Directly connecting music artists and music fans using advanced, scalable tech and full artist-ownership of fan relationship and data.

Delivering a better space for artists and fans to engage.

Artist verified giant phone mock up of two phones side by side showing the applicationArtist verified giant phone mock up of two phones side by side showing the application

For Artists

Simpler, more effective fan engagement tools
Own your fan relationships and data. Convert passive fans into active fans and active fans into super fans

Authentication
Authenticate partner-offers using blockchain smart contracts and QR codes
Storage
Execute and store partner-platform deals securely and accessible on the blockchain
Messaging
Message all or any segment of fans directly
Marketing
Centralize your marketing across revenue streams
Data
Acquire new metrics on fan activation and engagement
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For Fans

Engage with ALL the artists you love in one place
Explore a deeper fan experience

Authentic
Engagement
Safely engage with your favorite artists from one platform where every offer is identifiable as artist-verified and authentic.
Authentic
Engagement
Safely engage with your favorite artists from one platform where every offer is identifiable as artist-verified and authentic.
Curation
Exclusive news content, artist-offers and recommendations curated by you the fan.
Authentic
Engagement
Safely engage with your favorite artists from one platform where every offer is identifiable as artist-verified and authentic.
Invest in Your
Favorites
Discover new and compelling ways to engage with and invest in your favorite artists across Web2, Web3, and beyond.
Noiseless
Messaging
Receive Direct Messages and updates in a noiseless environment where you won’t miss out on the latest news. No ads. No other artist messages that you didn’t ask for.

For Partners

Engage music fans where they go to be engaged.  Build your target market on a platform designed for secure and robust content-delivery directly to the most activated fans.

Trust
Establish artist-driven trust with new fans exploring new engagement channels across Web2 and Web3
Authenticity
Embed artist-verified authenticity into all platform offers through neutral third-party smart contracts on the blockchain and QR code authenticity reference-tracking
Opportunity
Discover new artist client opportunities
Data
Source new cross-platform and cross-web data
Status
Establish preferred-partner status with artists, labels, and artist-management companies
artist verified dashboard showing use for platformsmetaworld on artist verified dashboard app

Team

Founders

John Gaenzler Headshot
John Gaenzler
CEO
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John has worked for major leaders in the space including Ticketmaster and Warner Music Group as well as many startups as founder, employee and advisor.

From an early age, John has had a deep passion for music, both as artist and fan.  After spending most of his teens and twenties as a touring musician and college student,

John turned his passion toward helping other artists grow their careers.  His unique perspective has helped him to excel in numerous areas within the music industry including Artist Management, Production, Artist Services, Radio and Ticketing.  

John has worked for major leaders in the space including Ticketmaster and Warner Music Group as well as many startups as founder, employee and advisor.  

John is known and trusted in the music industry as someone who understands the overall ecosystem and where it can be improved, and his extensive network of industry veteran and expert friendships is a testament to his work ethic and reputation.  ArtistVerified is a culmination of everything John has worked toward in the Artist and Fan space.

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Baden Hughes
CPTO
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Baden has been instrumental in the development of multiple successful technology products and services over 25 year career as a product, engineering, operations and business leader.

Baden has been instrumental in the development of multiple successful technology products and services over 25 year career as a product, engineering, operations and business leader.

His experience covers a wide range of domains including information security, trust and safety, defi/embedded fintech, blockchain, machine learning and AI, document storage and encryption, energy and carbon analytics, video analytics and image processing, semantic technologies, real-time distributed data analysis, software security and assurance, network operations and services, and application-specific integrated circuits (hardware).

He has been a founder, CTO several times over, both VP and Director of Engineering, Principal Engineer, CPO and VP Product, Product Manager, COO, VP Strategic Development, Principal Analyst and Consulting Director. ArtistVerified uniquely leverages Baden’s extensive experience in secure, cloud-based data and service integration; his proven ability to form and effectively manage diverse, distributed, hybrid and high-performing technology teams; his collaborative approach in building technology-enabled business partnerships; and complements his lifelong interest in a very diverse range of music.

Advisors

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Maria Gironas
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Music diversity and inclusion leader; artist development, talent relations, integrated marketing consultant

Maria Gironas, Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree, has followed two north stars throughout their career: elevating marginalized communities and empowering creatives to embrace technology.
Over the past 10+ years, these pillars have guided their career through companies that span the entertainment and tech industries such as Reybee, Fender, YouTube, Q&A, Human Re-Sources, and Reddit. In their career, they has worked with top artists like BTS, Isaiah Rashad, Kano, Arlo Parks, Freya Ridings, Julia Michaels, Lauv, Nick Cave, Logic, Flume, Mike Posner, Post Malone, The Black Keys, and internet favorites like T-Pain, Therapy Gecko, Madilyn Bailey, and Rick Astley.

As an entertainment and technology executive, they value driving positive change through empowering creators and building community. Currently, they are the Founder of their own company – Cool Shit, Cool People – where they continue these missions by working on artist development, talent relations, and integrated marketing with clients like Wide Eyed Entertainment, Good Party, Showcase, ShowUp, VLVT Tree and more. Outside of their work, they are the Global Chair of Diversity & Inclusion at Women In Music where they work to create sustainable change for women in music at all stages of their careers.

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Bruce Hamilton
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Investor, advisor and executive in pop culture, music-entertainment and brands.

Bruce Hamilton is the Founder & General Partner of Everybody Ventures. He is passionate about using his entrepreneur experience, business development, marketing and creative background to develop brands and help them scale.Bruce previously served as Co-founder / General Partner of Mech Ventures, a $10M early stage venture fund investing in companies building the future of pop culture. He’s also a serial entrepreneur that has built and scaled several companies leading to one acquisition. As a marketing executive and CMO, he helped lead House of Glue, an art e-commerce company, to a successful acquisition.

During his career in the music industry, Bruce was an A&R at Sony Music / Epic Records where he worked with artists such as Travis Scott, Fifth Harmony, and several others. He was also the Founder & CEO of Samurai Entertainment, a talent management firm representing artists, producers and songwriters.Bruce and his work has been featured in publications such as Forbes, TechCrunch, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Complex, Black Enterprise, Fader, Buzzfeed, Vibe Magazine, The Verge, AfroTech, The Independent, Rolling Out Magazine, and more.

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Alex Medana
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Fintech CEO & Leader, Repeat Entrepreneur

Alex Medana is a global executive with 20+ years of experience in the capital markets and fintech industry.  

He is a repeat blockchain entrepreneur since 2015 with one exit, advocating technology-driven innovation towards more user-focused financial services and broader participation.

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Rob Nicholson
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Chief Brand Architect - BRXND Marketing, Bass Player for Ozzy Osbourne & Rob Zombie,
Artist Manager

Also known as “Blasko”, Rob Nicholson has established himself in numerous verticals across the entertainment space as a pioneer and visionary in rock/metal music, artist management and brand marketing.

Rob played bass for both Rob Zombie and Ozzy Osbourne for many years and started Mercenary Management where he managed Black Veil Brides among others.  He currently operates BRXND Marketing

where he oversees the entertainment sector marketing/branding for Liquid Death Mountain Water.  Rob is also a board member of Kitten Rescue, LA.

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Rian Rochford
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Artist Relations, Brand Development, and Fan Digital Marketing Specialist

Rian Rochford has been marketing to music fans for 20 years, holding various positions at indie / major record labels, music technology companies and artist management.

It was her role as Head of Artist Relations NY for Topspin in 2010 that shifted her focus to cater to the direct to fan relationship, which is where her speciality has remained since, spearheading e-commerce operations, product development, and D2C marketing for artists such as Ghost, Denzel Curry, Nancy Sinatra, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Robert Glasper, Manchester Orchestra, and many more.

Rian is currently VP Artist Brand Development & Merchandising at Loma Vista Recordings.

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Steve Stewart
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Music tech Founder and Leader,  Artist Manager and Advisor

Steve Stewart is a serial entrepreneur and music industry expert. As the CEO & Co-Founder of Vezt, he developed the first platform to fractionalize song rights, giving people the ability to participate in the royalties of their favorite songs.

Steve is also the CEO & Co-Founder of SongHub - a creative collaboration platform that allows songs to be registered with publishers and performing rights organizations, and tokenized directly for tracking and future monetization.

He is also the Co-Founder of Futureworlds, a new startup, working with iconic venues, brands and real estate in the metaverse. With more than 20 years of professional experience in the music, tech and television industries, Steve is the former personal manager of Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum alternative rock band Stone Temple Pilots, managing their career from their inception through their fifth major label release on Atlantic Records.

As CEO of Steve Stewart Management, he negotiated and secured major label record and publishing contracts on behalf of approximately 20 recording artists.

Steve has also held COO positions at tech startups - GoYodel (retail deal bundler) and SportsBuddyz (sports video platform), as well as Head of Business Development at SURKUS (social engagement app).

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Michael Swell
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Former Partner, Goldman Sachs

Michael was head of Global Portfolio Management within the Global Fixed Income team in Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM).

In this role, he was responsible for leading the global team of portfolio managers that oversee multi-sector portfolios.

Previously, Michael was a senior portfolio manager and co-head of the US Fixed Income group. He joined the firm in GSAM in 2007 as a managing director and head of Structured Products. Michael was named partner in 2012.

Prior to joining the firm, Michael was a senior managing director in charge of Friedman, Billings & Ramsey’s (FBR) Fixed Income Sales & Trading Division. Prior to FBR, he was the vice president and head of the Securities Sales and Trading Group at Freddie Mac.

Michael earned a BA in Politics and Economics from Brandeis University, a General Course Degree from the London School of Economics and an MA in International Economics and Finance from the Lemberg School at Brandeis University.

Michelle Yuen
Michelle Yuen
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Partnerships Manager at Gig Life Pro, data-driven international/emerging music markets specialist

Michelle studied psychology, mental health, and entertainment business at NYU before transitioning into the music industry.

Previously running business development at music analytics company Chartmetric, she is now Partnerships Manager at Gig Life Pro where she connects the APAC markets with each other and the global stage. She is passionate about advancing music cross-culturally on an international scale with a focus on emerging markets and is keen on empowering the next generation in music.

With her background in insights and analytics, Michelle also continues to leverage her combined knowledge by consulting on digital and international strategy in the music business. Currently based in Amsterdam, she’s previously lived in New York, Singapore, and Shanghai.