About the Show:
“I want the people that I work with and who I represent and who I inspire to know that it’s worth it, that they’re worth it, that they’re valuable.“
– Robyn Jordan
In this episode of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, host Randy Wilburn sits down with DJ, cultural facilitator, and HerSetHerSound founder Robyn Jordan to talk about the work she’s doing to build greater economic opportunity, representation, and joy for women, people of color, and gender-diverse creatives in our region’s music scene.
Robyn shares how HerSetHerSound grew from a single festival into a year-round ecosystem—188 bookings, 55+ artists, and over $100,000 injected into the local creative economy. She talks about her own journey, why mentorship and intentional space-making matter, and why real empowerment means more than just “exposure.”
This one’s for anyone who loves music, makes it, or cares about the people quietly shaping Northwest Arkansas’s cultural life.
Key Takeaways:
- Empowerment Through Action: HerSetHerSound has created real economic impact, paying artists fairly and centering women, people of color, and gender-diverse creatives both on and off the stage.
- Building Community, Not Just Events: Robyn emphasizes hospitality, intentional curation, and intersectionality, crafting spaces where every guest, artist, and vendor belongs and feels seen.
- The Power of Local Roots: Robyn’s journey from party-goer to business leader is rooted in family legacy, mentorship, and a belief in bringing big possibilities to communities outside major cities.
- Challenging Industry Norms: The conversation highlights persistent wage gaps and barriers in the creative industry, calling for accountability, credit, and investment in those who make our culture thrive.
- Vision for the Future: With ambitions for more venues, year-round programming, and continued partnership with groups like NWA Pride and Juneteenth, HerSetHerSound models what inclusive growth in Northwest Arkansas music and nightlife can look like.
All this and more on this episode of the I Am Northwest Arkansas® podcast.
Important Links and Mentions on the Show:
- Her Set Her Sound Website
- Her Set Her Sound on Instagram
- Booking Her Set Her Sound
- Tickets & Festival Info: FESTIVAL | Empower Change Today — Join the Movement — HER SET HER SOUND
- Arkansas Soul — Outlet amplifying Black and Brown voices
- Delta Dirt Distillery — Black-owned, Helena, AR
- Indigo Road Hospitality Group: theindigoroad.com
- Cousins Lounge (shoutout): Cousins Bentonville on Facebook
- NWA Juneteenth: NWA Juneteenth Facebook
- NWA Pride / NWA Equality: nwapride.org
- DJ Afrosia (mentioned local artist): DJ Afrosia Instagram
- FindItNWA.com NWA’s Hyperlocal Business Directory
This episode is sponsored by:
FindItNWA.com – Find It Fast. Find It Local.
Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.
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Discover more by tuning into this episode and staying connected for upcoming topics from the I am Northwest Arkansas® podcast.
