IN FOCUS: Fandom – Switching Genres
March 16, 2026 by team downtown
Downtown presents IN FOCUS, a series exploring the ideas shaping the future of music and technology.
Each episode spotlights a key theme and features short, candid conversations between our team and our clients or partners – deep diving into the questions, trends, and insights driving change across the industry. We share key takeaways from each conversation to help shed light on different areas of the music business and spark new ways of thinking about its future.
You can find all episodes of IN FOCUS on Downtown’s YouTube channel here.
IN FOCUS is also available as a podcast, listen to all episodes released here.
Episode Fifteen: IN FOCUS: Fandom
Topic: Switching Genres
Episode fifteen sees Karma Bertelsen, Marketing Strategy Director (EMEA) at FUGA, in conversation with Scottish artist and songwriter Nina Nesbitt, exploring what it means to evolve creatively, switch genres, and bring fans along on new musical journeys.
Key takeaways:
– Why an artist’s career trajectory doesn’t always have to move upward
– How switching genres can widen — not weaken — a fanbase over time
– The importance of choosing “bridge” songs to ease fans into new creative eras
– Why authenticity and personal excitement should lead creative decisions
– How world-building, visuals, and storytelling help fans connect with new chapters
