What is Zinstrel
and who’s behind it?

Founded by Marcus Lawrence, a career arts and entertainment journalist, editor, recording artist, opera singer, and emerging thought leader in the AI music space, Zinstrel is where music and technology meet. Marcus has spent nearly two decades telling stories across every kind of media, from print and radio to video, podcasts, and streaming.

As the longtime former Executive Editor of NewReleaseToday (NRT), Marcus worked closely with independent artists to help them grow their audiences, co-founded a national music awards show, and hosted a daily streaming program that spotlighted rising talent. Over the years, he has interviewed hundreds of artists, producers, and creators, learning what drives people to make and share their art and how creative movements take shape.

Zinstrel \ˈzin-strəl\ noun: an artist who creates music using generative artificial intelligence tools, especially one who writes original lyrics and relies on AI for musical production.

Today, Marcus is increasingly appearing at conferences and moderates conversations about the cultural and industry shifts surrounding AI music — live and on LinkedIn. He also serves on the Sonic Intelligence Academy’s Creative Advisory Council. As AI reshapes how songs are made and discovered, he sees a new wave of creativity emerging, one where human instinct and machine capability are beginning to collaborate in powerful ways.

Between its Instagram presence, Discord integration with the powerful AI Underground creator community, conference partnerships, and thrice-weekly Substack, Zinstrel is building a home for music lovers, creators, and industry watchers who are curious and excited about what comes next.

Zinstrel exists to cover the cultural and structural shifts shaping AI-powered music, while elevating the artists and innovators building what comes next.