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).
Bitcoin has officially entered bear market territory. The cryptocurrency is down 20% from an all-time high of nearly $69,000 dollars, which it hit earlier this month. Experts mark the new potentially vaccine-resistant coronavirus variant as the reason for the dip. Patrick McConlogue, CEO of Overlin, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments with the Omicron variant, and break down what we know and what we still don't. Plus, a relatively tame Black Friday, and more.
U.S. markets were open for an abbreviated session on the day after Thanksgiving, and the day saw a market meltdown. The Dow dropped more than 900 points for its worst day of the year. Matt Orton, Chief Market Strategist at Carillon Tower Advisers, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
For the first time in the National Dog Show's 20-year-history on NBC, a canine was crowned Best in Show for the second year in a row. Claire, a Scottish deerhound, was the repeat winner, and David Frei, expert analyst and host of the National Dog Show Presented by Purina, joined Cheddar to discuss the historic victory. "It's never happened in the 20 years that we've done this show," he said. "She looks great right now. She's at the top of her game, she's the number three show dog in the country, and has become the top winning Scottish deerhound of all time, breaking her grandmother's record."
Lucien Etori, VP, executive strategy director at R/GA., joined Cheddar News to discuss how retailers are handling supply chain disruptions this shopping season, and how retailers are building better experiences for customers during these ongoing issues.
Amber McMillan, vice president of weight loss and digital fitness at Life Time, joins Cheddar News to discuss how post-pandemic gym visits can improve mental wellness.
From supply chain shortages to high food costs, food banks are scrambling to serve their communities this Thanksgiving. According to Feeding America, while demand from the beginning of the pandemic has gone down, one in eight people in the U.S. may experience food insecurity this year. Anna McGovern, chief supply chain officer with Food Bank for New York City, joins Cheddar News to discuss the impact of inflation and supply chain issues.
The biggest shopping day of the year is approaching - Black Friday - and the following week is known as Cyber Week, the biggest time of the year for online shopping. But for many companies and consumers, the holiday shopping season is already underway. Retailers have been getting creative in their attempts to lure customers amid ongoing supply chain issues, inflation, and the pandemic that could impact sales. Lionesque Group CEO and founder Melissa Gonzalez joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Jurors on Wednesday convicted the three white men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, the Black man who was chased and fatally shot while running through their Georgia neighborhood in an attack that became part of the larger national reckoning on racial injustice during the summer of 2020. Trial attorney and former prosecutor Leslie Ricard Chambers joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss the verdict, possible sentencing, and more.
