EP391 | How ROMES Built 1.5M Streams Independently (Without a Label)

In this episode of *In Love with the Process*, host Mike Petchy dives deep into the story of ROMES, the Canadian brother duo Jacob and Nicholas who’ve built a 1.5 million-stream independent music career without a label. The conversation explores their DIY ethos, self-built sound rooted in 90s and early 2000s influences, and how they’ve leveraged authentic content creation—filming their basement experiments and sound design processes—on social media to land high-profile opportunities like scoring for *Call of Duty* and a short film. They discuss the emotional power of music, the authenticity gap in today’s content-driven music industry, and the growing backlash against AI-generated music. The episode also reflects on the broader crisis in artist compensation, the resurgence of physical media, and the importance of human connection in creative work. Petchy shares personal updates about his own feature film project, which is now in development with Scott Free, and emphasizes the show’s mission to celebrate the real, messy, and joyful process behind art. Key takeaways include: 1) Authenticity and joy in the creative process are more powerful than viral strategies; 2) Independent artists can thrive by documenting their real work, not performing for algorithms; 3) AI-generated music devalues both the creative process and listener experience; 4) Physical media and direct artist support (like Bandcamp) are vital for sustainable careers; 5) Live performance is a dynamic, evolving experience that cannot be replicated by pre-recorded content. The episode closes with a passionate call to support artists directly and to value the emotional resonance of music over convenience.