Singer Michael Franti exudes optimism. In fact, he wants all of his songs to be “uplifting.” One of his albums is even called “The Sound of Sunshine.”
And he has that “glass half full” outlook about the streaming industry too. He says it’s a platform for discovery.
“Someone who has never known you before used to have to wait for your song to come on the radio and maybe it never would. Maybe they’d never hear you,” Franti told Cheddar’s Jon Steinberg. “[Now] you can find fans in parts of the world that never had access to you before.”
While the streaming industry may have replaced the need to buy songs, ruining one revenue stream, Franti thinks it has opened the door to another, leading to more loyal fans who show up for concerts.
“I was talking to a friend of mine who goes, ‘I’d rather have 100 fans than a million followers.’ And I really believe that,” said Franti.
In the 1990s, Franti was the lead singer for the hip hop band Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. Then in 2010, his “Say Hey” climbed to the Billboard Top 20.
Earlier this week, Franti was awarded the Nelson Mandela Changemaker Award at the PTTOW! conference in Ojai, Calif., which this year attracted the likes of Vans global brands president [Doug Palladini](https://cheddar.com/videos/on-board-with-vans), NBA All-Star [Baron Davis](https://cheddar.com/videos/tech-no-foul), and celeb DJ [Steve Aoki](https://cheddar.com/videos/why-steve-aoki-says-the-streaming-industry-is-great-for-music).
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/michael-franti-spreads-love-and-optimism-with-his-music).
On this episode of ChedHER: Ooshma Garg, CEO of Gobble and Sunbasket, breaks down how she found her entrepreneurial spirit, and gives advice for successfully scaling and growing a business; Chastity Lord, President and CEO of the Jeremiah Program, explains how she's disrupting the poverty cycle for single moms and their children; Dina Grilo, Vice President, DEI Lead for Office of Disability Inclusion at JPMorgan Chase & Co., explains how the firm is encouraging women with disabilities to seek office; Jess Berger, Founder and CEO of Bundle x Joy, talks about her $1 million seed raise that made her the first Latina in the pet care space to raise that amount.
Lawyers for Prince Harry have asked a judge to rule that a tabloid newspaper libeled the British royal with an article about his quest for police protection when he and his family visit the U.K.
The top entertainment headlines for March 17, 2023.
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A 16-year-old singer, Faith Cochrane, landed the lead role in "Mama I Want to Sing" for the musical's 40th-anniversary return to the stage.
The French Bulldog is the most popular breed in the country, according to data by the American Kennel Club.
Pete Davidson's Peacock series "Bupkis" is set to premiere in May and includes Joe Pesci and Edie Falco.
Cheddar recs "Power Book II: Ghost," "Theo Von: Regular People," "Creed II," "I Think You Should Leave," and "In Our Time" podcast.
The top entertainment headlines for March 16, 2023.
T-Mobile has entered into an agreement to acquire the parent company of Mint Mobile, a direct-to-consumer prepaid wireless company partially owned by actor Ryan Reynolds.
