Franz Hilberath Launches MP3 LABS

Franz Hilberath is not just a music marketing and public relations professional, but a storyteller.

“When people ask what I do, I say, ‘I’m a storyteller.’ I’m here to tell stories I think are impactful or important,” says the founder of MP3 LABS, a Denver-based communications and growth agency. “That’s all I ever wanted to do is help promote good people, good stories and good music. That’s really the ethos we keep together.”

After moving from Florida to Colorado in early 2020, Hilberath officially launched MP3 PR in 2021, working with artists and festivals across the EDM and DJ realm.

“I felt like I needed a purpose and intention to help guide my story. I got up and packed everything I owned into a two-door Jeep,” he says, adding that the pandemic-induced shutdown inpsired him to create the SummerEyes livestream festival, which featured over thirty artists across two days in July 2020.

Now, the company’s current twenty-act roster includes global stars such as GRiZ, Of The Trees, DJ DIESEL (Shaquille O’Neal) and DJ Snake. He and his team have also supported Hulaween, North Coast Music Festival and Cascade Equinox. MP3 capped off 2025 by being named the music publicity company of the year by EDM.com. This week, the team is helping out with Vail Mountain’s first-ever sunrise concert at the Legendary Back Bowls gate, featuring British house DJ-producer Chris Lorenzo and Summit County DJ duo Don Fuego, on Friday, February 6. The 8 a.m. show can only be accessed by skiing or snowboarding; there are currently 300 free wristbands available on a first-come, first-served basis at the walking path east of the Lionshead ticket office. Guests with a wristband must arrive by 7:15 a.m. to head up Gondola One, and no access will be allowed after 7:45 a.m.

For 2026, Hilberath decided to rebrand and relaunch last month as MP3 LABS in an effort to provide more personal services and comprehensive campaigns for musicians looking to cut through the clutter of an oversaturated content-making market.

“Right now, there’s such a huge amount of content and promotion that people are turned off to it,” he says. “Even successful artists have a hard time cutting through that algorithm. But what you do see, is when people are specific and know exactly what they’re trying to say or trying to make a difference. Those are things that supersede the algorithm and really help people stand out.”

MP3 LABS accomplishes that by focusing on three core tenets — PR, marketing and partnerships — that encompass much more than the traditional marketing objective of securing one-off coverage. This is where the storytelling comes in, as Hilberath credits the works of business and self-help authors Donald Miller and Ryan Holiday with providing the blueprint for his career in music.

“It was so helpful, because what it introduced to me is the hero’s journey and how you can use that in business,” he explains. “In every story, there’s a character who has a problem and a guide who puts them on a plan to make progress, avoid failure and find a successful transformation. You are the guide; the hero is your customer.

“When we on-board with an artist and really help them understand what their hero’s story is, I ask artists who they are in that story. Every time, they say, ‘I’m the main character.’ I say, ‘Wrong,’” Hilberath continues. “If you’re the main character and not trying to connect with anybody, you’re just promoting. I help them understand that your main character is your listener, who they are, who they’re connecting with and how they’re making a difference.”

With an office in Westminster, which is shared with Kompass Music Group, the MP3 LABS team includes Vice President of Public Relations Ashley “Riley” Lopez and Head of Partnerships & Sponsorships Lee Harmon. Beyond the campaign-by-campaign approach, the narrative-driven agency is open to working with artists at any level — because as Hilberath knows, everyone has a story.

“I’ve always just wanted to make an impact like artists and festivals made on my life. My whole goal of doing all this was not just to work,” he concludes. “I genuinely always want to give back to the music community to help provide more opportunities for other people to have that same kind of revelation or transformation through music.”