How Did You Manage That?

Paul Craig of Nostromo Management (Biffy Clyro) and Kwame Kwaten of Ferocious Talent (Blue Lab Beats, Hak Baker) are interviewed by the Music Manager Forum's Laura Erinle in this special edition of How Did You Manage That? Ahead of their terms ending as MMF Board Chair and Vice-Chair at the MMF AGM on the 17th of September 2024, Paul & Kwame look back at their time at the MMF and talk abou...

Andy Musgrave, manager of AJ Tracey, Sega Bodega and Conducta, as well as leading his own mgmt / artist services company Supernature joins us this episode to talk us through his 13 years in the management game, from the early days putting on raves at the height of the UK Garage movement, and his first label setup Crazylegs to meeting a young AJ through Radar Radio and being there for every step of...

Oli, the main man behind This Is Music, a management company mostly specialising in the electronic world, leads a team of managers and oversees a formidable roster which includes some of the most innovative artists and producers around, not least the mighty BICEP, who have surely dominated his time over the last few years. With a collection of Mercury Awards, BRITS and Grammys across the roster, n...

“She plugged in zoom and just got on with it, we tried to find ways to keep her relevant and keep her music going” - Ali Raymond, MD of label and management company Beatnik Creative, has had, in many ways, the best year of his professional life, and he is appreciating every second of it, as the route there has of course, been anything but easy. Ali tells us how he and the phenomenally talented Arl...

Sophie Bloggs (YMU Group), looks after the careers and manages Hannah Wants, Danny Howard, Kurupt FM, Krystal Klear, Pvblic Xccess, and is one of the most important voices in electronic music management today. Sophie won the Breakthrough Manager Of The Year at the 2019 after being in management for the best part of a decade, itself an interesting and empowering point she brings up.  Recorded...

This episode we delve into the mind and motivations of manager called Charlie Owen. She looks after one of the UK’s breakout stars of the last 18 months, Brit Rising Star Award and, BBC Sound of 2020 nominated pop / Neo-Soul SENSATION Joy Crookes. Taking us through the ride that is Joy's career to date, the record deals, the media hype, and how together they are turning that into a growing fanbase...

Manager of the Grammy-winning , highest paid DJ's in the world (according to Forbes), The Chainsmokers, CEO of Disruptor Management / Records and Selector Songs, their publishing arm, Adam Alpert has grown a bit of an empire alongside growing The Chainsmokers into one of the biggest pop acts in the planet. He talks us through how he got there (including a very rocky start when signing the original...

Recorded in peak-lockdown during May 2020, co-founder of Push Music Management, (looking after Jack Savoretti, Gizmo Varillas and more) Danielle's was a ray of positivity and common sense discussing the challenges facing her acts and the industry this year. From the very start of lockdown, her biggest act Jack (with a huge Italian following) jumped into action, engaging and creating for his fans,...

We return! In the year that has already caused seismic changes to life, let alone the music industry, we (Sophie and Ally) are back with a new series of conversation with the best and the brightest music managers operating right now around the world. We start with a biggie - Ben Mawson, co-CEO of Tap Management, who look after Dua Lipa, Lana Del Ray and an impressive roster of global talent. Ben g...

*BONUS EPISODE* In our most star / management-star studded podcast yet, we bring you this episode from backstage at the Artist and Manager Awards 2019 (sponsored by Selina). We chat the winners of the night including the likes of Team Achievement winners Team Merky (Stormzy and Tobie), the Artist’s Artist award recipient Nile Rodgers, Entrepreneur of the Year Andy Varley, Breakthru Manager winner...

*BONUS EPISODE* Ahead of the glitzy London Artist & Managers Awards sponsored by Selina and hosted by the Music Managers Forum on November the 14th, we run through the nominees for this year and hear from some of last years winners. Ally is worried about his outfit.

Matt Greer, based in London is one of the team at ATC Management, starting out as a scout then building his own roster, he has managed Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes through thick and thin through their three albums, the last of which, released this year hit the top five in the UK album charts, no mean feat for a proudly independent artist. Matt also manages the UK affairs of Half Moon Run, a...

This episode’s guest Vicky Dowdall, has a management story like no other. A manager with limitless belief in what their artist can achieve no matter what’s going on, and someone who’s loyalty to her acts over the years has really paid off. Covering everything from the merits of indie campaigns lessons from the life of girlbands you really need this episode in your life. Vicky manages the brilliant...

This episode Sophie and Ally hit up the newly formed Ditto Management offices in London (so new, there wasn’t even desks in there) we met up with Matt Dodds, manager of UK rap artist Big Zuu. Recorded in May 2019, only three months since Matt has left his friend and mentor who brought him into the industry and taught him the ropes - so what better time to sit down with a manager in the absolute th...

This episode, Sophie sat down with writer/artist manager Danny Desai, who manages Dyo, Ay Em and the writer/producer Maestro. He’s a manager, like so many, obsessed with learning the intricacies of every area in the business, but his wide and varied experiences before getting into management are what’s pushing him forward these days.  As ever, give us a shout about anything that jumps out at...

Director of Renowned Management (Wretch 32, Hamzaa, Knox Brown), not only has this episode's guest been alongside one of the most influential and well respected rappers since day one of his career, Zeon Richards is also the Head of A&R for Ministry of Sound, after several years as A&R consultant for Polydor, signing Stefflon Don, Steel Banglez and Ramz. Discussing everything in management...

If you manage Nile Rodgers, one of, if not the greatest songwriters of all time, do you really need an introduction by a wee podcast like ours? No, you probably don't, even less so when you've managed Elton John, Guns n' Roses and ran the management company that looked after actual Beyonce, to name but a few over a glittering career in the business. Much like his artist Nile, Merck Mercuriadis is...

This episode we bring you the manager (and story behind) one of 2019's real breakout successes from the UK.  Simon King manages Brit Award winning, number one album, gold-record-selling artist Tom Walker, but it's been a long road to get there with his company Covert Management. It's a story that, tested this managers charisma, determination, and ability to consistently juggle many things (an...

Sarah Gallagher brings us yet another totally different perspective on managing the careers (and sometimes more) of supremely talented musicians, in this, episode four of our first series. Sarah's biggest client is a real pop star, coming second on a UK reality TV show but took that and ran all the way with it... Olly Murs, platinum-selling, multi-number one smashing artist and TV star Olly Murs....

This episode on HDYMT? Sophie and Ally sit down with Josh Edwards or “manager Josh” as he is known to the fan army of his sole management client Dodie. Josh has been with the YouTuber and top-5-charting artist since she was playing friends gigs in cafes, and although she already had one kind of audience, it took a whole lot of nurturing to grow the singer as a serious pop proposition. For this ep...

Charlie Murdoch founded Highfield Music , her bespoke management company in 2014, as an independent force managing the careers of a growing roster of emerging artist and producers from her London base. Her first act, Jordan MacKampa ’s (AWAL/Kobalt) career has been flourishing under Charlie’s guidance and belief, fiercely fighting for his rights and growing his audience independently and with pati...

In our first episode we meet Jamie Oborne, a man at the peak of his powers, the manager of The 1975, and also co-owner of Dirty Hit, the indie label which is home to Pale Waves, Wolf Alice and No Rome to name but a few, Jamie is a man who has really seen all sides of management. Having worked with one of the biggest acts on the planet from the very start, when no label would go near them, his pers...

Coming soon - How Did You Manage That? A podcast where Ally McCrae & Sophie Paluch chat to music managers about their journeys - the highs, the lows and everything in between.  In association with the the Music Managers Forum & sponsored by AWAL.  Follow us at @managethatpod