The Power of Community and Connection with Music Industry Visionary Michael Walker

Avatari sits down with musician, entrepreneur, and Modern Musician founder Michael Walker, whose journey took him from battling social anxiety and sleeping in cars to building a sustainable music career. As a member of Paradise Fears, Michael and his bandmates used a grassroots strategy called “tour hacking”—connecting with fans one-on-one outside shows—to grow their audience and sell 24,000 albums in six months. In this conversation, Michael shares how overcoming rejection, deepening connections, and focusing on quality over quantity helped him succeed. He also dives into the mental health struggles of musicians, the broken incentives of social media, and his mission to help artists build meaningful, lasting careers. If you’ve ever felt stuck in your music journey or afraid to put yourself out there, this episode will inspire you to take action, embrace discomfort, and connect with fans in a whole new way.

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Learn more about Michael Walker and his music:

https://www.modern-musician.com/