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The New Bosses: Meet the class of 2019

The latest edition of IQ’s New Bosses goes live today, celebrating the brightest talent aged 30 and under in the international live music business.

The New Bosses 2019 – the 12th outing for IQ’s annual list of  future live music industry leaders, as decided by their peers – is the biggest to date, with no fewer than a dozen promoters, bookers, agents and other young execs making the cut:

IQ’s 2019 New Bosses will be automatically shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s New Boss award at the Arthur Awards at ILMC in March 2020, voting for which opens in November. “It was an incredibly rewarding experience to have won the Tomorrow’s New Boss award this year,” says ICM Partners agent Kevin Jergenson, who picked up his award at ILMC 31.

Full interviews with all the New Bosses 2019 will appear online in the coming weeks

“As an award that is voted on solely by my peers within the industry, it means a great deal to know that the passion and time I have put into this job and industry has been noticed and well received. I truly am blessed to be working with so many amazing people and artists within such an incredible industry. Congrats and good luck to all of this year’s New Bosses!”

Short profiles of, and brief interviews with, all 2019 New Bosses are featured in the latest issue of IQ Magazine, which can be read in the digital issue embedded below. These individual profiles use heavily edited versions of the full interviews, which will appear online in the coming weeks.

These promising emerging execs will also play a key role in forthcoming editions of Futures Forum, the discussion and networking event for the next generation of industry leaders that debuted at ILMC 31 in March.

Read on, then, to learn more about this year’s roster of young, talented professionals who are shaping the future of our business…

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The New Bosses 2018: Kevin Jergenson

The New Bosses 2018 – the latest edition of IQ’s annual list of future live business leaders – received a rapturous industry response following its publication in IQ 78, with friends and colleagues of the winning ten agents, promoters and other rising stars rushing to congratulate the class of 2018.

In putting together the list, 2018’s New Bosses gave IQ lengthy interviews spotlighting their careers so far, as well as insights into their working methods and tips for those hoping to follow in their footsteps. While these were (owing to the limitations of a print magazine) edited heavily, they’ll be reproduced in full online and on IQ Index over the coming weeks.

First up is 29-year-old Kevin Jergenson, an agent with ICM Partners in Los Angeles. A native of Los Angeles, Jergenson graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in business management. During his studies, he was accepted into ICM’s summer internship programme. Interning for now-mentor, Scott Mantell, became a full-time job, which led to Jergenson being promoted to co-ordinator, and then agent in 2016.

 

What are you working on at the moment?
I am currently routing tours for artists such as HER, $uicideboy$, Kamasi Washington, Gus Dapperton, Blackbear, Roy Wood$ and Masego. HER will be playing 1,500- to 5,000-cap. rooms across Europe, including two Hammersmith Apollos in London. $uicideboy$ will be playing 1,500- to 4,000-cap. rooms across Europe, 2,000-cap. rooms in Australia, and 750- to 1,500-cap. rooms in Asia, and they just finished a run of European festivals which includes plays at Blockfest, Pukkelpop, Lowlands, Hip Hop Kemp, Reading and Leeds Festival and Hype Festival.

Kamasi just wrapped up a European festival run which included shows at Wilderness, Beat Yard, Haven, Way Out West and Flow, before heading to Asia to do a hard-ticket run and Summer Sonic. Gus Dapperton will be coming back to Europe this spring to do a headline run in 300- to 1,000-cap. rooms. This summer he played on such festivals as Great Escape, Dot to Dot, We Love Green, Le Magnifique Society, This is Not a Love Song, Best Kept Secret and Body and Soul. Blackbear and Roy Wood$ will be going into 1,000- to 5,000-cap. rooms across Europe, and Masego will be playing four festivals in Asia next year including several hard-ticket shows in the market.

What has been the most exciting event you have been involved with in 2018?
Having HER sell 5,000 tickets in London her first time in the market without an official album out was incredibly exciting to see and be involved with.

What advice would you give anyone who wants to get into the live music business?
I would let them know that this business is a true grind, and that nothing comes easy. It takes a lot of time and effort to build a quality business for yourself, and that you should always be eager to keep learning. I learn a lot from my colleagues on a daily basis, which in turn only helps my business and my clients.

“Representing an artist properly takes a village”

Where is the most exotic place that your work has taken you?
 This summer I covered Haven festival in Copenhagen and Lowlands in the Netherlands.

What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned while at ICM?
Representing an artist properly takes a village. As a full-service agency, our clients are not only looking to be represented for touring, but also film and television, branding, digital, etc. I am extremely fortunate to work with some amazing colleagues who really help us touring agents surround our clients in all areas of the business.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?
Believe it or not, I still truly love going to concerts and music festivals. Spending time at these events with friends, and not having to think too much about work, is still a great escape for me. Outside of that, I am never one to pass up on a good meal and wine with great friends.

What do you see yourself doing in five years’ time?
I see myself still being an international touring agent at ICM Partners.

 

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Introducing… the New Bosses 2018

IQ’s New Bosses 2018 goes live today, with agents dominating the winners shortlist – no fewer than six bookers make our annual top ten.

The New Bosses scheme is now in its 11th year and relies on IQ readers and ILMC’s members to nominate those individuals, aged 30 and under, whom they believe are helping to shape the future of the live music industry. And it would seem you are good judges of character, as looking back across the New Bosses over the previous ten years, many of our named winners have indeed gone on to become leaders in their chosen fields.

So, congratulations go to this year’s cream of the crop: Bradlee Banbury (Creative Artists Agency), Kelly Bennaton (DHP Family), Leo Benton (K2 Agency), Tom Bownes (Live Nation), Erin Coleman (Paper and Iron Booking), Kevin Jergenson (ICM Partners), Michael Jones (The MJR Group), Maxim Karlik (United Talent Agency), Meryl Luzzi (Paradigm Talent Agency) and Aino-Maria Paasivirta (Fullsteam Agency).

“I remember pitching for an act and the agent subtly mentioned I had won the award, to the artist and manager; they were so impressed, I am now their national promoter.”

IQ’s New Bosses will be automatically shortlisted for the Tomorrow’s New Boss Award at the Arthur Awards in March 2019 – voting for which will open in mid-November. Last year’s winner, Anna-Sophie Mertens from Live Nation UK, comments, “Nothing beats being able to call yourself Tomorrow’s New Boss! The best part is your colleagues and business partners never fail to highlight the title, whether to celebrate or to mock you.

“I remember pitching for an act and the agent subtly mentioned I had won the award, to the artist and manager; they were so impressed, I am now their national promoter. Congratulations to this year’s New Bosses.”

To find out more about this year’s winners, click here to read our New Bosses 2018 feature.

Our winners also gave IQ lengthier insights into their careers and working methods, the full versions of which will be posted here on the IQ website over the coming weeks, so be sure to check the website regularly to find out more about Aino-Maria, Bradlee, Erin, Kelly, Kevin, Leo, Maxim, Meryl, Michael and Tom.

 

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