TikTok’s Tracy Gardner On Growing Up In the Miami Sound Machine

TikTok’s influence on the music industry is undeniable. The addictive short-form video platform has bolstered the careers of reigning top 40 musicians like Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Meghan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, SZA, and more. (It even made Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” return to the charts in 2020.) As head of label licensing and partnerships at TikTok, Tracy Gardner has since helped the app lean even further into the music world, negotiating global licensing agreements with record labels. She’s responsible for the music strategy and business development behind TikTok, and, in short, helps make the music you hear on this powerful app take off. Here, she talks to Nic about going to her first concert without a parent at the tender age of 6, and discovering New Order. Listen below on Spotify or at Apple Podcasts.