Emily Kopp - Working with Managers, Rebranding, Co-Writing, and Creating Art

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Emily Kopp returns for a Round 2 on the podcast. Kopp is a singer-songwriter, musician, producer, world traveler, and badass human based in Nashville, TN. To hear about her back story and lessons from booking her first shows, playing cover gigs, writing for synch placements on commercials, and backpacking the world, listen here. Since the last episode, she has continued producing and writing music for commercials, has gone on tour with Kacey Musgraves, played Bonnaroo, started working with a new management company, and is going to release a new EP under her new and rebranded project, Lowen, on October 25th. Her first single from the new EP, “Morning, Mourning” was released on August 1st of 2019. 

In this episode, we discuss what it’s like to work with a management company, what artists should look for in a manger, making great art, co-writing with other people, rebranding herself, recent adventures, and much more. Really excited to have her back on the show, and share her story up to this point. Emily has been one of my best friends for a long time, and it has been very exciting to see her evolve as a songwriter, musician, and producer, and watching her journey to do many amazing things and create “good fucking art!” 

Quotes from Emily Kopp
“A manager needs to be someone with good intention, and not trying to sell you a fake dream.”
“With anyone you’re going into business with, especially a manager, needs to be someone that has integrity.” 
“If they don’t know what they’re doing exactly, they need to be willing to go to know what they’re doing.”
“Sometimes the work we physically see being done, it feels like being productive, but it’s not actually.”
“Touring is what you get to do only when your art is in a place where that’s justified.”
“The main goal should be making the best music you can and finding yourself as an artist.”
“You need to be making good fucking art!”
“Just because you played one festival one time, doesn’t mean the rest of your career will just begin to unravel.”
“It’s important now more than ever to get yourself a little recording rig and start learning how to record.”
“When no one is looking and paying attention, that’s the time to explore.”
“Always come prepared with a seed of an idea, because that is king.”
“Being a good listener is the most important thing.”
“I also suggest doing three-way writes.”

Highlights from this Episode
[4:38] Working with a Management Company
[7:20] What should artists look for in a manager and how do they let go?
[11:40] Making great art versus touring
[17:35] Playing at Bonnaroo 2019
[20:32] Touring with Kacey Musgraves and playing the Ryman Auditorium
[22:40] How much has living in Nashville impacted her career?
[25:15] Moving to a major music market like Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles
[30:23] New single “Morning, Mourning”
[32:25] Emily’s journaling process
[34:45] Changing her name from Emily Kopp to Lowen
[38:48] Where to being when it comes to co-writing
[40:30] When to write with more established songwriters
[45:14] Learning production as a songwriter and getting a starting rig
[49:25] The communication of setting up a co-write
[51:42] What to bring and prepare to a writing session
[53:07] Things to avoid during a writing session
[57:25] Getting to Know Emily Kopp 

Links to people, places, and things mentioned
Chance the Rapper
Kacey Musgraves
Bonnaroo
Ryman Auditorium
Jack Antonoff
R.LUM.R
Brandi Carlile
Chris Stapleton
Jeffrey James [Episode #041]
Max Martin
Blue Microphones
Logic [Recording Program]
Pro Tools [Recording Program]
Cubase [Recording Program]
Destiny’s Child
Christina Aguilera
Brene Brown
Oprah SuperSoul Sunday Podcast 

Emily Kopp’s Definition of Making It:
“When you’re in the flow of a path of finding your total happiness, your total joy, and making choices that align with those things. You’re making it.” 

Get in touch with Emily Kopp
Instagram | Twitter
https://www.earthtolowen.com/ 

Keep in touch:
chris.goyzueta@gmail.com
www.makingitwithchrisg.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrisgoyzueta/
https://www.facebook.com/makingitwithchrisg

Credits: 
Host: Chris Goyzueta (Chris G.)
Producer: Jason Trosclair
Executive Producer: ONElive Creative Agency  
Music: Emily Kopp