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R2RB Podcast - Women Entrepreneurs and Indie Artists Series
Where Indie Artists and Women Entrepreneurs share their journeys.
We sit down with indie musicians from diverse genres, shedding light on their personal and professional experiences. From the euphoria of their first gigs to the challenges of carving a niche in the industry, R2RB Podcast is your backstage pass to these rising stars' raw and unfiltered narratives.
We also embark on a journey of Women Entrepreneurs and share their inspiration, amplifying the voices and stories of remarkable women entrepreneurs. Join us as we delve into the worlds of visionary leaders, innovators, and trailblazers who are rewriting the rules and reshaping industries.
We look forward to sharing your journey!
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R2RB Podcast - Women Entrepreneurs and Indie Artists Series
Diana and Ryan's Indie Music Journey with RanD and Db Productions
What happens when a chance encounter at a Barcelona bus stop leads to an eight-year journey of music and friendship? Discover the answer as we sit down with Diana and Ryan from RanD and DB Productions. From sharing quirky app obsessions—Ryan's love for sports and Diana's endless Spotify discoveries—to dreaming of California adventures inspired by work friendships, we uncover the beautiful blend of cultures and ideas that define their musical collaboration. Their story is a testament to the power of serendipity and shared passions turning into creative synergy.
Our conversation takes a fascinating turn as Diana and Ryan discuss the evolution of DB Productions from humble Barcelona beginnings to a broader online presence, connecting with indie artists across the globe. They unravel the challenges and triumphs of navigating social media to support emerging musicians while touching upon artificial intelligence's revolutionary role in making high-quality music production more accessible. The pandemic’s impact on music and the balancing act between passion projects and professional pursuits reveals a deep commitment to nurturing global musical talent.
In the final chapters of our episode, we explore the shifting landscapes of indie music promotion. The contrast between the nostalgic days of distributing CDs in New York City and today's reliance on digital platforms like Facebook and Spotify emphasizes the importance of genuine engagement over mere numbers. Ryan opens up about his songwriting process, inspired by the world around him and his determination to transform negativity into uplifting melodies. With exciting future collaborations, including one with the talented Deedra Patrick, Diana and Ryan reflect on overcoming personal challenges and the supportive embrace of the indie music community. Join us for an insightful journey into the heart of indie music and the bonds that keep it thriving.
https://linktr.ee/deblamotta
Hi and welcome to R2RB Indie Artist Podcast Series, and today I have with me Deanna and Ryan from R&D and DB Productions. Hello and welcome, and how are you?
Speaker 2:Hello, thank you for having us. We're very good.
Speaker 3:It's Saturday, so always good on a Saturday, always good.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. I always like to ask two questions to get us started, and the first one is what is your favorite app on your phone and why?
Speaker 2:favorite app on your phone, and why diana you first? No, you me. Well, I know yours. Yeah, jen already came up with my answer, which is bet 365, because I'm a sports betting journalist by my trade and I'm always on the sports bets, so, um, but luckily I'm quite good at it, so it's okay, um and my one is spotify.
Speaker 3:I'm always just looking for music and checking artists. Well, I have a lot of applications of design and photography, but really I'm on Spotify always.
Speaker 2:And Facebook, no, no no, Now yes. Good match for the Facebook connection, of course.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and where would you like to visit? Number two question when would you like to visit that you haven't been to already? La?
Speaker 2:LA Well California for me. California yeah, just the US in general. Actually, I've not really been to the US, just like one day when I was a little kid, so I'd love to see all of the US, but the California coastline looks amazing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it would be fantastic. I was like three months in New York and Washington but I couldn't go to California. And yes, for sure I would love to go.
Speaker 2:Especially now with what we've been doing the last year. We have a lot of friends in the United States that we'd love to visit as well. That's right.
Speaker 1:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:That's one of our dreams in the next few years, I would say.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great, and I have been to California. I actually lived in California when I was much, much younger and it is definitely a place to put on your bucket list to go out and check. Oh my gosh, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Where is it your best right now?
Speaker 1:I'm in Delaware, so I'm on the East Coast.
Speaker 2:East Coast.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:I was in Michigan, I was in Canada actually, and we went on a day trip to Michigan.
Speaker 1:So that's where I was.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right over the border and I flew in Boston but really I have not been to the US.
Speaker 1:Yes, definitely have to make a trip over, and myself I would love to go to Barcelona, so you're in.
Speaker 3:Barcelona. Yes, we are in Barcelona.
Speaker 1:Diana, are you from Barcelona or someplace else in Spain?
Speaker 3:I'm from Colombia, my mother is from Spain. My mother is from Spain and my father is from Colombia. I have both nationalities.
Speaker 1:Cool, and Ryan, you are from Scotland, in case nobody could catch your accent.
Speaker 2:It's not too strong now.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Still there not too much. I've been living here 12 years, so it kind of faded with not speaking English that frequently, Apart from to Diana, but we speak kind of a Spanglish.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's true, a mix Of, of course, if I don't find the word in english, colombian english.
Speaker 2:I have all the colombian phrases learned whatever works right yeah, well, sometimes it does, it doesn't, but you know this, miscommunications of languages, but um well, that's true.
Speaker 1:No matter what language you speak, there's always some miscommunication same language and they cannot understand exactly that is quite challenging so scotland, spain? How the heck did you meet?
Speaker 2:diana, you can tell this In a bus stop.
Speaker 3:Yes, yes, in Barcelona, and I saw him, he was very tall and I was like, oh, he was handsome, and I don't know what we said and we just talked and we were just speaking and speaking, and yes, we had a coffee, and we just continued and, and, yes, your phone number. And yes, I like that eight years wow.
Speaker 1:So, ryan, you just kind of said I'm gonna do it, and here's my phone number diana was the forward one.
Speaker 2:I'm very shy. I'm actually very shy, believe it or not.
Speaker 3:I cannot say that that is not true.
Speaker 1:And here you are. So did you then learn that you both had the same, that you both loved music? Were you doing your music at that time, eight years ago? You must have been.
Speaker 3:Like the first week, I remember, he showed me a book of poems and I was, oh, so, so beautiful. And the next day he made a poem for me and I was like, oh, this guy, I'll be ridiculous. But then when I just read really the poem, I was, oh, this can be a song, because it's me the musician, right, I know. So I said to him wow, I always, just, I want to sing in english, but of course I'm not good just to compose a song and all of this. No, I, I can speak more or less, but not to make a song. So I I said this is a song and I made our first song well, I always had the idea that I could write lyrics.
Speaker 2:Let's say, I'd been doing poems since I was young, um, and I'd actually written a couple of rap songs really like 25 actually. I really should bring those back to life yeah, yeah um, but so when, when I met Diana, she wanted, she had the idea that I could write some lyrics for her, and it took maybe about seven years for it really to happen seven years I wrote.
Speaker 2:I wrote one song up all night which is one of our I'm not going to say big hits um, that would be pushing it but one of our popular songs okay um, I wrote that seven, eight years ago when I first met her, but it was only in the last year that we actually decided to become a band.
Speaker 1:Really and were you living in Spain at the time you met Diana?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I moved here just before I turned 30, just because of, yes, I wanted to change country and have a new life. And then I became a sports writer. I mean, I've been writer like since I was young, but I hadn't really put it to to task until I got to my 30s. And then that's when I met Deanna um, more or less and so that's how you came together she pushed me into the room.
Speaker 2:sorry, deanna really pushed me into the writing because she saw that I had some talent, that she thought um, and said that I could pursue more of a career. I was doing IT, which is really boring, so now I'm lucky that I'm doing sports writing.
Speaker 1:Are you still doing the sports writing or just doing music?
Speaker 2:That's the day job sports writing. Luckily it's not like a 12 hour five day. You know it's. I'm a freelancer, so I I can pick my times to work um, so it gives me the flexibility to do r and d stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, so you came together and you are r and d r a n d capital r, capital d you might think it stands for ryan Deanna, but it doesn't.
Speaker 2:It doesn't stand. It's reliable. I came up with this. It's reliable and dominant.
Speaker 3:Really.
Speaker 2:Just a joke. Really it was Ryan and Deanna, but I said we can give it a variety.
Speaker 3:So for the social media. He did all of that While I was just doing my production courses, and I made a master in production all of this recently. I am a teacher, a music teacher just for a long time. My grandfather was the one that taught me how to sing and guitar, so he created a method. He had his own method method.
Speaker 2:it's a spectacular method your grandpa was quite famous in colombia yes, he was famous in colombia.
Speaker 3:He's spanish too spanish because the civil war. So they traveled to south america a lot of spanish, well, in time of the civil war. So my grandpa, my grandfather and his family they were were in Colombia and he created a method and I was teaching it, but I never, never, thought that I could be like an artist. You know, yeah, I was always teaching singing but making my own songs. But for me and my family and friends you know I'm shy, I'm an introverted woman so it's like, no, no, it's not for me. This and concerts and all of this, no, but what's Ryan? Ryan opened the social media, everything, and we made a song and was nice, and he found the EWS show.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes we love.
Speaker 2:now, team team is the one that helped us, so he played our first song, forbidden, which is my comedy rap and an actual rap song. We did release not my original rap, um, which is quite it's okay, but got quite a good reception. And then people I started trying to engage with people. Just I had no clue really, because I'm not really active in social media or at all with music and indie music community was. I had no clue. I love music but I've not been involved with that, so it was just stepping into the dark trying to get and look, 10 followers. Oh, look, 20 followers, you know and I think that's when.
Speaker 1:I think that's when Christina said and that's when I started following you like I had said that Christina had posted about R&D and you had, you know, very low numbers on followers, and she said you know, follow, follow. And that's exactly when you were very low at that time. But it's so yeah, you know in the community.
Speaker 2:I have 10 followers. It was so cool.
Speaker 3:For me it was wow.
Speaker 2:The first time we got a positive comment.
Speaker 3:You know it's like wow, someone likes our music. Yeah, I couldn't wow this guitar me wow yeah and the voice.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, someone like it, you know because, really, diana is a is a musician, but I am, like I say, just a writer. So for me it was almost like a game to try and be a band. I was like, look at all the music that's out there. It's rubbish. We can do something that might be better than a lot of it, so let's try. But it was mostly just fun. It still is.
Speaker 1:Just it is just a game for me because I never dreamed to be a musician, so it's not like, uh, my destiny, but for Deanna I think it is well, I found it something that she had dreamed of for sure yeah, I mean you bring out something in each other and then you bring it together and have this beautiful sound in the end and your words and the music is just absolutely beautiful. So you're doing something right.
Speaker 2:We appreciate that. Thank you very much. It always amazes us really to get nice feedback, like I said, because it isn't I never imagined.
Speaker 1:When I was reading, you know, the Scotsman and Columbia, barcelona, spain, bossa Nova kind of influence for you. Yeah, so it's just. And I at first it was like that is some combination, let me see how that works. But you both have just made it work so well. And have you found the indie community? I know you have, but when did you really know that you became part of the indie community? You know, when you started having all those followers?
Speaker 3:Yes, just a lot of followers.
Speaker 2:Not a lot of followers, um, not a lot even, but just well, but just I would give david from the flying beats a big shout out because he left the nicest comment, I think, on our second song, bright night, on our facebook page, and that's when diana really started to believe that that, you know, people could like her. Yes, and then other bands started following us. I was like, look, these are real proper bands that are following. It's not, um, spammers, right. So, and then just tim's show again. I've been at tim's show every friday for like, uh, six months in a row, or like for the last six months, so I really just became part of the community, and that's why I opened db productions just to find out what happened with R&D, because he's the one that controls R&D.
Speaker 3:Because of course I'm a bit anxious with social media and it can be very stressful for me. So I prefer just to make music and to do my things for me. So I prefer just to make music and to do my things, but of course I.
Speaker 3:I was very curious you know who likes my music, who is commenting about me, you know, and I opened tv productions just to to see, and then, well, I saw that could be a a nice page, you know. Yeah, for me as a producer, also to bring services online, because most of my work is just with people in here in barcelona, not online. Of course, this is very new for me to you know, to work online, to receive tracks online and to make music like that is wow, and now you have a.
Speaker 1:You have a bigger reach to you know barcelona all the way over here to the united states. Because you have a bigger reach to you know Barcelona all the way over here to the United States because you have a lot of followers from here from the States correct.
Speaker 3:For me, it's unbelievable that. Well, it was Ryan, as I'm telling you, it was Ryan that formed the community, and now to find more people, because there are a lot of people from different countries in there, it's absolutely amazing, yeah.
Speaker 1:And so let me ask you this question about working with other indie artists, because not every indie artist has the funds, the money to put into a good sound system, into good recording equipment, to the overall, the overall mastering. Do you, then, is that something you do then? Is that tell me a little bit more about db productions, what you do do, and is that something that you would do with with an indie artist trying to start out these days?
Speaker 3:exactly. Um well, as I told you, I made a master in production and a lot of courses, and I never knew that I was going to be like Enjoy it so much.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:It's amazing how I enjoy the mixing, the processing of mastering and all of this. I love it. So I started just with a few artists in here, producing them and just testing all of the technology and the investment, because, yes, it's a big, big investment in this and well, and now with the artificial intelligence, anyway, there are a lot of possibilities. It's spectacular. So I produced myself. First I was wow, I never thought I was going to produce my own self. And and then, well, I thought why not, to help people that don't have the possibility?
Speaker 2:I did work with Dugito.
Speaker 3:Dugito. Well, I said to Ryan, say to the community, you know, maybe someone wants a free mixing master. Yes, and Dugito was the one I was so happy because he's amazing and I met yes.
Speaker 2:Working with Wendigo Drifter as well, oh I saw that.
Speaker 1:Yes, and both artists I'm very familiar with. Yeah, absolutely Okay, yeah.
Speaker 3:But yes, of course, this is like the beginnings of DB Productions online.
Speaker 2:It's all kind of coming together. It's like we've spent so many years together developing new skills and now we've found the point that we can make something with them. Because I started making videos last year for no real reason other than just boredom. Like I'm going to start making reels and sports once and then learning that I was able to start making videos for our music. So everything that I'm learning and that diana's learning everything coming into the db productions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, the DB Productions. And you've taken the time to put DB Productions together. You've taken the time to learn the pieces that are going to make it work.
Speaker 3:And then and that's a big component of it- my aim also is to help artists for free, and of course, I don't want to be, you know, the big company and the. No, it's just. This is a, not a hobby, but yes, because I have another job, of course.
Speaker 2:I have a main job, but we want to see what can happen.
Speaker 3:Yes, it's beautiful also to help artists to record their songs and to or to do collaborations and collaborations. Yes, of course, to record their songs and to to put them out, yeah, and collaborations, yes, of course, but I think Artists, you know for sure.
Speaker 2:Some for free, but not everyone.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in the beginning it's free and then you know that's how you get started. You get the word out and you have work with different indie artists and then you build on from there. When did DB production start?
Speaker 3:Well, this starts like one year and a half Years, more or less. Yes, a lot of what I'm doing here just locally with people in here. Now you're around the world Exactly yes, the online world is just this really, after the pandemic pandemic is in English. Yes, After the pandemic, I think that a new world for everything just is opening.
Speaker 1:You had mentioned AI, artificial intelligence. Do you work with that in your, with the productions that you do?
Speaker 3:No, not a lot, just a few things, of course, because now you have everything in software, you don't have to buy expensive hardwares to get the sound you want. The analogic sound, no.
Speaker 3:Because, of course digital sounds weird, but no, this is the AI now in in the production music. Of course you have another tools that make rubbish music, or the auto tune or all of these things that well, but this is for me, it's not quality music and and, anyways, a lot of people are enjoying that because, as I'm telling you, it's expensive. When I thought that I could just put a song in Spotify, but never. If you don't pay for a nightly studio and a lot of money, you cannot do it. But now, yes, it's possible, so why not? You know I don't criticize a lot of people oh, the industry of music now is rubbish with AI. Well, no.
Speaker 2:I think that no, it's like the end result is what matters. Yeah, it doesn't matter how you get there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think a lot of the indie artists are using AI somewhat, like you had mentioned not through the whole production Crypt 13 and a few of the others on Christina's show two weeks ago, with the music videos that were being released and they use the AI. I think, you know, if used correctly, it enhances and, as you know for yourselves, also using it in the correct way is a great tool. But then there's others that unfortunately will always, you know, use it the wrong way. But I think having you know using it wisely is a good thing. Ryan, just to go back to something you said also about followers and it was something I had put into my questions here and let me see if I can explain or ask the question better than I did in what I had sent you. You're talking about follows and people following you and bands following the.
Speaker 1:Both of you and I've been having this discussion with other indie artists as well. Excuse me so, at one time, because I'm a bit older we didn't have social media, we didn't have Facebook, spotify, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah we. You know, if I went into New York City when I was younger which I did because I and I still do, I still do. People would be handing out the CDs with all the samples on it here, take this here, try that. Here's this we want. Or do we want people who aren't necessarily other indie bands or duos or you know um soloists following and liking and streaming? Would you rather have people like you know, everyday listeners, everyday fans, doing the streaming? Does that, does that matter to you?
Speaker 2:um, I mean, we're definitely. We don't do follow for follow. I'm not like a fan of that, but I'm not overly concerned about about this. Um, I think everyone has to do what they have to do at the start. Sometimes you need to build a little bit of support and maybe you follow people because they follow you. I don't think there's anything morally yeah, reprehensible that by the same time, of course, you want real ears, people, real, real listeners that like your music. So we are, we built. That's why we don't have like more followers.
Speaker 3:Let's say but for example in my case, but I never tried to get followers I never.
Speaker 2:So we it's building slowly, so most of the followers we get are people who genuinely liked something, or or saw somewhere that they liked something. I think, um, but I I don't really care too much. It's just um more important that people that follow you engage with you. Right, this is the thing. We'll follow you, or you follow someone, at least engage with them. Um, if you don't do that and you're just trying to build the followers, and it's a bit pointless, because you'll end up with 10,000 followers and 10 likes on a post, exactly.
Speaker 3:So it's pointless in that respect. Yes, I prefer my 10 followers that really like my music, but also the numbers you know. For example, in my case, if I want to show my production services, people of course are going to see my production services. People of course are going to see my numbers Because, yes, some people you know they're like oh, how many followers she has.
Speaker 2:People place that in the front.
Speaker 3:She's not popular. Unfortunately, we are living in a world like that, so you have to have a balance. I mean in the middle, Everything in the middle Agre the middle agreed, perfect.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I think facebook has been hurting indie artists too. But, um, and for me, I believe that ai is behind a lot of the um, where you can't post, you can't like, you can't, can't comment, it's even done it to me, um, you know, and I think the algorithms are getting crazy for whatever reason, and then the AI behind it all. You know you can't do this and you can't do that, you know but also they are implementing all of that.
Speaker 3:You have to also understand that they are implementing that.
Speaker 2:So there, is a time to test, to do things and let's see where, where this goes in general I'm not a fan of facebook, but I like the indie community that we're involved in.
Speaker 3:But facebook as a company or people in our age and facebook is like it's different than instagram and tiktok. You know we we have more connection in facebook. I feel that I found people my age.
Speaker 2:We have that connection, but that for me, it's the only positive experience I've ever had with Facebook.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:I'm not a fan of it and I think it's done a lot bad for society. So, it messes with people's minds for sure with the likes and who saw my comment and who does. It's really exhausting sometimes. That's why because they mess with the algorithm. I know that because some it's like oh, we're not popular anymore. We only got four likes in this post. Why? Why? And that's and I'm not even like that, but other people can like that, can really lose their minds over social media.
Speaker 2:So for me, it's mostly the end of community has restored some faith.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a great community, even just for me being part of it and the relationships that I have formed and being able to reach out and say, hey, I like your music, or whatever the case may be. So, yeah, I mean it's definitely done a lot of good for a lot of people and there's always going to be a downside to to other, you know, with whatever it might be always.
Speaker 3:Yes, you realize, on online always things happen all right, so let's talk about your music.
Speaker 1:Let's go back to that. So, ryan, you have been writing since you were young. Um, where do you get your inspiration from?
Speaker 2:um, well, the inspiration for this let's see these songs that I wrote for diana was diana principally to write songs for her, to make her happy. I got you a new song and then specific inspiration is more or less, uh, the world that we live in, I guess a lot, of, lot of my songs. Well, they're not negative, but they're based maybe on negative emotions that want to make positivity out of those negative emotions. Sometimes it's like I'm not going to pretend that I'm some kind of wonderful, amazing writer who's got all this inspiration. It's more like okay, I'm going to write a song, what can I do? I'll come up with maybe a line or two and then I open a rhyming dictionary which I like to use. So I have to.
Speaker 2:I like to like place I was explaining this to diana for me like a chess, and you're building blocks of a song sometimes. Sometimes it can just be like I'm typing it and it and five, six lines come out. I'm like, oh, that's really good. Other occasion, maybe I oh, this is a real struggle and I'll have to edit and go back on it and spend hours on it to make it better. So it's a process, but it's not always the same process.
Speaker 1:Cool, all right. And so, once you're finished with your lyrics, you go to Deanna and say this is what I have written.
Speaker 3:And then Deanna and say this is what I have written.
Speaker 2:And then, Deanna, you take it and put your beautiful music to yes, and sometimes I say no.
Speaker 3:No, she'll tell me sing, it Sing it Sing that. Can you sing that? No, please. And then I sing it in the same tone that I sing every song the same way. You always want to say country music.
Speaker 2:I have no idea why a few of our songs should have been country songs but unfortunately I was gonna, I was gonna ask you about that part.
Speaker 1:I mean, if you take, you know his lyrics. Uh, he, you know, I'm ryan. You must have you know something running through your head for sure, I've got a genre in mind, but, but then to but then to give it to tiana, say okay, here it is.
Speaker 2:Last week I specifically wrote a punk song. So this is an exclusive that our next song is going to be a little bit punk, and that was deliberate. I conceived how can I write lyrics that are punky Other songs? I'm like trying to maybe copy an artist, copy but take inspiration. Let's say david bowie, for example. I've tried to write like him just by looking at their lyrics and how they actually look on paper, because sometimes you're surprised. You're like the lyrics are really bad. Not david bowie, david, a lot of artists you like this is really bad. Forget this, I'll come up with something better. So yeah, yeah, I don't know, I just enjoy it. I love writing, so it's fun. I always get into it. I get a real rush when I do something positive. It keeps me up all night.
Speaker 1:And Deanna. So when you put your music to Ryan's words, has he ever come back and said, yeah, no no, not really no, no, diana's got a real touch.
Speaker 2:She'll I don't care. I mean, once I've done the lyrics, it's basically yeah, it's up to you now, because diana's a musician. So I would feel I of course say to her she asked me for opinions and I give them as a, as a fan, as a, I'm not, I don't have a musical ear like uh as a musician. So once I've done the lyrics, it's like up to you.
Speaker 3:It's beautiful the process, because when I read his lyrics it's like, instantly I feel the music, it's unbelievable. I cannot explain that, because this is something that is in me, maybe, but I read the lyrics and I'm like, wow, such an incredible ballad. Or this, for example, the punk that he wrote it's punk, it's unbelievable. And I will try. I know I don't have voice and I've never played punk, but why not?
Speaker 2:Got a nice, let's see yeah no, I see.
Speaker 1:And ryan, do you play an instrument? No, nothing.
Speaker 2:No, I tried to play guitar when I was in school and my teacher hated me. I was rubbish really. I've never been instrumental and but I love music. I do love.
Speaker 3:That's why two of our songs I said to him you have to sing them.
Speaker 2:I have some karaoke songs. Oh okay, I don't want people to think that I'm not really into music. It's just I've never been a musician, so I was always dismissive of that Because I had long hair. People always asked me are you in a band? I'm like no, no way. But I do love music and all my friends were massively into and in bands as well. So I was surrounded by music always. But no, I just never had the inclination to play an instrument.
Speaker 1:It's just too much but whatever the two of you do works so well, I mean it just flows and to be able to have that connection where you know the lyrics and then the music and they just all come together, I don't see that happening too often. You know, I've those indie artists that I've spoken with. They're usually a singer, songwriter, so it's their words, their music. But to be able to take the lyrics and put the music to, I'm in awe of that. I am not so. I I love to sing of that. I am not so I love to sing, but I kind of sing by myself and I love music. I played cello when I was in school, but that was the end of that, but I love music too and that's really, you know, kind of how I got started with the indie artists. So I just find that all amazing that the two of you just connect so well. What projects are you working on? Can you tell us?
Speaker 2:Well, we've got two songs that we're working on at the moment One, the punky one, and another one that is more like a rock. A lot about David Bowie and inspiration for that one. Other than that, well, I've got the podcast. I've got an episode with Deidre Patrick coming up.
Speaker 1:Oh, do you? Oh, I love her.
Speaker 2:So Deanna's going to join me for that. It's going to be her first co-hosting appearance, so I'm very excited for that because I love didra didra's so nice she is just when I phone her.
Speaker 3:This is also amazing that's why I'm always on facebook. Just find it facebook and spotify, you see, because wow, music, you know new music and didra. For me was wow, this woman amazing. And then to have the opportunity to speak to her and wow, I'm very happy. So I said to Ryan all right, I'm going to participate, why not? But for sure this one and another one, that's all. I'm not a podcast woman.
Speaker 2:One or two things maybe in the pipeline that I can't speak about yet, but um other than that, like we're doing a lot of reviews and reels for artists just trying to like I always say co-promotion, like it's good for you, it's good for us, it's good for everyone so if we do a review and we do a reel of an artist, it highlights who they are and introduces us to their audience and them to our audience.
Speaker 3:So I think exactly, and we encourage and we love doing it.
Speaker 2:That's the thing, so it's the same. You know it's just a lot of fun it's beautiful, because then you find we made new connections like that's because, of course, people love to have positive reviews about their music, and so everyone that I've written a review for has been so warm and happy to receive that and become almost friends quickly.
Speaker 3:It's beautiful for me something about me is like oh yeah, I cry and everything for me is just very exciting and everything is so beautiful, you know it is it is that is nice is for me just happy, I can die yeah, I like to give that feeling to other people yeah especially people who deserve it, um, who that you know are in the community that support other people that have a lot of talent as well.
Speaker 2:Um, and not too much ego, um, a little bit of ego, we like.
Speaker 3:A lot of people, I like yes, of course, a lot of people helping christina and a lot of people helping Christina and a lot of people helping well, tim, for me, tim is amazing.
Speaker 2:And the work that he's been doing with David as well.
Speaker 3:David has been very nice with us.
Speaker 2:We've been very fortunate just to meet so many wonderful people.
Speaker 3:Yes, a lot of beautiful people and well, windigo Drifter.
Speaker 1:Windigo Drifter as well, I love them it is I for myself, because I am a introvert, I'm not an extrovert, so I do have sometimes we'll have a panic attack before I do my, my interview, or anxiety, right, you know, go sky high. But I wouldn't trade this part of it at all because meeting like the two of you and meeting all the other wonderful indie artists that I've had a chance to interview is like you said, you, you kind of become family Um you, you, you know new friends, uh, I, I get to you know, explore the world through you know your eyes. Or you know paul dylan over in scotland or the crumb over in, uh, I see, paul dylan is over in ireland, the crumbs over in scotland. But you know, if we didn't have that opportunity, how boring would life be right it's amazing this, this technology, has its ups and it's down.
Speaker 2:Some of it's just unbelievable. We could do these dreams of ours. It wasn't possible even really 10 years ago. It was maybe possible, but more expensive. Now it's like everything is possible if you just have the belief and the desire yes, absolutely. We have to work hard every day.
Speaker 1:So what's next, besides your projects? Anything else you have in the works Not your projects, but your two new songs coming out. Anything working for DV Productions?
Speaker 2:We want to release.
Speaker 3:TV Productions yeah, we have some plans, but we cannot speak about it. A lot of projects. Well, now I'm working with the Spanish people in here, of course, making beats. So, yes, this production thing is, there are a lot of things to do.
Speaker 2:I'd like to release our music as an album we have.
Speaker 3:Well, he's speaking of an album.
Speaker 3:We have 10 songs, 11, 12 songs, songs I wanted to release as an album, but diana just released the songs one by one it's the first time in my life that I do that and well, for me it's amazing just to receive a track of guitar and then me adding the drums. It's just amazing. It is amazing. I'm like a child just making all of this and enjoying it Every day. For me, like wow, what else I can create? So it's beautiful, the music, I love music. So, yes, there are a lot of things to do, definitely. Oh, my gosh, only the beginning.
Speaker 2:And more podcasts. I've got another. I'm going to invite someone for a special episode. Hopefully they're going to say yes, I'm looking forward to that one. Hopefully, after Deidre, a lot of people have contacted us as well to ask to be on my podcast, which really flattered me. Like wow, we've only done a few and people are asking to come on the show. It's so cool. Really, it's just a lot of fun.
Speaker 1:We're just amazed by that, yeah it is fun, I mean, it's nice just to be. You know you sit down and have a conversation with somebody, not necessarily about their music all the time, but you know in the beginning who are you, where are you from. You know what have you done before, what led you to this? You know, doing the music, um, you know, again, I would never have thought many years ago I would be doing anything like this either and to be able to help excuse me an indie artist starting out, I I like that aspect of it. And, speaking of people starting out, what advice would you give a new indie artist starting out in this uh, path?
Speaker 2:um, to be the obvious things like you have to work really hard and believe in yourself. I would say retain neutrality on social media this is a good one and try to only either support bands or promote your own work and stay out of other issues. Yeah, because you're always going to end up making problems if you get involved with stuff, and if you really want to elevate and get to a position where you have like a little bit of support, you need to just, uh, to avoid those things focusing your focus on your art that's all, because this is the most but then you have promotion is important if you enjoy what you do, then people receive that feeling.
Speaker 2:The one thing I would say is um and I quote david bowie on this he says once you've made an album, you have to sell. And if david bowie had that mentality, then it's good enough for me absolutely this guy was the greatest artist of the 20th century and he recognized the importance of marketing.
Speaker 2:So unfortunately it is a devil that we have to deal with um, but you can have fun with it. You know, it doesn't need to be so boring, and that's what I think we learned this year that it's actually quite fun to do the marketing um, because it's not all it's a lot, it's a lot of work.
Speaker 1:I mean, it's just not. You know, you don't go into the recording studio, record your music and throw it out there. There's so much in the beginning just to get to that point, and then it's a whole, nother full time job, just for marketing and promotion.
Speaker 3:Exactly. Yes, it's not easy. That's why we we appreciate the effort that people put into their marketing. Also, commenting on everything, everything you know, we are taking our time and and I'm very thankful with the, with the leaders, let's say, you know the community that well. They do a lot of things for free. So this is beautiful, yeah, beautiful cross promote. Yes, yes, yes I, I love this community.
Speaker 2:It's funny it's like you say about the work, it's like the podcast. I'm like, oh yeah, I'll do a podcast, but then, once I've done the podcast or done the episode, I'm like to do the production. Now it takes me like 15 hours. It's the whole week producing the episode, trying to get the audio and the video, because I never did you do, you do, you do video?
Speaker 1:I don't do video, I just do the audio, which you know is time consuming in itself. But to do the video I haven't stepped up to do that I don't think I will. But that's another. Like you said, another 15, 20, 100 hours.
Speaker 2:All week. I'm there like trying to make it better every night. I'm never satisfied, so I usually spend five nights like not even editing the audio. It's actually just putting little video clips in and synchronizing the audio with the lips.
Speaker 3:This is the thing I work on taught me don't be so perfection yeah, you don't need to be so perfect because if you are so perfectionist, you don't do the things and you, you're just nothing. So he don't overproduce.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't edit the conversations, For example, I never. I just keep the conversation unedited because nothing bad ever happens. It had to be edited.
Speaker 3:That's very nice what you do, because, yes, he's like, okay, let's do it good, but let's do it Exactly Because it's for oh no, because my world, because always I find a problem, it's not going to be professional. So how about in here, you know?
Speaker 1:Well, I did that in the beginning with my podcast. I thought about it, I talked about it for a year and finally decided well, if I didn't start, I was never going to start and I needed to take that leap of faith to just do one. And I started with women entrepreneurs. So that's what I was doing in the beginning. And you're right, we're probably our own worst enemy with overthinking and doing. And I didn't have any of that background with podcasting or audio or forget the video. So it's like, all right, just do it exactly yes, but it's like that well, the software now allows that.
Speaker 2:If you just spend a little bit of time learning, it's actually quite simple.
Speaker 3:Maybe time consuming, but it's, it's much easier than I would ever thought to improve yourself, your quality and everything, but it's to do it. I've never thought to put a song in Spotify, but when I was, yes, it's good, I mean, well, I don't know, it's just so simple. No, yeah, good.
Speaker 2:Our message is keep working and keep dreaming.
Speaker 1:Yes, Working and dreaming. I like that, I like that, like that a lot, all right, so where can everybody find you?
Speaker 2:well, we're on spotify and all the music platforms all of them are on youtube. Um, I haven't created a channel yet for my podcast. It's just on our r&d channel on youtube. Um, it's horrible. Our our underscore space. I made a terrible mess of it and facebook will not allow me to change it. It's really. I've lost about six hours trying to fix that problem, um, and I can't so, uh, yeah, it's what it is, but if you go to db productions, you'll find everything there okay from them.
Speaker 3:From there. Yes, rnd is very difficult to find, but we will solve them you have numbers, though, after your letters 82 to 79 yeah is there a significance?
Speaker 2:there is actually, but then I realized it just looks like a spam, but it was because they wouldn't let me do rnd rnd 2024. There's no possible combination. I tried and then eventually 8279 are our birth years yeah of course, now we are giving the whole details. Yes, I won't tell you my password it's one, he's 79.
Speaker 3:I know James.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh. Tiana and Ryan, I want to thank you both so much for joining me tonight. I always enjoy my conversations with indie artists, and you are no different. Anything else you'd like to share with everybody before we sign off?
Speaker 3:Thank you very much.
Speaker 2:Such a pleasure to speak with you. You've been so nice and really easy to speak with. I think we had a good time. Diana was very nervous, but I told her not to worry. Actually I wasn't nervous, which makes a change, because usually I'm super nervous, but maybe I'm getting used to it.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you, Thank you. Well, I will let you in on a little secret. I was very nervous to be interviewing both of you, especially Ryan, when I saw that you had a podcast. Why that throws me for a loop. It does, and I think that's why my palms were sweating.
Speaker 2:that's nice I can affect people like that. I don't really think. I never imagined it possible.
Speaker 1:But I see, all right. Well, thank you, and I look forward to uh keeping in touch and following you thank you. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Have a great night you too.
Speaker 2:Bye-bye.
Speaker 1:Bye-bye.
