Wolverhampton, England-born Sat Bisla’s life and career are a testament to the power of music to connect cultures and change lives. A true pioneer in global music discovery, Bisla’s journey began on the airwaves, where his instinct for spotting talent and his passion for breaking new artists helped redefine what it means to be a tastemaker in modern music.
From his early days as the first official Billboard reporting club DJ in Central California, Bisla built his reputation as a trusted voice for emerging sounds and artists. His deep-rooted connection to radio, club culture, and journalism led him to roles as a music journalist, DJ, and programmer, setting the stage for a groundbreaking chapter in his career. At Clear Channel Radio and Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation), Bisla created, developed, and led the company’s global A&R Network – a visionary initiative that bridged radio and artist development long before the streaming era. He also helped architect The New Music Network, a forward-thinking platform that evolved into today’s iHeartMedia.
As the Founder and Host of Passport Approved, Bisla continues to champion independent and emerging artists from every corner of the world. The globally syndicated tastemaker radio show has aired on more than 70 stations worldwide, including KROQ Los Angeles, KNDD Seattle, WKQX Chicago, KNRK Portland, KFRR Fresno, Flux FM Germany, 2XM Ireland, Radio Doble Nueve Peru, and Radio 1 India, and serves as an influential launchpad for artists before they break internationally.
Besides artists and creatives, Bisla has also welcomed guests on his show including the renowned Zane Lowe who was a weekly contributor to Sat’s show for several years whilst he was at BBC Radio 1 (now at Apple), Steve Schnur (Worldwide Head of Music, EA Games) who was a weekly co-host on the show for a few years, and guests including Alexandra Patsavas (Director, Music Creative & Production for Original Series, Netflix), Benny Andersson (Co-Founder, ABBA), and many others.
Over the years, Bisla has played a crucial role in the early discovery, development, or U.S. and global support of artists such as Adele, Coldplay, Dido, Keane, Muse, LMFAO, Sia, The Temper Trap, LaRoux, The Ting Tings, Lily Allen, KONGOS, Sheppard, Vance Joy, Sia, Faithless, Dido, Imogen Heap (Frou Frou), Gavin James, Lime Cordiale, Forest Blakk, and countless others who have gone on to shape the modern music landscape.
Respected by peers worldwide, Bisla’s work has been featured in Billboard, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, Music Business Worldwide, and Music Week (U.K.), among others. His contributions have been recognized with official proclamations from the City of Los Angeles, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Burbank, City of West Hollywood, and the California State Legislature.
Through every phase of his multi-faceted career, Sat Bisla has remained guided by one constant belief — that great music knows no borders.