Manager Spotlight: Ameena Badley

19 October 2020

ammenaBMS

Manager Spotlight offers a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Accelerator Manager Ameena Badley!

How long have you worked in Management? 

3 years.

Who do you manage now?

Mowgs, A Class and Smuggzy Ace.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on? 

My first client was Tempa. Working with Tempa was very natural as we went college together. I had an idea that I wanted his help with, and from there I started assisting him on a few things which naturally progressed to management. I never ever planned to be a music manager – I think what inspired me was his talent working and with him taught me a lot in my formative stages as a manager.

What’s a good/bad day at work look like for you?

A bad day for me is not sticking to my day plan which can lead to going off on a tangent. A good day is results, I love results that lead us to the next step.

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?

I’ve had a few  – some really amazing moments. I think so far, Smuggzy’s Nike advert was a great moment. I think Mowgs going on tour with Jamaican superstar Popcaan was another massive highlight.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2020?

I think unanimously we can all say COVID-19 definitely threw a spanner in the works. The live show element of 2020 fell through completely. It allowed us to focus on other elements of our plan a lot harder – survival of the fittest I suppose.

What music are you currently listening to?

Right now I’m listening to A Class – I know that’s bias as he’s my own artist but I’m really excited to see how people take it in. Mowgs next single is on repeat as well. When I’m not listening to my own acts my music taste is very eclectic, I can go from Joe Black to Bybz Kartel, to Christina Aguilera in about 2 swipes.

Read also...

MMF Managers Summit and AGM 2025 – Value, Investment and Validation

25/09/2025

Attracting a sell-out audience of 120 MMF members to London’s Amazing Grace, our 2025 Manager Summit put a spotlight on two inter-related areas: the value of music management and the fast-evolving ecosystem of alternative finance.

Find out more

Pulp & Jeannette Lee, Craig Logan and Soul II Soul to be honoured at 2025 AMAs

25/09/2025

The Featured Artists Coalition (FAC) and Music Managers Forum (MMF) are delighted to announce that Pulp and Rough Trade Management’s Jeannette Lee, hugely respected manager and music executive Craig Logan, and the legendary Soul II Soul will all be honoured at the 2025 Artist & Manager Awards.

Find out more

Music managers contribute value worth £714m to the wider UK music business

17/09/2025

The Music Managers Forum (MMF) has unveiled new independent research that, for the first time, calculates the economic value music managers bring to the UK music industry.

Find out more

The Music Managers Forum is devastated to hear of the death of John Glover.

11/09/2025

John was a founding member of the MMF, served as a board member and our Chair over two periods (between 1995 to 2004) and remained active as one of our Custodians.

Find out more
Back to Top