News

Applications for the second edition of the European Music Managers Mentorship Activation (or EMMMA), a European-wide mentorship programme for music managers, are now open.

Music managers who have at least one year of business experience and actively operate in one of the European countries are being encouraged to apply here by March 1st.

Developed by the European Music Managers Alliance (EMMA), the programme follows a very successful pilot edition that ran in 2020 – with the global pandemic and myriad of other challenging events last year, EMMMA became a crucial support system for the programme participants – both for mentee and mentor. This year, YouTube Music will continue to support the European management community through this programme.

It will allow 10 successful participants to take part in a year-long mentorship scheme to help grow their professional careers through skill-sharing, networking and capacity building.

All will be assigned experienced mentors who have committed to monthly online consultations, as well as online meetings and educational programming and community building.

Christina Matteotti, Head of Music and Culture, EMEA Partnerships, Google says:

“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with the European Music Managers Alliance to support the next wave of music managers as they build businesses that are core to European talent reaching audiences around the globe. At YouTube Music, we believe passionately in the power of mentorship and are proud to partner with EMMA to help these leaders hone their skills and build networks across Europe.”

Confirmed mentors on the programme include Shane Derozario (MiZerMillion Entertainment, UK), Joan Vich Montaner (Ground Control, Spain), Ania Kasperek (Chimes Agency, Poland/Sweden), Jérémie Charbonnel (Junzi Arts, France) and Anouk van Esch (REBIS – Artist Mngmnt, Netherlands).

Joan Vich Montaner, owner of Ground Control management in Spain and responsible for garage-pop darlings Hinds, who also participated as a mentor in the first edition of EMMMA says:

“Being a manager can be a lonely job, even more so if you come from a country where the industry has traditionally looked inwards rather than outwards. That’s why joining EMMA, and its mentoring programme in 2020, was good on so many levels. Exchanging ideas, plans, strategies with fellow managers from all over Europe helped me learn a lot about them, about other ways to approach the job, and about myself too. This is a job where you learn as you move forward, mostly in the dark, and having a community of peers around you makes the experience a lot more fulfilling and rewarding.”

Shane Derozario, first time mentor for EMMMA and CEO and founder of MiZerMillion Entertainment and manager of MoStacks says:

“This business is not for the faint hearted, Mentoring is very key in a person’s development. To be able to offer guidance and experienced knowledge is important to me as I want to help educate the next generation of managers and executives.”

Ania Kasperek, co-founder of Chimes Agency, and manager of a diverse roster of artists including Hildur, WOJTEK and more, adds:

“Artist management can be a very lonely job, especially in the very challenging times of a global pandemic. With mentoring you get a brain to pick, a set of ears to listen, and a different perspective – all of which can give you a push in the right direction. I’m looking forward to being a mentor again at EMMMA 2.0. I see this program as a great opportunity to network, get new perspectives and learn from my mentees as well as fellow mentors.”

The deadline for applications is midnight on 1 March 2021. Successful applicants can expect to be informed around the 22nd of March. The EMMMA partners and organizers are committed to diversity and equal opportunity in the music industry and will consider these factors in selecting participants.

The pilot edition of EMMMA – which included 14 mentees from 9 European countries and over 310 mentorship hours logged and was run in the crazy year that was 2020 – wrapped up with a bang.

The Seminar Day capped off with a fantastic keynote interview with Wendy Ong, President of TaP Management in the United States, responsible for Dua Lipa, Lana Del Ray and more. Wendy was interviewed by Music Business Worldwide’s Rhian Jones and you can read a print version of the interview here.

For more information, please click through to EMMA’s website.

Apply to EMMMA 2.0 HERE.

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