Manager Spotlight offers a small insight into the heads of incredible managers. This week in the spotlight is Sam Cantlon!

How long have you worked in Management?  

Two years.

Who do you manage now? 

Joey Maxwell, RYD and I also assist on The XCERTS, The Wytches and Luke Sital-Singh.

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

I first became aware of Joey a couple of years ago whilst he was in his previous band. I had seen them live a few times and it was clear that Joey was a star in the making. Around a year after that first encounter, I was sent a demo of Joey’s solo project and by the time I hit the first chorus I was hooked and knew I had to get involved.

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

A good day is finding rhythm with my work, collaborating on creative ideas within the roster or actioning exciting plans which have been weeks/months in the making.

A bad day is when I can’t find that rhythm, creative ideas aren’t flowing or a global pandemic cancels the exciting plans you were about to action which have been weeks/months in the making…

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

Joey signing to B-Unique for publishing and, most recently, signing his record deal with Polydor are two moments I’ll never forget. It’s been an amazing experience working with Joey and seeing all the hard work starting to pay off is an incredible feeling. Also, a huge shoutout to Julian Deane, co-manager and my mentor; it’s been a real team effort to get us to where we are over the last year and I can’t wait to see what the next one brings.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager in the current COVID-19 situation? 

I think given the circumstances it’s just about figuring out how we can best empower our artists/writers to operate in the online world. There are skills that all artists and writers will need to develop during this time and I think it’s our job to be as supportive in that as possible. And it’s also a balance of managing expectations as well… Should our artists expect to be touring again this year? Maybe not. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to grow and build their careers. We’re seeing writers adapt to online sessions and artists be really innovative with the way they engage their audiences. There are lots of opportunities popping up. We can only do our best to ensure our clients have as much access to them as possible.

What music are you currently listening to? 

I’ve been listening to a big mix – Jean Dawson, Roy Blair, Efterklang, as well as the latest records from Laura Marling and The 1975. I was also very sad to hear about the passing of Jimmy Cobb, so will be listening to Kind of Blue a good few times over the next couple of days.