Not Dead Yet MediaClient Information
4 June, 2026Print
Not Dead Yet Media Announces Indie Music Network Live: A Roundtable Discussion On the State of Indie Music
Wednesday, June 24th at Ki Smith Gallery on the Lower East SidePurchase Tickets HERE
Thursday, June 4th (New York, NY) – Today, Not Dead Yet Media, a New York-based, full-service ecosystem for independent artists, encompassing management, a record label, artist and label consulting, and more, announces Indie Music Network Live, a roundtable discussion about the state of indie music on Wednesday, June 24th from 7–10 PM at Ki Smith Gallery on New York City's Lower East Side.
The event serves as the in-person extension of Not Dead Yet Media’s Indie Music Network Podcast, fostering the same conversations, insights, and community-building in a live setting.
Doors open at 6:30 PM ET, and you can purchase tickets HERE.
Held during New York Music Month, the evening will bring together artists, creatives, managers, executives, and marketers to discuss real-world challenges facing indie artists and the strategies needed to build sustainable, long-term careers.
Hosted by the Not Dead Yet Media executive team - CEO and founder Russ Rieger, CMO Rebecca Carroll, and COO Heather de Armas - participants include: Samantha Wolff (Senior Director, Artist & Label Partnerships, The Orchard), Alyssa Castiglia (Senior Director of A&R/Head of A&R Research, UnitedMasters), Adam Silverman (Business Affairs, HarperCollins), Joe McGinnis (VP Radio Promotion, The Syndicate), Eunique: (Founder & Chief Music Strategist, Eunique Music), Josh Zieman (Owner, InKind Music), Michael Pontecorvo (Owner, Immortal Records), Stacy Karp (COO, A to Z Media), Sal Scamardo (independent producer and former VP Marketing, FilmRise), Lee Dannay (VP A&R, Thirty Tigers), Roberta Korus (Entertainment Attorney), an executive from Splice and more to be announced soon.
The evening will also feature networking opportunities and live acoustic performances from independent artists showcasing the talent and creativity at the heart of the community.
Guests will have the opportunity to experience Edie 66, Ki Smith Gallery's exhibition exploring Andy Warhol's Factory era and its influence on music, art, and pop culture. Featuring rare images of The Velvet Underground and other key figures from Warhol's creative circle, the show highlights the enduring relationship between visual artists and musicians in shaping New York's cultural identity.
The Indie Music Network reflects Not Dead Yet Media’s belief that independent artists deserve access to the same opportunities, resources, and industry knowledge traditionally reserved for major-label systems. Rather than gatekeeping information or relationships, Not Dead Yet Media aims to build practical infrastructure for the independent music community.
Stay tuned for other Indie Music Network Live event announcements.
Not Dead Yet Media is led by CEO & Founder Russ Rieger. He previously served as VP & GM of London Records and GM of Maverick Records, where he scaled the company from a skeletal team inside Warner Bros. into a fully independent label with 130+ employees, earning multi-platinum and gold records with The Prodigy, Alanis Morissette, Muse, Deftones, Erasure, and more. Rieger also spent over a decade advising startups, VCs, and family offices at the intersection of media, tech, and entertainment.
Rebecca Carroll is the CMO of Not Dead Yet Media. She has previously worked at Universal and Island Records, indie labels, and Simon & Schuster, where she built careers for artists such as Portishead, Pulp, Utah Saints, Generation Axe, and Steve Vai. An early adopter of cutting-edge marketing strategies, Carroll has also worked across tech startups, e-commerce brands, nonprofits, and state primary campaigns.
Heather de Armas serves as COO of Not Dead Yet Media. She founded HDA Management in 2022 and the following year, secured an indie label deal and created the first Sad Girl Hours events. In 2024, she merged with Not Dead Yet Media, expanding the company into the full-service ecosystem it is today. She is also the Showcase Director for Mondo.NYC.
ABOUT NOT DEAD YET MEDIA:
Not Dead Yet Media is a New York-based, full-service ecosystem supporting independent artists. Founded by Russ Rieger, Heather de Armas, and Rebecca Carroll, the company provides end-to-end support across artists’ creative and commercial journeys while building infrastructure for the next generation of indie talent.
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ABOUT KI SMITH GALLERY:
Ki Smith Gallery disrupts standard industry practice by representing a carefully-selected group of artists with diverse backgrounds, methods, and aesthetics. Our artists are encouraged to explore materials and processes and we actively support them in making exciting new works. We immerse ourselves in each exhibition from conception to execution. The gallery works closely with our collectors to help them create meaningful collections. We take pride in helping them not only understand the intentions of the artist, but also consider their own personal and emotional connections to the work Although we take the larger trends and conversations of other galleries and auction houses into consideration, we consider our peers to be the artists, patrons, and friends that are active parts of our community. We are compelled by a deep love and respect for art and are always searching for imaginative ways of sharing it with others.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT NOT DEAD YET MEDIA, PLEASE CONTACT:
Mikaela Duhs at NDYMPR@shorefire.com