This week on the New Music Business, Ari sits down with powerhouse managers Gordan Dillard and Josh Kaplan, the team behind global superstar Doja Cat. Together, they break down how they helped build one of the most influential, multi-hyphenate artists of the decade. Gordan and Josh share early viral moments of Doja Cat's diversified empire spanning music, brand partnerships, and new business ventures.
Other topics discussed here include: how features really work, how producers differ from beatmakers, what modern record deals look like at the highest level, and why short-form content has completely reshaped the career-building playbook. Gordan and Josh offer candid, unfiltered advice for emerging artists and managers on finding the right partnership, building a fanbase from scratch, and creating leverage in today’s industry.
https://www.instagram.com/dojacat/
04:16 – Why Good Day Management only represents one artist
07:19 – Diversifying Doja Cat’s revenue beyond music
10:18 – How Gordon & Josh first joined Doja’s team
15:40 – The “Juicy” era and early visual strategy
17:31 – Doja Cat’s rise during the pandemic
20:42 – Long-form videos vs short-form content today
24:54 – Balancing artists’ vision with budget and label support
29:10 – How label deals and funding have evolved
36:28 – How features actually get made (creatively & financially)
44:25 – Beatmakers vs producers: what’s the difference?
48:37 – Why songs sometimes have 7 writers & 6 producers
58:54 – Advice for emerging artists & managers today
Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp
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
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