How long have you worked in Management?

3 years.

Who do you manage now?

HUNNI & Alfie Sheard.

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

I used to topline for his (Alfie’s) Artist project, and we stayed good friends. Entering the world of management and helping to break down barriers for talent outside of London, barriers I’m all too familiar with being an Artist myself, was always something I’d aspired to get into when the time was right. It felt like the stars aligned when Alfie was looking for new management so it just made sense to start the journey then.

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

A good day is celebrating Artist wins and working together to make progress in their careers, whatever that looks like for that day. A bad day I guess is when things go wrong, which can be stressful and happens fairly frequently with the nature of working with lots of moving parts both internally and externally. But even then, that means no two days are ever the same which I absolutely love.

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

I would say I really cherish moments where I can see the growth that we’ve experienced as a team. Seeing Alfie perform to 7,000 people in his hometown of Doncaster, performing music we had worked so hard on for so long together was really special. Working on HUNNI’s recent campaign for their debut single with EMI was another big highlight as we worked so hard on this as a collective and seeing it build over the course of the campaign was awesome.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in 2024?

I think there are many, but primarily I’d say the fact we are always expanding the scope of our role as Managers. We’re Managers, Tour Managers, Business Managers, Record Labels, Publishers, Accountants, Therapists, and the list goes on. The music industry is an incredibly complex world to navigate and we’re there to walk that path hand in hand with the talent we represent, across all of its facets. Sometimes that can be a lot.

Why would you recommend the MMF?

Being a Manager can be intense, and can feel lonely at times. Especially when you’re based outside of London and the pool of other Managers you can network with and learn from seems to just get smaller. It’s amazing to have a centre point and be part of a community where everyone really pulls together to support each other and share resources.

What have you gained from the Accelerator Programme so far?

The Accelerator Programme is great for the exact same point as above. Of course the funding to develop our businesses is incredibly helpful, but there’s just as much value in the network of other managers and the relationship you build with the MMF and its partners throughout. It’s really shone a spotlight on how many things we ALL go through as managers, good and bad, and it’s served as a great springboard for brainstorming ideas, discussing resolutions to problems we face day to day, and sharing knowledge/resources.

What music are you currently listening to?

Apart from my own Artists’ music (of course), I’m loving Finn Forster from Teesside. His new EP ‘Grey Skies’ is amazing.