Milana Rabkin Lewis gives closing remarks | Billboard Indie Power Players 2024

Milana Rabkin Lewis, founder of Stem, gives the closing remarks at Billboard's 2024 Indie Power Players event.

Hannah Karp
A woman who is one of the most incredible leaders in the music industry and an incredible supporter of indie artists, Milana Rabkin Lewis, the founder of Stem.

Milana Rabkin Lewis
Thank you, Billboard, for having me tonight, and I just want to say congratulations to Brent and Ty and Jane and the entire culture. It's so amazing to watch you get honored for all you've built over the past decade. And it was incredible to have a front row seat to watch what has happened. And this moment is amazing. And for those of you who don't know the story behind these guys, you should check it out, because they literally wrote the book on what it means to be an independent label and support independent artists. And the point of what I want to say as we close this wonderful evening and celebration is actually being able to take calculated risks, as you all know, life in the music industry as an independent artist or as an executive requires tenacity and courage, and it's really the true pulse of innovation in this industry that beats strongest in the hearts of independent artists, managers, entrepreneurs and executives, individuals like those honored here tonight and those who work tirelessly around the world, the risk we take to make something that doesn't fit a mold it's really worth celebrating, and together, we tackle many of the issues we've talked about big-name behemoths and their indie offshoots, sometimes masquerading as independents themselves, and the artists and labels they face really a difficult decision about whether or not to retain their autonomy or succumb to the lure of the biggest salary available. And it's a delicate balance between creative freedom and financial security, each presenting its own path and its own set of challenges and opportunities across the spectrum of risk.

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