EPISODE · May 20, 2026 · 1H 5M
Going Viral In The Right Way Allowed Him To Turn Down Record Deals and Sell Out Venues Around The World
from The New Music Business with Ari Herstand
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Red Leather, the anonymous artist who turned viral TikTok videos into sold-out tours around the world. Known for his signature red hat, Red Leather first started his career by busking on Hollywood Boulevard before exploding online with viral covers and original songs like “The Only Time It Rains in Hollywood.” In this episode, Red Leather breaks down how he used social media to grow his audience from scratch, why he posted 5 videos a day for 100 straight days, how smashing guitars outside Capitol Records landed him a record deal (that he turned down), and why ticket sales matter more than streams or viral moments. He also opens up about sobriety, surviving addiction, touring independently, and eventually partnering with Empire after years of doing everything DIY.Follow Red Leather:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redleather/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@redleatherCheck out Ari’s Take:https://aristake.com00:04:02 - Intro00:04:36 - The Origin of Red Leather00:06:39 - Sobriety, Addiction & Artistic Vulnerability00:10:11 - Posting 5 Videos a Day for 100 Days00:14:11 - The Viral TikTok That Changed Everything00:20:00 - Smashing Guitars Outside Capitol Records00:25:12 - Why He Turned Down Major Label Deals00:33:28 - Booking Tours Through Instagram DMs00:47:23 - Virality vs Real Fans & Ticket Sales01:01:58 - What “Making It” Means TodayEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder 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.
What this episode covers
This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Red Leather, the anonymous artist who turned viral TikTok videos into sold-out tours around the world. Known for his signature red hat, Red Leather first started his career by busking on Hollywood Boulevard before exploding online with viral covers and original songs like “The Only Time It Rains in Hollywood.” In this episode, Red Leather breaks down how he used social media to grow his audience from scratch, why he posted 5 videos a day for 100 straight days, how smashing guitars outside Capitol Records landed him a record deal (that he turned down), and why ticket sales matter more than streams or viral moments. He also opens up about sobriety, surviving addiction, touring independently, and eventually partnering with Empire after years of doing everything DIY.Follow Red Leather:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redleather/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@redleatherCheck out Ari’s Take:https://aristake.com00:04:02 - Intro00:04:36 - The Origin of Red Leather00:06:39 - Sobriety, Addiction & Artistic Vulnerability00:10:11 - Posting 5 Videos a Day for 100 Days00:14:11 - The Viral TikTok That Changed Everything00:20:00 - Smashing Guitars Outside Capitol Records00:25:12 - Why He Turned Down Major Label Deals00:33:28 - Booking Tours Through Instagram DMs00:47:23 - Virality vs Real Fans & Ticket Sales01:01:58 - What “Making It” Means TodayEdited and mixed by Ruben ZarateMusic by Brassroots DistrictProduced by the team at Ari’s TakeOrder 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.
NOW PLAYING
Going Viral In The Right Way Allowed Him To Turn Down Record Deals and Sell Out Venues Around The World
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.