In this conversation, Bruce Wawrzyniak reflects on a milestone season marked by becoming a member of the Recording Academy, attending the GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena, and staying deeply engaged with the industry through speaking at Podfest Multimedia Expo, attending the NAMM Show, and hosting his long‑running Now Hear This Entertainment podcast, sharing how these experiences reinforce his commitment to relationship‑building, practical “how‑to” insights for indie artists, and continually raising the bar as he looks toward the next evolution of his work in music and media.
Hi Bruce, so great to connect with you again. With everything from becoming a member of the Recording Academy to speaking at conferences and attending the GRAMMY Awards, this season feels like a huge milestone moment in your career—so let’s jump right in. What did it mean to you personally and professionally to officially become a Recording Academy member last summer?
No doubt that was a career highlight for me. I don’t do what I do for the recognition, and I think it’s for that reason that it meant so much to be to be recognized by and accepted into such a prestigious organization at the top of the music industry after all my years of serving indie music clients as well as supporting others through my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast. It also meant a lot because I knew it would open doors for me as well as provide professional development opportunities. I’m eager to continue immersing myself in the Recording Academy community.
You’ve been incredibly active on the road lately—speaking at Podfest Multimedia Expo, attending NAMM Show, and recording interviews for your weekly Now Hear This Entertainment podcast. How do events like these help you stay connected to what’s happening in the entertainment industry and bring more value back to your listeners?
I spend a lot of time at events like these because I know the value of relationships – nurturing those that are already existing as well as forming new connections. They also give me the opportunity to remain on the front line with music creators so I can stay active in conversations happening in the business – problems, solutions, innovations, resources, and, of course, who’s who and who is doing what. I’m able to better serve my music clients as a result, but then yes, on my “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast I can stay well-informed and bring timely insights to the audience as well as draw out relevant stories from the guests.
Your podcast has always focused on spotlighting artists and behind-the-scenes professionals. When you’re at major industry gatherings, what kinds of stories or conversations are you most excited to capture that fans don’t usually get to hear?
I’m all about “how to.” Being that I have continued to serve music clients through Now Hear This, Inc. (my agency) all these years, I know that aspiring songwriters and performers want to hear HOW people (my podcast guests) are getting the opportunities that we talk about on the “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, so I’m always listening for people to pinpoint how they achieved their latest highlights, whether that’s getting film or TV placement for their music or landing on a Spotify-curated playlist or getting to open for an A-lister or getting booked to perform at a notable music venue, I am a sponge, looking to soak up that information that I can share with clients as well as my podcast’s audience.
Attending the GRAMMYs at Crypto.com Arena is a bucket-list experience for many people in music. What are you most looking forward to about being in the room for such an iconic night, and how does it feel to participate not just as media, but now as a Recording Academy member?
Mine is a unique position, being that I’m both a publicist (a music industry insider, so to speak) and a podcaster (which, yes, some view as media). When I attended the GRAMMYs I felt great pride being able to walk into Crypto.com Arena, knowing that, first and foremost, I was a Member of the Recording Academy. As fun as it was to see everyone walking around in their formal wear, it meant so much to me that I wasn’t in the building long at all and yet I’d already seen three different people that I know – all of whom started out as guests on the podcast. The show itself, though, also served as inspiration and a reminder of the hard work needed to get to the top of your industry, meaning, the indie artists that we serve through Now Hear This, Inc.
Looking at this stretch of speaking, networking, interviewing, and celebrating music at the highest level, what do you feel this chapter represents for you—and how do you see it shaping the next evolution of your podcast and your work in the industry?
This is a rare opportunity to stop, take a step back, look at where I’ve come to, and then say, “Now let’s take it to the next level.” When I was a kid, my dad would look at my (good) report card and say, “Show me those marks in the higher grades.” And so having arrived at this point in my career – becoming a Member of the Recording Academy, attending the GRAMMYs, staying active on the speaking circuit, being at more than one thousand career podcast episodes hosted – I know that hard work does pay off and that more and better results are ahead if we continue to apply ourselves. I’m excited to continue building off of all of this.
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