[Header image courtesy of Key Fame Films at Engine Room, Brooklyn]

This week, Steel Sessions relaunched in Manhattan's Engine Room, now powered by Phlote.

The Playoff of Sound meets the Supreme of Sound.

Part studio session, part mentorship program, part cultural experiment, Steel Sessions puts emerging creatives in a room with each other and brands that can shape their futures.

Steel Sessions is an immersive workshop and networking platform. It connects emerging producers, engineers, artists, and creators with working music-industry professionals.

The idea is simple. Put talented young creatives in a room, let them collaborate, create original music, and build relationships. The result is new collaborations, new tracks, and a stronger creative network.

Who's behind it

Steel Sessions was founded in 2017 by platinum production duo Buda & Grandz and Grammy-nominated producer/engineer Mike Kuz.

This year, a partnership with Phlote brought it back. The idea came from music industry MacGyver Dro Greenstein and Phlote CEO AJ Washington. Alex Kirshbaum of Nue was right in the middle, building bridges and helping connect these worlds together as an advisor to Phlote and longtime collaborator of Dro.

Phlote helps artists turn demos, loops, stems, and unfinished tracks into new work through collaboration. It connects creators and makes music available for use by other artists, apps, games, and creator platforms. Artists retain ownership and participate in the value their music creates. 

Why it matters

Talent is everywhere. Access and opportunity aren't.

Artists need dedicated space to create and support to sustain a creative life. Phlote and Steel Sessions provide that foundation: space to make music, people to build with, and resources and technology to take the work further. The goal is to turn creative connections into real opportunities, collaborations, and careers. 

What's next

We're just getting warmed up. The next Steel Sessions hits Brooklyn in November, bigger and bolder than ever. Date announced soon. 

Attending? Anyone with a ticket can come.

  • Producing? Producer spots are by application and approved by the team.

Follow @steelsessions for tickets and updates. 

Your turn: Are you a producer or an artist? Hit reply and tell me what you'd want from a session like this.

On & Up! Musically yours, 

DEAL FLOW TO KNOW

Mass Appeal and Whatnot Bring Hip-Hop to New York Comic Con (Billboard) — Hip-hop heritage meets live-commerce and fandom culture, showing how legacy brands and acts like Nas and the Fugees can reach collectors where they already gather.

Sunflower Soundsystem Was 'Extremely Cool' (Billboard) — Billboard's Head Trip festival recap shows that the curated, stage-level experiences fans remember are what festivals and brands should be building around.

So Many Music Industry Acquisitions (STVDIO) — A look at the recent wave of deals, a reminder that consolidation is changing who owns the catalogs, tools and audiences the industry runs on.

TRENDING PULSE

Lucian Grainge on AI and the Future of Music at UMG (The Hollywood Reporter) — The head of the world's biggest label setting out its AI stance matters because it shapes the licensing terms the rest of the industry will be pushed toward.

Suno Hires Ticketmaster's Michael Chua to Lead Its Live Music Team, Including Songkick (Music Business Worldwide) — An AI-native music company building out a live and ticketing team signals that AI players now want a stake in the concert business too.

Gen Z Listens to Podcasts More Than It Watches TikTok (Ad Age) — If audio is winning Gen Z's attention, brands and artists should treat podcasts as a core channel, not an afterthought.

SPOTLIGHT STAGE

Catch my conversation on the Recoupable podcast, where we get into the intersection of music, tech and artist business.

About Nue Agency
Nue is a creative music agency that leverages the power of music culture to help our clients make deeper connections with their consumers. Each week in our Beats + Bytes newsletter, we highlight the best stories, news and trends happening in the industry to keep you up on what's new. To learn more about what we do, contact us here!
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