Intern Wrap-Up: Jacob Welsch

by Jacob Welsch

This is only the beginning. As I wrap up my second semester at Olivia Management, I couldn’t be more grateful to the women here who have made my experience truly unlike any other. The past week as my last semester of college is coming to a close, I find myself questioning if I made the most out of my four years in college and if I feel prepared to begin my career in the music industry. If this question was asked this time last year, my answer would be completely different.

When I applied to Olivia Management this time last year after hearing such amazing things from past clients and interns, I knew immediately that Olivia was the place for me to take my next step towards a career in the music industry, and that these were the people I wanted to learn from in my last year of college. Joining the team in August of 2022, I came in timid and shy, but I knew I had no choice but to put my best foot forward. Erin, Merk, Maddy, and Grace did not hesitate to make me feel welcomed and apart of the team within my first week here. They took a leap of trust and ensured that I was given all the necessary tools to contribute to their culture and commitment to excellence, honesty, integrity, and genuine connection. Never would I have imagined I would be sitting here a year later writing my intern wrap up with a great realm of knowledge, and a web of genuine connections that I know I can lean on for years to come.

So again, this is not a goodbye, and Olivia Management will definitely be seeing more of me in the future as this is only the beginning. I will certainly miss coming in everyday and surrounding myself with women who are changing the music industry for the better, and constantly keeping me on my toes when it comes to the quick jokes, harmonizing to our favorite artists, booking shows, and hyping each other up when we do something great.

All my love to Erin, Merk, Grace, & Maddy.


Intern Wrap-Up Blogs: Brandon Gorman

And that’s a wrap on my time at Olivia Management.

This room with its 4 desks, mini fridge, twill sofa, and countless reminders of Harry Styles’ existence, has been a place of comfort these past few months. I came here a bottle of nerves, with worries that my lack of experience, personality, and age would finally show that I don’t have the capacity to work in this industry. But from the moment I walked through the door, my fears became a thing of unnecessarily laughable anxiety, that I can look back on now fondly while writing this.

My Tuesdays and Thursdays were filled with work for some extremely talented artists. It was this work that I and the rest of the staff did, that shows to build an artist you need a strong team behind them and that’s what OM is, a strong team.

From top to bottom, from Erin to interns, it is a unit that puts quality over everything, making sure the details are right. If you meet Erin you will understand why this is so instilled in the cast at OM. She is a self-starter, who knows that every facet of an artist’s career matters. Blend this with countless years of knowledge and experience, and she has created a business that gives people like me an opportunity to get their foot in the door.

I could write for hours on my experience here and on the moments that I will miss, but I feel those are better left for me to reminisce on.

So, thank you OM for helping give me confidence that I can be in this industry. Thank you for teaching me to focus on the details and that the little things matter. Thank you for the open arms and making me feel at home

Erin, Merk, Grace, Maddy, and my intern buddy Jacob, good luck with everything in the future and hopefully this is just a see you later.

Staff Picks: Most Anticipated Summer Concerts

By Lauren Campbell

The flowers bloom, the sun shines, and summer concert dates are being sent out to fans.

Here at the OM office, music consumes our profession and pastime—and nothing is better than summer concerts. Here are our most anticipated shows:

Erin - Musicians Corner at Centennial Park from May to June

Musicians Corner is a summer stable during the spring/summer months in Nashville. Through May and June, Musicians Corner rallies the Nashville community around good music, food, and community—and free admission!

Maddy - Taylor Swift at Nissan Stadium on May 5

Swift famously combines setlists from all ten of her albums into one show—or rather, three sold-out stadium shows (that’s nearly 210,000 people in one weekend). Even if you got stuck in the queue or spent a whole paycheck on a ticket, it’s basically ten concerts in one, plus a stellar opening show from Gracie Abrams or Phoebe Bridgers…so all’s well that ends well.

Merk - Ed Sheeran at Nissan Stadium on July 22

Speaking of selling out stadiums…Ed Sheeran will be touring around the US this summer. Sheeran used to open for Swift, and is now one of the most successful singer/songwriters in his own right. The “+-=÷x” tour seems to be his take on the “eras” tour. For the past decade, Sheeran has been releasing albums named after mathematical symbols, and his - album seems to be the finally.

Grace - Sabrina Carpenter at the Ryman Auditorium on May 2

Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album emails i can’t send has got fans raving about her newfound bravado on the pop charts. Our favorites are “because I liked a boy” and “nonsense,” naturally.

Maddie - The Chicks at Bridgestone Arena on July 27

Thirteen-time Grammy award winners the Chicks have been around since the 90s, and they are back for an arena tour in Nashville. I mean, “Wide Open Spaces” has been a playlist staple on every burnt CD (or, now, Spotify account) since it came out in 1998. Now, the iconic track can be heard live at the Chicks tour from June to August.

Lauren - Vance Joy at Ryman Auditorium on September 1

Admittedly, not quite a true ‘summer’ concert, but I’ve been kicking myself for a solid year after missing Vance Joy’s pre-album release show of In Our Own Sweet Time at Ryman for the summer 2022 concert circuit. I’ve been playing “Missing Piece” and “Don’t Fade” on repeat ever since.

Spring Flicks

by Brandon Gorman

With spring fully in motion and winter a shrinking speck in the rearview mirror, I decided to ask the team at Olivia Management what movie gets them in the mood for the longer days and blooming flowers of spring.

Erin - The Wizard of Oz

Grace - A League of Their Own

Merk - Emma

Jacob - A Bug's Life

Brandon - Call Me By Your Name

Maddy - The Sound Of Music

So there you have it, hopefully we have given you some movies that make you want to get outside and smell the roses.

What We're Listening to in The Office

by Maddie Humble

If you ever stop by the office, you can almost always find us playing something in the office. From Selena Gomez to our own artists, you can find us playing a plethora of music genres that we enjoy.

Here are the albums we’ve been listening to this month:

Selena Gomez’s “Revival” album has been on full blast in the office this month. Clearly, we’re team Sel. Some of our favorite songs from this album include Kill Em With Kindness and Same Old Love.

The next album that we’ve been listening to is one of our very own artist’s, Sam Johnston. His album “Cannonball” has been a favorite of ours. One of our favorite songs from this album is Runaway Train.

We have also been listening to quite a few 70’s artists. Abba has probably been the most popular band we have listened to thus far from that era. We personally suggest the songs Angeleyes and Chiquitita on this album.

The 1975’s newest album has also been on repeat in the office. Songs like Oh Caroline and Happiness keep the good vibes going throughout our workday.

We would be lying if we didn’t admit that Jill Andrew’s “Thirties” album isn’t playing nonstop in the office. We LOVE this album. Our personal favorites from this album are Call It Even and River Swimming.

Finally, the last album we’ve been listening to nonstop is John Mayer’s “Battle Studies” album. Grace especially has loved this considering she is a major John Mayer fan. Our favorites from this album are Edge of Desire and Assassin.

We hope this gave you all a little more insight into what we’ve been listening to! Hopefully, you can add some of these to your own playlists.

Mary Gauthier Does it Again

by Jacob Welsch

For decades, Mary Gauthier has enticed audiences from all over the world and continues to sell out venues across America on each leg of her tour. Coming off of the True Heart Troubadour Tour alongside Tim O’Brien, Jan Fabricius, and Jaimee Harris, Mary has just announced even MORE tour dates for the summer of 2023 - ‘An Evening with Mary Gauthier: A Career Retrospective Show.’

 

Since coming off the True Heart Troubadour Tour with sold out shows in Corrales, NM and Phoenix, AZ, Mary is diving head first into her next leg of touring before her Career Retrospective shows that will be taking place in the months of June, July, and September.

But before that, Mary will still be hitting cities such as Nashville, Seattle, Portland, Santa Monica, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Houston, and more rounding out her Dark Enough to See the Stars tour.

Mary currently has sold out shows within the next month in Nashville, TN, Bellingham, WA, and her first night in Santa Monica, CA. Don’t wait to buy your tickets to experience Mary live in a city near you!

Below, we have attached a few dates we are looking forward to as she takes on the West Coast and the Midwest this next month!

 

Seattle, WA - Triple Door - March 28th @ 7pm - Tickets

Portland, OR - Polaris Hall - March 29th @ 7pm - Tickets

Berkeley, CA - Freight & Salvage Coffehouse - March 31st @ 7pm - Tickets

Santa Monica, CA - McCabe’s Guitar Shop Night 2 - April 2nd @ 8pm - Tickets

Pittsburgh, PA - Club Cafe - April 14th @ 7pm - Tickets

Columbus, OH - Six Strings Concerts - April 15th @ 8pm - Tickets

Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark - April 16th @ 7pm - Tickets

 
 

Listen to Mary before seeing her on tour!

Mary loves to share stories and cannot wait to share some of her book with you while she is on tour. Buy it here!

“Think Anne Lamott meets Julia Cameron meets Patti Smith—Gauthier also shares all the gory details of her recovery from addiction, plus quotations from the artists and writers who influenced her own development. Anyone who can still write from the heart about writing from the heart after being in the music business as long as Gauthier has is the real deal. Her book invites seasoned artists to deeper authenticity, new artists to deeper craft and all readers to deeper self-reflection.”

The Sewing Club is Saved By the Fans

By Lauren Campbell

While on the road for the Arlie’s Angels Tour, The Sewing Club faced the unexpected. While parked in the Dallas, TX area, over $25k+ of their tour gear and personal belongings were stolen from their tour van. In a time of disbelief and a need for relief, the band turned to the fans for help on GoFundMe.

Lead singer, Hannah McElroy, led the initiative to document the damages and catalog the cost of buying new gear. In a @TheSewingClubBand post on Instagram, as seen below,  the band writes candidly about the difficulties of the offense:

The band had been playing shows everywhere from California, and Texas, to the Carolinas and back since February 2. After the GoFundMe post went live, fans, family, and friends reminded us how much music can unite. Within only four days, The Sewing Club fans had raised over $22k+ in support of the indie rock band’s attempt to finish their tour at SXSW on March 13-19. The band posted on their Instagram to thank fans:

The group has gathered a following with some notable attention deriving from the 73k views on their latest music video for their song "Sport Mode" Likewise, the group debuted their latest single, "On My Own". Due to the kindness of their fanbase, The Sewing Club is now on their way to replacing their stolen gear and finishing their 7-week winter 2023 tour with a milestone achievement of playing a major music fest—which is all made possible by the fans.

If you want to play a part in the relief, you can donate here.

Day In The Life of an OM Intern - Maddie Humble

by Maddie Humble

Hi y’all! It’s Maddie Humble the intern here!

Me and my puppy Charlie!

A little bit about me, I am originally from Chattanooga, TN (Go Lookouts!) but moved to Nashville to pursue a degree in music business at Belmont University in 2019. I am currently looking forward to graduating in May and then getting married to the love of my life in September!

However, that’s enough about me. I am going to be taking you through my day as an intern here at Olivia Management! I have so loved my time working here since January and am currently looking forward to the rest of the semester. It has been so much fun getting to work and make friends with Erin, Merk, Grace, and Maddy. They are the definition of #GIRLBOSS. Also, the artists here at OM rock my socks off!

Now, let’s get into it!

7:00 AM : This is the time I usually wake up. I get ready for the day and try to fit in a little pilates workout.

8:00 AM : I am ready and out of the door by this time. I leave an hour early. (Mainly to beat Nashville morning traffic and to grab myself a Strawberry Oat Milk Matcha Latté from Barista Parlor.)

9:00 AM : This is when my work day at OM starts! Once I get into the office and say hello to everyone, I log in to Slack and Asana to see what kind of tasks I have been assigned for the day.

What I love about working here at Olivia Management is that my assignments can vary from day to day which makes everything so exciting. Some assignments that I enjoy are sending out merch, adding to the wall calendar in the office, creating social media ideas for artists, and of course writing blogs.

The work environment here at OM is so amazing too. We all respect and get along with each other so well. The vibes in the office are always so fun. I have really enjoyed listening to our artists albums throughout the day while we work.

12:00 PM : After getting my morning tasks done, I take a lunch break around noon.

Here are some of our favorite lunch places where you can usually find us on our lunch break here at OM:

The Wash - Whether it’s poke or a cuban sandwich, The Wash has got it all! (And it’s walking distance from the office)

Tower Deli and Market - Try out my favorite, the Italian sandwich or Grace’s favorite, The Cali.

Eastwood Deli - Best specialty sandwiches ever!

Franklin Juice - We always go here if we are craving an acai bowl or a fruity drink.

12:30 PM : I am back in the office by this time finishing all of my tasks for the day.

5:00 PM : This is when my workday here at Olivia Management ends and I head home to Green Hills. After work, I usually wind down with a good book and a glass of wine and am in bed by 10:00 PM.

Thank you so much for reading and I hope this gave you more insight on what it’s like to be an intern here at Olivia Management!

Toodles!

Artist Spotlight: Derek Webb

by Jacob Welsch

From getting his start in Texas-based folk/rock band, Caedmon’s Call, to then ruffling political & spiritual feathers alike during his nearly 20-year solo career, there is not much our very own Derek Webb hasn’t done. Derek has always been vocal about his work and his vision, and has recently made way with his highly anticipated upcoming album “The Jesus Hypothesis.”

Derek is not one to stop there. Through his journey of creating and putting together this upcoming project, he has decided to take his fans on a voyage of emotion, storytelling, and exploration of beliefs through his intimate house show tour across America.

You may be asking yourself, “So what exactly is a house show tour and how does that even work?” Here’s what happened;

We reached out to some of Derek’s biggest fans across the country in hubs. We planned dates, ticketing, cities, weekends, hosts, and venues. From a weekend in the midwest, to a weekend in Texas, to the pacific northwest, and even in Missouri, Derek is surely hitting a home near you soon. After the logistics, the rest is in the hands of the people who love him most, getting the chance to hear these stellar stories and songs in such an intimate setting. If you’re interested in learning more about how to host Derek in your home, read here!

A few of his upcoming stops within the next few months include Atlanta, Huntsville, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, Chicago, and more! Check out all dates here!

Get ready for the house tour with all things Derek on Spotify:

We at Olivia Management cannot thank Derek’s fans enough who have not only opened so many homes to share these beautiful stories, but have also poured so much back into these stories to share for years to come. Do not miss the next leg of Derek’s house show tour now through the Spring season!

New Year, New OM Merch

by Lauren Campbell

A new year calls for a new style, and OM artists' merch has got you covered—and what better way to show off the new you than by representing the new sounds and lyrics you love?

Like their music, each OM artist’s merch reflects their style. You can choose from pop artist Alex Blue’s cozy, minimalistic sweats to Ruthie Collins’s warm-toned graphic tees to perfectly depict your new styles and musical interests.

For fans of Jill Andrews's dreamy, angelic vocals with a down-to-earth Americana feel, the best-selling little red's revenge navy t-shirt may be your go-to top for a Saturday.

The musical stylings of bedroom pop artist Alex Blue are "So Good" and will make you want to drink coffee in bed on a lazy Saturday. To complete the experience, check out Alex Blue’s  'If You Are Changing, Congratulations' navy crewneck for the perfect cozy look. If you are up for some errands around noon, try on the Alex Blue Corduroy Hat (which is now on sale) and slip your essentials in the Alex Blue Font Eco Tote Bag.

Singer-songwriter Ruthie Collins's lyrics are pure Americana with west coast imagery. She sings about Dallas, Joshua Tree and Tennessee—and these places muted, warm colors are represented in the earthiness of the Ruthie Navy Logo Tee. Elevate your outfit with the ultra-versatile 'Wish You Were Here' Bandana for a subtly stylish western look.

Soft, warm and bright: these sensory images may appear in your mind as you listen to breezy stylings of Hush Kids—or when viewing their graphic designs, like this Hush Kids Oasis T-Shirt.

For more information about which merchandise is best for you, check out each artist’s name link for their websites or check them out on Spotify, Apple Music, or your preferred streaming platform.

ZG Smith EP Release Show

The son of a shipwreck diver and underwater archaeologist father, ZG Smith has grown up around the unknown and like his father before him he is about to traverse the unknown with the release of his forthcoming EP ‘Nighttime Animal’.

Due to the mass shutdown of the pandemic, Smith found himself falling back in love with music again. Spending his days hand laying over 1200 bricks to build a patio in his backyard, it gave him opportunity to dive back in to listening to music for enjoyment. These songs, from North African desert blues to EDM all the way ‘90s hip hop, informed the 6 songs that make up the ‘Nighttime Animal’ EP.

In celebration of this release on 23rd February, ZG Smith will be taking the stage at The East Room with support from Julia Cannon and Kiely Connell. We will see Smith play his EP in full, in what will be a night of high intensity and celebration for everyone involved. Get your tickets here.

Listen below for the latest single from the ‘Nighttime Animal’ EP.

The Sewing Club's Newest Single, "Cool Girl" Has Arrived

by Maddie Humble

Are you tired of trying to be a cool girl?

The Sewing Club, a five-piece band on the rise made up of Hannah McElroy (lead singer/writer), Stephen Meaux (electric guitar), Will Harris (bass guitar), Justin McKinney (electric guitar) and Zach McCoy (drums) have just released their newest single and it is bedroom rock gold. If you are craving the nostalgic feeling of listening to 90’s rock along with a modern sparkly pop spin, this is the band for you.

The Sewing Club’s latest single, “Cool Girl” transports the listener to a time where maybe they have not felt so “cool.” McElroy uses her gentle yet gritty vocals to describe a time where she felt like she was trying too hard to impress another person but getting nothing in return. The lyrics are so fantastic because this is something most people can relate to. Meaux’s guitar and Harris’ bass skills add another level of grittiness that gives a 90’s ambience and edge while McCoy’s beat on the drums is infectious. It’s the perfect angsty tune to jam out to in your car or in an underground club.

However, if you want to hear this song live, then you’re in some luck! Not only has The Sewing Club taken Nashville by storm, but they are about to take the whole U.S. by storm as a special guest on the Arlie’s Angels U.S. tour with Arlie!

Here are the tour dates to catch The Sewing Club in your neck of the woods:

Trevor Lombardi

Finally, go listen to "Cool Girl"on all streaming platforms!

Ringing in the New Year at Olivia Management

by Jacob Welsch

As we finally settle back into the office after the holidays, we at Olivia Management are not delaying when it comes to working towards the company’s resolutions for 2023. When we set goals for ourselves and as a team, we are then able to push ourselves to perform our best work for our artists and clients. With that being said, Olivia has set forth some ‘champagne goals’ and cannot wait to see all that our artists will be up to this year.

We know you’re probably asking yourself, what are these champagne goals you speak of? These goals are a few of our resolutions as a company in the new year and each time we reach one, we pop open some bubbly to celebrate. From playing at new venues and festivals, releasing new music, touring in new cities, and gaining more recognition, read below to see a few of our specific champagne goals!

Headlining the Ryman has always been a dream of ours. Most of our artists are Nashville based and have spent their entire lives seeings shows in this stunning venue in hopes of performing there one day. Olivia Records reaching a combined one million streams, a record going gold, and any of our artists reaching over a million monthly listeners are obvious goals when it comes to popping the bubbly. Lastly, after working with several Grammy-nominated artists, we believe all of our artists have what it takes to take it to the next level.

And don’t worry about missing our artists this year! Everyone is keeping busy recording and writing new music, planning releases, and touring around the states. So get your tickets to see your favorite artists before you regret it! A few of our artists starting the year off on tour include The Sewing Club, Mary Gauthier, and Derek Webb.

We hope you won’t miss us on the road this year! The Sewing Club is heading on tour with Arlie, Derek Webb is in the middle of his House Show Tour, and Mary Gauthier is soon joining the True Heart Troubadour Tour. We also have some home shows coming within the next few months so we hope you stay tuned.

Olivia Management wishes everyone a happy and healthy 2023. We hope to see you at one of our shows and hope you remember that we truly could not do any of this without you. We also hope that you not only surround yourself with good people and good music this year, but that you take the time to create a few champagne goals for yourself and celebrate all that you have accomplished.

What Excellence Means to Olivia Management

by Juils Cervizzi

“We are committed to excellence, honesty, integrity, and genuine connection.”

Here at Olivia Management, we strive to provide excellence, and nothing less, for our artists. How do we do this? Keep reading and find out!

Erin Anderson

Manager, Founder, and CEO

“With hundreds of tour dates, links, and venue names, we've learned how easy it is to make mistakes. So, we made it a rule that no emails or posts go out to fans without multiple people double checking them. Also, we try to keep the office snack box full of good snacks so we stay happy and fueled to provide excellent work!”

Mackenzie Fey

Manager, Touring & Marketing Coordinator

“When stepping into any setting where I’m representing our artists, the company, and myself, I strive to have excellence visible in words I say, emails I send, social posts I schedule, shows I attend, and beyond. This can include having someone double check a tour poster for accuracy, carving out intentional time for new marketing ideas for our artists, connecting with people who are kind through and through, thinking before speaking, etc.”

Grace Carey-Hill

Touring & Marketing Assistant

“We want to go above and beyond when supporting our artists' dreams and businesses. With applications like Artist Growth and Asana, we try to make sure that we provide as much information and attention to every area in the artists' lives. Our ideal situation is to have all of our artist’s questions and worries answered before they can even pose the question.”

Maddy Hicks

Marketing & Logistics Assistant

“I think a good example of excellence is when our artists ask us to do something and we can tell them we already did it! We stay on top of things to make sure they feel taken care of.”

New Release From ZG Smith!

By Anna Sampson

ZG Smith is the Los Angeles-born, Nashville-based son of an English professor mother and a shipwreck diver and underwater archaelogist father. For over ten years, he fronted the band Smooth Hound Smith who headlined tours in the US, Europe, and the UK and supported artists like The Chicks, Collective Soul, Trombone Shorty, Jamestown Revival, and many more. Following the release of their third album in 2019 and a month-long European tour in February 2020, the band’s eventual hiatus caused Smith to refocus towards other artistic pursuits.

“I started seeking out music again like I did when I was younger. I realized that I had been so focused on Smooth Hound Smith and had been trying to push the band forward, that I stopped listening to music just for enjoyment. Because of the pandemic, I had time, so I dug a massive hole in my backyard, leveled it off, and laid a patio of over 1,200 bricks, all by hand. It took me about a month. I would just be out there all day in the sun listening to North African desert blues, EDM, ‘90s hip hop, or bizarre, outsider folk music. A lot of that stuff really informed the music I ended up creating months later.”

ZG Smith has released his first solo single, “Let Me Back In,” just last month! Listen to it below!

Watch the official lyric video for Let Me Back In below!

With even more exciting news, ZG Smith is releasing a brand new single tonight! Stay tuned at midnight tonight to be some of the first to hear “Nighttime Animal” (Presave HERE!)

ZG Smith is also playing live shows this month, listed below:

  • Friday, November 11, 8:00pm at The East Room in Nashville, TN - Roanoke Album Release Party Featuring: ZG Smith and Purser

  • Thursday, November 17, 8:00pm at The Underdog in Nashville, TN - ZG Smith w/ Megan Elsier

  • December 1, 9:00pm at The Basement in Nashville, TN - Phillip-Michael Scales w/ ZG Smith

Get your tickets for any of these shows, HERE!