The New Bosses 2024: Gerbine Ulehake, Mojo Concerts
The 17th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses, in association with Futures Forum, was revealed in IQ 129, recognising 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business.
To get to know this year’s class a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2024’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.
Gerbine began working for MOJO in 2015 as an intern at the North Sea Jazz Festival. Thriving in the role, she was offered a position as festival and booking assistant. In 2018, Kim Bloem asked her to become project coordinator and team up with her on her roster, while in 2021, she also started working for Leon Ramakers, adding shows like The Stones and Bruce Springsteen to her CV.
You’ve worked through the ranks at the company to become a promoter in your own right. What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
There have been multiple highlights throughout my career so far. The most memorable show I’ve worked on was the Rolling Stones in 2022. We had to cancel the show 30 minutes before stage time while fans were already in the stadium, because of Covid in the band, only to re-do the show three weeks later all over again. It was a massive team achievement that asked a lot from all of us in an already crazy year but for sure It’s one to remember. Then there are smaller highlights like booking my first show in Amsterdam (and immediately upgrading because of the good sales) or promoting my first sold-out main hall show for 1,400 fans. For me, getting the promotion to promoter has been the biggest highlight. Getting full trust and time from a company to go and do it on your own has been the biggest compliment I’ve ever received.
Who on your roster should we all be looking out for in the year ahead?
I’m really excited about promoting Mark Ambor. He has shown massive growth over the last six months and made The Netherlands one of his strongest markets. Being involved from such an early stage in his career has been really special. It’s so nice to know the entire team personally and I can’t wait to see where his growth will bring him.
As a promoter who is developing emerging talent, are there any particular events, forums or platforms that you visit to try to discover the next big act?
I’m focusing on TikTok as a platform a lot. I feel artists use this way more than their other social media platforms. It always feels like scouting acts there gives me a headstart to get involved with artists in an early stage of their career.
What advice would you give to anyone who is trying to find a job in live music?
Don’t focus on a certain job or company too much but try to find the right boss for you. Wherever you work, you need someone around you to give you chances and room to grow and learn to get to the place you want to go. The right person to work for might be worth more than a certain title that comes with a job.
Where is your favourite venue?
I don’t really have one to be honest. It totally depends on the artist and the kind of show.
“Don’t focus on a certain job or company too much but try to find the right boss for you”
What events, tours or festivals are you most looking forward to in the year ahead?
I always love festival season as it’s always an overload of (re-)discovering new acts. As part of the Pinkpop programme committee, I’m really looking forward to next year. Although we just had the 2024 edition, the festival is really developing into a new audience and it’s exciting to gradually see the programme and new generation of visitors find each other.
You’re obviously enjoying learning about the business as your career progresses. How would you encourage the next generation to choose the live music sector for their chosen career path?
It’s a business where you give a lot of yourself but you get so much back. By doing your work you create special moments for fans, and often for artists too.
Do you have a mentor, or anyone you rely on to bounce ideas off?
I don’t have an assigned mentor, but I have great colleagues and I’m surrounded by years of experience and love for the business.
And what about meeting new contacts in the business – are there any conferences, festivals or other events that you have attended that been useful for networking?
It’s so helpful to go abroad and meet people face to face. If you start to work on artists you are truly passionate about it really helps you to find ‘your people’ and agents out there.
As a New Boss, what one thing would you change to make the live entertainment industry a better place?
In a business where everybody is giving so much, it’s so important to remember we are all passionate people looking for the same thing. I’d like to believe we all truly have the best interest at heart for artists and fans, but let’s not forget the passionate people behind the scenes too. Let’s keep it human.
What would you like to see yourself doing in five years?
I’d like to say I’m still at Mojo. I’m confident a lot of the acts I’m working on right now are able to grow to arena-level acts in the next few years. I hope I can get them to the stage they deserve to be on.
Get more stories like this in your inbox by signing up for IQ Index, IQ’s free email digest of essential live music industry news.