Interview with Drew Schueler

Indie pop artist Drew Schueler is reaching millions of streams doing almost everything himself. Learn how he's doing it.

Drew Schueler is a pop artist in Nashville, TN. He grew up watching his dad play hundreds of gigs with his 80s cover band so was always immersed deeply in music. As a result he's been writing and performing music for most of his life. When he graduated from Belmont University, he decided to step into a new artistic direction under his name. He also learned to produce his own music with his latest project. He has had a great year so far putting out music and has high expectations for his upcoming songs as well. This year he had his first label release with two Swedish DJs surpassing 1 million streams. He also released two other tracks that further cement his sound as an artist and have opened many doors already.

Tell us about your latest release, what's it about?

My new single is called “Head Start” and it’s my favorite song I’ve released thus far. It’s about realizing that the person you’ve been in a relationship with has mentally checked out, long before ending it. The day my co-writer, Nell Maynard and I wrote it, we knew how special it was and it is so incredible to see how many people are connecting to it.

Headstart by Drew Schueler covert art

How did you record it?

I recorded everything myself in my studio. I wanted to make it feel emotional and raw, but also modern and unique. The piano is driving most of the song but I made sure to use a cool drum groove and other synths and guitars to create an ethereal, and almost cinematic atmosphere.

How did you distribute it?

I self-distributed it through Distrokid.

How did you promote it?

I had immense support from multiple blogs, radio stations, YouTube channels, and playlists for this song. SubmitHub was extremely helpful for promotion and the song is actually still charting on their website. I also released a music video for the song which has received incredible feedback.

The music industry is in a state of flux right now, where do you see it heading?

The music industry is rapidly changing, and I’m thinking it’s for the better. Genres are less important now. There are few barriers limiting creativity. We as artists, have the full reigns to create what we desire. I see it becoming more important to constantly be releasing music. I think albums will start to change into growing playlists that add each single chronologically.

What's the most important thing missing from Songwhip?

I personally have loved using Songwhip! It’s so simple to share a link and promote it, giving the listener a chance to choose whichever streaming platform they prefer. It lets me promote to anyone, not just people who use Spotify or Apple Music.

Which artist do you look up to the most and why?

I look up to people like Lauv, Jeremy Zucker, Jon Bellion, and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic so much. I love how all 4 of them are artists themselves, and write and produce their own music, as well as others. The amount of talent they all have is incredible, and I want to be in that same category of artists who produce their own music and also help other artists as well.

What artist tools/services (Songwhip aside 😉) can't you live without?

Like I said before, I love SubmitHub! Spotify for Artists has been a game changer for me as well. The detail in which I can see my listeners and fans is so helpful.

What is your advice to other indie artists to help fund their work?

Being an artist these days is incredibly difficult, and expensive. My advice would be to learn to do as much as you can on your own. I taught myself to produce because I couldn’t figure out how to articulate what I wanted to hear. Now, instead of paying over $1000 on production, I can use that money for advertising. I taught myself to build tracks and program lights for my live shows right on YouTube. I built my own website on SquareSpace. Today, knowledge is so accessible, so use that to your advantage. Obviously, everyone has different strengths but I think it’s so important to find ways to teach yourself first, and then hire out the things you can’t do well.

Anything else you'd like to plug?

I have a bunch of new singles that will be coming out this year that I’m so stoked for. My next song is titled “No Comparison” and it is the most authentic and real song I’ve ever worked on. I’ve seen such awesome growth from the songs I’ve released so far and I am really hoping it continues to grow exponentially. Follow me on socials to stay up to date with everything coming up!

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Checkout Drew's official website here and follow him on Facebook and Instagram. If you'd like (or know someone) to be interviewed reach our to me (Wilson) via chat or email. Keep pushing 🙌