(Podcast #11) Being an independent artist in 2026

👍 Stream the audio-only version of this episode on Samply by clicking here.

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🎶 This episode features “Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia” by Nashville artist Abigayle Oakley. You can listen to the full track and explore more of Abigayle’s music by clicking here.

-This week, I sat down with Abigayle Oakley, one of my favorite songwriters in Nashville, to talk about what it really means and takes to be an independent artist in 2026.

We discuss Abigayle’s story, growing up in a super musical family in Las Vegas, making the move to Nashville, studying songwriting at Belmont, and learning how to build an artist career without rushing the process.

We also go down some rabbit holes (in the best way) about creativity, discipline, and the magical moment when a great lyric shows up out of nowhere.

We later get into the future of the music industry with AI, streaming, and social media. We also touch on what it feels like when a song starts gaining traction, why the numbers don’t always translate into real-world progress, and why Abigayle has been putting so much energy into Substack.

This is an honest, holistic conversation on today’s artist infrastructure with many impactful takeaways for artists and producers everywhere.

Oh! And as promised in the interview… here’s the link to Abigayle’s hilarious stop-motion music video for her song, Dinsosaur Bones.

See you inside!

Topic Overview

0:00–1:17 Intro and featured song “Hazel Eyed Lover in Patagonia.”1:17–6:18 Abigayle’s background, Vegas to Nashville to Belmont6:18–12:52 Craft, discipline, and writing 100 songs a year12:52–21:16 Creativity, spirituality, and “the genius in the walls.”21:16–29:07 First album release and the post-release reality check29:07–37:25 Admin days, content pressure, and creative seasons37:25–41:28 Long-term mindset and staying steady through slow growth41:28–47:50 Spotify momentum, social proof, and what streams actually change47:50–56:44 Substack, real community, and taking care of the people who show up56:44–End 2026 plans and where to follow Abigayle next

(Podcast intro music created by Luke Despain, Thomas Muer, and Rob Schustack.)

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