We recently connected with Brianna Shelko and have shared our conversation below.
Brianna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
Yes, I’ve been able to earn a full-time living from my creative work, but it definitely wasn’t like that from day one. I’ve spent over 20 years honing my craft, writing more than 500 songs and putting in over 20,000 hours. Early on, I faced financial barriers, especially when trying to access songwriting rooms and camps that could help advance my career. That experience ultimately pushed me toward sync licensing and building my own opportunities.
As I grew, I focused on building multiple revenue streams through Level Up Music Productions. In addition to sync placements, I began offering music services like clearance and bookkeeping for music industry companies, and those retainer clients became the foundation that keeps me fed as a company — the syncs are a plus. I also expanded into custom songwriting camps for celebrities and brands, sonic branding, and custom music projects, which allowed me to scale creatively while staying sustainable.
Looking back, I think I could have sped up the process by understanding earlier that diversification is key. Building a mix of services, retainers, and sync income is what ultimately allowed me to turn my creativity into a full-time career while also creating opportunities for other artists.
Brianna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Brianna Shelko, a 32-year-old songwriter, entrepreneur, and founder of Level Up Music Productions. I’ve been writing songs for over 20 years and have dedicated more than 20,000 hours to my craft, writing over 500 songs along the way. My journey into the industry started from a deep love of songwriting, but as I grew, I quickly realized that talent alone wasn’t enough — access, relationships, and financial resources often determined who got opportunities and who didn’t.
Early in my career, I found myself blocked from songwriting rooms I knew I belonged in, often because of the high costs associated with songwriting camps and industry access. That experience became the foundation for why I built Level Up Music Productions. I wanted to create the opportunities I didn’t have and open doors for other talented creators who just needed a chance.
Today, Level Up Music Productions operates at the intersection of creativity and strategy. We specialize in sync licensing, custom music, and artist development, while also offering music industry services that help brands, artists, and companies scale. Our services include custom songwriting camps for celebrities and brands, sonic branding, custom music projects, sync licensing, music clearance, and bookkeeping for music industry companies. These offerings allow us to support both creatives and businesses, while also creating sustainable revenue streams across the industry.
We solve a few key problems for our clients. For artists, we create access — whether that’s opportunities in sync, songwriting rooms, or brand partnerships. For brands and companies, we provide high-quality custom music, sonic branding, and efficient music services that streamline their creative and operational needs. We also help bridge the gap between creativity and business, which is something that’s often missing in the music industry.
What sets me apart is my perspective as both a creator and a business owner. I understand the artist journey firsthand, but I also understand the importance of building sustainable systems and multiple revenue streams. I’ve also built a reputation as a “7-minute hit songwriter,” which speaks to my ability to create quickly, collaborate effectively, and deliver at a high level.
What I’m most proud of is creating opportunities for others. Level Up isn’t just about placements or projects — it’s about building a community and helping artists create sustainable careers. I’m proud that we’re not only helping brands and companies find great music, but also helping creators stay in the game and continue pursuing their passion.
The main thing I want potential clients, collaborators, and artists to know is that Level Up Music Productions is built on access, opportunity, and sustainability. We’re here to break down barriers, create high-quality music solutions, and help both creatives and brands grow. At the end of the day, my mission is simple: create opportunities, build community, and help others level up — just like I had to learn to do for myself.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
In my view, one of the most impactful things society can do to support artists and creatives is to start recognizing creativity as both culture and commerce. Music, film, and art shape how we experience the world, but behind every creative project are professionals who deserve sustainable careers, fair pay, and long-term opportunities.
One of the biggest shifts I’d love to see is upfront fees — or kill fees — becoming the norm. Too often, artists are asked to create on spec or work for free with the promise of “exposure” or potential backend opportunities. While exposure can be helpful, it doesn’t pay bills. Upfront fees and kill fees ensure that artists are compensated for their time, ideas, and labor, even if a project doesn’t move forward. This creates a healthier ecosystem where creatives aren’t constantly taking financial risks just to stay in the game.
I also believe access and education are key. Many talented artists don’t know about opportunities like sync licensing, sonic branding, or custom music work that can create sustainable income. By increasing transparency and education around these revenue streams, we can help more creatives build long-term careers instead of relying on one traditional path.
Another important factor is investing in creative communities and infrastructure — things like songwriting camps, mentorship programs, and collaborative spaces. These environments not only spark creativity but also create real opportunities and connections that can change someone’s career trajectory.
Ultimately, supporting artists means valuing their work, compensating them fairly, and creating systems that allow creativity to thrive. When artists are supported, they’re able to focus on creating, innovating, and contributing to culture — and that benefits everyone.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Absolutely. I wish I had known earlier about the power of sync licensing and the wide range of opportunities available outside of the traditional artist path. For a long time, I thought success in music meant being an artist, getting signed, or landing major placements the traditional way. Discovering sync, sonic branding, and custom music opened my eyes to how many sustainable career paths actually exist for creatives.
I also wish I had access to more transparent education around the business side of music — things like publishing, metadata, splits, music clearance, and bookkeeping. These are the systems that keep creatives paid, but they’re not always taught early on. Understanding those fundamentals sooner would have helped me protect my work and monetize my catalog faster.
Another resource I wish I had earlier was community. Having access to songwriting camps, mentorship, and collaborative spaces can dramatically accelerate growth. Early in my journey, many of those opportunities came with high financial barriers, which made them difficult to access. That experience is actually what inspired me to create Level Up Music Productions — to build the kind of ecosystem I wish existed when I was starting out.
Lastly, I wish I had learned sooner that diversification is key. Knowing that you can build income through services, retainers, sync placements, custom music, and brand partnerships would have helped me move into full-time creative work faster. Once I embraced multiple revenue streams, everything started to scale more sustainably.
All of these lessons shaped not only my career, but also the mission behind my company — creating access, transparency, and sustainable opportunities for creatives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.levelupmusicproductions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/levelupmusicproductions?igsh=dm1sMm40dzZsdXc2&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannaleveledup?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
