Uncapped #30 | Alex Pall from The Chainsmokers
Timestamps are as accurate as they can be but may be slightly off. We encourage you to listen to the full context.
Podcast Summary
In this wide-ranging conversation, Alex Pall, half of the Grammy Award-winning duo The Chainsmokers, shares the fascinating origin stories behind some of their biggest hits including "Closer," "Something Just Like This," and "Don't Let Me Down." (01:04) Beyond music creation, Alex discusses how he and partner Drew Taggart have expanded into venture capital with Mantis VC, investing in early-stage tech companies while drawing parallels between the creative process in music and business strategy. (24:07)
- Core themes include the unpredictable nature of creative collaboration, the balance between artistic authenticity and commercial success, and how experiences in music translate to venture investing
Speakers
Alex Pall
Alex Pall is half of the Grammy Award-winning electronic music duo The Chainsmokers, known for chart-topping hits like "Closer," "Something Just Like This," and "Don't Let Me Down." Beyond music, Alex is co-founder of Mantis VC, a venture capital firm that invests opportunistically in early-stage tech-enabled startups including companies like Alchemy, Chainguard, Kalshi, Roblox, and Rogo. He brings an entrepreneurial mindset to both music and investing, having built The Chainsmokers into one of the most successful electronic acts while simultaneously expanding into the venture capital world.
Key Takeaways
Protect Creative Flow States at All Costs
Alex emphasizes that most great songs emerge from single, uninterrupted sessions where the creative team stays "in the zone." (16:57) He describes how they've posted rules on their studio door warning people not to interrupt unless absolutely necessary, because even small distractions can kill the momentum that leads to breakthrough music. This principle applies beyond music - any creative or complex work benefits from protected, focused time blocks where the mind can dive deep without fragmentation.
Don't Let Art Become "Promiscuous" Too Early
Drew Taggart's concept that songs become "promiscuous" when too many people weigh in before completion is a crucial insight for any creative work. (18:12) Alex explains how showing work to too many people or seeking too many opinions can erode the original magic and edge of a creative piece. The takeaway is to trust your instincts when you know something is good, and resist the urge to over-socialize ideas before they're fully formed. This applies equally to business ideas, artistic projects, or any innovative work.
Authentic Inspiration Beats Formulaic Approaches
When discussing the creative process, Alex argues that great art requires external inspiration rather than formulaic creation. (39:32) He draws parallels to method acting, where actors are told to "go do everything else except act" to build a rich library of experiences to draw from. For professionals, this means actively seeking diverse experiences, consuming varied content, and engaging with different perspectives to fuel innovation and authentic creation in their own work.
Leverage Unique Advantages Rather Than Copying Others
Alex describes how Mantis VC deliberately chose to focus on B2B and frontier tech rather than consumer investing, despite their entertainment industry background. (47:51) They recognized that while fewer celebrities invest in software, this created an opportunity to provide unique value through their network and perspective. The lesson is to identify what makes you different and lean into those advantages rather than trying to compete in oversaturated spaces where you have no differentiation.
Maintain Momentum Over Perfection
Alex concludes by emphasizing that momentum is more important than any single success or failure. (62:22) He explains that momentum can take many forms - not just streaming numbers or revenue growth, but the energy and excitement you feel about your work. This mindset helps maintain resilience through inevitable setbacks while focusing on consistent forward progress rather than getting derailed by temporary disappointments.
Statistics & Facts
- Bruno Mars has approximately a 70% hit rate with number one songs, having achieved this with only 75-80 total released songs - an extraordinarily rare success rate in the music industry. (44:26)
- Chris Martin and Coldplay can sell out 10 Wembley Stadium shows instantly, representing approximately 600,000-700,000 tickets, demonstrating their massive global appeal. (60:49)
- Most songs that artists release, even successful ones, do not become major hits - Alex notes this is similar to venture capital where most investments fail, but both industries teach valuable lessons through pattern recognition and consistent effort. (53:08)
