Drowned in Sound

• How Can Artists Build A Community? The Five Super Fans Theory

  How do you build genuine community when algorithms reward viral moments over real connection? What if sustainable music careers start with just five super fans rather than chasing millions of followers?Drowned in Sound founder & artist manager Sean Adams speaks with Nikki Camilleri - music strategist, Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, and founder of mana - about the ground-level realities of building a music career in 2025. From growing up in Malta and navigating geographic disadvantage to working with breakthrough artists like Cat Burns, Nikki breaks down what actually works in today's oversaturated landscape.This conversation digs deep into authentic community-building versus audience accumulation, the "five super fans" principle that challenges conventional wisdom, and why most artist advice around social media is fundamentally broken. Plus: Nikki's vision for fixing music industry infrastructure by 2050, including transparency tools and direct fan connection platforms that don't rely on algorithmic gatekeepers."You need five super fans to start getting going - that's equal to about 250 passive fans. When you start looking at it that way, it doesn't seem as daunting."— Nikki Camilleri on why quality beats quantity in fan buildingEpisode Timestamps:00:00 Introduction: Music Reality Check for 202502:03 Envisioning Music in 2050: Transparency and Infrastructure04:34 The Malta Factor: Geographic Disadvantage in Digital Times08:26 The Resilience Crisis: From "Ready to Fight" to Viral Expectations16:28 Five Super Fans vs Viral Algorithms: Quality Over Quantity20:14 Real Community vs Audience: Building Genuine Connection32:15 Artist Purpose and Identity: The "Horror Electronica" Story39:21 Fixing the Industry: Where Would You Spend Spotify's Money?44:48 Key Takeaways: What Actually WorksMentioned in the episode:Nikki CamilleriROSTRRoyal Society of ArtsVolt.fmKat AbuThe AnchoressKevin Kelly on 1000 True FansJoin the conversation: Drowned in Sound CommunityEmail [email protected] Subscribe to DiS newsletter

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• How Music Supports Mental Health with Ariana Alexander-Sefre (SPOKE)

  What does it mean to “metabolize” emotion through music? Do wellness tools actually work better when paired with your favourite artist? Why does the music industry treat artists like products and not caregivers?Drowned in Sound founder Sean Adams is joined by Ariana Alexander-Sefre, co-founder of the mental health app SPOKE⁠, to talk about the future of therapy and how music can play a pivotal role in that. The conversation explores the science behind sound, the emotional toll on musicians, and why music should be taken seriously as a public health tool.Spoke has worked with over 100 artists, training them in techniques like CBT and mindfulness to embed into lyrics and melodies - and the results are changing lives.Episode chapters:0:00 - 2:45 - Introduction2:46 - 4:55  What would Ariana hope music to be like in 2050?4:56 - 7:46 Using music to “metabolize” emotions7:47 - 11:50 Who are SPOKE and who is Ariana Alexandre-Sefre11:51 - 13:42 The relationship between music and mental health13:43 -  20:28 Inside the SPOKE app - embedding music with culture with therapy20:29 - 31:18 Why the music industry needs a fresh perspective on artist value31:19 - 37:08 The science behind functional music and mindfulness38:09 - 40:04 The real-world impact of therapy delivered through music40:05 - 48:08 Can artists become a recognised part of healthcare?48:09 - 54:13 - Closing thoughts from SeanMentioned in the episode:Music Minds MatterCan Music Make You Sick? (Sally Anne Gross)Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Cost of the Perfect Playlist (Liz Pelly)EndelJoin the conversation: Drowned in Sound CommunityEmail: [email protected] to DiS newsletter

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• Can You Hear Earth Singing? Meet Musicians Using Sound to Protect the Planet

  What does a melting glacier sound like? Can a rainforest sing? And what happens when the last bird of its species hears a recording and tries to reply?In this special live edition of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, recorded at Tallinn Music Week, host Sean Adams moderates a powerful conversation on music, ecology, and collective action. Joined by artists and innovators from the EarthSonic project, the panel explores how field recordings, plant biofeedback, and immersive sound can shift our understanding of the planet — and why that emotional shift matters.From Brazil’s disappearing biodiversity to sound fossils in the Swiss Alps, this episode weaves together music, activism, and indigenous wisdom in an urgent yet hopeful conversation about art’s role in averting climate collapse.Plus Ruth from In Place of War reveals their new project with Bicep in Greenland that launches in summer 2025.Featured Guests & Projects:⁠Natural Symphony (Joey Dean)⁠⁠Ludwig Berger⁠⁠In Place of War / EarthSonic (Ruth Daniel)⁠⁠Martyn Ware (Heaven 17 / Human League)⁠Episode Highlights & Timestamps:03:00 – Ruth Daniel on the origins of In Place of War and EarthSonic06:00 – Ludwig Berger: Listening to melting glaciers through hydrophones11:00 – Martyn Ware (Heaven 17/The Human League) on sonifying endangered species and synthetic forests17:00 – Natural Symphony: Collaborating with plants and reforesting the Amazon27:00 – The power of sound to bridge disconnection and inspire action33:00 – Building cultural change through art and emotional resonance39:00 – Sound healing, deep listening, and making the unseen audible45:00 – What capitalism doesn’t want us to feel — and why art matters52:00 – Indigenous wisdom, urban detachment, and finding your own tree58:00 – Hopeful projects, collective agency, and calling in the music industryMentioned in the Episode:"The Last Scream" new releaseCrying Glacier movieEarthSonic panel replay via the TMW.EE websiteJoin the Conversation:Drowned in Sound CommunityEmail Sean → [email protected] Sean on BlueskySubscribe to the DiS Newsletter

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• Synths, Sound & Music's Future with Martyn Ware (The Human League / Heaven 17 / BEF / Electronically Yours podcast)

  What did the future sound like when the synthesizer first arrived? What does it feel like now, with AI looming and immersive audio spaces on the rise?In this special episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, recorded at Tallinn Music Week, Sean Adams speaks with Martyn Ware — founder of The Human League and Heaven 17, producer for acts ranging from Tina Turner to Erasure, and creator of some of the UK’s most ambitious sound installations.This is a conversation about optimism and dystopia, about punk and purpose, and about how DIY culture in Sheffield shaped a career that’s still future-facing today.Martyn also reflects on his podcast Electronically Yours, the legacy of sound, and how creative freedom can reshape confidence, community, and cultural memory. Timestamps & Topics:01:32 – Synths, Sheffield, and starting out07:00 – Curiosity and creative confidence10:00 – From charts to immersive installations14:30 – Podcasting and preserving legacy20:00 – What would a Martyn Ware bar sound like?25:00 – Optimism, memory, and what comes next Further Listening & Resources:🎙️ Electronically Yours podcast🔊 Illustrious Company (immersive audio)🧠 Sounds of Our Shores installationStay Connected:🗣 Drowned in Sound Community📩 Email Sean → [email protected]🔵 Follow Sean on Bluesky📰 Subscribe to the DiS NewsletterAbout the Guest:Martyn Ware is a pioneering British musician, producer, and sound artist. As a founding member of The Human League and Heaven 17, and co-founder of British Electric Foundation, he helped define the sound of synth-pop while pushing boundaries in spatial audio, immersive installations, and political music-making. He also hosts the acclaimed podcast Electronically Yours.About the Host:Sean Adams turned his passion for music into Drowned in Sound, a UK-based music platform that launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across strategic communications in the music and creative sectors.

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• Offline Joy: The Do-It-Together Spirit Fueling Stealing Sheep’s New Era

  What's it like to be an artist right now? And what does the future of music look like? Will it be AI-generated slop or a joyful return to community and creativity? In this episode of the Drowned in Sound Podcast, Sean Adams speaks to Becky Hawley from the art-pop trio Stealing Sheep.From the launch of their new label G-IRL (Girl In Real Life) to their reflections on DIY culture, Liverpool’s music scene, and 15 years of creative evolution, this episode is full of inspiring insights about building something real in a digital world. Expect discussion of Daft Punk, community over algorithms, mechanical bulls, offline joy, and what it really means to be a band in 2025.📌 Key Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & New Album Campaign01:56 – What Will Music Be Like in 2050?04:54 – Joy, Fears, and Creative Challenges07:19 – The Sound of Stealing Sheep: Riding the Bull of Tech10:37 – G-IRL: Launching Their Own Record Label20:33 – Liverpool as Inspiration & Music City25:23 – Album Campaign Concepts & Offline Joy29:18 – Let’s Go! New Single & Album Themes30:59 – Artistic Identity, Collaborations & Creative Growth33:50 – Lessons Learned from 15 Years in Music38:05 – Building Community, Offline Spaces, & Human Connection42:57 – Supporting Grassroots Scenes49:01 – AI, Future Tech & Music’s Utopian Possibilities52:21 – Final Reflections: What Artists Need to UnlearnLinksNew Single “Let’s Go”Watch the Music VideoTatty Devine CollabGuerrilla GirlsJoin the Conversation:🗣 Drowned in Sound Community📩 Email Sean → [email protected]🔵 Follow on BlueskyAbout the Guest:Becky Hawley is one-third of Stealing Sheep, a Liverpool-based band known for their innovative, genre-defying sound. The trio recently launched their own record label, G-IRL (Girl In Real Life), to support their own work and that of other boundary-pushing creatives.About the Host:Sean Adams is the founder of Drowned in Sound, a pioneering music webzine launched in 2000. He also manages artists like Charlotte Church and The Anchoress, and works across campaigns that support independent and ethical approaches to music and media.

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