Connections, Jakob Wredstrøm sits down with John Lister, Head of Community at Rap Fame, to explore how a global rap platform is reshaping music creation, discovery, and artist communities. From recording directly on a phone to joining crews, entering competitions, and exchanging real-time feedback, Rap Fame turns music creation into a shared process. Artists don’t just upload music; they grow through each other. What we cover in this episode: How peer feedback influences modern music creationWhy artist-to-artist communities drive deeper engagementThe role of competitions and recognition in creator growthHow platforms like Rap Fame support independent artists At its core, this conversation explores a shift: when artists support, challenge, and learn from each other, entirely new paths for growth, monetization, and creativity begin to emerge. If you're building in music, working on a creator platform, or thinking about the future of music technology, this episode offers a grounded look at what’s actually working today. Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS. If you want to learn more about Rap Fame visit: Website: https://www.raptech.co/ Linkedin: / rap-tech-studios-ltd-rap-fame-app Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rapfame_app... Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rapfame_app?_...

    46 min
  3. #149: FOUNDER: Turning Cultural Gaps into a Streaming Business: Faraan Irfan

    APR 27

    #149: FOUNDER: Turning Cultural Gaps into a Streaming Business: Faraan Irfan

    What does it take to build a music streaming service around culture, access, and long-term value? In this episode of Sound Connections, we sit down with Faraan Irfan, Founder and CEO of Saarey Music, to unpack how he’s solving one of music’s biggest access problems. Saarey is a streaming platform dedicated to South Asian classical music, built on exclusive rights, deep cultural metadata, and a business model that challenges traditional streaming economics. With strong engagement and global users, the platform is proving that underserved genres can become powerful digital businesses. Faraan shares his journey from personal frustration as a listener to building a company that works directly with artists, preserves rare recordings, and creates meaningful access for a global audience. A grounded, honest conversation on building in music tech beyond the mainstream. If you want to learn more about Saarey music: Socials: Saarey website: https://www.saareymusic.com Saarey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/saarey/ Saarey Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saareymusic Saarey Insta: https://www.instagram.com/saareymusic

    53 min
  4. #148: FOUNDER: The Rise of Functional Music in Wellness Spaces: Freddie Moross

    MAR 30

    #148: FOUNDER: The Rise of Functional Music in Wellness Spaces: Freddie Moross

    Freddie Moross, founder of Myndstream, joins Sound Connections to unpack the growing role of functional music in wellness, hospitality, and care environments. This conversation explores how intentional audio can shape experiences inside spas, hotels, and treatment spaces, and why music should be treated as infrastructure rather than background noise. Freddie explains how soundtracks can guide guest journeys, influence emotional outcomes, and help wellness spaces create more meaningful environments. We also discuss the economics behind the global wellness industry and why wellness-focused consumers represent one of the fastest growing and most engaged segments in hospitality. Along the way, Freddie shares lessons from building a music technology startup in a niche category, including the advantages of starting with owned assets, the challenges of licensing and distribution, and what it takes to scale a focused product in a complex industry. Now live on Sound Connections Podcast. [Links in bio] Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.

    42 min
  5. #147: FOUNDER: What It Takes to Build Music Tech in a Resistant Industry: Mark Bamford

    MAR 23

    #147: FOUNDER: What It Takes to Build Music Tech in a Resistant Industry: Mark Bamford

    Mark Bamford joins Sound Connections for an open discussion on startup building, video monetization, and the hard truth about innovating in music. As the founder of Viktrs, Mark is working on a new model for video that aims to unlock more value from every view by focusing on engagement, discovery, and data rather than the traditional advertising-driven approach used by major platforms. Mark unpacks his path from a career in construction, consulting, and strategy into the world of founders and music technology. He reflects on what surprised him most about entering the music space, why innovation often struggles inside established systems, and how founders are forced to make difficult choices when a meaningful vision meets a difficult market. This episode dives into the economics of music startups, the limits of pure storytelling when fundraising, and the importance of reaching tangible results with as little capital as possible. Mark also shares why Viktrs has expanded into non-music categories such as food and politics while keeping music as a long-term mission, using those adjacent markets to build leverage, revenue, and proof before coming back stronger. For anyone working at the intersection of technology, media, and culture, this episode brings a sharp and honest perspective. Watch the full episode on your preferred podcast platforms! [Links in bio] If you want to know more about Viktrs visit: https://viktrs.com/ Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.

    50 min
  6. #146: EXPERT: Building Real Fandom in the Age of Algorithms: Rob Abelow

    MAR 18

    #146: EXPERT: Building Real Fandom in the Age of Algorithms: Rob Abelow

    Rob Abelow, product leader at OpenStage, joins Sound Connections to go deep into the infrastructure behind fan relationships and why they are becoming central to music growth. This conversation breaks down how today’s ecosystem fragments fan data across multiple platforms, limiting visibility and control for artists. Rob shares how bringing that data together into unified fan profiles changes how artists engage, monetize, and build long-term value. We also discuss the shift away from algorithm-first growth toward a model that starts with core fans and expands outward, and how ticketing, premium experiences, and direct communication play a role in that evolution. Finally, we get into the realities behind the industry, from bot-driven ecosystems and distorted metrics to why many superfan strategies fall short, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. Now live on Sound Connections Podcast. Subscribe now! If you want to learn more about OpenStage visit: https://openstage.live/ Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.

    1h 2m
  7. #145: EXIT: The 5-Year Exit Nightmare: Surviving My Acquirer's Collapse: Jan Willem

    MAR 4

    #145: EXIT: The 5-Year Exit Nightmare: Surviving My Acquirer's Collapse: Jan Willem

    Join us for a grounded conversation with Jan Willem, Co-Founder of Momants and the strategic mind behind Paylogic.  Jan Willem reflects on Paylogic’s journey as a fintech pioneer which provided a white-label ticketing solution that let event organizers sell directly to their own audience. This technology famously scaled to handle massive peaks for global events like Tomorrowland. We explore his "horror story" exit, a grueling five-year marathon through corporate instability before the company’s final sale to Vivendi. The conversation centers on his transition from a "non-music guy" to a seasoned investor and initiator of The Chorus at Amsterdam Dance Event, where he mentors the next generation of entrepreneurs. Jan Willem explains why he believes today’s AI-driven landscape finally allows startups to challenge legacy players and rebuild what's broken from the ground up. Don't miss this honest conversation about starting a company, surviving a tough exit, and finding the spark to go again.  Subscribe now!

    47 min
  8. #144: FOUNDER: Staying Lean as a Competitive Edge in Music Tech: Christian Ringstad Schultz

    FEB 22

    #144: FOUNDER: Staying Lean as a Competitive Edge in Music Tech: Christian Ringstad Schultz

    We welcome Christian Ringstad Schultz, CEO and co-founder of the Norwegian music tech company Masterchannel – delivering industry-grade audio mastering. With a team of just two and a half people, Masterchannel has reached a million-dollar revenue run rate while mastering nearly 100,000 songs every month. In this episode, Christian shares how proprietary AI, white-label partnerships, and disciplined cost control have shaped a sustainable company in an industry where most struggle to survive. We explore the economics of staying small, building trust over time, and creating long-term advantage in a competitive AI-driven market. Listen in and join the conversation.

    50 min
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About

This is the intricate world of music entrepreneurship. Hosted by Jakob Wredstrøm from Amplitude Ventures, this podcast offers listeners a unique blend of insightful interviews, industry expertise, and behind-the-scenes stories from the global music landscape.  From the challenges of breaking into the industry to the nuances of music tech innovations, each episode is a journey into the lives of music professionals, founders, artists, and innovators. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an industry veteran, or just a music enthusiast, "Sound Connections" provides a fresh perspective on the ever-evolving world of music.  Listen and connect with the sounds and stories that shape the industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Amplitude Ventures
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    172
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Amplitude Ventures
  • Show Website
    Sound Connections