Meet New Merlin Board Member Sascha Lazimbat (Zebralution)
Merlin’s Executive Interview Series is a monthly series featuring executives from across Merlin’s dynamic and diverse worldwide membership, discussing some of the most pressing topics, developments, and innovations in independent music today. This month’s piece features Sascha Lazimbat, Co-Founder at Zebralution, discussing technology design, independent needs, and the future of digital distribution and DSP models.
Q: How would you introduce yourself and Zebralution to someone who may not have heard about you before?
I co-founded ZEBRALUTION as a digital distributor for indie labels with my partner Kurt Thielen in 2004, so it’s not too bold to say that we were one of the pioneers of this industry. My partner’s background was in physical distribution and marketing, whereas I had started out as a music journalist, represented labels and artists as an attorney in a law firm, and ultimately launched a range of early mobile music services as Head of Music at Vodafone. I guess it was the combination of these skills and experiences that made the company successful from day one. Over time we have grown the company in different directions, adding audiobook, e-book and podcast services, as well as creating a DIY platform for our previous shareholder, collecting society GEMA. But working with artists and labels, and making sure their music is not just made available on all DSPs, but is released and promoted in the best possible way, is still at the core of our mission.
Q: How does your background or current role shape the way you approach the challenges and opportunities facing independent artists and labels today?
Because we have been around for such a long time, and have not only witnessed but maybe also shaped the evolution of the industry from ringtones to downloads to streaming to UGC, we know that change is inevitable and that you have to embrace it to succeed and to be able to do the best job for your clients. AI is already changing every aspect of our industry, from how content is produced to how services are created for both end users and rights owners. It will become even harder to stand out among a flood of new releases, but it will be easier than ever to create exactly the product you envision.
Q: How do you see digital distribution models evolving?
For many years, the floodgates were wide open and DSPs competed for the highest number of tracks in their services, regardless of their quality and provenance. With content rules and differentiated remuneration schemes for everything from functional music to AI content, this has already changed, and my belief is that DSPs will become even more selective. Our role as distributors will be to maintain access on a level paying field, which is something we have fought very hard for indies to achieve, but at the same time keep focusing on our status as a trusted partner and purveyor of high quality, human-made music to our DSP partners.
Q: Outside of distribution, how do you see the wider digital music ecosystem evolving?
End users will be able to not just passively consume music, but interact with it, shape and tailor it for themselves and their consumption scenarios in much broader ways than was possible before. Whether that interaction can be siloed in a “walled garden” within a service, or whether as an industry we need to come up with more elaborate ways to ensure that creativity is rewarded, and musicians get their fair share, will be interesting to see. I am currently very interested in concepts of attribution and the corresponding split of revenue shares among various participants.
Q: As digital music systems continue to evolve, where do you see the greatest opportunity for platforms and technology providers to better align with how independent labels actually operate day to day?
The best way to align is to reach out, listen and understand. With some recent developments, DSPs have consulted with major labels, without necessarily thinking about what these changes mean for an independent artist from a small country singing in their local language and therefore having a limited target audience; minimum-play thresholds would be one example. I believe it’s possible to create solutions that serve the best interests of platforms, users, as well as companies and artists big or small. I’m glad we have Merlin as an organization that can represent the global independent community, and platforms and technology providers should use this opportunity to receive valuable insights and perspectives.
