Day in the Life of an OM Intern!

by Hannah Loomis

Do you ever wonder what a day at a Nashville artist management company looks like? Well today, you’re getting a peek! Hi, my name is Hannah Loomis and I am an intern here at Olivia Management! I’m going to be taking you through what my typical day looks like in the office.

After logging onto Slack and saying hello to everyone, I always start my day by heading over to Asana and checking what tasks I’ve been assigned! Asana is a project management software that allows us to assign and be assigned things to work on. I always complete the tasks that are due by the end of the day first, and then I prioritize what else needs to be done from there.

After updating our tour database with social handles, ticket links, ticket prices, and contact information, I headed into our office’s kitchen for lunch! I snagged a spoon to eat some cereal and said hello to some of our office neighbors.

After lunch, I began working on checking the ticket links to our artist’s shows and collecting the ticket counts from each venue. I do this each week so that we know how many tickets have been sold and to check that the show’s information and branding are correct.

I also packed a merch order that we received! With a little bit of help from ShipStation and our Slab page for shipping processes, I got a vinyl order ready for shipping! We use ShipStation as a way to create shipping labels, and Slab is a site that acts as our company handbook.

Next, I started working on my Artist Expert project! This is a semester-long project that each intern is assigned. Through the Artist Expert project, we get to become immersed in the management of a few particular artists on the Olivia Management roster. We ensure their social media pages are taken care of, report their streaming numbers, and more. This semester, I’ve been Alex Blue and Smooth Hound Smith’s artist expert!

Last but not least, I make sure the office is picked up, say goodbye to everyone, and head out. So, there you have it! That was a day in my life as an intern at Olivia Management. I have loved every second of my role at Olivia — so much so that I’m returning for the summer! Each day is unique and exciting in its own way, and I have been given so many opportunities during my time here. I’ve attended an artist’s release party, watched an artist’s creative process come to life in the studio, and learned incredible things that I’ll carry with me throughout my career. Erin and the rest of the Olivia Management team are brilliant and it is truly a joy to learn from them!

If you’re interested in interning with Olivia Management this summer or fall, message grace@oliviamanagement.com to get in touch! We’re excited to hear from you!

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. Thirties - Jill Andrews

I will never forget the night that this record started to take shape. Jill was playing a round a the Bluebird Cafe here in Nashville, and she played a song I hadn’t heard before. It was called “The Party” and it made me cry big tears picturing her, sitting alone with her newborn, while life was passing her by with no help, no end in sight. After the show, she grabbed my arm and said “I am ready to make a new record, I have a lot to say.” It had been four years since her last record, and my heart was overjoyed.

In the months that followed, we got to work. Jill whittled down the list of album contenders and even came by the office one day to sing all 18 potential songs for me, my staff, and my interns. We ranked them and voted on the ones that should be on the album (I recently found my ranking sheet, and I gave all of them, every single song, a 9 or 10 so I was not much help).

She recorded at the Smoakstack, and brought in the most talented people in Nashville to play. I spent the week sitting on a big leather couch watching the magic happen. I had heard these songs thousands of times but with Todd, Ian, Peter, and Daniel in the room, they took on new life. Thankfully, I had the foresight to ask Jacqueline Justice to take some photos and videos of the sessions, see below.

After they were done recording, Jill brought the record home to her basement studio to start sorting through what they had captured. She decided to bring in friend and brilliant producer, Lucas Morton to help her get the record finished (sidenote: he was so lovely and is so good at what he does, we now manage him! I just needed to keep working with him when this record was done!). The two worked tirelessly to perfect the songs. Each time they sent a rough mix my way I stopped what I was doing, found a decent pair of headphones, and was transported.

With most of these stories for my #10yearsofgoodmusic series, the story stops at the record being finished. But not with Jill Andrews, no. She called me one morning and said “There is more to the story here. I want to do a photoshoot for every single song. Is that crazy?” And I got so excited at the idea of having that much content, I said “No, bring it on.” So I enlisted the help of Fairlight Hubbard (who also did all of the photos and art for Hush Kids and Jill’s 2015 record The War Inside). Over the course of a few months, we did thirteen, yes, thirteen separate photoshoots. It was like a fun scavenger hunt all the time: “Can someone find me a white horse?” “Does anyone have all of the fixings for a Thanksgiving Dinner?” “Can we find 6 children of increasing ages that kind of look like Jill?” “Do we know any tall men that own a tux?” “Will you all come over and make it look like there’s a big party happening?”

And the story doesn’t stop here either (this is why I love working with Jill Andrews). At some point when Jill was about halfway done with photo shoots, she called me and said “I have more to say. I have started writing stories, I think I am going to write a book to go with this album.” She dug in and got to writing, and I dug in and got to figuring out how to publish a book. I spent a few months talking to different publishers, comparing pricing for self-publish options, and found a publisher that was the perfect fit. After Jill was finished writing the publisher started editing and laying out the book. This part I can take no credit for and I need to give a lot of credit to Stephanie Edwards, who at the time was running the record marketing side of my company. Steph spent countless hours working with Jill and the publisher approving layouts and book drafts.

While all of this was taking place, we also built, promoted, and funded a Kickstarter campaign to help with the record marketing. We threw an album and book pre-view party at Eastside Manor for some special donors. I worked with Jill’s agents to plan a 60 city tour around the US and we were starting work on a book tour to coincide*. We rolled out singles with our friends at Tone Tree Music, and the press started rolling in about the songs. I couldn’t have done ANY of it without my fantastic team at the time: Maggie Adams, Madeline Heiskell, and Stephanie Edwards plus some incredible interns. It was a powerhouse team of women that I miss daily! I am getting tired just writing this but… I’m not done yet. There’s a LOT more.

L-R: Maggie Adams, Madeline (Heiskell) DeLuca, Steven Metrejean, Erin Anderson, Jill Andrews, Stephanie Edwards, Kailey Prall, Kennady Newsome at Eastside Manor.

I know that everyone has a story of their plans that were dashed when the pandemic hit in March 2020. After almost two full years of work, Jill’s record and book were slated to come out March 27th, 2020. And by the time we went into lockdown, it was just too late to move the release date. We scrambled and tried to make the best of a crappy situation. Our first big idea: each night the week of release, Jill played through the entirety of one of her previous solo albums, culminating in the release of Thirties on that Friday where she wore the dress from the cover of the album, sang the songs in her living room to her computer, and brought the audience outside for a champagne toast at the end. While we were all working from home, we still needed a place to store a thousand books and a thousand records and we still needed to fulfill the Kickstarter orders. The delivery guys left pallets of merch in the back parking lot of my office, and I went by myself to count them in and put them inside. Jill decided she would play Santa and she drove around town dropping off books and vinyls to all of the in-town orders.

My interns and staff and I created a package shipping schedule. One of us would go to the office by ourselves, start packaging orders, check them off on a list, and then wipe everything down with Clorox, leave the wipes by the back door, and call the next in line to come to the office for the next shift. I am proud to say we got 99% of the Kickstarter orders out the week of release. It was nice to have a goal and something to work towards in all of the confusion. And it was nice to leave the house, if only to go to an empty office.

Despite the setbacks, Thirties did quite well for release week!

We had to cancel the tour dates. In fact, Jill’s sweet agents moved that venue tour a total of 4 times. Jill decided that she still wanted to try to get out and bring some joy to the world and play these songs live, so we spent time coming up with a safe way for her to tour. She got an RV, we found house show hosts with large back yards, and we put Jill on the road for about 30 shows through the summer of 2020. So that there was no confusion, Jill named the tour “Outdoor Spaces and Covered Faces.” Masks were required, folks sat spread out oustide, and boy was that the joy we needed that summer.

This is in my backyard! We had the first one at my house in Nashville to test it out. It was GREAT.

I learned a LOT through the process of putting out Thirties. I learned how to get a book published, I learned the value of a really resilient team, I was reminded of the joy that music can bring when things aren’t looking good. But most of all, I learned that Jill Andrews is a really great business partner because she never stops dreaming about how to make things bigger and better.

* Really fun asterisk here to say: the person at Jill’s publisher that was putting together her book tour was our future employee, Grace! So the whole current team was involved in this one too! I hired her away, she was so good. Whoops.

Women in Music that Inspire Olivia Management

by Grace Carey-Hill

As Women's History Month comes to a close, we wanted to highlight some women in music that inspire us at Olivia Management. These women are amongst the greatest musicians of all time. Not only do they encompass what it means to be a great artist but they hold some of the other values that we hold dear at Olivia Management. ⁠

1. Carole King - King began her career writing and producing songs for other recording artists. By the 70s, she broke out as a recording and performing star and in 2013 became the first-ever female recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. PLUS since the early 1980s, is actively involved with environmental organizations in support of wilderness preservation. ⁠

⁠2. Ella Fitzgerald - She is known as “The First Lady of Song”. Ella won 13 Grammys, recorded more than 200 albums, and fought relentlessly against discrimination as a Black female artist during the Jim Crow era. Fitzgerald was the first Black woman to win a Grammy away. She also created and funded ⁠The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation to foster a love of reading, as well as a love of music. In addition, the foundation provides assistance to the at-risk and disadvantaged members of our communities. A total badass, right?

3. Dolly Parton - How can we even put this amazing lady into a small blurb? Parton is a smart businesswoman, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian.⁠ Dolly is one of the elite groups of individuals to receive at least one nomination from all four major annual American entertainment award organizations; Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony. In 2004, the U.S. Library of Congress gave her the distinguished Living Legend Award. She’s the only musician on the planet to have her own theme park, which hires many people from the communities near where she grew up.

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. Targets - Derek Webb

Each of these blogs for my #10yearsofgoodmusic series has been challenging to write. I tend to have big emotions about the things I work on and today’s story is no exception. Often there is a voice in my head telling me that I haven’t done enough, I haven’t achieved enough, I haven’t done anything valuable with my life. But then, I think of the face of 16-year-old me if I told her that she gets to work alongside talented, wonderful artists, AND that list of artists includes Derek Webb- the picture of my face is enough to keep me going.

Derek Webb has been one of my songwriting heroes since I was in high school. Don’t tell him, but I sang one of his songs at my high school talent show. I cried in the car over boys while listening to his words. I have been a true fan for quite a while. On top of that, Derek founded Noisetrade, which was a brilliant music discovery site that helped grow independent artists. So as an entrepreneur and person with a heart for independent musicians, I knew we were kindred spirits.

That’s why, when he emailed me a few years ago to introduce himself and send me his new record TARGETS, I jumped at the chance to work with him. I wasn’t there for the creation of TARGETS, but I will never forget listening to it for the first time. It was different than his music I had known- he was taking risks, trying new things, growing and expanding. I really, really liked it. One of the saddest songs I have ever heard is on this record (and for this girl who LOVES sad music that’s a big compliment).

Derek at the Basement circa 2019, right after we started working together.

After I signed Derek, we got to work creating a strategy for the release of TARGETS. While the record released during the pandemic, most of the lead up to it was when we were still able to meet and dream and plan in person. We had long brainstorming meetings, and came up with what was then a fairly novel idea: livestreams. We planned a series of livestreams leading up to the release of the album- one for every album he had ever released. We sold VIP lanyards to the shows as a collectible merch item; we designed new merch and dug through his storage unit to find old treasures to coincide with each album and livestream. It was really fun re-living his entire career leading up to the release of TARGETS. We called it The Long Road.

Next came the TARGETS planning. We narrowed down some digital singles and came up with this beautiful branding alongside the record cover he already had. These are some of my favorite single covers because somehow the colors perfect capture the mood of the songs contained.

While working on this blog, I found this weird relic: a tour graphic we created for a tour that never happened in 2020. I shudder to think of all the work we did to coordinate, book, and promote that tour AND THEN pick it up and move it, coordinate, and promote it, only to ultimately cancel. It still stings a little.

This record is one I am proud to have worked on in the 10 years I have been running an artist management company. I have learned so much by working with Derek, and it’s been a fun partnership. He is currently working on his next record, and we are already dreaming up ways to make it special.

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. You Don’t Own Me Anymore- The Secret Sisters

I met the Secret Sisters right after they had been through a rough patch in the music industry, including being dropped from their label, dealing with a lawsuit, declaring bankruptcy, and considering leaving music altogether. It was meant to be— I believe my purpose in life is to help artists continue to make beautiful art that moves people. I am so glad I got to be a part of their journey at this phase. I had been a fan for a while and a dear friend connected me with the sisters, I felt strongly that they should NOT quit. We hit it off immediately, talking for hours. In fact, I rescheduled my trip home for Thanksgiving that year to make sure that I was able to meet with them one last time to try to seal the deal. It worked!

One of the first things I did when I started managing the Secret Sisters was to get on a call with Brandi Carlile. She believed in the band and wanted to help them make a new record. We quickly planned out and booked dates for the band to fly out to Seattle and make a record at Bear Creek Studio near Brandi’s home. I obviously jumped at the chance to visit my old stomping grounds (Amazon Music 2010-2012 baby!) and watch the magic happen in the studio with Laura, Lydia, Brandi, Phil, Tim, and Jerry.

It was really special watching them work out parts, test out ideas, and make this record. I have so many specific memories from this time: ordering late night sushi and talking about how much we love Elton John, Brandi at the piano with Laura and Lydia behind her coming up with beautiful harmonies, and the weird, eclectic vibe of this studio tucked away in the trees. The studio has rooms attached, so we slept there and it felt kind of like music summer camp. Here are some of my photos from that time in the studio. I just sat in the back on my little laptop sending emails and pinching myself that I was getting to be a part of something so fantastic.

Lydia’s husband is a fantastic filmmaker (1504) and he really captured some of the magic of that time in the below video.

But the making of the record was just the start. I took the record to my friends at New West (one of whom I had worked with at my first job ever out of college at UMG over a decade earlier), and they loved it as much as I did. I also took the band to my favorite lawyer in town and my favorite agent in town, and all of a sudden we had a full team of people I loved working with that were pumped for the record. Looking back, the whole year or so after this record was made were some of the most fun in my career thus far. You know that feeling when everything is just WORKING? It was that. And it was glorious.

I am halfway through this post and I realize I haven’t even talked about the songs on this album yet. They are the kind of songs that hit you hard in the heart. There was one about having a good father that made me tear up every single time. There was a song about stepping into your power as a woman. There were songs that told nostalgic stories about times past. There was a song (the one that ended up being a hit from the record) that was about heartbreak but finding a way to let it go, and the way they told the intro to the song made me laugh every time. If you haven’t heard the album, please go listen to it right now!

All our hard work on this record also led to a ton of cool opportunities. The Secret Sisters toured with Brandi, which included a stop at Red Rocks. Hearing the three of them sing Amazing Grace with perfect harmonies to a wall of 10K people singing it back in the wilderness, I still get chills. We went to Denmark for a music festival. They toured the UK and I flew over for a special London performance at Union Chapel. They played CBS this morning and I flew to NYC and back in one day to see the taping.

And the most fun of all: this record was nominated for a GRAMMY! I remember sitting with my employees and interns and brainstorming ways to push for a Grammy nomination. We sent thousands and thousands of emails. We DMed fans for months. We worked with the label to make graphics with all of their amazing press quotes and impressive stats. I will never forget the morning I was walking in to Belmont to teach my 8am class and I got an early morning call from Lydia. I answered the phone to just hear squealing on the other end, and it took me a second to realize no one had died, this record had been nominated for Folk Album of the Year!

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. Hush Kids- Hush Kids

In honor of Valentine’s Day last week, I thought it would be appropriate to tell the story of the album that contains one of my favorite love songs of all time- “All My Love” by Hush Kids. What can I say? I am a sucker for harmonies and songs that make me cry. 

Here’s a live performance of the masterpiece at Paste Magazine Studios in NYC: 

Hush Kids formed sometime in 2016, kind of without my knowledge. Jill (who I had been managing for about 3 years, at this point) called me excitedly one day and said “I think I just started a band with Peter Groenwald.” I had heard his name before, but I had never met Peter. All I knew about him was that he sang like an angel and wrote songs like a genius, so I was quite excited about the idea. Here is a video from one of the first times I heard them sing together. This was one morning during Americanafest 2016- I sat on the couch with a few friends from Spotify with my jaw on the floor.

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We had months and months of brainstorming band names. Hush Kids could have been: Hush People, Little Wishbone, or the one I was (wrongly) rooting for: “Jill Andrews and Peter Groenwald.” I am so glad that Hush Kids is what we landed on, I can’t picture them going by any other name now.

They recorded their debut record at Joe Pisapia’s studio in East Nashville, and their pal, Ian Fitchuk, was producing. The few weeks they were tucked back in his little oasis (pun intended), were some of my favorite weeks. It felt like they were making magic. I got to hang around with the most talented people in Nashville, watching them create, dream, experiment, and have a blast. We were also prepping for a Pledge campaign, so we took a ton of photos and videos in the studio, and I cherish it.

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A post shared by Hush Kids (@hushkidsmusic)

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A post shared by Hush Kids (@hushkidsmusic)

Videos by the insanely talented, Fairlight Hubbard, who also did all of the incredibly cool album art.

We raised a lot of money on Pledge (which Pledge subsequently stole half of, but that’s another blog for another day). The money enabled the band to hire a fantastic publicist (shoutout to Erik Anderson at Missing Piece!) and get CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, and posters. My pal, Andy Bird, at Friendly Arctic designed one of my favorite posters of all time for this release and even gave the three of us limited edition wood versions of this poster. I cherish it as well. (You can order the stunning poster version here: https://www.hushkidsmusic.com/storemain/hush-kids-mountain-woman-poster)

Another HUGE career milestone for me came with this record: THE PS22 CHORUS COVERED ONE OF THE SONGS FROM THIS RECORD! What a gift. Listen below:

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The album charted in its first week! We were quite proud.

The songwriting, the harmonies, the heart- it’s one of the best records I have ever been a part of. So proud to work with Hush Kids. You can listen to the album that started it all below!

Listen here!

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. CJ Temple- Smoke

This is a fun one. GUESS WHAT? In our 10th year as a company, I decided it was time to start a record label. You heard that right- after 10 years of working with independent artists where we help them put records out while calling it management, we are finally calling it what it is. Say hello to Olivia Records.

We have already signed a handful of artists I am really very excited to tell you about, but today, let’s talk about CJ Temple and her dark, spectacular album Smoke. I met CJ via the beautiful and strange world that is TikTok. She kept showing up in my feed, entertaining me, making me laugh, and moving me to tears.

@caytemps BUTTER. #vintagead ♬ original sound - CJ

@caytemps

More to come

♬ original sound - CJ

I reached out and asked if she had ever thought about making a record and from that moment forward everything just fell into place. She had a bunch of songs written and ready to go. I immediately loved them and sent them to one of my favorite producers, Josh Kaler (he’ll show up a few times on this list). He loved it too. 

When CJ came to Nashville to record with Kaler, it was pre-vaccine but post-quarantine. We wore masks in the studio, and I was worried it would make the experience weird, but nothing could tamp down the vibe in the room. 

Photo by Lindsey Patkos

Photo by Lindsey Patkos

@caytemps

AND SO IT BEGINS! I love you all so much 😭 I cannot wait to share this with you. I’ve poured my heart and soul into this and I hope you love it ❤️

♬ original sound - CJ

They tracked for a week in Nashville, where I was a fly on the wall listening to the magic, and then the Czech Studio Orchestra played strings on a handful of songs. An ORCHESTRA! In the Czech Republic! After the music was done, I connected CJ with video director Ives Salbert (https://elevatorvisuals.com/) to make this fantastic music video for the title track, “Smoke”. We shot the video half a mile from the studio where the album was recorded in East Nashville. My sweet interns were PAs for the day.

One of the most fun things about putting this project together was getting to introduce CJ to all of my favorite people to work with and seeing it all come together on our first Olivia Records release: photographers, producers, players, directors, publicists. I am so proud that our first release as a label has been with someone so talented, kind, fun, and deserving. So many press outlets have had so many great things to say about CJ- here’s one of my favorites:

“The album’s evening mood is all moonlight, last vestiges of sunset purples and oranges giving way to a smoky grey sky, stars sprinkled above silent trees. It’s the magic-hour soundtrack to peeling off your social façade after being who you are in the world and becoming effortlessly alone in your skin.” - Cat Woods. https://www.audiofemme.com/album-premiere-cj-temple-smoke/

You can listen to the whole record, out now, here: ffm.to/cjtemplesmokealbum

10 Years of Olivia Management: THE ALBUMS. Daniel Ellsworth and the Great Lakes - Kid Tiger

The first band I signed (really, the folks that motivated me to start this company in the first place) was Daniel Ellsworth and the Great Lakes. Their album, Kid Tiger, was the first record I ever got to be a part of from start to finish. To prepare for recording, Daniel had a bunch of friends over to his basement to listen to and vote on the final songs for the record, just a few weeks before recording started. I remember leaving that party, calling my parents, and telling them that I had made a REALLY good decision to leave Amazon and start managing this band.

Doing Karaoke with the band in Seattle when we decided to work together. Look how pumped I was. 

I remember nervously negotiating with Vance Powell to produce the record while simultaneously pinching myself that I was talking to someone who had made so much music that I loved. The band recorded Kid Tiger in Vance’s studio in Berry Hill over the course of a full week and then spent a couple of weeks at Gray Matters studio with Mike Odmark to track overdubs.

Vance Powell with the band

I also invited my friend and talented filmmaker, Ashley Peak, to capture and document the whole process. My heart still wells up with pride watching this documentary.

It was because of this album I got to know the wonderful, supportive folks at Lightning 100; I had my first band play Live on the Green; I had my first band play SXSW; we went to CMJ; we visited all of the DSPs; this album started it all. 

The band with Wells Adams at Lightning 100 (Copy)

Live on the Green (Copy)

Visiting our pals at Soundcloud (Copy)

I distinctly remember getting the email that Paste Magazine was going to premiere one of the songs and thinking, “I am really doing it. I really manage a band that people are taking seriously!” Then for the album release show, we sold out Exit/In and I knew this was the career for me for the long haul.

One of my favorite album covers of all time, shoutout to Beth Mathews.

Backstage at a sold out Exit/In show.

You can listen to the whole album here: Kid Tiger Album

P.S. Our company logo was designed by Daniel’s wife Beth Mathews. I owe a lot to that couple!

10 Years of Olivia Management

In the spring of 2012, I was working at Amazon Music in Seattle. While I was learning a ton at my job, I felt too far removed from working directly with musicians. Not to mention, I really missed Nashville. With a nudge from some close friends, I decided to finally, actually, really start that management company I had been dreaming of. I quit my job, packed up my apartment, shipped my car back across the country and hopped a flight to Nashville. It was Easter weekend, so I had two days of BBQs and brunches with friends, then I woke up on Monday, April 9th 2012 and officially started Olivia Management. I didn’t know what I was doing, but I pretended like I did. I opened up my little laptop and started. And now, here we are 10 years later with a roster of nine artists that I adore, a staff that I believe in and have fun with, and a track record of helping artists make art that moves people. I am so proud of how far we’ve come. 

Last night, I was a guest on Lightning 100’s Music Business Radio (which was a really big career bucket list item for me!). I got to tell the story of my career, and it was such great timing to get to tell that story on the eve of our 10 year anniversary.  You can hear the whole episode here: https://lightning100.com/musicbusinessradio/music-business-radio-erin-anderson/

Over the next 10 weeks leading up to Olivia Management’s 10 year anniversary, I have some favorite memories to share with you. Albums, moments, mistakes, I am reliving it all. Follow along here to join me on the journey.

The 10 year challenge, my first and most recent headshot.

Photo by Kristine Neeley

Photo by Abby Darby

Derek Webb's Upcoming EP: "the songs that made me - rich mullins"

Derek Webb’s new EP is almost here and we’re so excited to hear some of Rich Mullins’ best songs reimagined! Here’s what Derek had to say about his upcoming release:

for all my rich mullins fans: i’m releasing an EP of solo acoustic recordings of some of my favorite rich songs.

’the songs that made me: rich mullins’ is coming nov 19, everywhere you stream music.

that night, i’ll also be doing a virtual house show of all rich mullins songs. tickets are 'pay what you want’, but only 60 are available.

should be an amazing night. grab your tickets now at the link in my profile

Rich Mullins, Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Mullins

For those who aren’t familiar with Rich Mullins, he was a contemporary Christian singer songwriter. His music is highly revered, and his albums have been ranked in CCM Magazine’s 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. We’re looking forward to hearing which songs Derek felt most moved to cover on his new EP!

To celebrate the EP release, Derek will be playing a virtual house show on Friday, November 19th. The show will take place over Zoom with high quality video and sound. Attendees will get the chance to ask Derek questions on screen and connect with each other just like at an in-person house show. Tickets are “pay what you want,” but there are only 60 spots available. This is going to be such a lovely show celebrating the music of Rich Mullins and connecting as a community! We can’t wait to tune in.

It's Christmas Time in Music City!

By: Delaney Jennings

The Christmas season is right around the corner and we’re so excited that we decided to make a Christmas Playlist for you! This playlist features music from Ruthie Collins, Hush Kids, Street Corner Symphony, and other friends that we adore here at Olivia Management. We wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and hope that you enjoy this playlist for your holiday season!

Talent All Around

by Bri Cummings

Olivia Management has been the home of many talented artists, but you might not know how talented the people behind the scenes are! I gathered a few of my favorite songs from our employees and former interns below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Grace Carey-Hill: Current Tour and Marketing Assistant at OM!

Maddy Hicks: Current intern

Kate Cosentino: Former intern, current badass

Madeleine Kelson: Former intern

Some of Our Favorite Lyrics by Our Artists

by Maddy Hicks

Not only are our artists amazing performers, but they are also exceptional songwriters. I wanted to highlight a few lyrics of theirs that make us smile, cry, and feel all the feels.

“So while you sit by the fireplace reading poetry

I will love every word that you say to me”

Alex Blue - “Mary”

“I was wrong

I'm sorry

And I love you”

Derek Webb - “I Was Wrong, I’m Sorry & I Love You”

“I knew it in the month of you

In the middle of your living room”

Christina Cone, Andrew Doherty (Frances Cone) - “’93 or ’94”

“The morning is made for the touch of your skin

The morning is made for ‘I love you’ again”

Jill Andrews, Peter Groenwald (Hush Kids) - “Morning Is Made”

“You’re like swimming in the river in the darkness

Never have to question where my heart is”

Jill Andrews, Trent Dabbs (Jill Andrews) - “River Swimming”

“We are raindrops in a river

One day we’ll all be memories

To be lost is to be looking”

Peter Groenwald, Fiona Bevan, K.S. Rhoads (Peter Groenwald) - “We Carry On”

“So what are you doing?

If it's no bother

Could I come over?

Hide under your covers

I swear I won't ask much

I've learned how to beg, steal, and borrow your love”

Ruthie Collins, Rick Brantley (Ruthie Collins) - “Beg Steal Borrow”

“Well, I been reelin’, left with my demons

But I still got feel

in’ in my arms and legs

And I’ve been thinking I’ll ride the blinds now

Maybe find a new town

One where I can see again”

Zachary Gibson Smith (Smooth Hound Smith) - “Waiting for a Spark”

“I keep in tax on all of the innocence I′ve lost

And all the mistakes that got me here

I've always felt a night like this was sure to come

Rain would finally let on”

Street Corner Symphony - “Myriad of Stars”

Hello Fall: Seasonal Tunes Just for You

by Bri Cummings

Fall is officially here! We have the perfect playlist for all your favorite fall festivities- cozy nights in, sitting in a coffee shop, or watching the pretty leaves fall. Enjoy the music that put us in the mood for autumn as well as new songs from our favorites. We’ve featured Smooth Hound Smith’s catchy cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Friend of the Devil” and Hush Kids’ sweet love song “Spend My Time” to make sure you’re up to date on our new favorite tracks.

Americanafest Must-See Performances

Americanafest is finally here!

There are so many amazing artists performing this year, and it can be daunting trying to decide which events to go see. I’ve put together a list of the performances I’m the most excited for. You’re not going to want to miss seeing these artists!

Olivia Management Presents Live from Historic Eastland

Wednesday, September 22 - 10pm

If you’re looking to see several incredible artists all at one event, this show is the perfect opportunity. Presented by Olivia Management and hosted by Mr. Steve, the performance features Hush Kids, Jill Andrews, Derek Webb, Ruthie Collins, Peter Groenwald, Smooth Hound Smith, and Madeleine Kelson. Tone Tree Music is sponsoring this event, and it will be free to attend. I’m so excited for this show!

Jill Andrews at The Basement East

Thursday, September 23 - 10pm

You never want to miss a chance to see Jill Andrews live. She’ll be performing an official Americanafest show at The Basement East on the 23rd at 10pm. Jill’s performance will be a great way to end your Thursday night!

Smooth Hound Smith at Tin Roof on Broadway

Friday, September 24 - 6pm

Make your way over to Tin Roof on Broadway on the 24th for a chance to see Smooth Hound Smith perform at 6pm! Grab some dinner and watch these amazing artists do their thing.

Ruthie Collins at The Basement

Friday, September 24 - 7pm

Ruthie Collins is in town and you don’t want to miss out on seeing her perform live! Swing by The Basement at 7pm on the 24th to hear some of her incredible songs.

Power to the Music: The Songs of 1971 - Fall

Friday, September 24 - 11pm

To round out this fantastic festival, you should definitely check out this event featuring Ruthie Collins and Jill Andrews alongside many other great artists. The performances will all be tributes to the iconic music of 1971. Make sure to stop by this amazing event!

Artist Spotlight: Alex Blue

By: Delaney Jennings

Here at Olivia Management we love how our artists are so unique and inspiring. We are so excited to have Alex Blue on our roster. We feel so blessed to have such a beautiful, talented artist to share her stories with the world.

Alex Blue is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who tells a unique story with every song. Alex began her career under the name Alex G. She posted cover videos on YouTube and at one time was the fastest growing music channel on the video streaming site. Under the name Alex G, she released an EP, a full length pop album, released over 200 songs, and also had campaigns with massive brands. However, after all of this Alex found herself being burnt out by all the demands for her time and attention. After taking some time to rediscover herself as a person and an artist, she relaunched her career, under her married name, Alex Blue. Since then she’s released multiple singles, collaborated on an EP with artists she’s admired for years, been hired as a songwriter, and played a supporting role in a Broadway scale musical podcast. Alex continues to write new music and a full length album is to come in the future. 

I want to share with you three of my favorite songs from Alex Blue: “Blue” , “Noise”, and her latest release “The Songbird”.

This first song is so amazing. I adore the way the melody flows and the harmony’s that add to the chorus.

This song is so captivating. Alex’s voice and just the guitar sound so beautiful together!

I love the idea behind this song. My favorite lyric is “if you’re changing, congratulations.” It’s a reminder that changing is not a bad thing it’s a beautiful thing.

It was so hard for me to narrow down my favorite Alex Blue songs to just three. Her voice is so soothing and whimsical. As I listen I feel as though time has stopped and I am in one of those slow motion videos where it’s just me standing in a meadow with the breeze blowing the flowers. I implore you to listen to these three songs as well as everything else from Alex Blue from now and the years to come.

Welcoming our Fall 2021 Interns!

New year, new semester. We all know what this means: great new additions to our team! We’re so excited for what lies ahead with these new interns we’re bringing on board. We’re over the moon to have Jessie Mellot back with us and introduce you to Brianna Cummings, Delaney Jennings, and Maddy Hicks. Keep reading to hear a little bit about why we just had to have them join us this semester.

Brianna Cummings

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities?

I like to bake, play guitar, read, and go on road trips! I can usually be found with my friends in the stands at a USC football game or Dodger baseball game, sitting in the grass somewhere (a rare commodity in LA), or in the GA section at a concert venue.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Tough call, but I have to go with waffles.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you've been to...tell us anything and everything you love about music.

My first concert was One Direction's Take Me Home Tour with 5 Seconds of Summer in 2013 at the Staples Center... it was INCREDIBLE. Nowadays my favorite artists to see live are Bad Suns, Hippo Campus, and COIN. I love the storytelling aspect of music and gravitate towards artists who tell stories in their songs.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

I've never been to Nashville, but I have seen Hannah Montana: The Movie 20+ times so take that as you will.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A kind, supportive, and hardworking gal in the music industry.

Why did you choose to intern here?

I think that Olivia Management is a place where I can truly enjoy my work and the people working alongside me. I'm really excited to learn all about artist management!

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I hope to gain new industry-relevant skills, understand artist management on a deeper level, and be an asset to the Olivia Management team and their artists.

---

Delaney Jennings

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities?

I love to write music, go to concerts, watch movies, go to church, and traveling.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Chicken nuggets or pizza.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you've been to...tell us anything and everything you love about music.

I love country music. Some of my favorite artists include Taylor Swift, Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean, Carly Pearce, Maddie and Tae, and so many others. I have been to over 20 concerts and my list continues to grow! The feeling at a show and the lights go down, the crowd gets louder and the first note hits. That feeling sticks with me every single time. I adore concerts and music. The way that music connects us all is so mesmerizing. Everyone has their opinions on what genres and artists they like but whatever you do like you can find someone who agrees and you can make genuine connections just through music.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

My favorite part about Nashville is that music is literally everywhere. Every corner you turn there is live music being played. I have never been anywhere else like Nashville and I have always been drawn to this amazing city.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I am not exactly sure what I want to be yet. I know I want to work in the music industry but I am not sure which of the many paths I want to take yet.

Why did you choose to intern here?

I chose to intern here because I'm interested in management and working with artists and Olivia Management's team really impressed me in my internship search and I am excited for the opportunity to learn from this great team.

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I want to gain experience in management and new skills in a business setting that I can then take into my future career.

---

Maddy Hicks

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities?

I love writing, recording, and performing music! I'm also a big movie/TV show fan, and I love to read.

If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Spaghetti and meatballs.

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you've been to...tell us anything and everything you love about music.

Taylor Swift is my all-time favorite; she's been a huge role model to me as a songwriter, performer, and businesswoman, and I've loved following the trajectory of her career. My favorite live show experience is probably seeing Paramore at Nashville Municipal Auditorium. My top albums right now are SZA's Ctrl, HAIM's Women In Music Pt. III, and Hayley Williams' FLOWERS for VASES / descansos. I listen to all genres, but my favorites are pop and alternative. And I think my favorite part about music is the actual song itself. I love analyzing what went into writing it, and I love experiencing it on an emotional level. It's so fascinating how it engages both sides of the brain!

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

My first favorite part about Nashville is the way that it inspires me. There are creatives everywhere, and the networking nature of the city empowers me to connect and learn from some hugely talented people. Everyone is so kind, too. In that way, it sometimes feels more like a small town than a city.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Primarily, I want to fully support myself as an artist through writing, recording, and touring. But I'm also interested in writing for/with others, and I would love to write a film script or a musical at some point. And I'm super interested in music supervision! I have a lot of different interests, but as long as I'm working on something creative, I'll be happy.

Why did you choose to intern here?

I heard about this internship from Madison Moll and Kylie Rose, and they expressed how much they learned from it and how beneficial it was for their careers overall. I felt more passionate about the internship the more I heard about it. The energy of the company is one that I really resonate with, and I can see myself learning a lot and achieving my best work here.

What do you want to get out of this internship?

I would love to learn how to promote an artist to achieve professional success. As part of that, I'm excited to learn more about networking and industry standard practices when it comes to communication.

New Hire: Grace Carey-Hill

Where are you from?

Santa Clarita, California!

Why did you choose to work here?

I love music. SO much. I want every opportunity to be surrounded by it. As someone who has dreams of making it big one day in music, I have a passion for helping other musicians’ dreams come true too! I am thrilled to help artists’ visions and art come to life.

What do you love to do? Hobbies? Activities?

Like many people in this little city, I write and record music in my downtime. When I am not doing that, I can be found thrifting or antiquing around town, looking at the new art installations at the Frist, or watching yet another crime documentary that will keep me up at night!

If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?
French fries! What a great way to live out the rest of my days, right?

Favorite musicians, artists, genres, equipment, shows you’ve been to...tell us anything you love about music.

It is so difficult to pick a few favorite artists but I will certainly try…. Allen Stone, Stephen Day, Sammy Rae, Amy Winehouse, and Ariana Grande are on a constant loop in my car each day. But my “must-see live” artist will always be John Mayer. His songwriting, presence, and epic guitar shredding skills are unmatched. Hit after hit and some pretty great jokes too.

What is your favorite part about Nashville?

What I love most about Nashville is that it has this perfect balance of small-town vibes and big city excitement. There is music all around and the most beautiful greenery I have ever seen. Especially at my alma mater, Belmont University!!! After spending my entire life in California, I thought it’d be impossible to love anything more. But I must say….Nashville is the place to stay!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to be a real-life, touring musician!!! Admittedly, I have tried to suppress that love with other passions but music is the only place where I feel completely happy and safe. I feel so lucky to work at Olivia and be around it every single day!!!

Female Representation In Music Industry Executive Positions Is Lacking

By Madison Moll

Within the past 2 weeks, the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative’s newest report entitled “New report shows diversity on the charts, but not in executive ranks of music companies” highlighted some not-so-shocking statistics about women in music industry roles, specifically in higher-up executive positions.

The study examined executive diversity in three ways: among CEOs and presidents across 70 major and independent companies, across senior management teams at nine major music companies, and in executive roles across 119 companies from the VP-level and above in different industry categories.

Graphic creation credit to Instagram account @AMPLIFYHERVOICE

As an artist management company run mostly by women, it is interesting to see such little representation in other large areas of the industry. Covering 4,060 executives from the vice president level to C-Suite roles across 119 companies and industry categories including record labels (reported 11.7% women in executive roles), publishing (reported 22.2% of women in executive roles), streaming (reported 7.1% women in executive roles), live music (reported 6.7% women in executive roles), and radio (reported 20% women in executive roles) (See image above).

Image credited to Annenberg USC Research

Next in other major positions, amongst 70 major and independent music companies, only 13.9% of the people in the roles of CEO, Chairmen, and Presidents were reported to be women. This is more of a median statistic compared to the previous findings in the five different industry categories.

Figure 2 image credited to Annenberg USC Research

And finally, data provided from 9 major music companies broke down and reported their percentages for women in leadership positions in areas such as Music Groups (31.6%), Radio & Streaming (23.4%), and Live Music & Concert Promotion (40.6%). The highest being Live Music & Concert Promotion is a step in the right direction for inclusion and equality, but there still are miles required to get to full inclusion of women in music industry leadership roles

As women and advocates for women’s equality in executive roles in the music industry, it is crucial for you to let your voice be heard and to speak out about inequality in these roles so that we all can see change!

To read more in-depth about their research and reportings, check out the full article from Annenberg USC Research and check out Amplify Her Voice to read more on their blog about female empowerment and equality in the music industry.

A Day In The Life Of An Intern

by Kylie Rose

Ever wondered what the day-to-day of one of the best artist management & consultation companies looks like? Well, seek no further ladies and gents, welcome to a day in the life of an intern here at Olivia Management!

Coming upon my sixth month here at OM, my tried-and-true first morning step is logging in to check my Asana task board. Asana is a team project management platform, designed to easily format task distribution. I’ll login, check what tasks/projects I am working on today, ask my questions, and get started!

Up first this morning, I worked on shipping out merchandise with some of our rockstar interns, Jessie Mellot and Madison Moll. Using systems like Shipstation and Squarespace, we packaged up some t-shirts for our artist Jill Andrews (which are so cute and available here, wink wink).

Coming up next on our intern lineup for the day, I start checking our artist’s ticket links and sales. Now that live music is starting back in full swing here in music city, we’ve got a lot of brand new tour dates on our hands. My job is to check that the links venues provide are functioning well, all of the information is correct, and our artists’ branding is up to date. 

Here comes one of my personal favorite moments, lunch break with an (almost) full intern crew! The biggest draw for my interest in interning here was the honest connection and trust between every member of our team. Since one of our newest interns, Cali, was in town, we stopped in for a special lunch munch at The Nashville Farmers Market!

My last project of the day was to write up this wonderful blog on all of the day's details! What I love about it here is that everyday brings new challenges and lessons learned. Whether it's attending our artists’ shows, creating tour spreadsheets, producing content for youtube, creating graphics, etc. There is never a moment that I am not learning something new to apply to my career in the music business. 

If you’re interested in interning here at Olivia Management, which honestly who wouldn’t be, we are currently interviewing applicants for Fall or Spring 2021!