Artist Tips from Music Manager Expert Charlotte Caleb

Charlotte has been a Artist Manager for 10+ years where she has managed the likes of Tricky, T.Williams and TĀLĀ and was a recipient of YouTube x MMF Accelerator Fund. She spent 3 years at Jukin Media, a viral video management company. This was followed by 3 years at AWAL forming the first BI & Data Department at the record label. Charlotte is now the founder of ellevate, a platform that takes artists from bedroom musician to full time artist with 1:1 management support, coaching and education. Building artists, no matter where they are in the world to grow their business. 

"Most artists don’t actually need a label anymore unless they want to become Taylor Swift."

1. What advice would you give artists to grow their careers in the early stages?

Really hone your brand and the story you are going to tell. I really recommend artists create a branding doc. This might sound really corporate but nailing down your strengths as a human, as an artist and the world you are creating around your music is crucial to standing out from the crowd. It also helps you make decisions throughout your career. This brand will evolve but its a fantastic starting point. I do this work with artists all the time. 

2. What criteria do you consider when deciding to work with a singer/band?

I am pretty diverse when it comes to genre, right now I am working with an Electronic producer, a Jazz drummer and a 7 piece Funk/Soul band. There are a few things that I really look for and the first is ‘can I see that there is a special sauce?’ I have to be able to see something unique and special, something I know that can convert into a really clear and exciting brand. The next is personal rapport. The relationship between artist and manager is a very personal one for me and you undergo a lot of stress, pain, extreme highs and lows together and you have to be able to work together and have a good energy. The other critical thing is work ethic. Are they down to work? In the early days there is a lot of unpaid work done by a manager and so the manager needs to know that the artist is working harder than they are. 

3. For artists that have ambitions to get a record deal, what steps should be taken to get there?

It goes back to the brand and then from that brand building a deeply engaged audience. Record labels are investing much later in artists careers and there is an argument that by the time they are willing to invest most artists don’t actually need a label anymore unless they want to become Taylor Swift. The most powerful thing an artist can do is build an audience or fan base that is willing to take action on them, that’s coming to shows, buying merch, streaming the music, sharing the artist with their friends. Evangelical fans. If you have that then the opportunities will come. 

"The quickest and most controllable revenue streams for artists comes back to building a fanbase and selling to them"

4. What avenues do you think can help artists monetize their music beyond streaming?

Streaming is not a revenue stream for early stage artists. The quickest and most controllable revenue streams for artists comes back to building a fanbase and selling to them. People look to sync and brand collaborations but those things are largely out of your control. You can pitch hundreds of times in a month for those things but its always a lightning in a bottle moment with the right artist at the right time. The thing that is always there are potential fans. Focussing on how you build that and then having offerings for them to spend money on is crucial. Whether that’s a really fantastic merchandise line, live show tickets, or a Patreon/Bandcamp subscription model. Those things will come to you when you put the energy in. That’s within your control.

5. How do you determine the right producer or collaborators for your artists?

Most collaborations come from the artists themselves. I really advise artists to build their network. Make friends with other artists in your scene. Yes, as a manager I can pitch my artists to other managers and producers to work with those acts but the best collaborations come from the artist building direct contacts and friendships with other artists. 

6. What advice do you have for building a fanbase?

Focus on being unique and authentic. It might put off a lot of people but at the beginning you dont need a lot of people. Be your most weird and wild self and find the people that love that. Trying to be too vanilla or trying to appeal to too many people when you dont have a lot of budget wont work. Even major labels dont push artists out to the mainstream at the beginning. They will focus on a niche market to start with. Its cheaper to get their attention and the conversion is higher. The other thing is treat your fans well. Even if you only have 2 fans, make them feel special and make them feel seen. If you do that you will build a die hard fanbase. 

"Spend the time and the energy on testing and iterating on reaching your target audience."

7. How do you deal with industry challenges such as streaming royalties or social media saturation?

I build my artists as their own businesses. I don't focus too much on the wider industry as competition or trying to repeat what other people have done before. Each artist is unique and each artist needs to build its own unique business. Yes, there is less money but its also the cheapest its ever been to reach people so we use the tools we have and we work like a start up. 

8. What key mistakes should emerging singers avoid when navigating the industry?

Don't try and buy your way to reaching your audience. Please don't waste money on expensive PR agencies or playlist pluggers. Spend the time and the energy on testing and iterating on reaching your target audience. Think about who that audience is and where they hang out. Where do they listen and discover new music? Ask them! Ask your friends and family. Do your research into your audience and don't try and short cut that. 

"Each artist will have their own path and their journey will evolve. Just keep creating and sharing it. That’s it."

9. How do you ensure your artists stay relevant in an ever-changing music landscape?

Relevancy is a strange one because what does that even really mean here? If you have found your niche audience and you are connected with them then you need to just keep that connection. Some people say you need to release every 6 weeks which I don't believe in if it doesn't make sense for that artist. Each artist will have their own path and their journey will evolve. Just keep creating and sharing it. That’s it. 

10. Who is a favourite on your Spotify playlist right now?

I’m really excited to see Amanda Reifer reinvent herself and the music she is releasing now is excellent. How she is showcasing her heritage in Barbados is really exciting and powerful. My husband is Bajan so we love to see it but again going back to being distinct she is nailing it. There is only one other artist from Barbados most people will be able to name so its a pretty open market. I also really love Salin who I’m working with via ellevate, she is my soundtrack when i’m working. Bawo is an artist on the rise that I really love. His flow is something I can really vibe with. 

Catch Up with Charlotte:

Instagram:@charli_caleb

Instagram:@ellevate.studios

Website: www.ellevate.studios