How This DIY Darkwave Band From Texas Sells Out Venues Around The World & Gets Millions of Streams
02/05/25 • 57 min
1 Listener
This week Ari sits down with Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. of the duo Twin Tribes. This dark wave band out of Brownsville, TX has been gaining impressive momentum on the gothic scene—and they’re doing it entirely DIY. Twin Tribes releases their music through DistroKid and has over 30 million streams with nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. They have toured the world and managed their growing success completely independently.
In this episode, Twin Tribes tells Ari all about how they’ve built their DIY operation from the ground up. They share about how they’ve partnered with record labels to utilize their physical product offerings (CDs, cassette tapes, vinyls, etc) while still maintaining full independence as artists. Luis and Joel also break down the potent visuals behind the Twin Tribes brand and how they developed their aesthetic. This conversation is an inspiring example of how finding your niche and building a DIY community can help catapult your career.
https://www.instagram.com/twin_tribes/
Chapters
00:00 The Genesis of Twin Tribes
02:53 Building a DIY Community
06:03 The Role of Aesthetics in Music
08:51 Discovering the Gothic Scene
12:13 The Cassette Era and Initial Releases
15:10 Growing Through Live Performances
17:58 Transitioning to Full-Time Musicians
20:51 Strategic Partnerships and Touring
24:04 The Evolution of Their Sound and Success
28:21 Navigating DIY Music Partnerships
30:42 Building a Digital Strategy for Streaming Success
36:24 Creating Ambitious Music Videos
44:23 Crafting a Cohesive Aesthetic and Vision
50:36 Engaging with Fans and Community
53:04 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Twin Tribes
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week Ari sits down with Luis Navarro and Joel Niño Jr. of the duo Twin Tribes. This dark wave band out of Brownsville, TX has been gaining impressive momentum on the gothic scene—and they’re doing it entirely DIY. Twin Tribes releases their music through DistroKid and has over 30 million streams with nearly a million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. They have toured the world and managed their growing success completely independently.
In this episode, Twin Tribes tells Ari all about how they’ve built their DIY operation from the ground up. They share about how they’ve partnered with record labels to utilize their physical product offerings (CDs, cassette tapes, vinyls, etc) while still maintaining full independence as artists. Luis and Joel also break down the potent visuals behind the Twin Tribes brand and how they developed their aesthetic. This conversation is an inspiring example of how finding your niche and building a DIY community can help catapult your career.
https://www.instagram.com/twin_tribes/
Chapters
00:00 The Genesis of Twin Tribes
02:53 Building a DIY Community
06:03 The Role of Aesthetics in Music
08:51 Discovering the Gothic Scene
12:13 The Cassette Era and Initial Releases
15:10 Growing Through Live Performances
17:58 Transitioning to Full-Time Musicians
20:51 Strategic Partnerships and Touring
24:04 The Evolution of Their Sound and Success
28:21 Navigating DIY Music Partnerships
30:42 Building a Digital Strategy for Streaming Success
36:24 Creating Ambitious Music Videos
44:23 Crafting a Cohesive Aesthetic and Vision
50:36 Engaging with Fans and Community
53:04 Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Twin Tribes
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Previous Episode
How the China Music Market Works
This week Ari sits down with Alex Taggart, an expert on the Chinese music market. Alex spent 10 years in China overseeing local strategy for clients such as Dua Lipa, Diplo, Lauv, John Legend and so many more. He now works independently, managing artists through his own company, Isle of Management. Alex’s main focus is bringing globally-minded talent to local audiences worldwide.
This conversation gives a comprehensive introduction to the Chinese music industry. Whether you’re well-versed in this market or know virtually nothing about it, you will learn a ton from this episode. Alex highlights various DSPs used in China (i.e. their versions of Spotify/Apple music) and explains the inner workings of Chinese social platforms. If you’re an artist looking to break into China, Alex offers actionable steps to get your music on their radar. In fact, you might already be big in China and not even realize it! Alex shares important info about how to check your music’s traction in China. If you’re interested in booking shows or touring through the country, this episode is for you, too. Enjoy this breakdown of the multifaceted Chinese music market!
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-taggart-music/
Chapters
00:00 Collaborating for Success in China
01:51 Understanding the Chinese Music Market
07:55 Music Consumption and Streaming Platforms in China
15:59 Checking Your Traction in China
20:38 Revenue Streams for Artists
23:57 Monetization in the Chinese Music Industry
35:41 Navigating Publishing and Rights Management
37:07 Understanding China's Music Publishing Landscape
40:01 Navigating the Challenges of Music Rights in China
44:27 Exploring Touring Opportunities in China
49:50 Strategies for Artists to Break into the Chinese Market
54:12 The Role of Competition Shows in Artist Development
01:01:19 Leveraging Collaborations for Market Entry
01:12:01 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Next Episode
Spotify Commissioned Cheap "Fake Artists" And She's Got the Proof
This week Ari sits down with Liz Pelly, a prominent music journalist and author of the new book Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. Liz’s journalism has appeared in NPR, The Guardian, and Pitchfork among other prestigious publications. Preceded by an exposé in Harper’s Magazine, Pelly’s latest work, Mood Machine, pulls back the curtain on Spotify’s exploitative practices and uncovers how those practices impact artists and listeners.
In this episode, Liz gives the low down on research she conducted for the book and explains how Spotify has unfairly conspired with major labels since its launch. As she does in Mood Machine, Liz calls out Spotify’s Perfect Fit Content (PFC) program and explains how its use of ghost artists degrades the integrity of their model for all. Ari and Liz discuss the value of music and how that can differ in the eyes of major corporations and individuals. Whether you’re an artist, label, or listener who uses Spotify, this episode will help you understand the impact Spotify’s model has on your relationship to music.
https://www.instagram.com/lizpelly
Harper’s article: https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/
Chapters
00:00 The Inner Workings of Spotify
12:48 Ghost Artists and the PFC Program
37:50 Spotify's Launch and Major Label Relationships
41:26 The Evolution of Streaming Contracts
44:14 Valuing Music: A Cultural Perspective
49:43 The Impact of Streaming on Music Value
56:10 Algorithms and the Personalization of Music
01:01:20 The Role of Music in Society
01:07:23 Future Solutions for Musicians
01:19:38 Defining Success in the New Music Business
Edited and mixed by Ari Davids
Music by Brassroots District
Produced by the team at Ari’s Take
Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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