https://www.blackfilm.com/read/2020/02/british-singer-yola-to-play-sister-rosetta-tharpe-in-baz-luhrmanns-elvis-presley-biopic/
Read moreWhat Song Will Save You From Vecna?
by Savannah Hall
Image by https://netflixlife.com/2022/05/27/maxs-favorite-song-stranger-things-season-4-part-1-spoilers/
Imagine this. It’s a casual Friday morning. You say hello to your fluffy friend, coffee cup in one hand, and suddenly you hear it. The ominous ticking sound of an old clock. The walls drift into a black void and you see Vecna ready to drag you into the upside down. There is only one way to save you from this darkness. Your favorite song! Here at Olivia Management not only do we love surviving Vecna in Stranger Things, but we love music. We asked our team what song would save them from Vecna and prepare them for Season 4, Volume 2.
Erin - “Summer” by Modest Mouse "I grew up in Florida and this song reminds me of summers at the beach, staying out late, drinking Slurpees, and that maybe I wasn't made to work all the time."
Merk - “California Dreamin’” by The Mama’s and The Papa’s “This was the song I have memories of hearing, loving, and learning. Everyone say thank you to my Dad for his exquisite taste in music and exposing me to the best of the best since the very beginning.”
Hannah - “You and Me” by Lifehouse “This song is one I've loved since I was a kid. I’ve never been able to find a song I've loved more unconditionally than this one. Every time I hear it, I can’t help but smile!”
Savannah - “Desperado” by Eagles “I grew up listening to 70s music, so I truly think anything from that era could save me, but Desperado by the Eagles would be the hard hitter! That song brings me back to life every time I play it.”
Luke - “August” by Flipturn “There is no momentous occasion that this song transports back to or any specific person it makes me think of, so in that way, it is a song I have been able to turn and listen to for quite literally any feeling or experience. I just love this song.”
Abby - “She Will Be Loved ” by Maroon 5 “This is one of the first songs I listened to and wanted to know more about. It was also one of the first songs I decided to love for myself rather than it being fed to me by my parents. It always puts me in a good mood, reminds me of love, and why I love music!”
Maddy - “The Glow” by Sylvan Esso “It's a song I can never skip, and I always find myself happily lost in the music. Plus the song has a bit of an electronic 80's vibe, so it would match the show pretty well!”
Grace - “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac “The Rumors record was the first record I bought with my own money! It brings me back to a time of being carefree and young. It reminds me of summer drives to the beach with the windows down. A song that truly makes me floaty and happy!”
There you have it! Our team will be playing their favorite tunes as we watch the new Stranger Things season. Let us know what will be saving you from Vecna!
Jill Andrews "The Parthenon Sessions" Review
By Luke McMahon
For over one hundred years, the Parthenon has stood proudly in Centennial Park as one of Nashville's most popular attractions. One hundred years means this building has witnessed millions of little moments. It has been a place for nervous first dates or the silent walk of a couple that has been together for 50 years, a place for locals and tourists alike to come and gaze at the impossibly green grass and walk through the extraordinary building. From all kinds of gatherings, breakups, and proposals, the Parthenon has arguably seen it all. But I can only imagine how this old building must have felt when it was swelled by the musical stylings of Olivia Management's very own Jill Andrews in her recently debuted "Parthenon sessions."
Presented by the Centennial Park Conservancy and containing 5 of Jill's original tunes, the Parthenon sessions offered the perfect environment for Andrews' unforgettable artistry, "tailored to the unique 5-second reverb of the building's 42-foot tall ceilings." If there is a "right way" to enjoy Jill Andrews' music, this is that way. Accompanied and surrounded by a variety of string players throughout each song makes the experience not only sonically beautiful but visually stunning. Seeing the exposed instruments that culminate to produce such a unique raw sound, paired with Andrews’ soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics makes for a memorable performance.
One performance, in particular, stood out to me as it captured so perfectly the magic that makes Jill, well, Jill. Performing her song "Sorry Now," from her 2020 Album, Thirties, accompanied by a quartet of string instruments, Andrews drifted through the sound system on my TV, allowing it to feel as though my living room ceiling was 42 feet high. It is a special thing to witness a musician in such a stripped environment, it is even more special to see them absolutely crush it. Andrews doesn’t need much to shine.
The Parthenon sessions are a masterful way to showcase artists and the most authentic parts of their talent. Do yourself a favor and check it out. You can stream Jill's Session via YouTube or wherever you like to get your tunes!
Be sure to see Jill Andrews on tour this fall! Grab your tickets here!
49th CMA Fest Recap!
Here’s a recap on this year’s CMA Fest!
Read moreDark Enough to See the Stars - Mary Gauthier Record Release
by Maddy Hicks
We are honored to have been a part of the legendary Mary Gauthier’s recent record release. Her album, Dark Enough to See the Stars, debuted Friday, June 3rd. It is an extraordinary project, with striking songs such as “Amsterdam,” “The Meadow,” “Thank God for You,” and the title track. Listen to the album here and check out Mary’s upcoming tour dates here.
Did you know that we do project management? If you have a project like Mary’s that you need some help with, reach out to us at contact@oliviamanagement.com and let us know what you’re working on!
How to Create a Fun and Efficient Work Environment
Here are some tips on how to maintain a fun and productive workplace!
Read moreWhat Our Olivia Records Artists Are Up To
Check out the latest achievements of the artists signed to our label!
Read moreFeatured Merch: Alex Blue Spring Selection
by Maddy Hicks
In March, our artist Alex Blue launched a merch line with all new items! Alex spent time designing these pieces to make sure she would actually want to wear them herself. We might be biased, but everyone here at the office is in love with these items. They’re so aesthetically pleasing, and they really feel like Alex! From t-shirts to tote bags, hoodies to hats, there’s something for everyone.
My personal favorite is the “Remind Me of the Magic” t-shirt. It’s soft and sweet and reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Alex songs.
Check out Alex’s merch here to find your favorite!
Intern Wrap-Up: Bri Cummings
by Bri Cummings
Wrapping up my second semester interning for Olivia Management is incredibly bittersweet, here’s why…
I decided to pursue music industry at a pretty inopportune time–the semester the entire world came to a halt, to be specific. I was halfway through my “Basics of the Music Industry” class, had just purchased Passman’s infamous yellow book, and recently added Music Industry as minor when USC sent students home for Spring Break (permanently). I leveraged the time online as much as I could by getting to know my professors, taking the maximum amount of industry classes allowed for minors, doing monthly informational interviews, and producing my first virtual concert. But, the summer before my senior year, I still had no internship experience. After being turned down for countless remote internships in LA I decided to expand my search. I came across Olivia Management after a quick Google search for “artist management company in Nashville”. #thankyouverymuchSEO
I enjoyed my interview with Maggie so much that I wondered whether all the employees and interns at Olivia Management could possibly be as cool and kind as she was (spoiler alert… they are). I was thrilled to get the internship offer and the opportunity to gain industry experience I had wanted for so long. I wasn’t sure how much “hands-on experience” I could gain as a remote intern at the time, but at that point, I just needed a glimmer of hope that the music industry could be for me. A year later, my time at Olivia Management has proved to be just that, a glimmer of hope.
I’ve had two full and incredibly worthwhile semesters here. I’ve been valued as an intern, encouraged to learn and ask questions, trusted with tasks for artists that felt really important, cared for as a person, and given a real look into artist management. I don’t know what else I could ask for from an internship. The hands-on value of Olivia Management wasn’t in physically being in the office like I expected, but in the variety and amount of tasks I was trusted with, the consistency and value of the team’s communication, and Erin/Grace/Merk’s skills and accessibility.
The Olivia Management team set the bar pretty high in the employee department. I got to know Erin, Grace, Merk, and the other interns over Slack and our weekly staff meetings, which might sound crazy, but I still feel like I know and really enjoy everyone. Also, Erin might have messed up my standards for everything that a boss should be from here on out in a good way… she is ambitious, skillful, dedicated to the success of her employees, and incredibly patient. I’m lucky to have met such fun, genuine, and kind women in music so early on in my career and plan to stay connected with them for the long-haul. I love this team a lot more than I should for having never met almost any of them in person.
I’m graduating next month and plan to find a music industry job in LA–my experience here has made me really excited to do that. This internship has been a great launching pad (hopefully all the people interviewing me in the future will agree).
Logging off for today, Bri
Intern Wrap-Up: Maddy Hicks
by Maddy Hicks
This is my second semester interning with Olivia Management, and it’s bittersweet to reflect back on my time as I get ready to graduate. I applied for the internship in the Fall of 2021 based on a recommendation from some of my peers who had previously interned with OM. They were adamant that this internship was unlike any other and was hugely influential to them. Within my first few weeks as an intern, I completely understood what they meant.
Right off the bat, Erin welcomed me in and trusted me with tasks that actually made a difference in her artists’ careers. I was immersed from the beginning until I had a full awareness of how to function as a team member. Furthermore, I was treated with the respect of a team member, which was both comforting and empowering. I happened to have been an intern during semesters when there were all women in the office, and it was important for me to see and be a part of a female team in the music industry. Erin is an incredible leader, and she always offered to meet with interns one-on-one to discuss not only her industry experience, but also her interns’ goals and interests. I always felt seen and valued, and it meant a lot to have a boss who was willing to be a mentor as well.
Some of my responsibilities as an intern at Olivia Management included creating social media ads for artist releases and performances, processing and sending merchandise orders, organizing tour efforts, putting show posters up around town, writing blog entries, updating websites, selling merchandise at shows, writing Wikipedia pages for our artists, and so much more. This was way more responsibility than I was given at any prior internship I’d had, and it was genuinely rewarding to be doing something that made a difference for our artists.
After graduation, I’ll be pursuing my own artist career and I’m also excited to say that I will be working part-time with Olivia Management! I’m so grateful for my time here, and I can’t imagine a team I would be happier to join.
My Favorite Work/Study Playlists
by Grace Carey-Hill
If you’re like me, you’re constantly looking for new playlists and music that makes you feel all of the warm and fuzzy feelings throughout the most stressful of days. Please enjoy some of my favorite playlists to put on to work or study (in my undergrad days) to. Hope you find some gems that you like!
Main Character Moment Playlists:
Easy Listening Playlists:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
