Former TikTok Head of Global Marketing — An AMA Hang with Stefan Heinrich
🔊 Remixing the Future — An AMA Hang with Stefan Heinrich
By Joseph Perla, Founder & CEO of Hangout.fm
Stefan Heinrich—serial music‑tech founder (YouTube → TikTok → Cameo → mayk.it → covers.ai)—joined us to explore how AI is turning fans into creators and reshaping music discovery.
New to AMA Hangs? Learn more → Music + Conversation = Connection.
👥 Bios
Joseph Perla
Technologist & founder of Turntable.fm and Hangout.fm.
Stefan Heinrich
Co‑founder of covers.ai, ex‑YouTube creator growth, early TikTok & Cameo product leader—building AI tools that let anyone remix songs with a click.
💬 What We Talked About
- 🚀 Breaking in & early music passions
- 🛠️ Building covers.ai for instant remixing
- 🎮 Fan remix culture & TikTok trends
- 👥 Social streaming & community features
- 📈 Marketing lessons: YouTube→TikTok→AI
- 🎤 Karaoke on Discord & live‑audio features
- 🤖 AI’s future in music creation
🎤 Full Interview with Stefan Heinrich
🚀 Breaking In & First Spins
Joseph: hey @stefan
Stefan: hey @Joseph what’s good?
Joseph: come on up
Stefan: Love this song when I play Roblox.
🛠️ Building covers.ai
Joseph: You’ve said you want to “help the world sing.” What does a world where everyone’s a creator look like in 2030?
Stefan: We’re basically there—anyone can make songs now, swap lyrics or genres with one click, and sound “good” thanks to AI voices.
🎮 Fan Remix Culture
Joseph: Walk us through the user journey you’re most proud of in covers.ai—where’s the “aha!” moment?
Stefan: The click where a fan instantly turns a favorite track into a meme‑song or genre flip—that spark of creativity is the core “aha.”
👥 Social Streaming & Community Features
Joseph: What’s next for social streaming?
Stefan: Seamless friend feeds—closed‑circuit sharing of what friends are spinning—plus Discord karaoke and in‑app mashup battles.
📈 Marketing Lessons: YouTube→TikTok→AI
Joseph: You’ve jumped from YouTube to TikTok to Cameo to AI music—what’s the biggest go‑to‑market lesson?
Stefan: Be where culture is. Hand creators tools to make cool stuff, then spotlight that content so it goes viral organically.
🎤 Karaoke on Discord & Live‑Audio
Joseph: You launched a Discord karaoke game—how’s that going?
Stefan: It’s wild fun! “Karaoke Party Battle” lets anyone fail‑gloriously together. Adds a live‑audio layer to our Hangout community.
🤖 AI’s Future in Music Creation
Joseph: What keeps you up at night about AI + music?
Stefan: Ensuring tools stay fun for fans and fair for artists—plus hashing out how AI‑skins (automatic remixes) get licensed and monetized properly.
💡 Advice & Takeaways
Joseph: If you were mentoring a kid starting a micro‑label tomorrow, what’s step one?
Stefan: Learn your art and own your story—50 % business, 50 % art, 100 % authentic. And nail a one‑sentence brand pitch.
🏁 Wrap Up
Joseph: Any final thoughts?
Stefan: Good vibes only—happy Friday, go make meme songs, try karaoke, and see you in the rooms!
🎶 Stefan’s Playlist + Liner Notes
Each track came with its own moment or lesson—here’s what Stefan spun and why:
1. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”
“Instant swagger—perfect for Roblox parties.”
2. Olivia Rodrigo — “good 4 u”
“Pop‑punk angst that begs for remix drama.”
3. Alan Walker — “Faded (Tiësto Remix)”
“Deep‑house lift to a YouTube staple.”
4. Adele — “Skyfall”
“Bond theme grandeur—think AI duet.”
5. 100 gecs — “money machine” (Nightcore)
“Chipmunk chaos—meme gold.”
6. DT Lacy — “Habit Bad”
“Indie ear‑worm ripe for genre flips.”
7. Harry Styles — “As It Was”
“Most‑remixed song on covers.ai last month.”
8. The Evolved — “Sailor Moon Sailor Stars (Opening)”
“Anime + hyperpop = chef’s kiss.”
9. Taylor Swift — “All Too Well (10‑Minute Version)”
“60‑second meme challenge.”
10. Daft Punk — “Technologic”
“Robotic hook = perfect AI anthem.”
11. Stephen Sanchez — “Until I Found You”
“Vintage croon—ideal for voice‑swap tests.”
12. Kim Petras — “Heart to Break”
“Bubblegum synth—try dark trap.”
13. PinkPantheress × Ice Spice — “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2”
“Hyper‑catchy—speed it up or slow it down.”
14. JVKE — “this is what falling in love feels like”
“Go wild—JVKE loves your fan versions.”
15. Phoebe Bridgers — “I Know The End”
“Scream‑outro energy—imagine K‑pop style.”
16. Sam Feldt × JVKE × Anitta — “Mi Amor”
“Global collab—perfect for genre swap.”
🚀 What’s Next
More AMA Hangs are on deck—artists, founders, and tastemakers.
Want to join? DM me on X or visit Hangout.fm. Let’s keep remixing and hanging out! 🎉