))
How The ZAO Is Helping Artists Keep Their Music, Data, and Dollars
Manage episode 474606740 series 3649539
Content provided by Token For Your Thoughts. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Token For Your Thoughts or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.
🎙️ Guest: Zaal, Founder of The ZAO
🕒 Duration: ~47 minutes
Episode Overview
In this episode of Token for Your Thoughts, host Lindsey McConaghy sits down with Zaal, the founder of The ZAO - a Web3 music collective helping artists reclaim their ownership, data, and creative freedom.
Zaal shares how supporting a friend’s music career turned into a mission to empower independent artists through Web3. From building decentralized tools to throwing real-world music festivals like ZAO-PALOOZA and ZAO-CHELLA, Zaal is creating a new kind of platform: community-owned, open-source, and focused on long-term impact, not viral moments.
Whether you’re an artist, builder, or just Web3-curious, this conversation dives into:
• Why most labels take 70% or more, and how The ZAO flips the model
• How they’re using a non-transferable, soulbound governance token to build social capital
• The power of music battles, on-chain reputation, and collaborative creation
• What it actually takes to build in Web3 as a founder
A thoughtful and inspiring look at how community, tech, and art intersect in Web3.
Where to Listen
🔹 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/episode/623Q4XBTfJ8k9FkU67CcHg?si=6b9c279d522a4f3c
🔹 Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-the-zao-is-helping-artists-keep-their-music-data/id1799063494?i=1000701724261
🔹 YouTube → https://youtu.be/SXmdO6l4Rfg?si=p4SSeX82xEI1BFF_
Connect with Zaal & The ZAO
🌐 Website: thezao.com/nexus
🐦 X: @thezaodao | @bettercallzaal
🎧 The ZAO Artists:
JANGO UU: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5nc2dgefoPLfvsrJVx3PNz?si=I56ODVbXSiaU1vSHv4diVA
HURRIC4N3IKE :https://open.spotify.com/artist/5x3pUgROCueytLsG0Xy35H?si=mzs9X1RIRHSDuanXUbIhKg
ATTABOTTY: https://attabotty.com
CLEJAN: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6CbxzZHyeIz1Pig7giCufl?si=RFFpgb2fTxO1BRWa6Dr9KQ
Stay Connected
🔥 If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave a review and follow Token for Your Thoughts for more conversations with the people shaping crypto & Web3.
🔔 Follow us on X: @TokenThoughts_
🌐 Visit our website: tokenforyourthoughts.com
Chapters
1. Welcome: Meet Zaal, Founder of The ZAO (00:00:00)
2. Why Web3 is Perfect for Musicians (00:04:15)
3. What is The ZAO? Community, Tokens, and Empowering Artists (00:13:55)
4. ZAO Respect Tokens Explained (And Why They’re Unique) (00:30:05)
5. Lessons Learned Building a Web3 Music Startup (00:34:50)
6. What’s Next for The ZAO - and How You Can Get Involved (00:44:40)
8 episodes
Share
