Ep. 94: Tina Schlieske on Reinvention, Major Labels, and Staying True to Your Voice

Tina Schlieske has lived a lot of musical lives.She came up through the Twin Cities scene with Tina and the B-Sides, built momentum through relentless gigging, mailers, college radio, word of mouth, and a famously clever billboard campaign, then signed to Sire Records after a CBGB’s show caught the attention of Seymour Stein.But this conversation is not just a look back at a remarkable career. It is about reinvention, range, and what it takes to keep growing as an artist when the path gets complicated.Tina talks about the early hustle of building the B-Sides, the strange mix of validation and disillusionment that came with a major label deal, and the ego-driven decisions she can see more clearly now. She also shares why she eventually chose to end the band before the relationships broke down, what she learned from touring with Double Trouble, and how making her solo record Slow Burn opened another chapter.We also get into Tina’s later move into jazz, and why stepping into a genre that scared her became one of the best things she ever did for her voice. She talks about breath control, tone, restraint, collaboration, and the difference between shouting a story and actually telling one.In this episode, we talk about:How Tina and the B-Sides built momentum before the internetPlaying CBGB’s, meeting Seymour Stein, and signing to Sire RecordsWhy the “big opportunity” can be more complicated than artists expectEgo, instinct, and the decisions Tina sees differently nowEnding the B-Sides before the relationships broke downTouring with Double Trouble and making Slow BurnHow jazz changed Tina’s relationship with her voiceBreath control, tone, restraint, and storytelling as a singerCollaboration, imposter syndrome, and learning to ask more questionsThis is a great conversation for anyone trying to build a life in music without getting boxed into one version of themselves. Tina’s story is full of big moments, but the real lesson is quieter and more useful: stay curious, keep learning, ask more questions, and do not let the industry, your ego, or anyone else make you smaller than you are.Episode Links and Mentions🌐 First Avenue🌐 The Cabooze🌐 Bunkers Music Bar & Grill🌐 Liquor Lyle’s🌐 Sire Records🌐 Seymour Stein🌐 CBGB🌐 Double Trouble🌐 Stevie Ray Vaughan🌐 Jonny Lang🌐 The Wallflowers🌐 Hootie & the Blowfish🌐 Very Bad Things🌐 Paul Fox🌐 SXSW🌐 Sweet Nothin’sConnect with the Guest:🔗 Tinaschlieske.com🔗 Instagram🔗 Tina Schlieske's LinkTreeFeatured Song:"Barricade" by Tina & the B-Sides🎧 Listen on Spotify👀 Watch on YouTubeGet new episodes by email: Join the Secrets From The Scene newsletter.Secrets From The Scene is made by Helvig Productions, a Twin Cities recording studio for artists and bands.