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SCL SongArts Seminar: ALTERNATIVE REVENUE STREAMS FOR THE SONGWRITER w/Kay Hanley, Brandon Jarrett, Michelle Lewis, & Jose Luis Revelo, moderated by John DeFaria
Contemporary singer/songwriters are finding new ways to monetize their creativity in the current media market. What exactly are these sources of income and how can our members take advantage of them as well? In this seminar our expert panel will explore these new trends. Despite the rise of A.I. and other challenges in the industry, our panelists will discuss strategies for building a sustainable career in 2026 and beyond.
Date & Time: Feb 18, 2026 05:00 PM in Pacific Time (US and Canada)
To Register for this Zoom webinar, click here
SPEAKERS

Kay Hanley
Songwriter
Kay Hanley is an Emmy® and Peabody® Award-winning songwriter, music copyright advocate/activist, and lead singer for rock band Letters to Cleo. She began her career in music as the lead singer of the Boston-based alternative rock band, releasing 3 acclaimed albums between 1990-2000, and spawning such hits as “Awake” and “Here and Now.” In 2002, Hanley released her first full-length solo album, Cherry Marmalade, produced by longtime Cleo producer Mike Denneen, at Q Division Studios in Boston. Subsequent solo releases were The Babydoll EP (2005) and Weaponize (2009).
In the 90’s, Ms. Hanley began expanding her work as a singer and songwriter into the TV and film world, providing the singing voice for Josie in Universal Pictures’ feature film Josie and the Pussycats and performing cover versions of Nick Lowe’s “Cruel to be Kind” and Cheap Trick’s “I Want You To Want Me” in Touchstone Pictures’ hit film, 10 Things I Hate About You. In 2023, she co-wrote all original songs for Subspace Rhapsody, the first ever Star Trek musical episode for the CBS/Paramount + hit series, Strange New Worlds with Cleo bandmate, Tom Polce.
Ms. Hanley concentrates her career writing music for animated television, penning original songs for shows like Disney Junior’s Vampirina and Doc McStuffins, Harvey Street Kids, DC Super Hero Girls, Ada Twist, Scientist and becoming a first time Emmy winner in 2022 for songwriting on We The People. Her latest project is Kindergarten The Musical, which she developed with writing partners Michelle Lewis, Dan Petty, and Charlton Pettus. She serves as songwriter and executive producer for the series, now airing on Disney Junior and Disney+.
Ms. Hanley is co-founder of Songwriters Of North America (SONA), a non-profit advocacy organization that fights for the protection and value of songs and songwriters in the streaming music marketplace. She serves as vice-chair of the Unclaimed Royalties Oversight Committee since 2019.

Brandon Jarrett
Songwriter

Michelle Lewis
Songwriter
Michelle Lewis is an Emmy-winning songwriter, composer, and one of the music industry’s most passionate advocates for creators’ rights. Based in Los Angeles, she has penned charting singles for a diverse roster of artists – from Amy Grant, “I Will Be Your Friend” and Cher, “Different Kind of Love Song,” to Little Mix, “Wings,” and Andra Day, “Rise Up.”
Her work in kids and family entertainment is equally impactful: she has earned six Emmy nominations, winning two—Outstanding Video Short in 2022, We the People, and Outstanding Original Song in 2021, “Unsaid Emily,” Julie and the Phantoms. She also received an ASCAP® Screen Music Award in 2021 for The Loud House, and has prior honors for Bubble Guppies, Doc McStuffins (Peabody Award), and more.
Michelle is co-creator, executive producer, writer, and composer on Kindergarten the Musical for Disney Jr., which premiered in September 2024. She’s also a key creative voice behind beloved shows like Doc McStuffins, The Loud House, Bubble Guppies, Ada Twist, Scientist, and We the People.
Beyond her creative work, Michelle champions songwriters as Co-Founder and CEO of Songwriters of North America (SONA) and the SONA Foundation, and serves on the ASCAP Board of Directors. Her advocacy ensures fair treatment and creative protection for music creators across the industry.

Jose Luis Revelo
Composer
Jose Luis Revelo is a Grammy-nominated composer, producer, and audio engineer who has crafted the sonic DNA for many of the world’s leading brands and entertainment properties. His work includes iconic sonic identities for AT&T, Univision, and The American Cancer Society, as well as regular work on show themes (CBS This Morning), many trailer scores for Netflix, and countless ad scores for global brands.
His work extends beyond the studio to a successful career as a business developer and strategist for major U.S. music production companies. His bi-cultural upbringing has also made him an essential Latino culture advisor to Fortune 500 companies, where he provides critical insight on communicating effectively and authentically with US Latino communities.

John DeFaria
SCL SongArts Co-Chair / Songwriter / Composer
As a musician, John also toured with Kenny Loggins, Kitaro, Ambrosia and Jon Anderson of Yes. He has recorded on numerous movie scores such as Holes, James Camerons’s Ghosts of the Abyss, Uptown Girls; commercials for Direct TV and Subaru; and television shows for Lifetime, Discovery Channel, Warner Brothers Telepictures and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Through his association with composer Dean Grinsfelder, John wrote music for the PBS documentary series Ocean Adventures with Jean Michel Cousteau, which was nominated for an Emmy Award for best Music and Sound Design. John also completed the score for the Warner Brothers movie Dukes of Hazzard 2 – The Beginning, and has also composed music for a wide range of music libraries including: Audio Network, Megatrax, APM, Atomica Music Library, Sonoton, Pitch Hammer and Mastersource.
He began his musical career after graduating from the University of Miami Frost Studio Music and Jazz School.