The Mythological Origins of ArtiVerse: A Modern Legend
Sometimes, destiny speaks in whispers—other times, it shouts from the sky.
It began like all great adventures, with a serendipitous reconnection. A friend from the distant days at FOX reached out, bridging a fifteen-year silence with the casual ease of old camaraderie. One conversation about K-pop later, she introduced me to her husband—a Senior VP at Merrill Lynch with an itch to return to the music industry, if only he could find the right partner.
"Think about it," he said.
And so, uncertain but intrigued, I promised I would.
Then came a feverish week—a blur of restless dreams, unanswered questions, and indecision.
On a quiet Sunday morning, I stepped into my front yard and looked skyward. There it was, directly over the Pacific Ocean: the sun, more radiant than I had ever seen, encircled by a perfect rainbow halo, not the sort you see in parades but the kind that whispers of miracles and cosmic purpose. Standing beneath this celestial wonder, I felt the universe’s gentle nudge:
This world is capable of producing unimaginable beauty and miracles. say yes.
Beneath that cosmic sign, I texted a simple message:
“I’m in."
Within days, ArtiVerse was born in rough sketches— an all-in-one platform designed to empower independent artists married to a label bringing the K-pop business model over to the US, mixing in Western ideals with global intentions. My partner loved it immediately, sensing the seed of something profound.
Destiny, however, was not yet finished with me.
One seemingly ordinary morning, wandering purposefully in need of grounding, I encountered an egret—not one of the familiar, small birds of the local estuary, but a majestic creature straight out of ancient lore, the kind a deity might embody to lure heroes into enchanted forests.
Enchanted, I took a picture (which I rarely do) and felt called by something, call it intuition or whatever you like, to walk a couple blocks up to Lighthouse Bridge in Marina Del Rey. Standing over the lagoon, looking down from the bridge, I saw the Egret had followed me, majestically through the sky, landing on the bank of the creek.
Being raised by hippies who always told me to talk to birds, my instinct was to sing to it, and sing to it I did.
The bird did indeed listen, watching curiously as if amused by the odd human standing on the bridge whistling to no apparent tune. And then another curious figure appeared—a stranger, drawn to my impromptu symphony. We exchanged stories: his home, lost to the Palisades fire; my family’s deep roots in jazz music. When I casually mentioned that my godfather was Britt Woodman—the legendary lead trombonist for Duke Ellington—his eyes widened in disbelief.
“Britt Woodman? Your godfather?"
He knew Britt well. The threads of fate tightened around us both. This man, it turned out, was Stewart Levine, renowned jazz musician turned legendary record producer. Sensing providence at play, we spoke earnestly of life, art, and purpose.
I told him about how this new music business came to me from friends once thought lost, and I told him a story I had kept quietly in my heart for so long I had forgotten about it until that moment.
Five years earlier, in a museum in China, I stood before a tapestry, "The Life of Women in a Monastery." It depicted, simply and powerfully, the silent strength and dignity of generations of women—carrying water, tending to oxen, raising daughters. I had to hide my tears in public, genuinely touched by this art, deeply moved by its humble grandeur, it gifted me with a newfound, deeply seated respect for women’s profound impact on the generational trajectory of our species through care and compassion. I whispered a prayer then:
“If ever I could use my business savvy to bring more art, beauty, and emotion into the world, it would be a life of service that I would be honored to live.”
Listening intently, Stewart nodded solemnly and said with quiet certainty,
“This is fate."
By the end of lunch that following Wednesday, Stewart Levine—Oscar winner, Grammy winner, guardian of musical authenticity—had joined ArtiVerse’s board of directors, agreeing to mentor and shape our artists, producers, and musicians, guarding the soul of our music.
Not only had destiny granted me a legendary partner, but Stewart is opening doors that otherwise don’t open for anybody, bringing ArtiVerse front and center before a skeptical industry, and capturing the attention of visionary investors eager to support genuine artistry.
And thus began ArtiVerse—a path illuminated by celestial rainbows, enchanted birds, and the whispers of ancestral jazz legends. A path I will proudly walk for the rest of my life, devoted wholeheartedly to bringing more art and beauty into our world.
Brian Winett
Founder & CEO, ArtiVerse
