All about those sleeper hits

Courtney Phillips’ job is to put people to sleep — quite literally. As the music head of wellness app Calm, she designs and oversees audio projects that let superstar artists help their fans relax, focus, meditate, and fall into slumber.

Calm saw a huge surge in downloads during the pandemic, as people around the world desperately sought new ways to unwind or reduce stress. So Phillips brokered deals with artists including Ariana Grande, Kacey Musgraves, Jhené Aiko, Shawn Mendes, and Post Malone, asking producers to reimagine their hit pop tracks into hypnotic, hourlong “sleep remixes” that could lull listeners into peace.

The remixers worked closely with specialists who study brain-wave activity, and the carefully soporific soundscapes offer a scientifically approved alternative to generic sleep playlists on streaming services, which tend to jump too quickly from track to track.

Phillips grew up with parents in the music biz and previously worked in brand partnerships at Universal, but at Calm, she gets to use her “powers for good,” the exec jokes. She points out that many artists feel plagued by depression or anxiety themselves, so Calm’s projects help them bond with fans who are in the same boat.

And they give artists a fresh revenue stream — not to mention an unusual creative challenge. Mainstream musicians are used to cutting down their art to make it more commercial, but Calm instructs them to do the exact opposite.

“I want the weird side projects and meandering pieces,” says Phillips, who also commissions original music, like a custom Keith Urban sleep tune and a 30-minute Moses Sumney track, and is eager to explore projects in the future using the lyricism of rap songs. “I’m always here to let them have more creative freedom,” she says. “Give me those deep cuts!”