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Truan Savage has been passionate about music for as long as he can remember, both as a listener and performer. Despite earning his JD and pursuing a life in the law, that passion hasn’t diminished. As recently as last year, the general counsel at music streaming service TIDAL released new music under the pseudonym Torchsong.
But as soothing as his works may be for the soul, that’s only half of his story—one that includes acting as counsel at Lyft and HBO and a successful run as an “outside in-house counsel” for advertising and marketing agencies, companies not often equipped with their own in-house law departments.
You may know TIDAL from the high-profile 2015 press conference boasting Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Madonna, and other music luminaries who were co-owners of the artist-first business. Or perhaps it was TIDAL’s 2021 acquisition by Jack Dorsey-owned Block Inc., which includes Square, Cash App, Spiral, and TBD. That move might seem odd, but to Savage, it makes perfect sense.
“Block’s mission in everything that they do is centered around economic empowerment,” Savage explains. “Every one of their businesses focuses on expanding access to the economy. People may have been confused when Block acquired TIDAL, but when you consider the everyday struggles of even significant musicians, we aim to empower all musicians and help them make careers from their art. Our listeners are a priority, and we will continue to lean into finding ways to help artists fund their work and their lives.”
“There’s so much collaboration and decision-making that goes into making a fully fleshed recorded song, but it’s not stressful to me. It’s how I relax.”
Truan Savage
That mission is what drew Savage to TIDAL in 2021, and his commitment to that mission is no doubt related to his promotion to GC in summer 2023. In his role, Savage’s team has helped get the refreshed TIDAL Rising initiative for artists up and running. Initially positioned as more of an artist highlight and playlist exposure tool, TIDAL Rising worked to tie its mission of economic empowerment for artists.
TIDAL Rising artists receive direct economic support that can be used to record new music, market that music, or pay for any of the other litany of expenses that accompany an artist’s life.
“We’re going to continue to build out this program and see how we can continue to support artists more directly,” Savage says.
For artists who utilize the company’s artists platform, TIDAL Artist Home, to customize their profiles and promote their music, Savage says a whole new array of capabilities are in the works. Already successful examples include the “TIDAL Collabs” feature that connects like-minded artists who might pair well together, encouraging them to collaborate and cross-pollinate genres and fan bases.
There’s no other streaming service with this offering at present, and Savage says TIDAL aims to continue rolling out new features that will make the TIDAL experience unlike any other.
And the others, the Apple Musics or Spotifys of the world? Savage and TIDAL at large have a much different perspective than those who might consider TIDAL an underdog in the streaming wars.
“We’re carving out a unique customer base with a specific mission in mind,” Savage says. “I think all you need to do is read a little more about us to understand there’s something special here, and we want to be known for what we believe.”
While at Lyft, Savage got in-house experience at an innovative tech company. At HBO, he got experience in more traditional media. Working at TIDAL, both as a lawyer and a musician, is a perfect match for him. The GC can help innovate on the product development side as well as lean into the more traditional everyday work of the job.
“We’re carving out a unique customer base with a specific mission in mind. I think all you need to do is read a little more about us to understand there’s something special here, and we want to be known for what we believe.”
Truan Savage
And the rest of his day? Savage can likely be found at his piano, both composing and producing music.
“There’s always a point every few months when I realize I’ve compiled enough material and that it’s time to record and produce it,” the attorney explains. “There’s so much collaboration and decision-making that goes into making a fully fleshed recorded song, but it’s not stressful to me. It’s how I relax.”
Savage recently joined some old friends for a catch-up hang, and one of them, a gigging musician, shared that he had arranged a song Savage wrote back in college.
“There was something incredibly validating about that,” the TIDAL GC says. “I made that choice to pursue law in college, but my music is still seeping out into the world a little bit in a lot of different ways. I get to support artists like my friend from my day job, and I feel like I’ve gotten the best of both passions.”
