Can you provide us some background on your history within the music industry?
I started out as a club promoter and ran some of the successful black music nights of the early 90s as well as presenting on youth radio and TV. Trevor Nelson was my partner for a lot of those nights, we went onto launch the MTV Lick Parties. I went on to specialise in urban marketing working for Universal and Sony before joining Def Jam UK as General Manager. I later managed Ladies First (Polydor) and Aaron Soul (Def Jam UK). I am now the owner and CEO of iluvlive, a not-for-profit live music and artist development platform supported by Arts Council England. Sister companies iluvlive records and iluvlive management look after Izzy Bizu (Sony), Emmavie and Anjelo Disons.
In 2004 you launched iLuvLive. Can you tell us more about this platform?
First of all, it was actually Jade Richardson, one of my best mates who originally launched iluvlive. I became involved a few years later when she was looking for some help to develop it and I was looking to do something new. She bowed out a year later as was very busy in her A&R job. She is however, still on our board of directors. Anyway, iluvlive is a live music and artist development platform. We are a not-for-profit, National Portfolio Organisation funded by Arts Council England. Initially, a London based showcase hosted by Ras Kwame and Twin B, we supported Ed Sheeran, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Emeli Sandé, Chip, Wretch 32, Shakka, Ms Banks, Ella Mai, Ray Blk, Little Simz, Izzy Bizu and Plan B to name but a few often on numerous occasions and years before they were signed.
Most of these artists played with our house band and many performed with a live band for the very first time at iluvlive. We aim to provide a unique platform for artists to perform, collaborate and network. We have been featured on BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, MTV and Flava TV on numerous occasions and were also pivotal in helping launch the GRM Rated Awards in 2015. In 2015 we took on Izzy Bizu for management after she won the open mic at iluvlive and following her success, went on to launch our artist development programme which has gone on to support Nao, Emmavie and Laura White amongst many. The programme currently accepts three acts a year.
Your Artist Development Programme was put in place to help further acts’ careers. Apart from the music itself, what are you looking for when searching for an artist with potential?
It’s really hard to define what gives someone that special ‘X’ or ‘it’ factor but you can usually spot it very early on. At iluvlive it’s usually the way someone performs onstage as this is how we most often discover the acts we take on. They don’t have to be an amazing performeror even be really confident, but you do need to be able to feel their authenticity. We want acts that are hard to take your eyes off, even if they are a bit patchy or the songs aren’t quite there yet. We can help with song craft and singing lessons but that certain something that makes you want to watch someone is hard to teach or fake. Tone is also really important as it’s not always the most technically talented singers that make it, but those that have something unique to offer.
How important is creative direction to an artist’s portfolio? (any stories /experiences you’ve encountered that have set certain artists apart from others)
I think creative direction is really important but can be summed up as really knowing who you are. That can change with each record but it really helps if you know what you like in terms of clothes, artwork, videos etc. We always get acts joining the programme to do a mood board and we draw on this for all the creative we develop around them. If there are lots of pictures of open country maybe we do the photoshoot in open country… if they like antique lamps maybe we integrate this somehow… it’s about the visual being a true representation of who the artist is.
What aspects should artists consider when developing their overall creative direction? (Any specific areas artists don’t immediately think about when trying to express and show who they are / any tips to develop CD e.g. creating and updating a mood board)
Don’t just look at other acts’ artwork and videos, look at everything that you like from environments (indoors / outdoors, urban / non-urban, busy / empty etc.) to the kind of things you like in your bedroom, your home, where you like to go out, furniture, cars etc. The more images you can put into your mood board the clearer the picture will become about how you want to portray yourself.
Do you have any specific processes at iluvlive when developing an artist’s Creative Direction?
Mood boards for everything lol!
Any tips for those with a limited budget?
It’s really not about budget when you are starting out, it’s about getting creative and building a team of people around you who also believe in you. It’s so easy to blag a space etc at the start… impossible once you are signed.
How important is video creation for independent artists?
I think in the current climate every aspect of how you extend your reach is important. Having said that, you can still put your song on YouTube with a cover shot if you can’t make a video, and websites like Creative Commission allow artists to post creative jobs and offer budgets as little as £50 for animated / lyric videos. Reach out to film and art students to see if they would be willing to collaborate with you. It’s amazing when acts come to us with a team who have a vision already in place, you often get the best creative work when a team really knows and understands each other.
Any mistakes you’ve seen artists make with regards to their image and creative direction?
I don’t want to name examples but you can often tell when an artist has not lead the creative process, you can also tell when an artist doesn’t know who they are just from looking at their visuals.
Any acts aspiring students should study when it comes to overall imagery and creativity?
I think it really depends on what type of act you are. Someone like Billie Eilish is a brilliant example of someone who knows exactly who she is, her visuals totally reflect who she is as an artist.
