Alex Tamashunas on Why Songwriters Deserve More Credit & How Spotify Is Changing That | Ep. 16

Our guest this week has spent her career in the spaces most people don't see: the publishing offices, the writing rooms, and now the streaming platforms quietly shaping what gets heard and who gets credit. As Spotify's Songwriting & Publisher Partnerships Lead, Alex Tamashunas is one of the few people we've met working at the highest levels of this industry with a songwriter's heart still fully intact.In this conversation, Alex opens up about the uphill battle of building real fandom around the people who write the songs, what Spotify's new Song DNA feature means for songwriter visibility, and why AI in the writing room is less a creative tool and more a shortcut that costs you something. She also gets into the advice she wishes more emerging writers heard: the power of first impressions, finding your tribe, and knowing when to shoot your shot.Whether you're trying to navigate publishing, figure out your next move as a songwriter, or just curious about what's really happening inside one of the world's biggest music platforms, we think this one has something for you. We're so grateful Alex made the time to sit with us. Hope you enjoy!00:00 – Welcome & Intro: Alex Tamashunas01:00 – How Alex & Willie Met + the Hunter Hayes Connection03:18 – Growing Up in New Jersey & Falling in Love with Country Music07:00 – Why Nashville Over LA? Following the Lyric09:00 – What Does a Music Publisher Actually Do?11:27 – From Bartending to Publishing to Spotify13:37 – Spotify's Song DNA Feature & Giving Songwriters Visibility19:07 – The Gap Between How Much Songwriters Matter & How Little They're Celebrated23:00 – Building Fandom Around Songwriters: Is the Appetite There?26:40 – The Double-Edged Sword of Music Personalization & the Loss of a Shared Heartbeat33:58 – Algorithmic vs. Editor-Curated Playlists: Why Both Matter35:30 – Advice for Independent Artists & Songwriters Finding Their Footing43:50 – The Importance of Mentors & Finding a Great Publisher45:00 – When Songwriters Become Artists: Why Alex Loves Seeing That Transition48:50 – AI in the Writing Room: Where It Helps & Where It Costs You56:35 – Authenticity, Connection & What Listeners Are Really Starving For59:00 – Falling Back in Love with Music & Artist Rec: Annika Bennett01:03:35 – The Importance of Writing Alone Once a WeekFollow Alex Tamashunas:InstagramFollow The Bilby + Ella Show:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Our Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Hill:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Willie:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram