Music Soup, a burgeoning record label with a unique approach to artist development and a joint venture with Interscope Records and Darkroom, is rapidly making its mark on the music industry, fueled by the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders, Sean Lewow and Max Motley.
The Genesis of a Music Empire: From Ticket Giveaways to Label Ventures
The journey of Music Soup is rooted in the relentless passion of its co-founders, Sean Lewow and Max Motley, whose early lives were steeped in an unwavering dedication to music. Lewow, now 27, recalls a childhood characterized by an almost obsessive pursuit of music-related opportunities. During his teenage years in the Atlanta area, he became a notorious figure among local radio stations, consistently winning ticket giveaways through a meticulously crafted system. This audacious strategy, which even involved impersonating his grandmother, ultimately led to a playful ultimatum from the radio hosts: "Sean, we know it’s you. Stop calling. We’ll give you the tickets, just please, for the love of God, stop pretending to be your grandmother on the phone."
This early determination to immerse himself in the music scene extended into his college years. Lewow actively participated in the student radio station and concert committee, gaining invaluable experience and building a reputation as a driven individual. He even established Ourros, a creative studio and management company, operating from the confines of his dorm room bunk bed.
Forging a Partnership: Motley’s Digital Acumen Meets Lewow’s Drive
The pivotal moment that shaped Music Soup’s long-term vision arrived when Lewow met Max Motley, 28. Motley, a Bay Area native, shared Lewow’s profound musical obsession. His own trajectory included leadership roles at his college radio station and an internship at the prestigious talent agency Paradigm, now part of THE·TEAM. However, Motley’s post-graduation plans in 2020 were abruptly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which decimated the live music job market. "I had to move back in with my parents, we were completely sheltered in place, and I’m applying to all these jobs post-grad," Motley recounted. "I applied to like 50 to 100 different jobs, just trying to get a first-round interview anywhere. Nothing worked."
In his quest to break into the industry, Motley turned to TikTok, aiming to showcase his talent-scouting abilities through content focused on his favorite artists. His TikTok handle, @mostleymusic, became a pioneer in applying the traditional blog model to short-form video content. The page rapidly garnered over 200,000 followers and attracted A&R consultancy offers from multiple major record labels.
A Shared Vision: From Competitors to Collaborators
Both Lewow and Motley, through their distinct paths, eventually found themselves scouting for prominent figures in the music industry. Lewow was scouting for Justin Lubliner, CEO and founder of Darkroom, while Motley was doing the same for John Janick, CEO and chairman of Interscope Records. It was during this period that their professional paths converged. "That’s where I met Sean," Motley explained. Initially, Motley harbored a competitive mindset, viewing A&R as a zero-sum game. He humorously recalled, "at the time I still had this mentality of, like, everyone’s the competition, and I’ve got to take everyone down." Lewow, however, approached the encounter with a more optimistic outlook, stating, "The whole time I’m just like, ‘I think I made a new friend!’" This stark contrast in their initial perceptions ultimately laid the groundwork for a strong and collaborative partnership.
The Birth of Music Soup: A Joint Venture with Ambition
In February 2022, their burgeoning friendship solidified into a business venture. Lewow and Motley officially joined forces to launch Music Soup, establishing a joint venture with Interscope Records and Darkroom. The label’s inception was somewhat organic, beginning with the signing of country artist Vincent Mason and pop singer Katherine Li. The core philosophy behind Music Soup was to identify and nurture artists who might otherwise be overlooked within the vast infrastructure of a major label.
"We realized, ‘Okay, there are these people that are super talented; they’re coming to us for help. It’s not the type of thing right now in their stage of development where it makes sense for just a major label to do. So, you know what, maybe there’s no time like the present – maybe now is the time to satisfy the dream of starting a record label of our own,’" Lewow explained.
A Roster of Diverse Talent and Industry Recognition
Fast forward a few years, and Music Soup has cultivated an impressive and diverse roster. Interscope Records CEO/chairman John Janick lauded the label’s rapid success, stating, "The success they’ve achieved in just a few years with artists like Vincent Mason, Waylon Wyatt, Wisp, and hey, nothing, is a reflection of their great creative instincts, their work ethic, and the trust [Motley and Lewow] earned from both artists and partners."
The label, now four years in operation, is headquartered in Los Angeles and employs six individuals, including its two co-founders. The name "Music Soup" was deliberately chosen to convey an approachable, warm, and inviting atmosphere. Lewow humorously noted that the name also had a practical origin, stemming from Motley’s exclusive consumption of soup during their early work sessions. "Plus, Max was in a phase where anytime I would go over to his apartment to work on Music Soup, he was exclusively eating soup, to the point where I was like, this has to be a practical joke. There’s no way you can be eating soup five days a week." Lewow also revealed that the name serves as a subtle homage to John Janick’s early success with his label, Fueled by Ramen.
A Collaborative Ecosystem: Music Soup, Darkroom, and Interscope
Music Soup operates within a symbiotic relationship with its parent companies. Darkroom’s founder, Justin Lubliner, acts as a "third partner," providing mentorship and support across all aspects of the label’s operations. His team offers crucial assistance with public relations, international outreach, and other essential services. Interscope Records primarily functions as a distributor for Music Soup’s releases, offering a vital lifeline of support. "While [all three companies] are not listed on every artist, everybody is involved to different extents in all the artists we work on," Lewow clarified.
Lubliner expressed his pride in Lewow and Motley’s development, stating, "Watching them grow into the executives they’ve become – and getting to be part of that journey as a partner in Music Soup – has been a privilege. They’re just great, genuine people who lead with humility, hunger and integrity."
The Music Soup Philosophy: Cultivating Potential Beyond Genre
The Music Soup roster is characterized by its eclectic nature, featuring artists such as Wisp, Vincent Mason, Katherine Li, Waylon Wyatt, and hey, nothing. Lewow and Motley emphasize that their artist selection process is not dictated by genre or rigid metrics, but rather by an innate sense of potential. This approach necessitates a constant state of innovation and adaptation. "When you do it this way, you can’t rest on your laurels," Motley cautioned. "You can’t just be like, ‘We’re only doing country, and we have already made a roadmap of what’s going to work for every country artist.’" Lewow added, "It forces us to make sure that we are always creating new strategies and that every artist’s rollout is bespoke."
Spotlight on the Artists: Chart Success and Critical Acclaim
The artists under the Music Soup umbrella have already achieved significant milestones. Wisp, a shoegaze/alt-rock artist, has garnered critical attention, featuring on a track with American Football and opening for major acts like System of a Down and Deftones in stadium settings. Her song "Your Face" reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hard Rock Songs chart, underscoring her growing influence in the alternative rock scene.
Country artist Vincent Mason has also experienced remarkable success. His track "Hell Is a Dance Floor" has earned RIAA platinum certification. Furthermore, in the past year, two of his songs, "Something to Lose" (a collaboration with Stella Lefty) and "Damned If I Do," charted on the Billboard Hot 100, signaling his crossover appeal and strong songwriting capabilities.
Lewow reflected on the unexpected trajectory of country music, stating, "We had no idea that country was going to become what country did when we signed Vincent in 2022. We just knew that he was an incredible singer-songwriter, and that we were incredibly attached to the stories that he was telling. The same thing goes for Waylon Wyatt – we loved country, folk and Americana. So it just made sense. Same thing went for Wisp." This illustrates Music Soup’s commitment to championing artists based on artistic merit and authentic storytelling, regardless of prevailing industry trends.
The Road Ahead: Ambitious Goals and Strategic Growth
As Waylon Wyatt prepares for his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry and Vincent Mason’s single "Damned If I Do" impacts country radio, Lewow and Motley are setting their sights on even greater heights. "We want to take Music Soup to the moon," Motley declared.
Lewow expressed profound excitement for Mason’s radio debut, viewing it as a pivotal moment for the label. "We’ve been in the trenches with Vincent every single release since release one," he said. "We’re so excited that ‘Damned If I Do’ is going to radio. It’s a turning point for us, but we want so much more, and Vincent wants so much more. We want to continue growing Music Soup and our artists to be as big as they can possibly be."
However, their expansion strategy remains focused on quality over quantity. "But it’s never like, ‘Alright, we’re going to sign 10 artists at once and go for volume,’" Motley added. "We’re always wanting to make sure that we have more people on our team than artists we’re working with, so that they always feel like they can pick up the phone and call Sean, myself, anyone from our team at any time."
Looking towards the future, Music Soup has outlined ambitious goals, including securing a musical act’s appearance on Saturday Night Live and having a performer at the Grammy Awards. "There are so many big picture milestones we still want to hit," Motley stated. "We haven’t remotely scratched the surface of what we’ll do in the next five-to-ten years." This forward-looking perspective underscores Music Soup’s commitment to sustained growth and its potential to become a dominant force in the music industry.
