Alannah Diamond is known for her work in PR and A&R. At a very young age of 20, she has done an amazing job with unsigned and signed bands, having been on tour herself, we got a chance to talk to her about all of it!
Check it out here:
1.Hey Alannah, would you please tell us your age and what you do?
Alannah:I’m twenty years old, (twenty-one in March, which is a huge deal in the states!), and I work as an A&R (artist and repertoire) and PR (public relations) agent for various musicians in the industry. I’m familiar with booking, management and tour management as well, but it my real calling and forte is definitely in the press aspects of the industry.
2. How did you start working in A&R and PR?
A: Well, as corny as it sounds, and as over phrased as it is, I owe it all to my family. My father was the first PR person for the Motown industry back in the day, and hearing all of his stories, and seeing how far it’s carried him truly inspired me to get my own start. My father’s always been passionate about writing, being an author, editor, and newspaper correspondant. However, his real passion was helping the musicians who deserved it most, get their fair time in the spotlight. It seemed nothing was more rewarding to him, and so, with a shared love of writing and music alike, I figured it’d work just the same for me. And hey, it has!
3. What do you think of the job?
A: If it gives you any idea as to my personal opinion at all, I don’t even think of what I do as my job. It’s more of my passion. While it is a source of income, and does require hours upon hours of time-consuming work, it’s a total blast. I love working side by side with some amazing musicians, and people on the media side of things. The connections I make become stronger and stronger every day, and it feels great to see the excitement of the artists I work with when they seem themselves in a magazine, or on the front-page of a website or blog. It also feels incredible to help build up the confidence of some of my musicians. Sure, they can get on stage and give you a knockout of a show, but, a lot of them choke up when it comes to talking to the press. Knowing I can help open some doors and guide them through everything feels great. So many individual members of bands I work with have totally opened themselves up since gaining press exposure and experience. So, all around, it’s definitely more rewarding than anything.
4.Hardest part about being a lady in the media world?
A: While everyone might think the days of gender-based equality have safely arrived, there are still some tension about being a woman in the music industry. For example, a lot of bands have the mindset that girls will be “overdramatic about everything”, or simply want to sleep and party with the band, as opposed to do any real work. Truth of the matter is, couldn’t female musicians say the same about males working in the industry? Either way, it’s been a long road, especially being younger, proving that I am out to work, and not goof around. Sure, I’m nice, and I’ll even maintain solid friendships with some of my clients, but, I know where the line is, and that work always comes first.
5.One of the best things about the business?
A: One of the best things about the business is that there’s a wide variety of people to work with. Rarely do I work with the exact same sounding band, with the same story. Every musician has their own style, and own stories to tell. I feel like it’s opened my mind even more as an individual, and given me so much newfound inspiration as a musician, myself. I’m so impressed by the talent I see, and so encouraged by the stores of hard work and passion I hear from these musicians. It’s refreshing to know that there really are genuine people, with their hearts in the music for, well, the music!
6.And the worst?
A: A major downfall is that there are major con-artists and scammers out there, and you have to beware. I’ve learned by trial and error, always have a contract drawn up, and always have everything in writing. Some people will definitely try and take advantage of people’s hard work, and think that they can take all the credit, without paying, or addressing their end of the deal. It’s a shame that people freeload. While being a musician doesn’t always pay well, if you’re hiring a paid agent, you have to uphold your end of the deal. Keep in mind that it’s not always so easy for us financially, either. But like musicians, we do this because we love it. Also, at least give us a little credit! We’re out to help you, so we could use a little help and publicity of our own, too. It seems too much to ask these days.
7.If you could change one thing about the business, what would you change and why?
A: If I could change one thing, I’d stop making it so much about the money, and more about the music. Much like sports, or art, music should be about raw talent, and not having the money to put on a charade that makes you out to be someone you’re not. So many people are paying to have music written, composed, and fully done for them, and then using thousands of dollars of equipment to help them put on a killer live show. Cool, you have money, and sure, you got fancy gadgets, but, tell us, what inspired your music? Oh right, you couldn’t, because it’s not your own. That’s exactly how it feels. So many talented bands get looked off, and don’t get the money put into them to help boost them up and put them on a radar, because these million-dollar backed bands are taking up space and at the forefront of the radars because of the dollar signs in the industry’s eyes. It’s a real pity. I respect what producer’s and composers and songwriter’s do, but, there are people who do all those things for their own bands, who just get overlooked.
8. What is one thing you want people to know about your line of work?
A: . I think it’s important for people to know that what we do isn’t exactly easy! Every word we say is held to us, so with e-mails, business calls, business meetings, and networking, we have to watch what we say, and carry ourselves very well. One wrong move, and certain facets of the industry won’t be as willing to work with our clients or ourselves, or will make it much more difficult. This means, you as clients have to be kept in line, too! If you set a good example and carry yourselves well, people will be more likely to dish out your name in a positive manner, and keep working with you. Scoring you the best deals on ad placement relies heavily on both how you’re perceived as musicians, just as much as it is on us as agents. Thinking about what you say and do before you say and do it is crucial, and keeping yourself in check is always key.
9.What else do you do apart from A&R?
A: I mentioned it briefly earlier, but, I do booking, management, and tour management as well. I have experience in merchandising (it’s a lot more than turning your swag on to some stuff, believe me!), and I’m also a musician myself. I’ve worked in a few signed and prospectively signed bands, but I’m working on my own music for now, to find something that makes me happy genre wise, so we’ll see that where that all takes me in the future!
10. Do you have any advice for the younger generations who want to do your line of work?
A: My best advice is to get started early, but, know what you’re getting into beforehand. One wrong move, and you could end up blacklisted by major media personnel and major clients. So, try your hand at an internship, or get some high school or college courses relevant to communications, PR, and writing under your belt - they will help tremendously. Also, having Google Docs breaking down magazine clients, radio clients, television clients, online clients, etc, and having all of their contact information organized will help you tremendously in the long run. Always keep your docs updated with new sources of media you find, too, whether a major media source, or a smaller one, each will help your clients out and help you build up your credibility. And above all else, don’t get in it for the money, because I guarantee you it’s a competitive world. Not to say you can’t make it financially, but it’s the same odds as being a musician. So, do it because you love it!
If you want to talk to her or need advice, you can contact her here:Twitter: Twitter.com/AlannahDiamond
Tumblr: TheLightsAboveLA.Tumblr.Com
Facebook: Facebook.com/LiveLikeDelicates
Formspring: Formspring.Me/AlannahDiamond
E-mail: DiamondHorizonAgency@Gmail.com
E-mail: Alannah@WelcomeToTriumphant.com
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