Songtrust kicked off its new Songtrust Amplified program with a bang recently, transforming SoHo’s Lightning Society into a celebration of music, creativity, and community. The October 9th event felt less like a brand launch and more like a snapshot of where independent music is headed — powered by connection, collaboration, and a shared love of the craft.
Since 2011, Songtrust — a Downtown company and global music publishing administration service — has been committed to democratizing music publishing and ensuring songwriters, whether emerging or established, receive the royalties they’ve earned. Songtrust Amplified is its newly launched rewards program designed to elevate career opportunities for music creators at every stage of their journey.
The crowd was a mix of Songtrust clients, Amplified partners, and NYC industry insiders, all there to toast the new initiative and discover some of the city’s most promising emerging artists. By the time the first set began, the room was buzzing with a blend of excitement, good vibes, and the unmistakable sense that everyone in the building was part of something special.
The night’s lineup spotlighted three rising talents already making waves beyond the local scene. TONI, a Latin pop artist whose blend of sleek choreography and powerhouse vocals instantly commanded the room, opened with high-energy renditions of her singles “AMEN” and “Hello Kitty.”
Harrison Lipton, the self-described “Michael McDonald of Bushwick,” followed with smooth, yacht-worthy material from his acclaimed new album ‘Between Us There Runs a Tether‘. For the finale, Jhariah served up a spirited, genre-defying fusion of dance-punk, R&B, and emo.
In addition to these groundbreaking performances, the success of the launch was punctuated by the interactive approaches Songtrust used to weave its new Amplified levels into every corner of the event. Guests could write postcards to their future selves, record words of encouragement for fellow artists, or take part in a video interview about their own creative journeys. Some attendees even sat for live digital portraits and left the party with personalized illustrations courtesy of Drawn Together NYC.
Each experience tied back to one of Amplified’s five tiers — Early Bird, General Admission, VIP, Backstage, and All Access — bringing the concept to life. TapCards, created by Amplified partner All Time Classic, added another interactive layer: guests could scan them to share photos, swap contacts, and unlock behind-the-scenes messages from performers.
The event also raised more than $7,500 for Backline, a nonprofit offering mental health support for musicians and industry professionals. The partnership underscored the night’s deeper message: that building a sustainable music career is as much about well-being and community as it is success.
With Songtrust Amplified, the company aims to extend that kind of thinking beyond the kick-off event — offering creators tangible rewards, partner deals, and growth tools tailored to wherever they are in their journey. The night affirmed that Songtrust’s vision for a destination “where music, community, and rewards meet” isn’t just a slogan — it’s something that’s long overdue and finally happening.
Supporting Sponsors for the event included Downtown Music, SPIN, Backline, Fire Talk, Keychange U.S., Curious Elixirs, Sound Mind and Go Brewing. Meanwhile, participating partners include All Time Classic, The Beam, CD Baby, DISCO, Downtown Artist & Label Services, found.ee, Fragment Studios, Future Present, HRDRV, Mad Records, Matchfy, Merch Cat, Merch Media, Mesa, Modern Musician, Muse, Rivet, Thematic, Squarespace Domains, and The Digilogue.
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