Trapital

Brazil’s biggest music stars can build massive audiences at home, while Nigeria’s global stars often find most of their listeners abroad. Both are finding success, but the paths to building those audiences look very different.

Sung Cho, founder and CEO of Chartmetric, joined me at the Trapital Summit to break down the company’s new report, The New Sound of Global Music. We discussed how music from Mexico, Nigeria, India, Japan, and Brazil travels across borders, why one global hit doesn’t guarantee lasting momentum, and what streaming numbers can miss. We also talked about Chartmetric Flow, how AI can help plan tours and identify brand partnerships, and why execution still matters when everyone has access to the same tools.

CHAPTERS

01:54 The Ripple Effect of Global Hits05:39 Brazil vs. Nigeria’s Superstars07:41 What Streaming Data Misses10:53 Introducing Chartmetric Flow12:16 Tour Planning and Brand Partnerships14:53 Why Execution Still Matters

SPONSORS

Chartmetric Flow: Flow is Chartmetric’s new AI-powered music intelligence tool that helps music professionals turn complex data into actionable insights. Ask questions in plain language, discover trends, and get the information you need to make smarter decisions, all without digging through dashboards.Learn more: https://flow.chartmetric.com/pricing/trapital

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Kevin Shivers started in an agency mailroom at 31. Today, he’s Co-President of Music at THE·TEAM, representing artists including Tyler, the Creator, Leon Thomas, and Kali Uchis. His approach to building the agency centers on teamwork, developing artists, and what he calls “unreasonable hospitality.”

Kevin sat down with Billboard’s Taylor Mims at the Trapital Summit to break down his journey, what he looks for when signing artists, and how he’s helped grow Tyler, the Creator’s touring business over 14 years.

They also discussed why stadium tours are making festival bookings harder, how fans are changing the way they buy tickets, and why selling out immediately isn’t always the right goal.

CHAPTERS

01:37 Building the Number One Agency02:54 From the Mailroom to Co-President06:42 Finding Artists with Staying Power09:24 Tyler, the Creator’s Touring Growth11:42 Festivals vs. Headline Tours15:05 Stadiums and the Live Music Business17:12 Ticket Sales and Sellout Strategy

SPONSORS

Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week.

Chartmetric Flow: Flow is Chartmetric’s new AI-powered music intelligence tool that helps music professionals turn complex data into actionable insights. Ask questions in plain language, discover trends, and get the information you need to make smarter decisions, all without digging through dashboards.Learn more: https://flow.chartmetric.com/pricing/trapital

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

KevOnStage has millions of followers, a growing production company, and the largest creator deal Tubi has signed to date. But live touring still drives roughly 60% of his revenue, while his TV shows are more about building his long-term business.

Kev and I sat down at the Trapital Summit to break down his business model, why he can sometimes make more money selling 300 tickets at a church than 1,000 tickets at a traditional venue, and his frustrations with Live Nation and Ticketmaster fees. We also discussed his Tubi deal, the importance of ownership, lessons from Tyler Perry and Issa Rae, and how he's building an audience across platforms.

CHAPTERS

02:00 Tubi Deal and Ownership

07:29 KevOnStage's Revenue Breakdown

12:23 Live Nation and Ticketmaster Economics

17:23 Why Kev Prefers to Tour in Churches

20:11 Tyler Perry and Issa Rae

25:53 The Creator Business Flywheel

SPONSORS

Chartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week.

Chartmetric Flow: Flow is Chartmetric's new AI-powered music intelligence tool that helps music professionals turn complex data into actionable insights. Ask questions in plain language, discover trends, and get the information you need to make smarter decisions, all without digging through dashboards.

Learn more: https://flow.chartmetric.com/pricing/trapital

TRAPITAL

Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.

I sat down with Primary Wave CEO Larry at the Trapital Summit.

When Larry started Primary Wave in 2006, the company had roughly $60 million to invest. Twenty years later, Primary Wave raised a record $2.2 billion fund dedicated. It has partnered with the estates and catalogs of Whitney Houston, Prince, Bob Marley, James Brown, Luther Vandross, and more.Larry and I talked about how Primary Wave evaluates music rights, recent acquisitions, the rise of capital in the space, the criticism that the firm has given, and more.

CHAPTERS

07:53 What makes a music catalog valuable11:38 Active vs. passive management12:16 Whitney Houston, Prince, and other estates16:36 Why Primary Wave acquired Kobalt23:09 The future of music rights valuations

This conversation was recorded live at Trapital Summit 2026 in Los Angeles.

Listen here: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Overcast

Links mentioned:

Primary Wave Music

Primary Wave’s acquisition of Kobalt

Primary Wave’s $2.2 billion Music IP Fund IV

Trapital Summit 2026

Why Investors Are Looking Beyond Iconic Music Catalogs — Trapital’s conversation with Flexpoint Ford’s Mike Morris

Presented by Chartmetric

The third annual Trapital Summit is officially in the books.

We are joined by MIdiA Research's Tati Cirisano to look back on what happened in Los Angeles, from the standout moments on stage to the conversations that continued throughout the room.

We break down the ideas that sparked the most discussion, the biggest takeaways from the day, and what the Summit revealed about where music, media, entertainment, and finance are headed next.

We also reflect on how the event has grown over the past three years and preview the Summit conversations coming soon to the podcast.

CHAPTERS

01:51 Entertainment Convergence04:15 Platforms vs. Artists06:14 Suno’s Major Label Deals08:56 Netflix and Music14:40 Finance vs. Artist Development16:53 Merch and Fandom18:19 KevOnStage’s Business Model

SPONSORSChartmetric: Listen in for our Stat of the Week.

Symphonic: Distribute your music to one of the largest networks in the industry. Symphonic delivers your music to over 200 digital service providers ensuring that you’re monetizing every stream and use of your music on Spotify, TikTok, YouTube, and more

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Where technology shapes culture. New episodes and memos every week. Sign up here for free.