Linda Perry & Kerry Brown Music Keynote at SXSW 2018 [Video]

“We don’t want to own artists, we want to partner with them.” – Kerry Brown

Songwriter Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry, chief songwriter of 4 Non Blondes, and multi-platinum producer Kerry Brown discuss the ethos behind the formation of their combination record label, publishing house, and management company We Are Hear during their Music Keynote at the 2018 SXSW Conference. Their conversation is preceded by a performance from Lion, one of their up-and-coming artists who also performed their label showcase - a fitting introduction for the duo, who leverage their resources to advocate for the artists they have partnered with.

The Keynote Conversation centers around their approach to developing artists by setting up an environment where the artists are able to explore their creative voice. They point out that major labels have to be focused on the bottom line to be successful which can create a factory-like working environment, and suggest that indie labels with smaller rosters are afforded the opportunity to give more attention to each of their artists. They shift the focus of the conversation to speak on the evolving landscape of brand partnerships midway through and invite Michelle Taite, Director of Global Brand & Marketing at Quickbooks, to elaborate on their collaboration with 13-year-old musician Willa Amai.

“Rock and roll right now is on a grid. It doesn’t belong on a grid. It belongs on a pulse.” – Linda Perry

Watch the video above for the full 2018 SXSW Conference Keynote with Linda Perry and Kerry Brown. Learn from a diverse group of thought leaders at SXSW – browse more 2018 Keynotes, Featured Sessions, Red Carpets, and Q&A’s on our YouTube Channel.

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2018 SXSW Conference Keynote, Linda Perry & Kerry Brown – Photo by Cody Brown