Cole Leo Ryan
Experience
Projects
Hillydilly / BTD
2013-2023
Dreams Never Die2019-2023
FoodSocial
2023-present
Mission:
Make trusted music discovery accessible to all.
Make trusted music discovery accessible to all.
My first exposure to non-mainstream art came from music blogs. At 16 years old I reached out to my favorite one, Hillydilly (later rebranded as Before The Data), and became a contributing writer. My passion for music discovery quickly grew into a mission to make the world’s most exciting new music accessible to everyone. I loved the work and eventually took on a leadership role.
Because of our work-ethic and high standard of quality, Hillydilly unintentionally gained a reputation within the music industry, leading directly to countless signings (most notably in the case of Billie Eilish). Throughout a decade of music journalism, I was amazed to see the expansive impact and influence of a trusted cultural publication.
How?
A publication and platform committed to trusted music discovery and curation.
- Wrote, edited and distributed thousands of articles unearthing influential musicians over 10+ years (Billie Eilish, Lorde, Tom Misch, Daniel Caesar +)
- Oversaw rebrand from Hillydilly to Before The Data in 2020
- Managed 10+ writers and thousands of submissions
- Conducted 30+ live music feedback sessions on Twitch for thousands of musicians and viewers