Talent management is one of the most underrated aspects of the entertainment industry and especially the music business.
Young artists look forward to getting signed by big labels and distribution companies but forget the one key factor that can make it happen…Proper representation and a good management team.
![58DDC35F-1F56-4C83-8CF7-26797BA39735.jpeg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/egboncass/23wC1PNSqVQzkKbHU8nNWEDMnCaRXa6pZEmnU24Mcgb4Qz6NHfeCDw8NBxQ6RzTqSez96.jpeg)
[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/QckxruozjRg?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink)

The legendary Olisa Adibua once said in a masterclass I attended, that show business is crazy but the people who finance it aren’t crazy at all. Artists tend to be perceived as “crazy” or lacking objectivity about their brand and their art, hence the business men and women who run the music business are mostly uninterested in liaising with the artists directly and feel the need to have a “saner” person who keeps the artist in check and can be held accountable for the actions of the artists, this is the role that management plays in the life of an artist.
![3641DFA6-BA8E-4827-9C3E-2101D67D5B5D.jpeg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/egboncass/23rBGFBXaSfdwWJvcx8DwZeMzwvumfpx1vRkbWFwamoGW19x2cNXUw7xu3sx2EJGs8hsQ.jpeg)
[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/xJYtyE9dlsc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink)
A manager is a person who represents the business side of an artists brand, they take away the burden of planning the day to day, strategizing towards releases and securing investments as well as optimizing opportunities for the artist to grow his/her brand in exchange for a commission on whatever the artist earns.
Ideally a manager should help you get in doors you would normally not be able to access and represent your brand in such a way and manner that connotes respect from any individual or corporate brands interested in working with the artist.

I did the independent artist struggle for five years in which time I had to manage every aspect of my brand from strategizing releases to picking the songs for release, handling promotion, sourcing the funds for production and negotiating collaborations. All this moved my focus away from creating the music and had an effect on my ability to focus on making the best possible because I was burdened with so many responsibilities. So as hard as I worked I made very little progress in the five years I spent independent even though I was putting out music almost every month.

In 2020 I started working with my current management team and I can tell and show you the many ways in which they have propelled my career towards the right path. They started by making an active effort to maximize engagement and visibility of my brand on social media. Used their contacts and resources to broaden my reach and affiliates within the industry and have negotiated several amazing collaborations that would normally have taken me several more years to earn, a good example being my collaboration with Ghana’s Master Garzy on my last song hustle.

Admittedly I do not agree with absolutely everything that they propose but 90% of the time their ideas and risks are spot on and have done more good than harm. Working with a professional management team cut back on my penchant for releasing music frequently and on a whim without strategizing and planning towards maximizing these releases and even though those who became used to my steady supply of songs complain, it is safe to say that the two releases under my management have led to more career milestones than the fifty something songs I released with no game plan independently.
![3089B9C8-A393-4EA8-B684-CA1977185060.jpeg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/egboncass/23xAVWZYtJLbFeHuedZQPWHCr5KjARycTxEPNdPGWc6zm3o1gMzSKiwY1xZVQZhUKx69S.jpeg)
[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/yNGiLmO8SB8?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink)
My management has opened doors for me in places that I currently have no business being in yet, they have a vision for my brand and they are working strategically towards actualizing that vision. 
This is why I encourage every artist who hopes to build a career out of music or in entertainment generally to consider getting a management team. 

I will be sharing the tips to look out for when choosing a manager soon, thank you for reading and engaging.