In this Docusign Community interview, Leah Breen sits down with Brittney Chantele, an independent artist in the music industry, to discuss their journey in the music industry, their reflections on agreement management for creatives, and how they leverage Docusign in their work. 

Leah and Brittney cover:

• The impact of agreements on collaboration and artistic credit: Brittney shares how setting clear expectations with collaborators through formal agreements prevents misunderstandings, keeps relationships intact, and ensures all collaborators are recognized fairly.

• Empowering independence through agreement management: Brittney explains how Docusign enables them to manage contracts from anywhere, maintain control over their work, and stay organized amidst the many moving parts of their music projects.

• Advice for artists navigating agreement management: Brittney offers practical advice, including how to make contracts feel more accessible and less daunting by treating agreements as tools for clarity and mutual understanding rather than intimidating legal hurdles.  

About Brittney Chantele:
Brittney Chantele is a dynamic pop/hip hop artist whose music explores themes of queer love and relationships through a refreshingly honest lens. As a biracial non-binary artist, they are dedicated to ensuring full representation and respect for queer people and queer love. With over 2 million streams on their song “Moonroof” and recognition as ‘Best Rap/Hip-Hop Performer’ and ‘Best Unsigned Music Artist’ in Pittsburgh, they are now building on that success in Chicago. In addition to their music, Brittney is pursuing an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for Film/Video/New Media and Animation, is an abstract painter, and was the lead actor in an Emmy award-winning commercial.

Connect with Brittney

Curious about how artists can leverage Docusign in their careers? Drop your questions in the comments below and tag @BrittneyC!

Want to connect further with Brittney? Follow @brittneychantele on your music streaming platform and on social media or check out these links:

• Spotify
• Instagram
• Website
• Apple Music
• Youtube

Transcript: 

Leah Breen, Docusign Community Content Manager: 

So today I'm talking with Brittney Chantele. I got introduced to Brittney when I posted in the Docusign community asking what people were listening to that day as a casual Friday afternoon conversation starter. And that day I happened to be listening to Kehlani's NPR Tiny Desk concert. So I shared that and then Brittney commented saying that they listen to Kehlani as they try to get their creative juices flowing for writing their own music. And I was like, ‘Wow, that's amazing that we have someone in the community who is a music creator.’ So I searched for Brittney on Spotify and sure enough found them and was just totally blown away with their work, the vocals, the intentionality of their storytelling, the vulnerability and representation in their messages, and just how it sounds. The songs are so fun. And as I was reading about Brittney's mission and their approach to their work, I knew I really wanted to sit down with them and learn more about their story. And we're also going to talk a little bit about how they handle agreement management in their career, and also how they use Docusign. 

So to officially introduce Brittney, Brittney Chantele is a dynamic pop and hip hop artist whose music explores themes of queer love and relationships through a refreshingly honest lens. And as a biracial non binary artist, they're dedicated to ensuring full representation and respect for queer love and queer people. And with over 2 million streams of their song Moonroof and recognition as best rap and hip hop performer and best unsigned music artist in Pittsburgh, they're now building on that success in Chicago. And in addition to their music, Brittney is pursuing an MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago . They're also an abstract painter and was the lead actor in an Emmy award winning commercial. So Brittney, welcome. Thanks so much for speaking with me. 

Brittney Chantele: 

Thank you for having me. I'm really happy to be here. 

Leah: 

So I wanted to start by asking if you could just tell us a little bit about how you got started with music.

Brittney: 

Yeah, honestly, it started as early as I can remember, like fifth grade, sixth grade. It started with poetry actually. I got my first poem published in a book in sixth grade. And the poem was about my first guitar. And I think that poetry was kind of an outlet for me because I didn't know how to create music at the time, you know, there wasn't all of this access that we have now. You can have a really simple recording studio in your house now.

So, we didn't really have that access then. So I think in reality, my poetry was songwriting, and eventually, right around the time that I graduated college in 2015, I was introduced to some producers and people who were kind of just doing it for fun and just as a hobby in Pittsburgh. And I was like, you know, I have a notebook full of songs. I mean, multiple notebooks actually. Could I record? And just kind of started from there. It took off. I think that, I've always known that I wanted to make music and, it's always kind of been this thing that I've felt within me.

Leah: 

Yeah, and I know you said that your work is really driven by a desire to create a world where queer voices are not just seen but really heard and respected and listened to. And so how do you, when you're approaching the songwriting process, how do you hope that your music impacts listeners and especially those within the queer community?

Brittney: 

I love that question. Growing up, and sometimes we still, we have to swap pronouns out in love songs but I just remember, being on the bus and looking out the window and, having my little, RCA MP3 player, back in school and just like wishing so bad that that I could relate even more to those songs, to those love songs. I want to create music that utilizes different pronouns, that utilizes different scenarios. I want people, especially queer people to feel like they have a song that they can go to that they connect directly with and they don't have to change out the pronouns or they don't have to change out the story. The majority of my music is real life experience, so I think that it's kind of like this auto connection that queer people have where it doesn't have to, I don't have to make the story believable because it did happen. So yeah, I think I really want queer people to have music that they can connect to and that they can go to and it can be the song that they listen to on repeat because it's just so close to them. 

Leah: 

And that's really beautiful that you're talking about, like when you were growing up listening to music and how you were wishing that there was that representation and now you're able to create that representation. How are you seeing the visibility of queer artists in the music industry evolving?

Brittney: 

Yeah, I mean, it's blowing up, you know, like we see so many queer artists, now getting a lot of attention, rightfully so. And you know, queer artists aren't a new thing, but I think that it's beautiful. It's amazing. What I want to see more of is just more of it. I think that's like the simple answer. I just want to see more of it. Especially in the different genres, you know, not just pop, and not just indie rock. I feel like there's kind of like this, and not to say that there aren't queer artists who are queer country artists or queer metal artists or something like that, because there are, but I just want to see more of it. I want to see more of it in the light. I want to see more of it get the attention that it deserves because there's a lot of queer artists doing amazing, really cool work that deserves to be heard and seen.  

Leah: 

Yeah. And you're making that happen. And so just like thinking about you and your identity as a nonbinary queer, biracial artists, you also have experience in the military, and you've lived in Pittsburgh and Chicago. how would you say that all those experiences have shaped your experience in the music industry? 

Brittney: 

Yeah. It's shaped it a lot. I think just also, with the community that I was involved with in Pittsburgh, you know, being so close to, to really, really talented rappers, leaders, and community leaders. That also has impacted me a lot. You know, a lot of people don't know this, but actually, my first couple songs that I recorded and I released, which they're no longer on the interwebs, but a lot of my first songs were very activism related. And a lot of it was rap. A lot of it was environmentalism. Some of it was related to police brutality. And so that was a lot of the music that I created, when I first started. And a lot of that has to do with the amazing community that I was just enriched in and just grateful to be a part of in Pittsburgh. So it's shaped me a lot as an artist, not just within my music, but within the other mediums as well.

You know, there's a different perspective that you can bring when you have these rich tapestries of experiences. You know, I made an entire album about my military experience, because I wanted to express like, ‘Hey, there isn't just one way that a veteran looks, there isn't just one way that a veteran thinks or a veteran feels.’ Veterans are very diverse and we're not all the same and we don't all think the same, and so I wanted to share my experience through that. And, without having had the experience of being in the military, I wouldn't have been able to create that work. All of my experiences, all of my identities shape my work in so many ways.

Leah: 

Yeah, and that's just amazing. So switching gears a little bit to Docusign and agreements, which is a huge part of the day-to-day work, the less glamorous side of being, in the music industry. Docusign exists to really bring agreements to life. And I'd love to hear about a milestone moment in your career where an agreement was part of turning a goal into reality, like finalizing a performance contract, a licensing deal, or a collaboration you were really excited about. Can you talk a little bit about what that moment was like for you and how and why that moment was pivotal once you actually got that agreement signed.

Brittney: 

Yeah. I mean, I use Docusign so much for my artistic career. And I think that one moment that really stands out for me was a music video contract and, you know, music videos, they are art within themselves, and yes, you need an artist who made the music for a music video to come to life. That is one aspect of it, but there's so many more. There's the director, there's the producer, a photographer even on set. There's a lot of people that could be on a music video set. And it is also as much as it is my work, it's also their work as well. And, when thinking about who gets credit for things, could they submit this music video to a festival that is all about music videos, you know, and, if they do, and let's say they win a prize, am I included in that or am I not? And I think just thinking about those things ahead of time and having those agreements in place ahead of time. You put yourself in a place as an artist and as a collaborator where there's no room for mishaps, there's no room for disagreements or misunderstandings or even resentment. Resentment can kill collaborations very quickly. I am a person that I want to make sure that everyone that I'm working with feels like they are being credited fairly and to make sure that they are being compensated fairly, and that they also feel connected to the art as well. And I want to make sure that if they are contributing to my work, that they also have some say in some things, it's not just all about me. It's not the Brittney show.

So,I think that I'm just happy that we did that and that, and that everyone was on the same page that yeah, go ahead, submit it for a film festival. I hope if it gets in, I hope I'm invited and I can see it there. But yeah, I think that that's a great example and I think that it's something that a lot of artists maybe forget about or maybe are afraid of. 

Leah: 

It's such a reminder that there are so many individuals involved in making an agreement happen and bringing something to life. 

Brittney: 

Exactly. Yeah. And I think about, you know, even with that, it can get down really to the nitty gritty, like the makeup artists and styling. There's so many moving pieces to these pieces of work. And I see bridges get burned because people don't get credit or people aren't involved in certain ways that they thought they were going to be or that they think that they should be. So yeah, I think it's super important to get your ducks in a row.

Leah: 

Yeah and it's almost like expectation-setting too, right? Like, if you can all be on literally the same page from the beginning, then that's ensuring that things can proceed more smoothly because you've talked things out beforehand. Of course things will always come up, but that's also why you can go back to that agreement and say, ‘Hey, this is what we're trying to achieve, this is the real goal here.’ 

Since you're an independent artist, I'd imagine that maintaining control over your work and agreements is really vital for you. How have you used Docusign? How has it empowered you to manage your contracts? Maybe you can think of this question as almost like what would your work and life be like with Docusign versus without it.

Brittney: 

Yeah well you know it's the ability to sign documents from afar is so important. You're working with people who are also super busy, you know, I'm busy. They're busy. Even if we live in the same city, the idea of getting together to sign a piece of paper for five seconds, you know, it's kind of wild. Just that piece alone. Amazing. The fact that I could work with someone from out of state, out of country, and have a legal agreement between the both of us that is legit, that's signed off on both of us. So, yeah, I mean, I just, I think that that is one of the biggest pieces for me as an artist and as a collaborator with people who are kind of all over the map. There's also this beauty in that it keeps it in one place for you, and it's such a simple thing, but it  means a lot. You know, there's a lot of organization that goes into being an artist, just speaking on music alone. It's being a project manager is what it is.

You know, when I have an album coming up, there are so many moving pieces. I keep saying that, but it's really true. There are so many moving pieces from the people who are helping me record the song, the producer, am I bringing a songwriter in? Am I bringing instrumentalists into the album artwork? Am I drawing it myself? Do I need to schedule a photo shoot? Does the photographer care if we put words on top of their photo for the cover, or do they just want it to be the photo, because that's going to change some things. So there's all of these moving pieces plus many more.

And then there's this piece of the contract. No one wants to talk about the contract. It's seen as the not so fun part of, okay, let's talk about payment and let's talk about splits and let's talk about publishing. So to have it in one place. It's organized. It's easy. It's doable from across the map. It's just perfect. If it didn't exist, it's what I would be asking for. 

Leah: 

Especially for creatives where the work is so personal, it's not just like you can feel almost like a separation between your work, like this is you and so to have those hard conversations in the contract negotiation process, I can imagine that can be tense. And Docusign really does exist to make things easier, so at least that takes a little bit of that emotional lift off where I can keep everything organized to kind of help relieve some of that pain and pressure with what is the least fun part of being an artist.

Brittney:

Yes, absolutely. You hit the nail on the head. 

Leah:

And so thinking about other artists like you who are navigating the complexities of these legal agreements, what advice would you give them, either in general, or on leveraging tools like Docusign? What have been some of your lessons learned around agreement management or even favorite tips for using Docusign?

Brittney:

Absolutely. First and foremost, try to, I know that sometimes it's easier said than done, but try and take the pressure off of yourself like, ‘Oh my God, this is a contract. This is a legal binding agreement.’ We hear these words and they're so scary. And I get why, but I always, before working with someone, I always ask, what am I trying to get out of this collaboration, but also what do I want them to get out of it? And sometimes it's just a rough draft, like sometimes it's just notes on a Google Doc. And I kind of think about what are all the things that could go extremely well? And then what are all the things that could go really bad? 

I put myself in their shoes. What are some expectations that I would have if I were in their shoes? And what would I be expecting to get out of this? So I kind of jot all of those ideas down and, you know, for the most part, I have kind of a standard agreement for producers and for videographers, for mixing and mastering engineers. I have like a standard agreement for those folks, photographers, but sometimes there's an interesting collaboration that comes along and it's kind of unique and I need to start this process over again, but once you have done this, you have it, you don't need to edit too much. Like there might be some back and forth between you and the next person, but you have it. But, all that to say, I take those notes and I try to find some other examples of those types of contracts and see if I'm missing anything. I know that a lot of people are utilizing AI to help them write contracts, which I think, it's great if it helps you out.

Also, there are lawyers who work within the arts who do pro-bono work. You can contact them and say, ‘Hey, this is the contract that I need, these are my notes. This is what I'm thinking.’ Could you kind of give me a temperature check here to see if I'm in the right place? Sometimes they'll even write it for you. And then from there, you know, put it into Docusign and make sure everything looks good for you. And then you send it out. And then once those documents are signed, again, it lives in one place. You have it there. And I think that Docusign makes it really easy for it to be a little less scary, like you said. 

Leah:

One other question for you is how have you, since you moved to Chicago relatively recently, how have you started to find a community? 

Brittney:

Honestly, going to shows and I may not know anybody's music, but just going to shows. I'm also really fortunate that my partner has amazing, talented friends. She's also an artist as well. She's a photographer. So she's also worked with a lot of creatives in the city and she's connected me to other people as well.

But yeah, I think just putting myself out there, I'm just going to go to a show and maybe I will have a good time. Maybe I won't, but talking to folks, there's just really, I mean, there's talented folks everywhere, but Chicago is so big and there's people doing a lot of experimental things, things that I've never really heard before. And that's, I think that's how you build any community. you just have to put yourself out there a little bit, and see what comes of it. So I feel like I have built a really beautiful, supportive community here. And I still love my community in Pittsburgh, absolutely, and I miss them dearly, but, I think that folks in Chicago, from what I have witnessed, are super supportive, and yeah, super creative. and I think everyone just kind of wants to see each other win. So, it's a really beautiful community to be a part of. 

Leah:

You mentioned that you're working on something right now. What kind of upcoming projects or goals are you excited about, that you can share about at this point? 

Brittney:

Yeah. So we just finished recording song number two of my next project. We just finished recording it this past Wednesday. And so we're kind of slowly chipping away at what is going to be an album. I'm doing something very different now than I have ever before. And that is not putting any deadlines on my work. And as someone with a project manager background, it's kind of hard to not say this is when the album is going to come out. But what I am noticing is that it is allowing me more time and patience and care with my music. Whereas before I felt like some of my music was rushed and I felt the need to consult with so many other people so that it could get done on time. And now I'm kind of just really sitting in with my own emotions, my own feelings.

I'm really just trying to lock into that and just take my time with my work. So to be determined on when the album will come out, I definitely do plan to release some singles coming up soon. And I'm also now working in film and video, pursuing my MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. And so, I'm looking to do some short films about my identity, about queerness, so be on the lookout for those as well. 

Leah: 

Lastly, how can people follow you and connect with you to hear your music? 

Brittney:

Yeah, I am on all music streaming platforms, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, whatever you use, I can almost guarantee you my music is on there.

Except the jukeboxes and bars right now. I'm still working on that. It's tough to get onto those apparently. But yeah, all streaming music or music streaming platforms. And then, I'm on Instagram as well @Brittneychantelele. 

Leah:

Amazing. Well, thank you so much for chatting with me. I'm so excited personally to keep following your work and can't wait to share this conversation with the Docusign community. And I'll make sure to share a link to your Spotify so everyone can easily check that out. I definitely recommend starting with the track Moonroof, but definitely going beyond that. Thank you so much for hanging out and thanks everyone for listening and we'll see you allinside the Docusign Community. 

Brittney:

Thank you. Thank you so much.