From Zero to One-Million Streams in 90 Days: Evan Jacobson’s Viral Blueprint for Musicians

Today, Adam sits down with Evan Jacobson—the New-York saxophonist whose TikTok series “Adding Sax Solos to Songs That Don’t Need Them” rocketed him from jazz student to viral star—and unpacks the exact hook, branding cues and batching workflow that turned a Coldplay cover into hundreds of thousands of followers, Spotify streams and ticket sales. Evan lays out his cover-to-original pipeline, the mindset that overcomes algorithm pressure and imposter syndrome, and why a raw, emotionally charged 30-second riff can build deeper fan loyalty than any technical fireworks—indispensable insight for creators who want to turn niche passion into real-world impact without selling out.

🕒 TIMESTAMPS

• 00:00 — The Viral Saxophone Journey
• 06:14 — Balancing Content Creation and Artistic Integrity
• 09:00 — Converting Views into Fans
• 11:47 — The Importance of Live Performances
• 14:50 — Marketing Strategies for Original Music
• 21:00 — Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
• 24:05 — Building a Consistent Brand
• 32:04 — Handling Content Failures and Learning from Them
• 36:02 — The Value of Honesty in Content Creation
• 39:04 — Philosophical Questions

🔗 FOLLOW EVAN
Website ·TikTok ·Instagram

✌🏼 SUPPORT THE PODCAST — PRODUCTS WE LOVE

• Vitadrop — Healthy hydration & vitamins (Sleep / Hydration / Focus & Collagen) — use code TOT for 25 % off · vitadrop.com.au/TOT
• Legacy — At-home fertility analysis & sperm freezing — code TOT for 10 % off · givelegacy.com
• Blueprint — Longevity supplements & meals by Bryan Johnson — code TOT for 10 % off · friends.bryanjohnson.com/TOT

GET IN TOUCH
Website: thatonetimepodcast.com
Advertise: [email protected]
Bookings: [email protected]

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
YouTube ·Spotify ·Apple Podcasts ·Instagram ·X / Twitter ·TikTok

💭 ABOUT US
Each week Adam dives deep into the lives, habits and lessons of remarkable people, teasing out curiosities and turning them into actionable insights. Centered on health, wealth and wisdom, every conversation is an in-depth, vulnerable look at unique individuals forging their own path. Episodes span business, marketing, health, spirituality, biohacking, mindset, content creation and more.

Hosted by Adam Metwally · Produced by Joe Fowler

🎶 Music
Track by HNNY · listen here

Episode source