WAMCon Focus: Katie Rynne (Select Music)

Katie Rynne (Booking Agent, Select Music)
How did you first become involved in the music business and how did you end up where you are today? I came to Sydney 10 years ago after being offered an unpaid internship at a record label, hoping that by being in Sydney I would have a better chance of cracking the music industry. After a string of internships & odd jobs (whilst juggling two part-time paying jobs to pay the rent), I started working full time as Assistant Manager for Lior. Through relationships that I formed at that job, I eventually was offered a role at Select Music and the rest is history! I've been there almost seven years now. 
What's been the biggest change in the music business you've seen over the past 12 months? Definitely the role of streaming services has changed the game, and although there's still a lot of work to be done in terms of how much artists are paid, I think it's incredible. It has paved the way for a number of extremely successful acts who receive little to no radio play, but now have this new community to work within and build their fans from. 
What do you think will be the biggest issue affecting the music industry in the next 12 months and why? In light of the Harvey Weinstein debacle and the #metoo campaign over the past couple of weeks, I think we're going to get a massive uprising of women in the industry finally speaking up and working together to put a stop to the alarming amount of sexual abuse and assault that female musicians and industry face. Hopefully the spotlight that this shines will encourage more diversity on line-ups (not only for women, but for the queer community and people of colour), safer spaces, and a change to the way certain powerful men in the industry treat women.
What advice would you give young practitioners in your area starting out today? Start working on building your networks now - getting a start in the music industry is very much about who you know, rather than what you know. I met a huge amount of people by selling merch at gigs when I first moved. Show how dedicated you are by being at gigs, reviewing gigs, working the door etc - it's a tough job, so you need to REALLY love it. And go to as many panels as you can! I am still learning some amazing info when I go to conferences!
What's the secret to success in the music industry? Work hard, and as cliché as it sounds, believe in yourself and the work you are doing. Don't get swept up in the egos, or how quickly everything moves, and certainly don't compare yourself to anyone else or you will get burnt out. Keep your head down and get the job done, and then work at getting your name out there in your spare time, at gigs/conferences/industry catch-ups. 
What will you be primarily discussing during your appearance at the WAMCon? My main role at WAMCon will be to meet up with artists and people wanting to get into the industry to discuss what a booking agent does, what the right time to look for an agent is and the best way to approach one, and advice on how to build your own live career before you start looking for an agent. 
What are you hoping that people will be able to learn from your panel/interview? I'm hoping that people will learn that there is no rush when it comes to putting together your team, and that until it reaches a certain point in your career there is so much that you can do extremely successfully on your own. To not feel disheartened if it takes a while for things to start moving, and then exactly what a booking agent can help you with once you're ready to work with one. 
What do you personally hope to take away from your time at WAMCon? WA feels like a world away from Sydney! It's obviously difficult for me to see a lot of the smaller WA emerging acts as it's such a financial burden flying all the way to the East Coast for shows, so I'm extremely excited to catch as many live showcases as possible. And see a few more venues that have opened up since I was last there!
Which acts are you most looking forward to checking out at WAMFest? I started working with The Money War at the beginning of the year, so am obviously excited to see them! Select has also just taken on Stella Donnelly and Boat Show after their incredible BIGSOUND showcases, so I'm really excited to catch up with them again. Other acts I'm definitely going to check out include Riley Pearce, Angus Dawson, FOAM, Hideous Sun Demon, Verge Collection, Simone & Girlfunkle, Childsaint and Rag N Bone. 
Check out the WAMCon website for all the details.