Music Marketing Executive Drew De Leon Opens Up About The Digilogue

Who knew that Def Jam could breed such amazing creatives in our culture. We've been waiting for a professional such as Drew. His sincere endeavors has shined through artists such as DaniLeigh, Alessia Cara, Nas, Pusha T, Teyana Taylor, Valee, and more! He's crafted his wisdom into a social and educational organization for music industry emerging talents and vets. From partnerships with WeWork, Dolby, Mass Appeal, Wix, and more; tons of brands have partnered with his passion to make sure the mission is accomplished.

I was honored to sit down with the founder of The Digilogue to talk about the lessons he's learned, and how powerful The Digilogue will be for the music industry. Follow Drew and The Digilogue to be a part of their journey!

I present to you Andrew De Leon

(Nia Rice) What’s one huge lesson that you’ve learned since entering the entertainment industry?

(Drew De Leon) I believe in the two R's, relationships, and reputation. I always tell music creatives to manage their relationships and reputation. The reality is that the music industry is small and it's a relationship-based business. Secondly, I've learned to network horizontally and with my peers. It's not about chasing people with titles but rather taking the time to get to know music creatives that are impacting culture and are accessible. In regard to reputation, I've treated people with respect. Whether it's your boss or an intern, everyone deserves the same respect. If you have a reputation for being an a**hole, everyone will know.

What’s Digilogue? How did it come about? Name a few pivotal moments you guys are responsible for?

The Digilogue which stands for Digital Dialogue is community-driven music and tech platform. Our mission has always been to connect and educate the music community across the world. I developed the platform because when I first started my career there was never a place or community I could go to learn about the industry and meet fellow music creatives. I had to figure out everything myself. Additionally, I wanted to make The Digilogue a safe space where music creatives could be themselves without being judged and geek out to passions.

There have been several key moments for the growth of The Digilogue. Our first big win was when we collaborated with Sennheiser for a 4-day music conference. Our second big moment was when we locked in a partnership with WeWork that allowed us to travel across the US and produce meet-ups in cities like ATL, Detroit, LA, Charlotte, and more! More importantly, we've been able to connect countless music creatives to foster collaboration and helped music professionals find jobs.

How important is it for musicians to understand digital marketing and the tech side of the entertainment industry?

It's so important, now more than ever. Part of understanding digital marketing, is knowing where your audience/fans consume your music. As we're dealing with this pandemic, I recommend artists to take the time to learn about their fans and find meaningful ways to connect with them outside of music. Tap into your interests whether it's fitness, gaming, and sports, and create content around it. More importantly, be consistent!

You recently mentioned an app in the works, talk more about that?

Yes! We're excited to launch the Digilogue App in 2021 which will be an extension of what we've been programming for the music community. We understand how difficult it is for people to network during this pandemic so we want to create a more meaningful way through The Digilogue App.

How has your experience at Def Jam, Alamo, and Digilogue shaped you into the tastemaker you are today?

Thank you for the kind compliment but I'm no tastemaker. I love what I do and I'm passionate about paying forward for music creatives and the next generation. I've learned that the music industry is constantly changing and there's always an opportunity to learn and share knowledge.

What can people expect from Drew? What are you doing to leave a legacy?

I'm excited about the future of music. Expect more creative programming with The Digilogue and expect the way music creatives connect to change dramatically because of The Digilogue App. Ultimately, I want that incredibly talented songwriter in the little town in Indonesia to connect with a producer from New Jersey. More collaboration will foster better music!

Sponsored by H2P Management