CIMA Board of Directors: 2018-19 Nominees
CIMA is pleased to announce the following Board of Directors nominees for the 2018-19 term.
Voting will take place at our Annual General Meeting on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at The Hideout (423 College St) in Toronto.
CIMA voting level members (Class A, B & C) are eligible to vote.
RSVP: https://cima2018agm.eventbrite.ca
Advance voting information will also be sent out for those who cannot attend the AGM in person.
Jeff Beaulieu
Company: Hopeful Tragedy Records
Bio: Jeff Beaulieu is Montreal’s Your Favorite Enemies guitarist, Hopeful Tragedy Records owner, Upper Room Church Studio co-owner and non-profit Rock’N’Rights founder. Since YFE’s creation in 2006, influenced by the likes of Ian MacKaye (Fugazi/Dischord) and Brett Gurewitz (Bad Religion/Epitaph), Beaulieu based his career and social involvement on a DIY ethos and community values. His vision led YFE to not only become an international act, a Juno nominee band and spokespeople for Amnesty International, but also pioneers of online live concert broadcast, direct-to-fan merch and fan club services. His unique interpretation of today’s entertainment business makes him a most appreciated speaker, debater, and mentor.
e-Speech:
Being an active CIMA member since 2009, now part of the Export Advisory Committee, after participating in many events such as SXSW, Reeperbahn, The Great Escape, A2IM, MIDEM and CMW. I found myself not only sharing CIMA’s core values but also deeply believing in the fundamental nature of assembling different voices from which we can learn in perspectives, experiences, all while growing from collaborations and partnerships. This is rich in human experiences and business opportunities.
Being an independent artist and part of the unique Canadian industry that so many have built over the years, I personally benefit greatly from being a CIMA member and know how everyone’s participation is essential for the scene to keep growing healthily and bloom in its singular colorful way. As true as we are facing several new challenges and changes, it remains nonetheless incredibly exalting to be part of today’s music industry and incredibly inspiring to help define what’s ahead for every one of us. It’s exciting to see new talents awaken from what looks like the entertainment dark age at times. It’s empowering to witness people coming together in order to give birth to new ideas and new possibilities. That’s CIMA’s greatest accomplishment; its will to gather.
That being said, I noticed that regardless of CIMA’s persistent efforts to reach out to the Quebec industry artisans, only a handful of those highly valuable voices have joined or remained involved in our collective assembly, thus leading me to a desire to hold an even more active involvement and join the board. By doing so, I believe my passion for the music scene and its different actors will give Quebec record labels, artists managers, and self-managed artists a true representation of what CIMA stands for and that it will be able to echo how welcoming their contributions is to every CIMA member.
Therefore, I’m looking forward to actively contribute with other CIMA members by providing a perspective of my own as a board representative, perspective forged through 10 years of notable success and even more notable fails as an independent music artisan active both in Canada and outside the country, as well as by providing specific services/expertise for the economic benefit of its members and by bringing more voices from the province of Quebec to the CIMA family.
Again, thank you for your consideration and mentorship.
Jeff Beaulieu
Hopeful Tragedy Records
Jarratt Best
Company: headinthestars music
Bio: If you ask J, music has always been the love of his life; an escape from the toughest days and the last thing he’d hear every night before worldwide tours filled his dreams. Growing up in Malvern, a Toronto community often oversimplified as immersed in gang culture and trapped in negative outcomes, he dreamed of illuminating the robust creativity and talent bursting from every block. Today, J feeds his passion for music and community development through Rise & Flow, a learn-through-music youth workshop and headinthestars music, an independent urban record label focused on connecting artists to communities in impactful ways.
e-Speech:
It’s an understatement to say I'm passionate about the vibrations and energy that music manifests. I thoroughly believe that the power we put into our words can impact listeners’ lives, and that creators often bear the responsibility of choosing whether that interaction is positive or negative. My focus has always been on creating platforms for positivity guided by the power of collective individualism; recognizing people’s individual abilities, and the unique ways they can impact the world. This commitment led to the creation of Rise & Flow during my first year at Carleton University, a free learning-through-music program for underserved youth. The program developed youth’s tools for expression, nurtured their musical and artistic talents, and provided a reliable platform for academic support that exposed them to a university setting daily. This experience enhanced my vision for a connective approach to music that made the support and development of people and communities an integral part of the music creation, media development, and distribution processes.
The creation of headinthestars music in 2015 was the center of that vision; an independent record label and community organization utilizing music to empower and develop young artists. I shared musical aspirations with my closest friends, but noticed that they were all pursuing their dreams either on their own or with teams that didn’t truly understand them as people and artists. Through headinthestars music, I could provide a home base where artists could be creative while sharing their personal struggles, supported by a company that appreciates their most authentic expressions. It’s a place where artists can connect to social causes they are passionate about and have access to resources and encouragement that supports their visions. The label focuses on developing each artist’s individual approach to growth, while ensuring their successes have a positive impact on the whole team, and vice versa. I'm not interested in repurposing and repackaging human beings to meet a commercial demand. Rather, I’m inspired by uniqueness and seeing artists embrace their weirdness on their musical journeys.
With headinthestars music, I aim to create organic partnerships with artists and organizations that engage in community support as part of the musical process; creating a deeper sense of family through music. I want to bring these principles to the CIMA Board of Directors, establishing more educational, infrastructural, and developmental opportunities for Canada's upcoming Hip Hop, R&B, and Electronic talents. I've personally experienced the barriers of access to music resources and have listened to several Canadian urban music creators lament processes that basically require them to become grant writers and marketers to access basic supports. Positive changes are already happening, with a number of agencies simplifying grant applications, offering better guidelines, and specifically addressing the gaps in urban music support and how this disproportionately affects certain communities. With more transitional supports that help guide Ontario's urban artists through their musical journeys, I believe we can broaden what it truly means to be part of Canada's music family.
Laura Cappe
Company: Independent
Bio: Laura Cappe is an independent Toronto based artist manager. Laura leads a new wave of young professionals, establishing a fresh approach to the Canadian music industry. Over the past eight years, Laura has experienced almost every aspect of the business – from international touring to developing and managing artists. Most recently Laura was the General Manager of Royal Mountain Records, where she grew the label into an internationally recognized name. For over three years, Laura worked closely with bands Alvvays, PUP, U.S. Girls, Mac DeMarco, Calpurnia and more, overseeing the development and execution of their releases. Laura’s current focus is on pursuing new platforms for talent growth and distribution, building international relationships, focusing on new approaches to revenue, while continuing to manage up-and-coming band Dizzy and building out her management roster.
Peter Cardinali
Company: Alma Records
Bio: Peter Cardinali has been involved in the music industry for almost fifty years as a bass player, arranger, composer and producer. He started Alma Records, an independent music first label, and its publishing arm, Cardster Music Co. in 1991, and has had success with artists like Myriad3, Hilario Duran, Monkey House, Ian Thomas, Steve Gadd, Joey DeFrancesco, Phil Dwyer, Michael Kaeshammer, Puentes Brothers and more. His long list of credits include Anne Murray and Ray Charles, and his years of work with the Motown record label produced many hits for the likes of Rick James and Teena Marie, to name a few, and earned him the widespread recognition of his peers.
Gord Dimitrieff
Company: Aporia Records
Bio: Gord Dimitrieff has been in the independent music business his entire professional career; as a college radio DJ, road manager, label owner and publisher. In 2000, he founded Aporia, an integrated label-publisher that has released near 70 albums from a roster that includes The Grapes of Wrath, Julie Doiron, Dearly Beloved, Kinnie Starr and many others. Placing songs in film and television has been at the centre of Gord’s strategy from the beginning: over the years, Aporia has licensed music to productions on every major Canadian and American television network, the largest Hollywood film studios and such global brands as Adidas, Chevrolet, Toyota, Mazda and Virgin Mobile.
Mathieu Drouin
Company: Crystal Math Music
Bio: Mathieu Drouin is an artist manager, entrepreneur and investor.
After selling a technology start-up he co-founded in high school by the age 19, he spent a year circumnavigating the globe on a tall-ship and then joined the Donald K Donald Entertainment Group, one of Canada’s largest independent music companies, as an unpaid intern at age 20.
By 23, Mathieu had risen to the position of president and become a partner in the company, on behalf of which he co-founded numerous successful new ventures including Last Gang Records and Arts & Crafts International.
In 2006 Mathieu co-founded Crystal Math Music in an effort to assist management client Metric self-release their next album 'Fantasies' without the backing of a traditional label.
In 2009 'Fantasies' became a precedent-setting success, selling over 500,000 albums and 1,000,000 singles worldwide and made history when Metric became the first band in history to have their first ever top 20 hit at US commercial radio without the backing of a label, earning Mathieu a spot on Billboard’s esteemed 'Top 30 under 30' list of 'Music Industry Power Players'.
Today Crystal Math works with a small group of artists including Metric, Grimes, Half Moon Run, Purity Ring and Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton.
In parallel, Mathieu is incubating a new technology start-up he founded called Kritick, while simultaneously continuing to function as an investor and advisor to a variety of start-ups, both on his own account and on behalf of the family office of technology entrepreneur and investor Sean Parker (Napster, Facebook, Spotify, Founders Fund), through the vehicle Strange Loop Ventures.
Companies Mathieu has invested in or advises include Modern Meadow, Mediachain Labs (exit to Spotify), Vrvana (exit to Apple), Layer 6 AI (formerly Milq, exit to TD Bank), Potentia Solar (exit to Power Corp), Nura, SoundBoks (Y Combinator), TrendMD (Y Combinator), OpenFan (Launch), Sustainitech and Tunemoji (Emoticast).
Andy Hawke
Company: ole label group
Bio: Andy has over 13 years of diverse music industry experience. His extensive skill set includes A&R, management, marketing, acquisitions, physical & digital product distribution and much more.
As ole label group's Manager of Artist & Repertoire, Andy is responsible for overseeing the artistic development of recording artists & songwriters. Works directly with artists, legal teams, managers etc. and also acts as a liaison between artists and record labels or publishing companies.
Before joining ole, Andy worked at Cadence Music (fka MapleMusic Recordings) and Fontana North as A&R/Label Manager.
Andy attended Trebas Institute’s Entertainment Management program and graduated Magna Cum Laude (with great honor).
e-Speech:
Hello CIMA members,
I’m Andy Hawke and I’d like to put my name forward for consideration of a CIMA board seat nomination.
I’ve worked full time in the Canadian music industry for over 13 years. Through that time I’ve had the honor of wearing many different hats and gaining unique perspective from each position, such as; label, distributor, management, marketing, event booking/promotions, and performing artist.
Through my time in various roles across the music business, I’ve always been a strong supporter in the fights for artist rights and offering fair and equal deals that help foster long-term relationships. I’m a believer of the saying “rising tide lifts all ships” and think that view aligns well with CIMA’s mandate.
I feel the work CIMA has done over the years continues to make significant positive impact on the growth and development of Canadian independent bands and artists, as well as Canadian-owned businesses in the music sector. Helping guide changes and lobby for improvements to existing policies, procedures and legislations is a noble fight I’d like to be more involved in.
I’m a passionate, committed and eager individual who plans on having a life-long career in the global music industry. By being more actively involved with CIMA I hope to help the board continue to achieve their goals and set new ones as the industry evolves.
Let me know if you have any further questions or need any additional information at all.
Thank you.
Piers Henwood
Company: Amelia Artists
Bio: Piers Henwood is a manager, investor, and artist. Under the Amelia Artists umbrella, Piers has been co-managing the global career of principal clients Tegan and Sara since 2002. Tegan and Sara have sold well over one million albums, and have received seven Gold certifications, one Double Platinum certification, three Juno Awards, two Polaris Prize nominations, a Grammy nomination, and the prestigious Governor General’s Performing Arts Award recognizing cultural impact in Canada and abroad. They have performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, from the 2015 Academy Awards telecast to major festivals such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, and Glastonbury.
Amelia Artists has expanded to steward the careers of EDM artists The Librarian (aka Andrea Graham, founder of Bass Coast festival) and The Funk Hunters, as well as as well as up-and-comers including Luca Fogale and Fintan O’Brien. The Funk Hunters have amassed over 10 million track streams from their original productions, remixes and collaborations. They have been honored with official remixes for artists across the spectrum of both popular and underground music, including U2, Imagine Dragons, Selena Gomez, Big Gigantic, Chali 2na, and Gramatik. Their vibrant global touring career has included major festival plays at Coachella, Lightning in a Bottle, Electric Forest, Osheaga, Burning Man, and Shambhala, and they have honed their live craft with over 750 performances in 16 countries.
Piers was nominated at the 55th GRAMMY Awards in the category of Best Long Form Music Video, for his role as Producer ( Get Along – Tegan and Sara). He was also nominated at the 37th JUNO Awards in the category of Music DVD Of The Year, for his role as Executive Producer ( It’s Not Fun. Don’t Do It! – Tegan and Sara).
As a musician Piers has performed at major festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Sasquatch, and has toured throughout North America, Europe, and China. He has written music that has appeared in major network television shows including House, Bones, and Pretty Little Liars, and received a JUNO nomination as a member of the band Jets Overhead.
Piers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Stanford University, and was a nationally-ranked tennis player in Canada prior to attending Stanford.
Lisa Logutenkow
Company: Dine Alone Records
Bio: Lisa Logutenkow began working with Bedlam Management in 2005 following six years as a tour manager. Less than two years later she took over operations of Dine Alone Records and Bedlam Management, expanding the label’s roster with Grammy and JUNO Award winning artists, including critically acclaimed artists such as Bedouin Soundclash, City and Colour, Alexisonfire, Arkells and many more.
Cathleen McMahon
Company: Mission Management Group
Bio: Cathleen McMahon is owner of Mission Management Group, a boutique management company located on Vancouver Island and she is part owner of Elbowroom Recordings Ltd., an artist-owned label. For over twenty years, Cathleen has held numerous positions within the Canadian Music Industry, starting out as a part of the business management team at Yaletown Financial Management, instructing at the Nimbus School of Recording Arts for the Music Business Program and utilizing her home as a space to support touring acts as the Short Close Song Shelter. In 2008, she relocated her management company to Vancouver Island where she still resides in Ladysmith, BC.
e-Speech:
Hello, my name is Cathleen McMahon. Throughout my career in the music industry, I have taken on the role of manager, booking agent, publicist, promoter, and teacher. The Nimbus School of Recording Arts included me as part of their faculty in 2010. I taught the Music Business Program along side Music Heals, Executive Director, Chris Brandt until Fall of 2011.
I started as a music lover. My boyfriend at the time was just about to join a band and start touring. It was an exciting time. I did not have any idea what I was going to be facing. It was so much more than I ever anticipated. Hidden behind the music and advertisements selling fun and rock and roll, were the long and lonely nights, the fighting, the anger, the politics and the disconnection between work and home and family.
I am still a music lover. I am still married to a musician. Not the same one, mind you... but what I can give you out of all of the ups and downs from living through the early 2000’s in music, is multiple perspectives and the willingness to do whatever it takes to ensure the livelihood of our community of musical talents. As an industry, we are still undergoing massive changes to understand how to support and generate enough of a cycle to provide a real music economy. We are working with governments and export programs to expand our reach to cultivate a vibrant and healthy music community.
Over the past five years, the changes I’ve seen are staggering. I’ve seen some conferences dry up and disappear and I’ve seen some conferences grow exponentially. I’ve always been inspired by the changing tastes and the waves of musical eras. I would appreciate the opportunity to share my visions with the board and to receive the visions of others to help create a path where music is a thriving industry in Canada and throughout the world.
I became an advocate for Music Therapy upon meeting Megan McNeil in 2008 and co-managed the Will To Survive Campaign until Megan’s passing in 2011. Megan’s Childhood Cancer Advocacy story was the inspiration for the development of The Bandwagon project, to bring a mobile recording studio into BC Children’s Hospital. In 2012, I started managing folk rock trio, Lion Bear Fox. My involvement has led the band from an acoustic trio to an international touring act. I am currently a music consultant in the industry and I am completing my Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication at Royal Roads University while raising my three children in our small town on the west coast of BC.
I believe that music is the only way to inspire a nation. I believe together, with the right voices, we can inspire the world. Canada is a bright light in the world. Our humanity, our culture, and our creative expression is the heart of our country. My hope is to bring more of Canada to the world and share our love of music.
Jeff McMurrich
Company: Idée Fixe Records
Bio: Jeff McMurrich started his professional studio career in 1989 and has since worked with some of Canadaʼs most esteemed artists (Jennifer Castle, Constantines, Feist, Fucked Up, Owen Pallett, John K. Samson, U.S. Girls) for some of the worldʼs most recognized independent labels (4AD, Anti, Constellation, Domino, Rough Trade, Sub Pop).
In addition to his ongoing record production activity, in 2011 McMurrich co-founded Idée Fixe Records. To date Idée Fixe has released 16 full length albums. Routinely covered in major press outlets such as Pitchfork, NPR and The Fader, IF's releases have been long-listed for Canada's Polaris Prize on six occasions with Jennifer Castle's Pink City being shortlisted in 2015.
Simon Mortimer-Lamb
Company: Nettwerk Music Group
Bio: Simon is a seasoned executive with over 18 years experience working in highly entrepreneurial businesses operating in industries undergoing rapid change. As President and COO of the Nettwerk Music Group, Simon leads the Group’s operational and business development strategies. Leveraging Nettwerk’s 35 year history, Simon is helping build a truly sustainable and successful international music group that views challenge as opportunity and artists as partners.
J. Spencer Mussellam
Company: Believe Digital
Bio: Currently the Senior Label manager at Believe Distribution Services Canada, J. Spencer Mussellam has been immersed in the business of independent music for more than 30 years, in a variety of capacities. As an artist, tour manager, FOH engineer, album producer, artist manager, and marketing and label manager, Spencer’s experience gives him a uniquely broad perspective which serves him well as an advocate for indie artists. Spencer is responsible for acquiring key content for international distribution and ensuring that the execution of releases creates the environment maximum impact for sales and marketing.
Tim Potocic
Company: Sonic Unyon Records
Bio: Tim Potocic is co-owner and president of 20-year old Sonic Unyon Records. He has received a Canadian Music Industry Award for label of the year and a Hamilton Entrepreneur of the Year award. Tim currently sits on the boards of the Hamilton Arts Council and the Cobalt Arts Service organization. Sonic Unyon has released over 150 recordings by acts such as Aereogramme, Ghost Is Dancing, Hayden, Suicidal Angels, Treble Charger, Teenagehead, Tricky Woo, Young Rival, and Voivod.
Claire Rosenbaum
Company: Eggplant Entertainment Inc.
Bio: Claire Rosenbaum is an Artist Manager at Eggplant Entertainment, an established Toronto-based music management company founded by Patrick Sambrook (The Tragically Hip, Sarah Harmer).
Since her start in music in 2003, Claire has worked several facets of the industry from Tour Managing acclaimed acts around the world to taking on the role of General Manager at Last Gang Records (Crystal Castles, Metric) and Management (Lindi Ortega), to the innovative Montreal-based Phi Music label managing Melissa Auf der Maur’s sophomore project, and eventually to Eggplant Entertainment where she sharpened her focus on management-side working with some of Canada’s leading acts (Arkells, Kathleen Edwards, Hannah Georgas). In her time at Eggplant, Claire has developed her own artist roster which has included The Dears, NY based Elizabeth & The Catapult, UK artist Duffy, among others, and currently focuses on guiding the careers of the next wave of emerging talent NEFE, Ellevator, and Mappe Of.
Over the course of 14 years in the industry, Claire has been based in London UK, Montreal, and Toronto, and has partnered with UK based teams to co-manage projects with singer-songwriter Lucas DiPasquale (Riki Bleau, Avant Garde Music) and Grammy Award winning pop artist Duffy (Matthieu-Lauriot Prevost & Pierre-Jean Sebert, Miles Agency), in addition to working production assistance for Québécois contemporary dance group La La La Human Steps.
Claire’s international network, diverse background, and varied clientele on both major and indie labels has given her insight to different sides of the evolving business, benefits of the DIY approach, and a wide knowledge of artists needs.
Steven Saffer
Company: Abbeywood Records
Bio: Steven’s 20+ years of international experience spans the entire music content and technology value chain. Steven got his start in the business in Denmark in the mid-90s, where he single-handedly established a leading independent distributor, launching well know labels such as Putumayo World Music. As president of Abbeywood Records, home of multi-platinum Canadian recording artist Hennie Bekker, Steven has facilitated strategic partnerships with brands, music and technology businesses over the years. Steven brings a unique perspective, having grown up around artists, and worked on both the content and tech sides of the industry. His two decades of work for leading manufacturers in the professional audio industry has covered product design and development, and complex IP licensing. Steven holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and Schulich School of Business, and a degree in Electrical Engineering from Western University.
Ian Stanger
Company: Black Box Music
Bio: Ian Stanger is an artist manager and label manager for Mississauga-based music company Black Box, and BMG Canada. Growing up actively involved in the music community, he toured the country for the first time at 17. Launching Black Box with partner Jason Murray in 2004, he has helped to build the careers of artists like The Glorious Sons, SonReal, Shad and Classified. In 2017 Black Box struck a partnership with BMG to represent their catalogue in Canada. This has brought the opportunity to work with some of the most familiar names in music, across multiple genres including Nickelback, Alice In Chains, Fergie, Kid Rock, Lil Dicky, Kylie Minogue and more.
e-Speech:
To whom it may concern:
I am excited to be nominated for a position on the CIMA Board. Whether it was growing up as a touring artist or throughout my professional development in the music industry, I’ve always carried an undeniable “DIY” mentality with me. Independent music and the community that develops around it has always been a passion of mine. It’s something that Canada has in droves, and something that needs to be acknowledged, respected and nurtured.
Our diverse work at Black Box over the last 14 years has afforded me the opportunity to become well-versed in many areas of the music industry, including label, management, publishing, live touring and grassroots artist development across many different genres. My experience allows me to look at any given situation from a multitude of angles, seeking the best overall solution rather than serving one particular agenda. While we at Black Box have seen success in Canada in the form of multiple JUNO Awards, Polaris Music Prize short-list nominations, sales and radio charting, we have always maintained a strong view towards export. We have focused a lot of our efforts in recent years developing a strong presence in the urban, rock and pop spaces in Canada and abroad including artist development, song-writing and production. In this new global music economy, the best way for strong independent music companies to survive and thrive is to scale their businesses internationally. This is an area that I would bring new focus and fresh perspective, in terms of strategy, advocacy and communication as it relates to CIMA’s overall direction moving forward.
The music industry has undergone a sustained period of uncertainty during my time as an active professional. As a result, I have learned the value of proactivity and adaptation. My opinions, ideas and strategies are informed by this era of the industry. As we settle into a more stable period, I will maintain these practical skills of flexibility, creativity and non-traditional thinking to help influence CIMA’s direction.
As an active member of the Canadian music industry, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the value and importance of our grant system. CIMA does a phenomenal job of lobbying and advocating on behalf of the independent music community, and I look forward to adding my voice and ideas to that effort. I will bring a fresh, new perspective to CIMA and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to ensure all Association Members are heard, respected and well-represented.
Thank you for your consideration!
Kindly,
Ian Stanger
Black Box
Michelle Szeto
Company: Paquin Entertainment Group
Bio: Michelle Szeto got her first taste of the entertainment industry at an early age in her hometown of Hong Kong, working in concert production for international superstars such as Oasis, Celine Dion, Boyz II Men, and Prodigy.
Today, in her role as Artist Manager at Paquin Entertainment Group, Michelle personally manages award-winning artists Donovan Woods and Lindi Ortega; continues to lead global marketing and press initiatives for management clients, including iconic artists Buffy Sainte-Marie and Randy Bachman; and works alongside Paquin Artists Agency division in international talent acquisition.
Daniel Turcotte
Company: Monstercat
Bio: Daniel Turcotte oversees the Licensing and Publishing operations of Monstercat and focuses primarily on the identification and negotiation of key digital licensing, record and publishing deals.
Driving Monstercat’s global strategy with a heavy focus on Asian markets, Daniel has experience in securing digital licensing deals across developed and emerging markets. Daniel has worked directly with Artist and Management teams to sign recording and publishing deals for the likes of Marshmello, Vicetone, SLANDER, Infected Mushroom and Gareth Emery.
Prior to joining Monstercat, Daniel co-founded the Western University chapter of Unity Charity where he spent four years as Artist Relations while completing his B.Sc and M.A. at Western University.
e-Speech:
Allow me to first start with an overview of our organization: Monstercat is Canada’s largest independent electronic music record label with 45 staff across 10 multidisciplinary departments. Founded in 2011, Vancouver-based Monstercat has released over 1,800 records from a roster of world-renowned Artists including Marshmello, Vicetone, Seven Lions, Infected Mushroom, and Krewella.
Monstercat signs record and publishing deals on a track-by-track basis and adheres to a release schedule of 4 releases per week across their two label brands, Uncaged and Instinct. We have fostered an engaged online community of over 7 Million YouTube subscribers, 2 Million daily streams on Spotify, and received a Platinum Record (US + Canada) with Marshmello for his label debut “Alone”.
Recently, Monstercat has taken our online presence into the real world with branded stages at such festivals as Tomorrowland (Belgium), Asgard Music Festival (China), Sunburn (India), an Art Car at Electric Daisy Carnival (US), and club tours across Europe, North America and Asia.
For myself, I have spent four years with Monstercat focusing predominantly on the management of Monstercat copyrights on a catalogue-wide scale and designing proprietary technologies to empower our business.
Rather than work within the limitations of existing technologies, we built proprietary asset management, distribution and royalty processing software to meet our needs for global digital distribution and monthly artist payments.
The underlying goal for this technology-first strategy has been to enable us to open new royalty streams for our Artists and optimize existing ones through engaging in direct and strategic licensing relationships both domestically and abroad. My licensing work in international markets has afforded me the opportunity to spend time in China, India, Singapore and Thailand where I was able to speak directly with fans, artists and commercial partners to understand how and why listeners are consuming music.
These conversations informed our international licensing strategy and gave me invaluable perspective on each market to know how to best position our content. By listening to our fans and quickly responding to market pressures, we have more than doubled our stream volume in India, and China is projected to be in our top 10 markets by DSP revenue. This experience has allowed me to understand the entire lifecycle of exporting content - from opening new distribution channels to building the technology required to service these relationships. This is the knowledge I hope to bring to the CIMA Board of Directors.
Today, the changing landscape of digital platforms demands music stakeholders be agile and responsive to remain relevant. As independent music companies, it is crucial that we pool our collective knowledge to quickly adapt our businesses to the changing global music ecosystem and shifting consumption habits. As a resident of British Columbia working in electronic music, I feel that I would bring a unique perspective to the CIMA Board with my first-hand experience in licensing and exporting digital content to new markets. Thank you for your consideration, and of course, thank you to CIMA for your continued support in empowering the Canadian Independent Music Industry.
Anne Vivien
Company: Musique Select Inc.
Bio: Executive Vice President of Development and Music since February 2017, Anne Vivien is responsible for the management and global vision of Musicor and Distribution Select.
She has spent the entirety of her professional career in the music industry and has remained a very active member of the Canadian music scene. Anne Vivien has held several management positions in Québec, giving her the opportunity to export her skillset abroad, including in New York and Europe. From 1994 to 1996, she was the first director of the Montréal community radio CIBL. She later joined the renowned company BMG Canada as Artistic Director, Artists and Development until 2004. She then joined the management team at Musicor from 2004 to 2009, acting as the label’s manager. Her wealth of experience then allowed her to establish her own consulting and management firm, Viktoria Music. Through this company, she played an instrumental role in the rise of Florence K and other young artists.
Since 1996, Anne Vivien has also distinguished herself as artistic director to many artists such as: Muzion (Félix Meilleur Hip Hop album of the year 2000 and 2003), Andrée Watters (Félix Meilleur 2004 and 2006 Rock album), Marie-Élaine Thibert (Félix Album best seller in 2004 and Juno Album francophone in 2005), Marie Mai (Félix Album Rock 2008), Florence K (Felix World Music Album 2007 and 2009), Mario Pelchat and Michel Legrand (Felix Album Jazz Performance 2009), Marie-Ève Janvier and Jean-François Breau (5 nominations at the 2014 ADISQ Gala)and Yoan (two-time winner of the Canadian Country Music Association Award for the Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year in 2015 and 2016).
Holding a degree in international economics, Anne Vivien is a member of Sacem (Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music), a member of the Music Managers Forum of Canada since 2013, in addition to sitting on various committees of the Québec Association of the Recording, Concert and Video Industry (ADISQ).
Scott Waring
Company: Sleepless Records
Bio: Scott Waring is the General Manager and Co-founder/owner of Sleepless Records, a Toronto-based independent label formed in 2012 alongside partner Alexandre Bonenfant with the goal of nurturing and developing emerging talent with the intention of creating lasting careers. The label is home to acts such as July Talk, Kandle, Michael Rault, and Shade with new releases coming this year. Waring plays an integral role in the development of Sleepless artists as he is responsible for the overall strategic planning, direction and artistic branding of the record label and its roster. Additionally Scott serves as General Manager of Nightmare Mgmt. and manages up and coming artists Shade & Sunshine & the Blue Moon.
Mark Watson
Company: Watson Entertainment
Bio: Mark Watson runs a Toronto based artist management company – Watson Entertainment. The company has received several industry awards and have been the driving force behind countless international tours, major film and TV placements. Roster includes three-time JUNO winner David Francey, Madison Violet, Irish Mythen, and Ashley Condon as well as some developing artist. www.watsonentertainment.com
Justin West
Company: Secret City Records
Bio: Justin West is the President of Secret City Records and Secret City Publishing, both of which he founded in 2006 in Montreal, Canada. Justin oversees all of Secret City’s global strategy and day-to-day operations and has devoted his career to the continued growth and global development of both the label and publishing entities. Today, after 12 years of operations, Secret City’s active roster of 13 artists now includes, among others, Patrick Watson, The Barr Brothers, Basia Bulat, Leif Vollebekk, Plants and Animals, Owen Pallett and Suuns – its artists have earned three gold record certifications in Canada, a Polaris Music Prize (and 10 additional Short List nominations), and multiple JUNO and Félix award nominations. On top of running Secret City, Justin currently sits on the boards of directors of MERLIN, a global digital rights agency for the world’s independent label sector, and the Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), a global forum for the professional independent music industry. He is also currently on the executive boards of directors of both the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), a trade association representing Canadian independent music companies, and the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent On Record (FACTOR), a public/private partnership that administers funds to provide assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian music industry. In the summer of 2016, Justin was the sole representative from the music industry appointed to Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly’s “Expert Advisory Group”, which is tasked with providing advice and ongoing feedback as the Canadian government examines how to strengthen the creation, discovery, and export of Canadian content in a digital world.