What We Learned About Touring & Artist Management At Face The Music's 'Our Generation' Panel

Kicking off day one of Face The Music with a huge explosion, the Our Generation: The Music Industry's New Leaders keynote with Spinning Top's Jodie Regan, GM of Frontline Labels, Mardi Caught and Chugg's GM of Touring, Susan Heymann shared their insights on the sectors of artist management, deciding to tour and promote a band, and choosing who to sign.

This keynote is traditionally conducted by a single speaker, though this year there are three inspirational women in the music industry giving us their top thoughts on their fields and the ever-important question - what is the recipe of success? 

artist management — jodie regan

• "When you see that artist, you get goosebumps and you think, 'I just have to be a part of this'. It's a gut feeling. It starts with a seed of belief, a really personal intimate moment. It's like a marriage or a partnership, you never visualise the end."
• "The manager and the artist really need to have an equal work ethic. You're working 15 hours a day to bring the artist's art to the world. You have to work for the love of the music and what you feel you might achieve."
• "Being an artist manager is making a lifelong commitment to someone who's not your partner to be a part of their bit of magic."

touring & promotions — suze heymann

• "There are four key considerations - find the right act, present the right deal, focus on sales and costs, and deliver a great experience." 
• "If you make it affordable and make it a package, make it an outdoor venue on a Saturday night, you can sell people who were on the fence. It's not just about the act, you have to get creative."

signing an artist — mardi caught

• "Once an artist is developed, people forget about the development. The cooking process moment is just as important. Ed Sheeran used to sell CDs from his backpack and now he's sold half a million records of his new album."
• "It's an allied forces attack instead of everyone protecting their own territories."