Yesterday, I had the honor of delivering the closing keynote at the Music Managers Forum in Miami.I was interviewed by the Miami Chapter leader, Matt Limones. The event was an invite-only gathering of managers and movers in Miami’s music scene. It took place at META. Miami is an up and coming market that is building for the future, and the fact that META hosted a music management event at their beautiful Miami HQ is a testament to the interdependence of music and tech.The role of the artist manager continues to evolve. Increasingly, talent managers are operating similar to brand managers as they navigate their clients' sprawling revenue streams and points of entry. As someone who started on the artist representation side and shifted to culture marketing, I know how exciting this role can be. You have a genuine impact on how the artist’s overall brand is viewed, which has a tremendous ripple effect.Brand partnerships are now synonymous with growth, but managing these relationships takes tact. That’s where we come in. There is a thin line between award-winning and “selling out.” Close collaboration and open communication are key.Understanding the way brands measure success helps us deliver while realizing the artist’s vision. Done right, these relationships result in long-term, scalable projects that create a flywheel effect, helping artists build passionate communities and set themselves up for future opportunities.I’m excited to dive deeper into this topic with my colleagues as we bring more emerging artists into the brand space.
BEATS
What Do You Think Of Spotify’s New AI DJ? Jesse Kirshbaum Weighs InSome see Spotify’s new generative AI DJ as revolutionary while others view it as the devil incarnate. We asked some industry insiders to weigh in, and we’ll be publishing them all this week. (Hypebot)
Defy The Algorithm, It’s ArtWe live in an economy of attention, where technology is being built to track your line of sight to optimize the advertisements you see to subliminally convince you to want more, to buy more and to believe you need more. (VÉRITÉ)
Ozzy Osbourne's a Gamer Now, Thanks to Sony PlayStationIn a Workday commercial that ran on the Super Bowl, Ozzy Osbourne set the record straight: He's earned the right to be called a "rock star," unlike corporate types who toss around such accolades left and right. (Muse by Clio)
Brian McKnight Stages a Soulful Comeback at Chili'sTo promote its "3 for Me" menu, Chili's Grill and Bar tapped Mischief @ No Fixed Address to make the most of a Brian McKnight cameo. It paid off for us somewhat more than we expected. (Muse by Clio)
What Adidas’ Yeezy Profit Plunge Means For The Future Of Celebrity PartnershipsAs Adidas faces a potential $1.2bn revenue loss from its failed Kanye West partnership brand, top marketers rethink celebrity collaborations. (GQ)
How Usher Became the New King of VegasHe’s been making beds squeak for nearly three decades now, but more recently he’d been stuck in a creative rut. That was until he found himself spiritually renewed thanks to a Las Vegas residency that’s become a sex-soaked smash. (GQ)
Here’s How De La Soul Cleared The Samples For Their Classic Catalog’s Streaming DebutDe La Soul faced a daunting task. Fortunately, the group had sample clearance expert Deborah Mannis-Gardner to help them out. (Okay Player)
Spotify Is Officially Testing Exclusive ‘Token-Enabled’ Playlists From Kingship and Others: ‘This Is a Special Moment’About nine months after it began allowing select artists to sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on-platform, Spotify is testing a feature that enables certain NFT holders to access exclusive playlists. (Digital Music News)
Spotify Is Officially Testing Exclusive ‘Token-Enabled’ Playlists From Kingship and Others: ‘This Is a Special Moment’About nine months after it began allowing select artists to sell non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on-platform, Spotify is testing a feature that enables certain NFT holders to access exclusive playlists. (Digital Music News)
How One Music Venue Uses DiscordBefore we address that question (short answer, no), it’s important to understand the road Elsewhere took to utilizing Discord, a technologically daring ride along the frontlines of emerging and immersive social media. Strap in! (Spin)
From The Street To The Stage: Hip-Hop Is Reinventing Itself With The Help Of Symphony OrchestrasThe concept for Classically Ours continues a paradigm shift that’s happening in both hip-hop and classical music. (ANDSCAPE)
Miracle Man: How Chance The Rapper Produced A Free Festival In Ghana For 52K FansWhatever it was, the inaugural Black Star Line Festival (named for Marcus Garvey’s black-owned global shipping line from 1919), included a 6-day conference. (Pollstar)
BYTES
After releasing his critically acclaimed Let’s Start Here album, Lil Yachty has now turned his attention to his sunglasses brand, FUTUREMOOD. (Hypebeast)
On the Season 3 premiere of IDEA GENERATION, Scooter Braun takes us on a journey from his days as a college dropout and party promoter in Atlanta, to becoming one of the most successful music executives on the planet. (IDEA GENERATION)
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On the road to Tha Carter VI… A few days ago, Lil Wayne paid tribute to DMX with a new single and video featuring the late Ruff Ryders star. The Swizz Beatz and Avenue Beatz-produced “Kant Nobody” is expected to appear on Tha Carter VI which will be out sometime this year. (HipHop Canada)
This week's newsletter was carefully curated by the Nue Agency staff and our editor Rachel Meisner. If you think we missed something this week or have any suggestions/comments for next week's newsletter, let us know!