Middle Row w Coco Mocoe

Latest Episodes:

How to get 200M streams before signing to a label (ft. Mad Tsai) Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

WATCH MAD TSAI’S MUSIC VIDEO FOR “BITE”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GevLw6cqBI&list=RD2GevLw6cqBI&start_radio=1

How does a bedroom pop artist cross 200 million streams entirely on their own before signing to a major label? Today on Middle Row, we are joined by the artist Mad Tsai to break down his rise in music while finishing his degree at UCLA.

From the viral, LGBTQ+ fan-edit momentum of "Boy Bi" to the 100-million-stream milestone of "Stacy’s Brother," Mad Tsai explains how activating niche fandoms can activate internet subcultures to pull an artist's music into their world.

We dissect the fundamental shift in listener psychology; such as, contrasting traditional, forced record label marketing with the organic power of TikTok fan edits (ex. BookTok, anime edits, and viral Love Island clips). We also look at the data behind Alex Warren’s 134-post pivot for his hit "Ordinary," how Mad Tsai leaned into online friction and critics to fuel his rollouts for "DA DA DA" and "STRAYS," and the deep personal storytelling of culture and queerness that is a through line in his music.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction

9:46 - Why his name is Mad Tsai

13:32 - Why artists have alter egos

15:20 - How to get 200-million+ streams before even signing to a record label

16:26 - Being a UCLA student while videos are going viral

17:57 - The personal challenge that made him viral

19:46 - The fan edits that made his songs viral

23:26 - The niche online that made his music viral

24:54 - Turning online drama into massive roll-out moments

25:46 - The online hate that kept him from posting music for 2+ years

33:13 - Mad’s ethnic background (Peruvian, Canto, Taiwanese)

36:18 - Mad’s queer identity

39:01 - Songs that explore his sexuality

41:20 - Where is the best spot to eat in LA

43:46 - Mad’s sun, moon and rising

44:31 - Mad’s upcoming tour

Subscribe to get notified anytime a new podcast episode of “Middle Row w Coco Mocoe” drops every other Monday!

Follow @ cocomocoe on socials:

instagram.com/cocomocoe
tiktok.com/@cocomocoe
cocomocoe.substack.com

The Katseye Kurse: The Marketing Strengths & Blind Spots of the World's Biggest Girl Group Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

KATSEYE got Grammy nominations, a viral Gap campaign, a sold-out tour, and one of the best-selling albums in America, all in under two years. So why can't the girls escape criticism?

In this episode of "Middle Row with Coco Mocoe", I break down what I'm calling the "Katseye Kurse," the collision between HYBE and Geffen's K-pop machine and a Western fandom that plays by completely different rules. I get into the Manon hiatus and the silence that followed, the Dream Academy contestants who got recycled into HYBE's next global group, Saint Satine, the Mickey Mouse Club blueprint with dropped artists being launched into stardom, and why the label's biggest marketing win might also explain its biggest blind spot.

This isn't bad luck. It's a system that was built for impact. But who pays the price of the whiplash?

Chapters

0:00 - Introduction

7:54 - Pop Star Academy on Netflix

12:03 - Mickey Mouse Club

14:12 - Who didn't make Katseye but have since launched music careers?

16:08 - The Introduction of Saint Satine aka Prelude

17:48 - The moment KATSEYE became a household name

19:32 - The Manon Hiatus

20:24 - Why doesn't Hybe address the Manon rumors?

21:33 - The importance of fan accounts

24:26 - Why the K-Pop infrastructure failed in western media

26:48 - The Gen-Z Vs. Gen Alpha Dilemma

30:03 - Can the "Katseye Kurse" be broken?

New episodes of Middle Row every other Monday. If you made it this far, you're already a Coconut — so make it official. 🥥 Subscribe to the channel and drop a comment below telling me which artist you think is about to take off. I read them all and it might just land them in the Middle Row seat.

Follow me for more:

Instagram | @cocomocoe

TikTok | @cocomocoe

Email | cocomocoe@gmail.com

Add the official Middle Row playlist to your library on Spotify to hear what songs and artists I think are going to break big next:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19x3n1ZRyN4eeikwSy8sL9

Executive Producers: Coco Mocoe & Trinna Tracy

Videographer: Operation Podcast

Editor: Coco Mocoe

Creator: Coco Mocoe

Filming Location: Spotify Theater, Los Angeles

Why You Have To Win Over This Country To Become a Pop Star (ft. flowerovlove) May 25, 2026

Show notes

How do you break a global pop star in 2026? Forget New York, Los Angeles, or London. The biggest paradigm shift in the music industry is happening thousands of miles away—and it all relies on a secret framework known as "Trigger Cities."In this episode of Middle Row, trend forecaster Coco Mocoe sits down with gen-z pop prodigy flowerovlove right after her historic Coachella set to unpack the exact viral trajectory that took her track "Breaking News" to #1 in the Philippines, racking up an astronomical 4.5 million creator videos on TikTok.We dive deep into the business mechanics behind international music marketing, why Manila is the hidden gateway to Western chart success, gatekeeping your creative vision, and how independent artists can build global power houses from a home garage.What We Cover (Timestamps):0:00 – The "Trigger Cities" Paradigm Shift changing the music business2:15 – Why Manila, Philippines is the ultimate algorithmic launchpad4:32 – Behind the Visuals: Deconstructing the "Breaking News" Music Video7:45 – The Accidental Tipping Point: How a muted TV clip created a 4.5M video trend10:14 – Reclaiming Pop: Why Black British artists get unfairly boxed into alternative genres13:10 – The Independence Blueprint: Learning from Billie Eilish & Finneas15:45 – Creative Control & Gatekeeping: Why flowerovlove refuses to use stylists18:22 – Coachella Secrets: Bringing out BINI and Niana Guerrero24:35 – Album Soon? Decoding the hidden Easter eggs in her fashionListen on the Go:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5zIXuFH...Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Substack (Ahead of the Curve Newsletter): https://cocomocoe.substack.com/Follow flowerovlove:Instagram: @flowerovloveTikTok: @flowerovlove#MusicIndustry #TriggerCities #flowerovlove #BINI #Coachella #MusicMarketing #PopMusic #TikTokTrends #IndependentArtist

How Holly Humberstone Got Noticed by Taylor Swift May 04, 2026

Show notes

WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR "BEAUTY PAGENT" BY HOLLY HUMBERSTONE ⁠HERE⁠ 📺

Holly Humberstone grew up doing ballet in a small English town and somehow ended up walking the runway at Wembley Stadium in front of thousands of people while nearly having a wardrobe crisis in real time. She is telling us everything.

In this episode of Middle Row, I sit down with BRIT Award-winning singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone fresh off her Coachella return and the release of her sophomore album Cruel World. This conversation goes deep. We cover family grief, childhood nostalgia, and why this album era feels so different from everything she has done before. Holly breaks down the exact cinematic references shaping her new visual world, the vocal production tricks behind tracks like Blue Dream, and what creative burnout actually looks like when you are a rising indie-pop artist with the whole industry watching.

Plus the Taylor Swift Eras Tour call. She tells us what it was really like getting that surprise invite to open for Taylor, and the split-second decision she had to make while walking the Wembley runway that nobody knew about until now.

We also do a full birth chart breakdown because obviously we do. And if you are someone who studies music marketing, artist branding, or the business of going from bedroom pop to festival headliner, this episode is genuinely essential listening.

Holly Humberstone is one of the most interesting artists in music right now. This is the episode that explains why.

Time Stamps:

00:00:19 Holly Humberstone Ballet Background
00:01:34 Last-Minute Wardrobe Crisis
00:03:59 Wembley Stadium Runway Panic
00:04:41 Taylor Swift Eras Tour
00:07:11 Cruel World Album Lore & Family Grief
00:12:31 Birth Chart Analysis
00:18:45 Music Marketing & Artist Branding
00:24:12 Cinematic Visual Era Inspiration
00:31:05 Vocal Effects & Studio Production Secrets
00:36:50 Creative Burnout & the Reality of Rising Fame

Thank you coconuts for making it this far! Leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts with a recommendation for what artists or topics you want next on the show ⭐️

Instagram: ⁠@cocomocoe⁠

TikTok: ⁠@cocomocoe⁠

YouTube: ⁠Coco Mocoe

How to Build a Visual World (ft. Tiffany Stringer) Apr 20, 2026

Show notes

Singer-songwriter Tiffany Stringer joins Coco Mocoe in the Middle Row, recorded live at the Spotify Theater. The Texas-born, Atlantic Records artist opens up about the making of The Lone Starlet — her debut major-label EP dropping May 8th — a five-part cinematic concept project inspired by Babylon and Singin' in the Rain that follows a fictional actress through the highs and lows of fame. Tiffany talks about how she convinced Atlantic to greenlight high-budget music videos straight out of the gate, what it was actually like touring as a Kidz Bop kid at 15, the odd jobs she worked when she first moved to LA (including babysitting a tortoise), and the TikTok commitment in 2023 that changed everything. She also gets into the philosophy behind her visual branding, the real-life inspiration behind her songs, and the emotional tension at the heart of The Lone Starlet — performing a version of yourself while figuring out who you actually are offstage. Co-signs from Halsey, Addison Rae, Tate McRae, and Dove Cameron. This one's a great one.

If this episode made you feel something, the best thing you can do is leave a review on Apple or Spotify — it takes 30 seconds and it genuinely helps Middle Row reach more people. And if you have a friend who's obsessed with finding artists before they blow up, send this one their way.

Follow along between episodes:

Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠@cocomocoe⁠⁠⁠

TikTok | ⁠⁠⁠@cocomocoe⁠⁠⁠

Add the official Middle Row playlist on Spotify and stay in the world: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19x3n1ZRyN4eeikwSy8sL9⁠⁠⁠

Executive Producers: Coco Mocoe & Trinna Tracy

Videographer: Operation Podcast

Editor: Comfort Creator | Sammi Social

Creator: Coco Mocoe

Filming Location: Spotify Theater, Los Angeles

Email | ⁠⁠⁠cocomocoe@gmail.com⁠

How KATSEYE Turned Haiden Henderson Into a Dancer Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

WATCH HAIDEN HENDERSON'S MUSIC VIDEO FOR "tension" HERE: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6DblInZjEs&list=RDx6DblInZjEs&start_radio=1⁠

Haiden Henderson went from studying aerospace engineering at USC to becoming one of gen-Z's top rising rock stars with over 100-million streams on Spotify. He is friends with KATSEYE and Tarayummy, is the muse of celebrity photographer Maxamillion Polo and just got back from his tour for his recent EP, "tension", and will be opening for 5 Seconds of Summer on their UK leg of tour in 2026.

Follow me!

Instagram | ⁠@cocomocoe⁠

TikTok | ⁠@cocomocoe⁠

Email: ⁠cocomocoe@gmail.com⁠

Follow the official "Middle Row" playlist on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19x3n1ZRyN4eeikwSy8sL9?si=e4dc55829d754ad0&nd=1&dlsi=d97fc2d2e8c64f95⁠

Executive Producers: Coco Mocoe & Trinna Tracy

Videographer: Operation Podcast

Editor: Creator Comfort | Sammi Social

Creator: Coco Mocoe

Filming Location: Spotify LA

Comment below what music artist you think is next to take off!

Why Slayyyter Doesn't Want to be a Main Pop Girl Apr 06, 2026

Show notes

Slayyyter almost quit music. Now she's headlining Coachella with a live band, a major label deal, and an album she made purely for herself.

The moment she stopped trying to go mainstream, the mainstream came to her.

In this episode of Middle Row with Coco Mocoe, Slayyyter gets honest about the moment she decided to stop chasing commercial success and just make something she'd be proud of. They talk about the Saturn Return that stripped everything back, the Bunny Man lurking in her visuals, and how "Daddy AF" quietly became a good luck charm for indie cinema; such as, showing up in both Anora and Bodies Bodies Bodies before soundtracks.

Plus: writing "Crank" in 30 minutes, the social climbing culture that inspired Starfucker, and why she'd rather drink at an old man biker bar than anywhere near Silver Lake 🍿

Follow along between episodes:

Instagram | ⁠⁠@cocomocoe⁠⁠

TikTok | ⁠⁠@cocomocoe⁠⁠

Add the official Middle Row playlist on Spotify and stay in the world: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19x3n1ZRyN4eeikwSy8sL9⁠⁠

Executive Producers: Coco Mocoe & Trinna Tracy

Videographer: Operation Podcast

Editor: Comfort Creator | Sammi Social

Creator: Coco Mocoe

Filming Location: Spotify Theater, Los Angeles

Email | ⁠⁠cocomocoe@gmail.com⁠⁠

We Need a New Pop Boy (ft. Seb Torgus) Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

This week on Middle Row, Coco Mocoe sits down with alt-pop artist Seb Torgus, and his story might be the most unexpected come-up in music right now. Before releasing music, Seb was working as a janitor in Chicago. Now he's based in LA, rocking iconic red hair, and building friendships with some of the biggest names in the alt and rock world including Yungblud and Jessie from The Neighbourhood. In this episode, Seb also talks about collaborating with Jesse Jo Stark, the daughter of Chrome Hearts founders Laurie Lynn and Richard Stark, and what it means to carry his Croatian heritage into his artistry as he sets his sights on becoming the first Croatian pop star.

Filmed in the Spotify theater 📍

Follow Seb Torgus on Instagram: ⁠@sebtorgus⁠

Follow Coco Mocoe on Instagram: ⁠@cocomocoe⁠

Subscribe to the ⁠Middle Row YouTube channel ⁠for full video episodes.

How Role Model Discovered This Rising Artist (ft. Debbii Dawson) Feb 23, 2026

Show notes

WATCH DEBBII DAWSON'S VISUALIZER FOR "YOU KILLED THE MUSIC" HERE: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFLh58plBYg&list=RDaFLh58plBYg&start_radio=1⁠

She's opened for Role Model and Beaches — and she's just getting started. In this episode, I sit down with Debbii Dawson for a candid conversation about her path as a music artist, how her Indian heritage has influenced her sound and identity, the experiences that shaped her, life on the road, and the moments that made her believe she was meant for this. If you're into indie music, emerging artists, and real talk about the creative process, this one's for you.

Follow me!

Instagram | @cocomocoe

TikTok | @cocomocoe

Email: ⁠cocomocoe@gmail.com⁠

Follow the official "Middle Row" playlist on Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19x3n1ZRyN4eeikwSy8sL9?si=e4dc55829d754ad0&nd=1&dlsi=d97fc2d2e8c64f95⁠

Executive Producers: Coco Mocoe & Trinna Tracy

Videographer: Operation Podcast

Editor: Coco Mocoe

Creator: Coco Mocoe

Filming Location: Spotify LA

Comment below what music artist you think is next to take off!

How Charli XCX Moved On From Brat Feb 09, 2026

Show notes

WATCH THE OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO FOR "HOUSE" BY CHARLI XCX FT. JOHN CALE ⁠HERE⁠

Happy Middle Row Monday! New episodes of "The Middle Row w Coco Mocoe", out every other Monday 🍿 ✨

In the first episode of season 3 of "The Middle Row", we are sitting down with Charli XCX (I can't believe I am typing this) as we break down her music video for "House" ft. John Cale from the Wuthering Heights soundtrack. We talk about how she found out about the project from Emerald Fennell, about how the exhaustion of the "brat" tour led to the gritty texture of the soundtrack and how she isn't actually an astrology girl herself.

If you want to know the nitty-gritty details about how I booked this interview, you can read more on my Substack: https://cocomocoe.substack.com/p/how-i-booked-charli-xcx-as-a-guest

Let me know what up-and-coming artist I should feature on the show in the reviews on Apple Podcasts & Spotify ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Filmed in the Greystone mansion
Video Crew: ⁠Operation Podcast⁠
On-set Producer: Trinna Larsen
Editor & Strategist: ⁠Sammi Social⁠

cocomocoe@gmail.com

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