News

One-on-One Consultation – A Brief Overview

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One-on-one consultations have been reintroduced into my agenda. I had to take a break from this favorite task because of those books. It’s funny how you get used to almost everything. When I started writing those books, it took surprisingly long. Gradually, you learn to find your own way of handling things, and the task becomes easier. It doesn’t take the same amount of time anymore. So, now it’s a good time to make consultations regular again. In addition, I’ve been developing this concept quite a bit here.

However, if you are in need for consultation, here are a few things good to know. The most common topic in my consultations is artist management and its various features. As a broad concept, artist management is incredibly expansive, but in modern management, a lot of attention must be paid to its details. On the other hand, when carrying out these actions, it’s essential to always consider the bigger picture.  And that is often the reason why people reach out to me.

With 30 years of experience, one is able to see different paths and, above all, means of implementation. It also teaches you how to find sensible next steps that are tailored to the current moment and the overall context. For a manager, in turn, honing this manager’s perspective becomes a goal in itself.

Not to mention co-management, which is becoming increasingly common, especially among indie artists. A contemporary artist needs to know quite a bit about management and promotion within it. It is not difficult to deduce that my consultation related to a wide range of related activities. However, one task stands out above all others. That is modern online presence and the related digital identity that is made to support the artist’s narrative. When this state is in place, I refer to it as passive promotion.

I have included consultation gigs back in the menu. So feel free reach out if you are in need of them.

One could say that the content of online presence and how it’s connected to the digital environment or the reality it influences is the starting point today – it’s kind of a ’chess-opening’ setting. The establishment of this framework to align with one’s strategic needs is what is initiated, developed, and activated in this consultation. I can say that a modern music business or any other industry player will soon be unable to do without this.

The actions vary depending on the target – while in the past, it was important to stand out visually, nowadays it’s crucial to stand out digitally. The better one succeeds in this task, the more effectively machinery intelligence in its various forms understands us and our production. Once you become aware of your individual narrative’s roots, it becomes easier for you to progress cohesively. Consistency is a virtue in many ways also today and future.

So, if you want to do something before the consultation, it’s worth reading this book. It explains in an understandable way what all of this is about and why it is so important to embrace. I can tell you that many of my clients have had a completely fresh start in their careers after this consultation.

Here’s how to reach out!

Click me!

 

One-on-one Sessions and Mentoring

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Throughout the year I’ve been asked if I mentor or provide one-on-one sessions. I always seem to forget to mention this, and the answer is yes. In fact, one-on-one has been an integral part of my profession for decades. My approach to artist management is based on guiding the artist through our current action plan. Initially, it requires more practice, and as we achieve collective understanding of our actions, it becomes easier. This is also one of the main objectives of one-on-one.

When it comes to these one-on-ones, it doesn’t matter in what role you are involved or want to be involved in the music industry. This information applies to all of us – it’s largely how you can command this information for your own meaningful purposes. The passive promotion concept I’ve developed serves as a foundation, not just for myself but also for many operations I’ve been involved in. And this is something I want to impart to people in these one-on-one sessions.

Passive promotion encompasses the inherent need for management to anticipate the future, even though it cannot be known in advance. It’s about preparedness, and this preparedness makes progress consistent. At that intersection, our most significant successes also occur. In these one-on-one sessions, we can address the specific nuances required by your dreams, goals, and other objectives. This is what career-related mentoring means. It involves finding the desired direction, and this is unique to all of us. Once we can pinpoint the desired path, we can systematically start moving towards it.

If you are an artist, you may have a clear idea what you want. In these one-on-one sessions, we focus on what the next logical step would be. We also do it in a way that takes the bigger picture into account. If you, on the other hand, come into these mentoring sessions as a manager, or from a manager’s perspective, I can assess your action plan objectively and provide you with alternative solutions. We can also come up with convenient co-management solutions.

So, if you are in need of this assistance and/or information, please feel free to reach out. You can find me here.

One-on-one sessions are one of the backbones of modern music business

PS: Don’t get confused if this site speaks about our manager patrol, which I mentioned a few stories back. This group ha emerged as a follow-up to my music business management lectures at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. There are many way to prepare for the future and build teams for it. Our patrol is one of such. Within it, mentoring takes place in both directions.

Introducing Gentle Savage

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This article is a follow-up to the previous one. And about the band Gentle Savage, whose first encounter I remember vividly. If you’re reading this first, the two previous articles will help with understanding. After Annika, everything has progressed as a natural continuation.

Also, after the publication of those books, these artist contacts have been coming regularly. In early 2019, Jack McConnell reached out, and this was the first time I consciously began to consider modern strategies for artist promotion. The passive promotion, in particular, was our area of interest. I have extensively developed this concept in my writings. With Jack, we practiced this for several months and more – in fact, that collaboration continues to this day. I noticed that this mindset began to influence my regular daily routines. As lecture requests started to accompany them, the scope of operations expanded even further. Here, an entirely new way of understanding management had been developed – one in which the artist would become an active participant, strategically as well.

This encouraged me to present my idea more broadly. At this point, Gentle Savage, enters the scene. I needed something to reflect my methods upon. It is fair to say that Gentle Savage is a case zero, in many respects.

It was the summer of 2019 when I decided to inquire about artists’ interest in collaboration within one Facebook group. That post didn’t stay up for long before the then-bassist Vance Bead of Gentle Savage gave me a call. After inquiring further about it, he presented the idea to the band’s leader, Tornado Bearstone. Shortly after, the phone rang again, and this time it was Tornado on the line. For two hours, he interviewed me in return. It was fascinating to observe his reactions to my ideas and how quickly he embraced it.

He and his band came to my home, and over one weekend, we practiced the steps, exploring various promotional avenues and methods. They originally planned to drive back through the night, but our session extended. It’s over 300-miles journey from there where the band lives to here. In hindsight, I’m glad things turned out this way. We got more hours to get to know each other and, most importantly, generate valuable ideas. In return, these methods began to resonate in the music business management lectures I regularly conducted. A unique cycle had been established, generating and continues to generate something meaningful every day.

Even now, as I introduced the idea of our management patrol for the first time, I carefully considered when to present it to Tornado. He has a tendency to put me through the wringer. This is only a good thing, as being put through that wringer makes me think about possible flaws and find better solutions. But in the end, he always agrees!

I am particularly pleased about one thing. I introduced Gentle Savage and Rylos to each other back in the day. They clicked, and to this day, they have embarked numerous joint tours. As they both remain integral parts of our management patrol, all is well. They embody all this – naturalness, effortlessness and significance.

The portrait of Gentle Savage

 

 

Introducing the Manager Patrol

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It’s time for you to meet our patrol. I myself believe that the music business is at its best when it realizes its own essence. The current state emerges as a consequence of some prior action, outcome, or production and engages the participants involved. This same principle applies to building a team and forming one. In that case, it’s best when the team forms almost on its own – you suddenly realize the patrol exists. Ideally, everyone’s commitment is self-initiated, although sometimes a tangible shared experience is needed to kickstart it. It’s usually the way in. Either way, this is what happened to us. For us, the trigger was the music business management lectures.

As many of you know, I have been lecturing at several universities – teaching music business management. Every time a course comes to an end, some students want us to continue. This happens with every course. The course is somewhat incomplete, or at a stage where all of us are aware of what needs to be done next. However, tt often remains just a conversation.

Something unusual happened during the Campus Online course last summer. This time, those thoughts didn’t just remain as talk. I noticed the course had transitioned into a discussion phase even after it had ended. When I took a break from lecturing and gained some distance from the topic, I realized our patrol had been born. It just needed to be initiated.

However, the biggest surprise was the reaction of our group when I presented the idea to them. Most of them were anticipating my contact and already knew what I was going to say. So, there was no need to persuade anyone to join in. This is exactly what I mean when I say the best things naturally fall into place.

When we began considering our operational targets, the same pattern repeated itself. I had collaborated with several artists, and I often use them as examples during my lectures – discussing the relationship between an artist and a manager, among other similar topics. Most of the examples we use are drawn from real situations artists have faced. We present our operational targets and our own plans. Often, this implementation takes place during the course, and students can observe its progress and degree of success. So, why wouldn’t we continue from where we left off in the lectures?

A similar concept has also been on the minds of artists. When I then approached them with a concrete idea, they were also keen to join. As a result, we are jumping on board this moving train, and our group gets natural operational targets. For the next four months, we will be enhancing our teamwork, aiming to achieve a collective understanding of what we’re doing, and initiating various plans related to our artists.

So here we are, the future management patrol.;

Ditte Järvi,

Heidi Huttunen,

Johanna Laakkonen,

Olli Jukkola,

Viivi Koivu,

Susanne Ripsomaa,

Petri Savola,

Nicolas Roimola and

Mika Karhumaa

Experiences gained from this collaboration will also be utilized in future books and related education. We will delve deeper into many aspects in various locations. I believe this is a modern way to make things happen. Also, this story will be is updated..

Our management patrol in the same picture with Nicolas Roimola, Ditte Järvi, Johanna Laakkonen, Susanne Ripsomaa, Petri Savola, Olli Jukkola, Viivi Koivu, Elli Vihervaara and Heidi Huttunen

Our management patrol in the same picture with Johanna Laakkonen, Ditte Järvi, Heidi Huttunen, Susanne Ripsomaa, Petri Savola, Nicolas Roimola, Elli Vihervaara, Olli Jukkola and Viivi Koivu

Our manager patrol from another point of view.

And yes, the operation we’ve initiated reflects the same ideals that modern vocational education aims for. I’ll get back to this later when it is time for it. Until then, have a great autumn time!

The Other Perspective of Team Building – Artists

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I will soon be sharing the story of our manager team. So, this narrative is a bit premature but still an integral part of it. To make our manager team complete, it needs artists. A manager can’t really be a manager without artists. This perspective of the story is at least important and greatly influences what we do. In the upcoming article, I will explain how the artists will be selected to join and why. Let’s go back in time a bit – to the origins of this story. In addition, the intention is to demonstrate a few ideals of the music business: naturalness, effortlessness, and meaningfulness.

I personally took a break from artist management between 2013 and 2016. During that time, I stepped away from the entire music business scene and focused on preparations for the future – writing, giving lectures, and engaging in other industry-related tasks. The industry was, to say the least, undergoing a transformative phase at that time. When I talk about naturalness, I mean this. This perspective often gets less attention amidst all the hustle and bustle. In any case, the era of streaming was on the rise, and for me, it brought forth entirely new possibilities. It removed a few troublesome gatekeepers. I quickly realized that the artist’s perspective would soon become more prevalent.

Then I heard about Annika Nord. A friend of mine recommended to get to know her. When I found out that she had done her thesis on my book, I gained a new perspective on management. That was perhaps the moment when I got the idea of modern co-management between the artist and the manager. Being an indie artist might even be beneficial in the future. I had to meet her.

She was performing covers at that time, but she expressed her desire to write her own songs. We started meeting regularly, and Annika introduced me to her lyrics. And there it began again, gradually – artist management. However, this time with a modern perspective.

Annika Nord's perspective on set while shooting her music video for her upcoming single "Hugo".

Around the same time, I published my first international music business management book. It brought me into broader awareness, which naturally reached the artists as well. This encouraged them to reach out more boldly, and I must admit – it was quite easy to find those with whom collaboration would naturally and seamlessly align. Annika has been followed by a few artists, most of whom are part of our patrol. We all share a similar perspective on management and how it is conducted between the artist and the manager.

I want to highlight them more prominently, which is why we will continue this article in the next chapter.

 

Introducing Chione

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I am happy about a certain event. I’ve been listening to Chione’s Bohemian for over a year now while I go jogging. I must admit it also took me a while to connect the music to the artist. Otherwise, I would have reacted to this even faster. When I realized she already was in my contacts, I began to contemplate a potential collaboration. The idea has been lingering in my mind ever since. However, I couldn’t find a sensible reason to reach out. Many managers can relate to this. Collaboration should always start organically – initiated by a valid reason. Additionally, it requires a vision – where to start and why.

Running is a place for me to combine and coordinate thoughts. When I started putting together that management patrol of ours, I had a specific lineup of artists in mind. Most of them, as I already mentioned, were artists I had collaborated with before.

Every time I went for a run, Chione came back to my mind. I started to chew on the idea of having her as part of this lineup. I decided to reach her out, and when I heard about her future plans, I realized she was a piece of this puzzle.

For those who are not yet familiar with Chione, she has already made an impressive career.

I would like to quote a passage from her website;

Chione writes and performs melancholic pop. She released her first singles ”Light” and ”Uninvited” in August 2018. Chione has studied music at the Point Blank Music School in London and at the Laajasalo Opisto in Helsinki, specialising in vocals. She composes all of her songs including the lyrics. During 2020 she released the singles ”Hey You!”, ”Highway” and ”Bohemian”.

The songs were well received and are regularly played on the radio in Finland and the UK. You can watch the official video of ”Bohemian” on
Youtube. The fantastic visuals were co-produced by Advertising Agency Haaja and filmed at Kulttuurikellari in Savonlinna. All of Chione’s songs have been produced at Guru Studio in Joensuu by Heikki Marttila of the band Stella.

The latest single ”Paradise” is now available to listen on Spotify and other streaming sites. It gained a place on Spotify’s New Music Friday list and was played on the radio several times. A new single ”Polar Night” will be released on the 10th of November 2023. Chione plays
live with a full band and also does an acoustic set with just guitars.

Follow Chione on Spotify and add her music to your playlist!

 

Introducing a prominent Finnish artist Chione

Summer Updates Before The Fall Kick-off

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Before the Fall kick-off, a few updates are in order. In this regard, I am experiencing exciting times as the meaning of ’kick-off’ remains somewhat unclear to me. There are several reasons for this. Here are a few of them.

The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers has been sold in over 60 countries. It couldn’t have not influenced the matter. Visibility has improved, and above all, the book’s content and insights have delivered their impact. Additionally, what perhaps delights me the most is that the fundamentals of modern music management, which I have been instrumental in developing, are finding their way into more and more vocabularies. Concepts like passive promotion, or the crucial significance of story root and its functional significance for algorithmic placement and copyright royalties, are becoming better understood.

Secondly, despite the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence, the book’s embedded predictive mechanism has already taken this into account. I am not taking a stance on whether all developments are good or not, but rather emphasizing the importance of understanding what to prepare for and how they might potentially impact us. One thing can be said right from the outset – consistency in operations further increases its significance. For this purpose, a threefold diagram has been developed in the book, aiding in comprehending all the new features.

Thirdly, I couldn’t achieve all this without teamwork. All these ideas, thought structures, and the concept itself are refined in the background as I lecture with the professionals like here below. In that interaction, the end result (which is never truly finished) takes shape. This interaction also generates fresh material continuously, which increases the number of possibilities. Therefore, when I talk about the fall kick-off, it could encompass anything. Invitations to speak may come from anywhere.

Hence, the exact number of lectures for the next semester is not known, but they will be scheduled. Stay tuned!

 

Timothy Williams, a film composer, talking about scores at Mika Karhumaa's lectures. The kick-off for the Fall will take place on September.

Here’s Timothy Williams, whose music is known from films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Pearl, and Deadpool 2.

Jennifer Pyken on Mika Karhumaa's lectures - talking about music supervision. She will be a part of our kick-off also next Fall.

Here’s Jennifer Pyken, who is known as the music supervisor for shows like This Is Us or The Way Home.

And the students themselves at Mika Karhumaa's music business management lectures at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The kick-off for the next semester takes place in September.

And the students – here’s a picture from one of the lectures at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences.

Those whom this concerns, the fall kick-off is approaching. If you want to be prepared, here’s the book. This is where everything always comes back to, and where all these courses and affiliations begin. You can find the book on Amazon,

EBSCO,

Ellibs, and many other distributors

And yes, before the kick-off takes place, let’s enjoy the summer a little while longer!

-mika

 

Here We Are Again – Another Course To Start

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Here we are again. Another ”Managerial and Intercession Skills in the Music Business – The Modern Fundamentals of the Industry” is about to start at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. This course has one clear starting point, which is also present in the name of the course. There are a few things that a manager is expected to master. How they handle those things will determine their success in the role. And here – it also has a significant impact on the artist. There is a profound interdependence between these two parties, and the manager couldn’t be here without an artist. So,  it is ok to say it takes two to tango.

To succeed, multidimensional skills and collective understanding between parties are required. We have multiple levels of frameworks simultaneously at play here. One of them is the story’s root and the artist’s opinion on it. This course covers these tactics from multiple perspectives. Here are the lecture themes and their contents.

  1. Digital Identity And Passive Promotion
  2. Copyright, Passive Income, And How to Turn Them On
  3. The Role of Management And The Manager Contract
  4. The Relationship Between The Manager And The Artist
  5. Active Promotion And Reactions – Story on Story Effect
  6. Advance And Business
  7. Synchronization As A Pass-Through Route

We have several guests here – each a professional in their own field. This time they are – in the order they appear –  Sam Tall (Studio71), Marilyn Reles-Lozano (PresentPR), IRENE, Timothy Williams (BeachHouseMusic) and Jennifer Pyken.

I usually give the first two lectures myself. During this time, we create a framework for the teaching to take place. The aim is to achieve a collective understanding of what is at stake at any given moment. So the course is not just lectures or guest visits. In fact, we manage this course, gradually raising the level of demand. Most of the examples we use are happening in real time. Many of the productions, or operations presented in the course are actually being released during the course, or at least in the near future. This way, we get private information about the factors that affect the event and become aware of possible hidden motives.

Here we all are.

Here we are in the class room with Campus online students. Talking about managerial and intercession skills - in the modern music industry.

PS: One day these courses will be available to everyone. If you can’t join yet, here’s a book for you. It includes a lot of the things we cover in this course. This way you can learn to think like a manager.

 

Introducing Marilyn Reles-Lozano

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When lecturing, one question always keeps popping up: “How did you meet in the first place?”

Because it’s always a pleasure to talk about collaborators, this time I want to introduce Marilyn Reles-Lozano, the CEO of Present PR. I’ve been working with her for a year now. She’s both a returning guest lecturer at my courses at the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, and a vital part of IRENE’s international team.

I got to know Marilyn in 2018 when assessing music business agreements in a particular project. Music PR is not the easiest part of the music industry. I still remember how Marilyn introduced the case with an analytical approach and brilliant questions. Ever since, I’ve witnessed her switch from management to PR, being able to take both perspectives into account.

Last year, as we were making improvements and expanding the international reach of our Management and Intermediation Skills in the Modern Music Business studies at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, I remembered Marilyn’s analytical approach addressing different topics. I began to think that she would be a perfect fit to teach some of the aspects of PR for our students. When she eventually took the stage, it seemed like she had already been lecturing for years. I couldn’t believe my ears when she told me that this was her first time. Now, after a few courses, Marilyn’s lectures are among the most highly anticipated ones.

As usual, great collaborations tend to expand naturally. When IRENE and I were discussing the campaign of her next release, we decided to introduce the case to Marilyn – we knew that she would analyse the possibilities and help us pinpoint the most ideal angles. After a great brainstorm over Zoom, we knew that Marilyn would be our go-to person. Now, as we speak, IRENE’s next release ”Gatekeeper” is about to see the light of the day and the campaign is off to a good start.

What I love about purposeful team-building is that it creates meaningful outcomes on many levels. During the past six months, Marilyn and IRENE have become regular guests on my lectures. We get to share real-life examples, sometimes even ongoing at the same time. This transparency allows our students to follow every significant operation phase, from planning to execution, not to mention the strategic considerations. Such an approach further emphasizes the preparation of university studies for the actual worklife – and the skills needed for it. This is what I consider authentic sourcing of relevant information. Not only is it surely accurate but also equally available for all students.

The content of our teaching is evaluated through four criteria. Every piece of content must be natural, effortless, and meaningful. When mutual consistency is applied on top, the result is organic teaching material. Marilyn’s involvement contributes to these standards in all levels.

Here she is. More lectures with her are scheduled for May.

Marilyn Reles-Lozano from Present PR in the picture.

© Kimberly Rensburg

Group Sessions for Managers and Artists

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The much asked group sessions will begin in early autumn. I have received a numerous inquiries requesting private mentoring as well. This provides a natural continuation of the manager training offered at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. We gather in groups of 40-50 there. However, a slightly smaller group size would be better for learning. Therefore, I will start a new group whenever there are 15-20 registered participants.

If you are a manager or artist looking to improve your skills, this program may be for you. Each new mentoring course, let’s call it a program, consists of six four-hour sessions. In an ideal situation, all band members would be able to participate at the same time. It would be even better if both artist and manager could attend these sessions together. This way, we can promote the development of modern management practices and transparency within the band. And yes, don’t worry – you can participate in the program on your own as well.

Where you come from or who you are doesn’t matter. Such a group also creates a great opportunity for networking and collaboration. Imagine you’ve met one of your colleagues before and are considering potential collaboration with them. If both of you participate in this program, you can evaluate the potential future collaboration in peace, you will get to know each other in advance and learn new things to implement yourself.

This is the modern way of managing music business. More information about these group sessions will be coming closer to the fall. If this announcement has piqued your interest, feel free to contact at mika@mikakarhumaa.fi

In the meantime, reading this book that serves as the basis of this program would be helpful. The more of its theses you are familiar with, the more you will get out of this program. The book is available on Amazon as a paperback, hardcover and e-book. You can get it as an audiobook on Google Play Books. For academic purposes on EBSCO!

Group session training based on this The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers will start in the Fall 2023. Sign up at mika@mikakarhumaa.fi to join.

A Chart That Makes You See Things Better

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I have been asked this point of view for a while now. From my readers. I guess now is a time to put it out. About observations you also should be aware of. Some things are better reading from the book, while in some cases a short article can bring the idea out best. In this article – we are interested in the chart that book contains.

I have created this chart below for multiple purposes. This article is about two of them. The rest you can find out from this book.

A chart that we used at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences during 2023 course.

The Art of Music Business: For Artists & Managers

The chart has been developing along the way. When mentoring artists, teaching music business students, or in other ways trying to make my point clear – I have used this chart for framing. I am pretty sure it will help you too. To find your own style to handle things, everyone needs the frame – and hence a concept. Something to reflect on. This chart is made for you. I personally use the idea of it daily.

Music business management can be a difficult equation to figure out – especially among its most demanding subcategory, artist management. There’s a lot to do. In the beginning, when there isn’t necessarily anything to take a grip on – you still need to make a next move. To start something. As an artist manager, you’ll need an artist with at least one recording out. Before that moment, everything is more or less artificial. It’s the release that eventually starts the journey. This is the lesson one. A starting point.

That release will also become a story root. The story root is one of the modern music business’s most significant feature. Consequently, our job is to define it, make it grow, as well as to nourish it and attach it with a new meanings. Without fulfilling this basic obligation, it is difficult to move on as a modern artist, artist manager or in tandem with a co-management. This alone is a good reason to read this book. It will explain in more detail the things to pay attention.

Fortunately, this isn’t the whole truth. In terms of the artist management, there are many things you can anticipate. Get ready for the future. The first two compartments of this chart, management & copyright, is the environment where you can be active all the time. Their completion doesn’t require other’s contribution.  You can build them without any constraints.

Instead, the third compartment, intercession, is something that requires more from the manager. You need to have gained at least some level of field knowledge to get in run properly. Learn by doing – that’s the way. Intercession is also something that requires contribution of others. How to combine and attach all these elements together in sensible fashion makes manager a manager.

All this was the dilemma we dealt with comprehensively at our course. And that chart above as our compass.

Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences students at Management & Intercession Skills Course 2023

The Things That Probably Trend in 2023

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Some things always trend better than others. One thing is for sure – any trend is never steady. The way I see trend, or trends is – I am interested in meta truths affecting them. Something has made them come up. In a time when uniqueness, or an effort to become one is the thing people are striving for, one attention must be made. You don’t have to slavishly follow the trends to be trendy. No, it’s nothing like that at all.

You may use the alternatives trends give you almost however you want. With some features more stylish than others. Still and however, the most important thing is that how that trend sits into your fashion. Your way of life, your system of values, or how does it sit on your goals.

This is the foundation behind all that you do. It is influenced by passive promotion. Your own digital identity. How it then correlates to the reality, your own goals and the story you want to tell is another thing.

The important question to yourself is to decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether some trend is something you’ll incorporate into your own action. You have a power to decide that. It can be as much as trendy to use something as to completely ignore it. One piece of advice is in place. Be consistent before the foundation of your digital identity is established for the all four audiences.

What all this means to the music business management and the modern version of it. It’s a lot things. You really cannot neglect the planting of passive promotion. It is something that has to exist. If you don’t have it, you do not exist in the eyes of the relevant algorithms. Given that this is one of the most important meta truths today, passive promotion is a trend that it always around.

If you want to read more about this, here’s a book. It will explain everything understandably. Your artist management, or whatever you do in the music business will become easier. You’ll soon understand why!

This chart will trend in 2023 and beyond

 

Music Business Management Studies 2023

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Hello there! It’s January again. It means that our music business management studies will begin at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences.

I want to wish Happy New Year to all of you. In addition – I want to welcome all of our new music business management students to this course. This course is my absolute favorite. Just like the last time, we will start this music business management course with introduction – along with its modern basics.

This is the fifth time this course will be arranged – online and through Teams. You do not have to be a university student to attend the course. It is available on our Open University offering. Just enroll yourself in and get ready for the content!

Music business management is something that evolves all the time. We have taken this into account in our studies. The course has been reserved a room to find its shape in peace. Each course make it better in the future.

I know the registration time for the course is already expired. The good news is that there’s more to come! For those not able to attend the next course – there’s a book available.

The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers is a book that’s specifically written for the course. You can buy it easily on Amazon, for example. For academic use, the book is available on EBSCO. Remember, the purchasing librarian will have an access for a review.

Music Business Management course uses this book in their studies at SeAMK.

The course’s guest lecturer roster is an impressive list to read. We have IRENE, Sam Tall from Studio71, or Marilyn Reles-Lozano from PresentPR, to mention a few. It is typical for our studies that guest lecturer roster updates over the course. You’ll never know who will be attending our lectures.

Although the course’s language for now is both Finnish and English – in the future, the course will be arranged solely in English. This is one of the reasons you should follow this page regularly. It is possible that the next course will be arranged soon again. This is the site you will get the information first.

Music management can be found in this book

 

Audiobook is available now!

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Audiobook is here! Both The Essence of the Music Business series and the latest – The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers are now available as an audiobook too.

The book is now available on audiobook too, on Google Play Books

I have wanted to tell this news for some time. I finally got the opportunity which I immediately grabbed. When I heard Mike testing his voice with my book text, almost immediately I decided to say yes to this. Now they are read as they should be.

First these audiobooks will be present on Google Play Books. I haven’t yet decided whether to invite other retailers for it. Let’s just see how the things turn out.

Another thing good to know. This latest – The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers has become a little phenomenon. Its concept, structure and insights have been noted widely. The place, where I regularly teach this topic, is Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. I have kept these courses since Fall 2019. These courses have become highly popular and I receive a lot of interest around the globe for them.

I get a lot of questions whether it is possible to join these lectures and activities. Well, soon they will be. I got the assignment from Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences to start planning how these courses could be available to a nonstop offering – and that anyone could participate in them. I will let you know when my job is done and courses will become available. In the meanwhile, you could get accustomed to the production itself.

Amazon Author Page

All the upcoming courses are based on these books. You know, some things are better to explain in a book – while the other things will open up better within a lectures. You’ll see when you attend one! When you have a book behind everything, it is also easier to follow lectures.

I hope you all have a great Christmas time and even better New Year.

This is the moment where the story begin

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Another class of the music business management studies onsite. The moment I’ve been waiting for. This music business management course will now be available to all 24 Universities of Applied Sciences in Finland. Additionally, you can take part in this course, even if you are not the student of any of these schools. Just go to Campus Online’s site, find the course and register yourself in. We have great guests too! Here’s Timothy Williams.

An impressive moment with Timothy Williams while he is talking about the scores he has made.

There’s a reservation to make. We use both Finnish and English as a course language here. That’s for now. In time, the course will be spoken in English only. It means that there’s will be no linguistic boundaries to join. All you need is the skill of English language.

Yes, the course will be arranged whenever there’s a guest for it. In the future I mean. I take this as an enormous opportunity. To complete the course, you can make it in six weeks. A lecture once a week and finish the final exam. That’s it!

In terms of passive promotion, one of the main topics in this course, the story root (the beginning) is a meaningful moment. The first plug-in is the moment you register to the course. This post that I am now writing is the first physical evidence you are attending this course. All of this culminates in the moment you complete the course. From that moment on, when you get your performance registered, this mark will be permanent and it cannot be taken away from you. It has a huge meaning on Google. We will teach you how to make use of this plug-in in your music business-related endeavors and that’s just one of the topics in this course.

When we switch the angle to our core topic, the music business management and hence, the artists as our operative destination, the viewpoint is a bit different. For the artists, their story root is always their production. At the time of release, the end result gets locked. Afterwards, it will leave a permanent mark of their artistry and Google begins to define them as an artists. That’s another meaningful moment.

In general, this course is about modern artist management. We deal with how to organize artist’s promotion and estate, contracts&copyright in it, but also how the intermediation works in the modern days.

Stay tuned on this site to know when the next course will be arranged!

Also – if you are hungry for more information, this book will help you out!

 

The Book is Wanted to Libraries Too!

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I get this book availability question often – especially in the summer times. Where can the libraries acquire the book? And is it available with what formats. That’s a good question and topical prior to the upcoming semester. Many universities have wanted the books in their libraries. I heard that also the students have wanted to get their hands on the book.

There are a variety of ways how to get The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers to the library collection. If it is wanted for the academic purposes, perhaps EBSCO is the most convenient way. You’ll get the access immediately – as an e-book. Purchasing librarian have a review option. In case your are the teacher and willing to check the content, ask your librarian to give you an access.

If e-book isn’t what’s wanted, there’s one great option too – and fast. You can acquire the book as a hardcover on Amazon. Here’s the link.

Amazon – hardcover 

Also – the book is available as an e-book through Ellibs. They have a worldwide delivery.

The technical information about the book – and its unique identifiers are;

ISBN: 978-952-69469-7-9 (paperback)
ISBN 978-952-65029-0-8 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-952-69469-8-6 (PDF)
ISBN: 978-952-69469-9-3 (EPUB)

Here’s also the book presentation and related jpg image:

The next generation of music business books is here!

’Karhumaa’s seventh book presents an unprecedented concept – how to understand modern artist management. Traditional and prevailing laws are transmitted, but the development of technology is presented in a way that often goes unnoticed.

In a time when technology development is increasingly guiding the formation of new business models, it is important to adapt to the situation. NFTs, web3 or the metaverse is already commonplace. Development plays a huge role in the job description of artists and managers.

Nowadays artists more frequently take a more active role in their own management. It’s not just the manager that runs intermediation or facilitation, and this includes modern preconditions and their arrangements. The artist needs to be prepared in any case, with consideration as to how resources are allocated to enable goal achievement.

To be able to succeed now and in the future, the basics of this book will be needed. This book is a step by step of what you really need to know. It is particularly well suited for educational use.

A manager needed to write this book. The author has almost three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.’

This book is wanted in many places.

Happy to Announce – The Worldwide Publication Date

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I am happy to announce that it is soon here! The worldwide publication takes place in July 19th.

There are at least four things that makes me happy with this.

Firstly, I finally managed to create a concept that takes into account the current global needs within this scene. Trust me, it wasn’t easy. Every time I got created a concept, some emerging innovation made it weak. Every non-fiction writer knows what I mean. This change is nonstop, or at least it feels so. The modern non-fiction book requires reservations for this possibility.

Consequently, I am happy the book succeeded with its reservations. There isn’t an instant need to change the structure anymore – when some additional trend arrives the market. Just give it a welcome and decide what to do with it.

I am particularly happy that this book can be used for multiple educational purposes. If you are a teacher of the subject, just use the structure/concept of it and feel free to replace its examples with your own ones. Or, use it as it is.

Finally, it makes me personally happy to decide this chapter. From now on, I can freely take against all the related assignments. When the writing session is underway, or when you create preconditions for something great to happen, this destination begins to loom on your head. You probably know what I mean!

Have the best of Summer!

-Mika

Happy to announce the publication of this book.

A few changes always happen when finalizing the book. Here’s an updated backcover.

 

The next generation of music business books is here!

Karhumaa’s seventh book presents an unprecedented concept – how to understand modern artist management. Traditional and prevailing laws are transmitted, but the development of technology is presented in a way that often goes unnoticed.
In a time when technology development is increasingly guiding the formation of new business models, it is important to adapt to the situation. NFTs, web3 or the metaverse is already commonplace. Development plays a huge role in the job description of artists and managers.

Nowadays artists more frequently take a more active role in their own management. It’s not just the manager that runs intermediation or facilitation, and this includes modern preconditions and their arrangements. The artist needs to be prepared in any case, with consideration as to how resources are allocated to enable goal achievement.

To be able to succeed now and in the future, the basics of this book will be needed. This book is a step by step of what you really need to know. It is particularly well suited for educational use.

A manager needed to write this book. The author has almost three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.

The Art of Music Business Management Book

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The art of being a music business manager is something that’s always fascinated me. So much that I have wanted to write books on the subject. This summer, I will publish The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers, which is seventh in order. Here, as waiting for this book from proofreading, I decided to write a few words about it.

First of all, we all have our own style, and/or idea to deal with the management. It is characteristic for this art to develop – the more you do, the better you probably become. So, gaining experience is probably something that’s of the greatest importance. Nevertheless, books can be very useful source of information when making your own assessments. This is something I have cherished now. Kind of a starting point.

From the very beginning, I had three metrics through which to evaluate the content. It should be effortless, inherent and meaningful. If the content I wrote did not fit into that frame, I left it out of the book.

Another starting point was gained experience. If there was no personal experience behind the chosen example, I left it out. In this way, I could not only respect the name of the book, The Art of Music Business Management, but also to make it one of a kind. Otherwise, I should have labeled it differently.

The key metrics of successful management is its built-in consistency – it also includes the title. Consistency is also what the artists expect from their managers. One of the most important things in this book is the concept of passive promotion. It is the thing that makes this consistency possible – as a compass. Also, how it effects in the 2020’s. Trust me, you will be surprised when reading more. The more surprised you will be to know how effective tool it is.

I have developed this art through lectures and one-on-one sessions in various universities over the past four years. It’s been pleasure that many artists have also asked for this. They want their online presence to be in order. This upcoming book explains in more detail all you need to know about it. And how it is the cornerstone of everything.

I am so lucky to have Aleksi Manninen from Ceased Sunfire to make the cover – again. During this summer everything should be completed. I will let you know the exact date of publication when I have that information.

This piece of art has done Aleksi Manninen - the cover of my book

 

It Takes One To Know One

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We all know that like-minded people get along together. It is extremely inspiring when it originates from your own ’initiative’. This kind of connection enables the dynamics and intensity what it takes to perform well in the modern music industry.

One of the guidelines to myself is not to advertise my services too much. Although I publish books and manage artists on a regular basis, I don’t like to be pushy. It is always best if people discover me. They come to know me as a result of their own inquiries, possibly through word of mouth, following me on social media, or some other interaction that prompts them to reach out. Of course I am making efforts to better distribute the information about myself, but it isn’t the primary objective. The aim is more to provide prior information about the things I do. So that you could already know what to expect before making that call.

It’s been a while since I started this and many years to make this happen. It is nice to realize this main goal of mine has reached the target. Almost every new contact I get is a bespoke thing. The modern artists, more often, already know who they are and what they are after. That helps my work a lot. In the past, our focus was primarily laying on the foundation or constructing the entire business, but today, these inquiries are almost invariably tied to the next logical progression. The artists like to know how we, background executives, see them. What we can offer? They are looking for our professional opinion of what they could do next. Of course the overall construction of one’s career is still an issue, but not in the way like before.

For example, the artist may already have an organized operation. While you are doing something daily, you may become blind for it. These are the moments where you need additional eyes and ears. Today’s online presence is a great feature – you can easily find the things that can be done better, or if something is missing there. That’s where I step into the picture. I like the way also the artists know this – the questions they ask can be very precise. A few weeks ago, Mikko Heino from Rylos called me. He told me that some of their operations aren’t functioning as they have hoped for. A deeper look into their activities expressed the reason why. It wasn’t a significant matter, but sufficient to create that distraction. We will now spend the next three months to fix that problem – that’s what modern music business is about. Some of the things we can correct immediately, while with some other things, it requires time to get settled.

Online conversation running with Rylos - it really one to know one.

 

Why You Should Read This Book?

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Although reading a book is always profitable, there are a few good reason why you should read this book. First – when making this book, it has been taken into account that you might read this book, for example, five years from now. The assumption is that although the world develops and technology even faster, some of the basics remain the same. Remember this starting point when you read this book – all the time.

Technology allows you to create new opportunities, to establish a career, to promote your own production, make it a business and to deal with the audience – all the time. You don’t even need to leave home. When there is a lot of choice, it will cause difficulties to decide, but also entices to be involved in everything. These opportunities may blindfold you seeing closely. It’s so easy to follow a trendy wave and forget  what I was doing in the first place. Technology always brings with it this hazard of intention. The content is done because of external expectations and gradually it begins to influence to the core plot of the story. You will find yourself doing things just because others do so.

Such a threat also challenges a non-fiction writer. The problem is in the structure. When a new material is to be included in an existing book, in the form of a new edition, there is a risk that the new ingredient will mess the previous logic and claims. Such a possibility makes it difficult to read if you have to evaluate the links between the things all the time, not to mention evaluate their accuracy. As a main rule, the more the book contains details, the faster its contents expire.

The Essence of the Music Business: Philosophy is a great book to read. You don’t have to worry about such issues – they have been taken into account for you. The book’s core in on the pages 99-145 in the printed edition. In the e-book, these chapters locate from Media Feed to Story of the Artist – Recording Contract. These pages provide you a framework for the better understanding of the matter. You can now navigate all the new information quite carelessly. In addition, it allows for natural updates and even if you read an older edition, it is easy to find out its relevance at the moment.

In the modern days, it is often about how to make your passive promotion active and breathable and thus to get algorithms find you and your affairs better. Remember also to read this novelty. It will further complement your knowledge on the matter. Available also on EBSCO and Ellibs.

Why you should read this book - just find out yourself

 

The Value of Being An Independent Artist

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If something has changed over the past few years, it’s how we understand of being independent, or more of the value of being independent. Being an independent artist is no longer combined to the second-class amateur business. No, today independence seems to be the main objective of artists. A state of being in which the artistic freedom and economic independence do well.

A few years ago, most of the contacts I had focused on how to get a recording agreement and hence, get to the groove. It’s a huge difference if we compare it what happens today. An independent artist can gather seven or even eight digit numbers of streams – by do it yourself and that’s not even rare. They may not even need others to make it happen. Also, managers are no longer sought for the needs the intercession know-how mainly. No, it’s about strategic guidance how to tell your own story and plant it for the OPO (online presence optimization). Or how to monetize things. It is also to establish the best possible organization for your business prospects.

Managers are likely to approached because of their field knowledge – to get an access to the knowledge that is otherwise out of reach. In addition, especially at the beginning of the career, in its construction phase, the modern artist avoids long-term attachments. Manager is acquired to handle some particular task – that next sensible step. This happens to me more than frequently – a new assignment takes place on an on demand basis.

The modern artist knows their value and knows more often what needs to do next. The purpose is to go as far as you can with your own resources and only when your own resources are not enough, in accordance with the goal – approaching the future industrial partners. I like the current trend – the artist retain the copyrights themselves and organize their releases through distributors and administrations in a way it won’t involve any transfer of rights. Of course, this is not so black and white. The record companies are still an important institution in the music business. As are the music publishers. But it is the artist that has a choice.

In the past, the record companies were the gateway to the market. Today it’s more about at which stage the record companies become topical – if they ever will. In addition, the artist’s own management is often able to organize the releases so that around them is possible to build a meaningful business. All this is dependent on the objectives of the artist. The larger the international distribution is to be achieved, the greater the probability that the record companies will be needed. Instead, if the artist wants to advance organically, depending on how popularity so permits, it should probably be done on an independent basis.

Anyway, this picture tells you a lot about where the things are going. Here’s Chronoform. We go through their copyright issues and how to arrange their OPO so that it best supports their story. The management’s task will take as long as the job is completed – on an on demand basis and for the independent artist.

Being independent can be a great decision.

 

 

 

Timelessness and Music Business Books

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Timelessness and memorable laws – the topics that have always fascinated me. I have always tried to find regularities and don’t even realize why. However, I pay attention to them in every transaction. It’s probably an occupational habit of an artist manager and a non-fiction writer.

This theme of timelessness is present everywhere in my production. Timelessness is the frame against which all the development is reflected. Timelessness is also a fixture on which I build the structure in my books. Timelessness also determines the order of presentation I use when lecturing. Or the content for the artist mentoring and guidance I provide. There’s quite a simple reason for this.

Books are easier to update, renew, and edit to match the prevailing circumstances. Taking timelessness into account also makes it possible to eliminate momentary trends when they cease to exist – there is no need to re-edit the entire book. It also makes it easier for the reader to perceive the purpose of updates. Under the theme of timelessness one is also able to reach to the present moment as well as find the things that need to be corrected, improved, changed or removed in the very moment.

To stay up to date, I visit several industry forums like MusicAlly, Music Business Worldwide, Music Industry City or webinars arranged by Songtrust to name a few. All this, in addition to the daily practice. Every time something new emerges, I wonder if it should be included in my books, lectures, or giving mentoring to the artists. One part of this information acquisition relates to one-one-one conversations that I have on a weekly basis around the world. Here’s one of such with MusicAlly’s Commercial Director, Anthony Churchman.

With Mandy Aubry and Anthony Churchman - talking about timelessness

All this has become a cycle that affects everything in my daily life. It also brings rhythm and routines to the day.

Take care there and talk to you soon.

-Mika

Electronic Press Kit and Artist Management

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I saw an interesting chain of conversation on Michelle Galas’s MUSIC BUSINESS GROOVS. There was talk of electronic press kits and what they should involve. The electronic press kit is often abbreviated to as EPK. This article however, isn’t how an electronic press kit should be built, of how does a good EPK look. No, we are now talking about operative environments and what needs to be considered when approaching the media and other audiences in the industry. Basically, these are two things.

First, the media is busy – they get a lot of inquiries everyday. If the artist you represent or artist him- or herself is new to the market, this thing is important to note. Many things go unpublished because the electronic press kit is delivered in a format where its text cannot be edited. Not all the media wants to publish EPK as it is, but make their own comments on it. It requires an extra effort from the journalist to rewrite the whole text sent by the artist or artist’s management. In the midst of all that workload, it is easier to publish announcements from the artists they see fit. If a certain text version is submitted alongside with EPK, the probability that you will see it published will increase.

Secondly, when approaching radios or other forums where the recording can be aired, copyright implications must be taken into account. Regional differences must now be taken into account. In all countries, music cannot be played on the radio without an appropriate label copy. The label copy is an instrument that the record company makes for each release. It shows all the rights-holders of the recording. This way the radio is able to report every play correctly to the relevant copyright organisation. If you do not have a record company for this need, such a label copy can be built by your distributor. Once again, it requires an extra effort from the radios to go looking for the necessary permissions. Almost without exception, this goes unnoticed, no matter how good the song.

These are the things an artist management works every day. Here’s an image from an online session with our promotion executive, Michela Prescott. The content and the form of the electronic press kit is usually the foundation where to start. It is then created an occasional division of labor, what the artist do, what management and what the label.

UPDATE: Here are some useful information in case you are interested in knowing more.

This book also has an electronic form

 

 

Libraries and Lectures

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Libraries have played a huge part in the promotion of my books. Maintaining a life-long connection with libraries is something I hold dear. I thought I could dedicate this Sunday to this appreciation. Simultaneously, I am getting ready for the forthcoming music business management course. Why do I bring up in this context? First of all, without libraries my production would never had such a wide circulation and reach. Consequently, the amount of lectures I give have increased considerably.

A series of lectures starting next week will make the issue topical in another way. The students have had time and opportunity to familiarize themselves with the course material in advance. Such an opportunity gives the lecturer more room – and alternatives. The lectures can be enriched with a variety of examples that could otherwise be unattainable.

My main distributor for the university libraries is EBSCO. Their e-book collection is impressive. What’s even better is that all students can now borrow a book right away. My upcoming course has 47 students. I use all three books as a course material. If only physical books were available, there should be 47 copies of it. Think about the space they take.

This writing is not intended to discriminate physical books. No, they are equally important – no matter the format. I am grateful of every addition the libraries make when taking my books in their collections – whether it is physical, e-book or an audio book.

This is to every library. Thank you for creating pre-conditions for the successful courses when taking these books. It is a great help and 32 hours of teaching through Teams become doable. All this takes place within two months, and consistency as a key. Easy access to books is something that facilitates not only navigation, but also the internalization of the matter. All the essential is immediately available and not behind many gates. When the subject is artist management and related mediator skills, it involves a lot of information.

UPDATE: Here’s the latest book. Available on EBSCO as the previous ones!

Library, libraries and their importance with The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers book that's available on Amazon, EBSCO, and many other distributors.

 

A Few New Ideas and The Music Business

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This idea has been present a lot throughout the year. Finally I can tell you more about my upcoming publications. I’ve been thinking how to complete the trilogy. One option would be write a brand new The Essence of the Music Business book. The other is to include that updated material within the previous three. Since the first part, Contracts, was already updated in March 2019, the other two parts, Philosophy and Strategy, remain as options.

I read both books twice – thinking about how they could be improved. I was particularly interested about the structure and order of presentation. Could I get new information there without compromising anything. Whether the existing structure allow room for the new ideas and/or whether there is enough space so that the book does not become too long. I realized that the update could take place in two steps. It allows me to complete the material if needed. If I make Philosophy first with the things I could add there, I can further refine them in terms of strategy. This realization was followed by a sense of freedom. It would avoid the possibility that an entirely new book would actually be a repetition of three previous ones – with only a few new ideas. The possibility of such always exist, as the trilogy contains more than five hundred pages.

This kind of solution also allows for depreciation. I can take unnecessary songs out of the books – these always remain, at least with the first editions. When the time passes from the publication, the text can be evaluated more objectively, and from the better distance.

I have recently focused on the streaming management, in more detail than in the past. Also to gain experience how to perform this task in the 2020’s. Or rather, I started this operation a few years ago – at the national level. Now it has been transferred to the international scenes – with the same team as before. The experiences I got can be read in the new editions of The Essence of the Music Business.

UPDATE: It still so happened that I decided to write another book – not within that trilogy as I just told. Many things led to this decision. You can get this book from here.

A few new ideas and modern music business with Annika Nord - we are sitting on our kitchen with her.

There’s more to this than just writing and publishing. It’s been a pleasure to partner with Grey Beton Records. Our second joint operation, Delta Enigma’s Waterfall, will be released along through that avenue. More likely all my other artists will end up with the same solution. The vision that CEO Richard Hiles has to offer provides the experience required for the modern streaming release requirements.

 

’In Hand’ Pictures

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These ’in hands’ pictures have become popular. A man behind this idea is Victor A Baker from Chicago. He recently sent me a picture with one of my books in his hand. I then asked can I share it. He liked the idea and you probably guess what happened. I started getting similar images – from people who had read my books. I like these gestures a lot – that’s why I decided to publish this collage. I will also update this collage whenever so requested. That is, no picture will be published without permission.

In-hand image from Chicago
 

Such interaction is also a motivator. Whenever such a picture appears in my mail, it reminds me why am I doing this. I know this sound like a much used expression – it is just hard to come up with other way to show my gratitude.

In hand image from Austin, Texas

Feedback is also an accelerator. It trigger processes that you might not have mastered yourself. This again makes you writing better books and updates when needed.

In hand image from Pesaro, Italy

The whole trilogy is fresh at the moment. Therefore it is relatively resistant to development. However, block chain entry may change the setting quickly. Not yet in practice, but with reservation. It depends on how the market responds to its potential and threats. Also the music and tech is evolving. It is constantly creating new ways to enjoy music. It may be that we have think copyright all over again, with some of its contexts. These, on the other hand, require an updated agreements and arrangements. The writer must be prepared for this. I try to keep release interval in line with the actual market situation.

In hand image from Oulu, Finland

I’ll come back to these pictures yet. They tell their own truths between lines. Book alignments have clearly found their target. The first part – Contracts – is read by lawyers, law students and managers – that is, the professional groups most concerned with the subject. The book has also been useful for the record companies, music publishers and agency’s staff. It is common that some of them at some stage in their career will continue to run it as an artist manager.

In hand image from Austin, Texas

The second book – Philosophy – was intended primarily for managers. However, it did not quite happen. It was embraced by the artists – by far its largest readers group. In retrospect, I’m really happy with the result. I got a lot of information included in it what artists need to know about the professional groups that support them. Some of the pictures where this ‘in hand’ is taken directly from the tour bus make me particularly happy!

In hand image from Kaarina, Finland
 

Maybe the trilogy makes sense. On the other hand, it is about how you sing your song. You have to think about the content and how it is presented. Such a process also evolves. One cannot ignore the fact that next part can supplement and remedy the shortcomings of the previous ones. The last part of the trilogy – Strategy – benefited from this. It has become a popular book outside the music business as well. I bet the strategy in general is so fascinating globally that it attracts.

In hand image from Kaarina, Finland

When you look at these pictures here – pretty many of them have all three involved. And no, this is not a cheap marketing trick. I think it tells us about consistency in one’s mindset- written by a same author. It is then easier to follow, even if the subject changes. So it is for those who started long before me – they have their own readership. I find it great to have a choice.

In hand image from Helsinki, Finland

If you ever hit your hands on some of my books and you want to take ‘in hand’ picture of them and feel free to send it to me. It is very possible that it will be published in a constantly updated collage. This new book may delight you a lot – it’s thoroughly prepared for the wider entrance of artificial intelligence.

Mika Karhumaa’s Author Page on Facebook

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This is what many of you have been waiting for – Facebook. Another inclusion on social media. I just have been waiting for the right moment to launch this. Start opening another avenue in the middle of writing processes is more difficult than one could imagine. Ending the trilogy gives you a required leisure time. Also, summer time is time for myself, but also a space to learn something new. For me, this summer is creating the Facebook pages related to my publications and affiliated activity.

And yes – I know I have been more active on LinkedIn. The question is not that it would be somehow be a priority. No, it just somehow fits to the moments of writing. And there are many of my colleagues. I have developed my own routine how to deal with the outside world, both in private life, working life and on social media. However, I have had Facebook all the time in my mind. Now that the working situation as an artist manager and lecturer is better settled, it is time to add new features.

All the things that I feel worth saying will appear on this page. My greatest source of joy has always been the ability to engage in live situations, much like the interaction in the lectures or as a manager during negotiations. Depending on the pace I learn to use Facebook’s opportunities, I will gradually include all the cool, or less cool, material over there.

One thing to mention! I have visited numerous Skype conversations with my readers – whenever it has been requested. At the moments when ’composing’ feels lonely, a good conversation enlivens your spirit up. I am extremely grateful for these discussions.

I am very pleased, if you experience my book-related Facebook page interesting. Of course, it will not replace my other social media forums and there will surely be overlaps.

Mika Karhumaa on Facebook

Management and New Affiliations

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Well. ’Strategy’ is soon to be published – it should be proofread and edited by the end of the week. Also this multi-year writing operation is coming to an end – at least for a while. My production will continue to update as and when so required. These are always exciting times. However, it is not the subject of this story. I want to speak about the artist management and how it touches time and time again.

I get a lot of mail from the bands and artists everyday. It is understandable, I have a decades-long manager background. Occasionally, a few among them shine brightly, demonstrating exceptional talent, unwavering devotion, and a deep commitment to their cause. This happened to me earlier this year. It usually starts unnoticed. As if you find yourself taking up the task.  I believe many of my colleagues would agree with this.

Throughout the past year and a half I have been thinking what to do when these books are made. Teaching at Arcada University of Applied Sciences is still what’s going on. However, it does not fulfill the need of being a manager. It is something that’s in your DNA. Secondly, if I couldn’t be in touch with the practice, I would probably be a poor writer.

Now that I think afterwards, I have visited a months-long of correspondence to Austin. Skype calls take place several a week. The plans are made and then implemented.

Let’s talk about the band. My affiliations are not the case here. It is music. When we began to implement our plans, we got the number of Youtube subscribers rose by over thousand in three weeks and it still continues to grow – big thanks belong to our fans. It’s been a great start to the story. The next challenge is to release the debut album and find the necessary partners. It is my greatest joy to introduce Melba Culp.

Melba Culp was founded in 2015 by guitarist & vocalist Jack McConnell. The band, based out of Austin, Texas, released their debut single and music video ”Never Surrender” on January 18th.

The guitar-driven band aims to hit the world hard with its fast-paced and hard-hitting aggressive single Never Surrender. The single, recorded at PlethoraTone in Nashville, is the first from the album expected to arrive in 2020. 

An update to this story. My collaboration with Jack continues, and Melba Culp has successfully synced their music with couple of indie films.

By the way, it’s really cool when you can use the artists you work with in your lectures. To demonstrate the communication and co-operation between the artist and their management – with real-life examples.

Management and Co-lecturing with Jack McConnell from Melba Culp at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences