Nancy Hillary
Nancy Hillary is the marketing director of Authentic Ideas, a band management and concert production company in Johannesburg that has been creating projects and platforms for bands in this country since 1995. The company has managed artistes such as Amersham, Sugardrive, Tweak, Wonderboom and currently manages Lonehill Estate and Cutting Jade. The company produced the annual Woodstock festival for nine years and recently launched The Lucky Fish Music Festival. In addition, they are responsible for small tours by international alternative artistes, most recently touring Underoath (US) in September last year, and The Ataris (US) in May this year. They are also responsible for other platforms such as the annual Durex Ultimate Battle (nationwide talent search), The 3 day Festival of Roses, several smaller one day festivals, an indie record label, and a handful of tv series’.
Authentic Ideas is a founding member of the MMFSA which is a section 21 non profit company of Music Managers, affliated to the IMMF (International Music Managers Forum) and locally Moshito. Nancy is a council member of the forum responsible for marketing and workshops. The aim of the forum is to regulate the music management industry in South Africa and to provide a code of ethics for managers to adhere to, retribution against exploitation and education and workshops to train new manager’s around the country. The forum has been operational for two years and has created platforms for managers to expose their artistes at places such as Midem, Popkomm, SXSW and other large international conferences. More information on the Music Managers Forum of SA can also be found at www.mmfsa.co.za
MUSIC EXCHANGE Q&A
The benefits that may be gained by attending Music Exchange.
QUESTIONS:
1) Which internationally acclaimed bands have you worked with?
- Big Town Playboys – promoter
- Blind Guardian - promoter
- Blindside - promoter
- Celine Dion – backstage compound management
- Crash Test Dummies – record label
- Crowded House – record label
- Danko Jones – publicist/coordinator
- Deep Purple – record label
- Dr Alban - publicist
- George Benson - publicist
- Gyroscope – promoter
- Hothouse Flowers - promoter
- Jascha Richter from Michael Learns to Rock – publicist and artiste liaison
- Kenny G - publicist
- Lisa Stansfield – record label
- N Sync – record label
- Rainshine – promoter
- Rodriquez - promoter
- Son of Dave - promoter
- The Bee Gees - publicist
- The Hollies – record label
- The Last Supper - promoter
- The Mission – promoter
- Underoath - promoter
- Uriah Heep – record label
- ZZ Top – record label
2) In what capacity did you work with these bands?
Capacities written side by artiste name above.
3) Regarding your work in the music industry, what is the biggest mistake you have ever made and what did you learn from it?
When I worked at a major label approximately 17 years ago, I had a great position within the company but did not necessarily understand more than just my job. The bigger picture was never clear to me. On one occasion, I followed direct orders without questioning or understanding what I was suggesting to one of the newly signed bands. In the case of this band in specific, I insisted that they signed publishing to the same company, without actually realizing what I was encouraging them to do, and they blindly trusted me. It resulted in a loss of thousands of Rands from missed opportunities that the big company was too slow or too lazy to follow up. This is something that I regret to this day. I blame it on my lack of understanding and education. I didn’t realise what all the options available to artistes were at the time and if I could take it over again, I would lay down several options for the artiste to make its own decisions.
4) Of which achievement are you most proud?
I am most proud of my company and the quality and quantity of big opportunities we have created to promote bands and to develop them into an independent and free thinking group of people. There isn’t one thing in specific; it’s a link of many small things over a long period of time, all leading to the same goal.
5) In a nutshell, what are the primary requirements needed by a young band who want to enjoy a successful music career?
Besides the obvious requirements of some level of musicality and talent, the most important thing is a burning need to succeed and the hunger to grasp every opportunity the moment it comes along. They also to be able to make informed choices.
6) Who is your favourite SA band at the moment and why?
There are hundreds of brilliant bands in this country; I could not ever possibly choose one.
7) In your opinion, what is the significance of something like Music Exchange to the South African music industry?
Education is the most important element to the success and growth of this industry. Even people in the industry need to learn all facets of the industry in order to make informed choices. The more open forums we have, the more communication and education, the better our whole industry will learn to work together towards success. The Music Exchange will allow all creative partners in the Western Cape the opportunity to meet world leaders, local leaders, air grievances, discover new avenues for promotion, and generally network. This is something that is specifically needed in the Western Cape, but also the entire country if we are to be taken seriously as an industry producing exceptional talent.
8) Overall, what needs to happen to the South African music industry in order for it to make more inroads into the international market?
We certainly need exposure to the international market, but the artistes must be ready and they must be of a comparable standard. The rest of the world does not work on the same ideology of expected entitlement that some many of our SA artistes do. We all need to raise our game, put our music out there, and then be absolutely ready to embrace the opportunities that arise and meet the rest of the world with the same standards.
9) Which specific area of the music industry will you be discussing at Music Exchange and what benefits do you expect to be gained by your audience?
I will be specifically discussing Music Managers in this country and the need for transparency, honesty and one system of rules and ethics that guide us all. The more educated our music managers are, the more able they are to advise their creative partners in looking at all the available options and choosing the right path and the right opportunity for maximum exposure and success. I will be introducing the Music Managers Forum of SA to the audience; a non profit organization with international ties to the International Music Manager’s Forum, which protects artistes and managers from exploitation, sets one set of rules for all people to follow, offers education and training and development within the industry. The MMFSA also has links to a variety of international bodies which allow international exposure to its member’s artistes.