Sound Connections

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.

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.

Rob Abelow, product leader at OpenStage and music-industry technologist, explains why fan data matters. He discusses fragmented platforms, building unified fan profiles, and shifting from algorithm-first growth to fan-first flywheels. Conversations cover ticketing, premium experiences, bot problems, and real-world fan-led campaign examples that scale authentic engagement.

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!

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.

Join us as we dive into the dark side of the music industry with Andrew Batey and Morgan Hayduk, Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Beatdapp.Their company, the leader in fraud detection and trust solutions, is tackling industrial-scale money laundering in music. Discover how fraudsters exploit streaming platforms, manipulate royalties, and launder millions, threatening the core of the industry. Andrew and Morgan share their bold vision of a trust and safety operating system that could reshape the music ecosystem.Tune in for a deep dive into how fraud is evolving and what needs to change.Produced by Amplitude Ventures AS.

The music industry doesn't need another revolution; it needs a thoughtful evolution.Björn Lindvall, CEO and Co-founder of Music Infra,  joins the podcast to explain why “blue box” tech fixes often fail and why lasting change depends on deeper infrastructure.Drawing from his finance background and co‑founding Hipgnosis, Lindvall dissects the challenges of digital licensing, outdated CWR (Common Works Registration) file standards, and mechanical rights. He shares how Music Infra is building scalable systems to cut inefficiencies and ensure rights holders and songwriters are paid fairly and on time. This is a grounded look at persistence, trust, and the long‑term vision required to solve music’s most intractable problems.Join us!

From niche record label to Apple Music Classical  Simon Eder shares the journey of building Primephonic, a specialized music tech startup acquired by Apple.We discuss the complexities of classical music streaming, from solving metadata challenges to navigating the shift from physical CDs to digital Hi-Res audio. Simon offers a grounded perspective on startup exits, investor relations, and the reality of life after acquisition. It is a quiet reflection on what it truly takes to innovate within the music industry and why understanding master rights is essential for any modern music entrepreneur.Listen now and subscribe for more conversations on innovation in music and technology.Know more about Primephonic: https://www.linkedin.com/company/primephonic/__________________________________________________________________________Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Venture Building - https://amplitude.venturesFollow on;Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2omT8uLhBamH3GFeih4oo3?si=45206dd146a84ae1LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundconnectionspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundconnectionspodcast?igsh=bDZzbnhrYXBlNHBr00:00 Welcome and Intro00:53 Founder Background and Transition02:51 Digitalizing a Classical Label04:50 High Quality Audio Formats08:36 Building the Primephonic Brand14:53 Solving Classical Metadata Challenges21:18 Streaming Payout Models Explained28:27 In-House Tech Team Growth32:57 Apple Music Classical Acquisition45:56 Reflections on Entrepreneurial Life

Let's go behind the scenes of live music digitalization in this special Sound Connections session from the ESNS 2026 Conference.We examine the "red ocean" of ticketing with guests Mike van Gaasbeek of Stager and Yannick Corbeau of CM.com, understanding how innovative platforms are easing the heavy daily tasks of event promoters by integrating ticketing, marketing, and payments into a single workflow. The discussion distills why modern ticketing must serve as a continuous marketing strategy to keep fans engaged long after the show ends. We also tackle the difficult reality of being a founder in a space defined by small margins and high competition, offering a roadmap for future innovation.Join the conversation on ticketing innovation and rethink how you engage your audience.Visit Stager: https://stager.co/en/Visit CM.com: https://www.cm.com/About ENSN Conference 2026: https://esns.nl/en/__________________________________________________________________________Produced by Amplitude Ventures Consulting: Partners in Early-Stage Venture Building - https://amplitude.venturesFollow on;Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2omT8uLhBamH3GFeih4oo3?si=45206dd146a84ae1LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/soundconnectionspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundconnectionspodcast?igsh=bDZzbnhrYXBlNHBr00:00 Welcome and context05:28 One platform approach09:38 Ticketing as marketing strategy13:00 Promoter economics and margins17:02 Market consolidation trends23:05 Ticketing and cash flow28:17 Brand focus and challenges34:12 Funding models and longevity41:25 Regulation and audience trust55:39 Music beyond capital

Gigi Johnson, PhD., founder of Rethink Next and former UCLA faculty who studies how AI reshapes music creation and fandom. She talks about the flood of new tracks and what discovery means today. They unpack how algorithms, personalization, and AI-generated content shape what listeners find. The conversation highlights transparency, provenance, and designing serendipity in saturated digital streams.