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).
Jenn Graham, Founder and CEO of Inclusivv, joins ChedHER to discuss how to navigate challenging topics in the workplace and have conversations on race, mental health, and allyship, and why leaders should keep empathy at the top of mind.
Alina Villasante, Founder and Designer of Peace Love World, joins ChedHER to discuss how she launched her lifestyle brand after a 17-year career in the aviation industry, what it's like growing her business alongside her daughter, and trends to keep an eye out for this holiday season.
A jam-packed Freitag pod with Carlo and Baker: new Covid hotspots, Kyle Rittenhouse trial, Belarus making trouble for Europe, red-hot housing market, and how to manage a PR crisis the right way.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Yat Labs Co-Founder breaks down how a 'Yat' is changing the way people think about their online identities; Scythe Robotics CEO explains how it's bringing innovation to the landscaping industry with its autonomous, all-electric mowers; Founder of California Cowboy discusses how its creating clothing designed for creating in-person connections with others with features like a beverage pocket, bottle opener, and conversation cards; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Beyond the Spotlight' biography series.
Drew Clark, CEO and Founder of California Cowboy, joins 'Cheddar Innovates' to discuss how it is creating clothing designed for creating in-person connections with others with features like a beverage pocket, bottle opener, and conversation cards.
Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Beyond the Spotlight,' a biography series about the intriguing people who capture our attention, fill our social feeds, and shape pop culture.
Naveen Jain, Co-Founder of Yat Labs, joins 'Cheddar Innovates' to discuss how a 'Yat' is changing the way people think about their online identities, and why artists like Questlove and G-Eazy are backing this idea.
