Why you need a manager

In this week's article of Industry Tips, I will be writing about why you need a manager and the qualities needed in a good manager.

On the broad tip, this post applies to upcoming and established artistes in the industry. Let's start.

Who is an artiste manager? An artiste manager is an individual responsible for the affairs, growth, and day to day business of an artiste. A manager acts as a counsellor, adviser to the artiste, helping him or her making decisions and set goals and help achieve them.

From the description above, it is clear to see why an artiste should have a manager. An artiste should be primarily consumed with making music. It is the job of the manager to help push the song, monitor its progress, and ensure that the song reaches its potential. This also applies to an album.

As an artiste, if you are overly concerned on how your song or album can reach its maximum potential, it is most likely that your manager is not doing his job. You should be concerned about how to make a good song and how to be a good performance rather than cracking your brain on the technicalities of how to push a song.

A manager is the set man who helps you achieve your career goals. As an artiste what are your goals and your objectives. If you don't have any now, outline them and share them with your manager. It is now his job to help you create strategies to achieve them.

After the disappointment of his previous album Michael Jackson told his manager John Branca that he wanted his album to be the most successful album of all time. Till today, that next album is the most successful album of all time. This is what a manager should do, help plot your success.

A manager also determines your brand, how you behave in public, and how your personal decisions can affect your career. In times of crisis or scandal (there will be), your manager is the person responsible for damage control.

If your manager can't help you do these things stated above, you do not have manager. In Nigeria, we have a wrong perception of what a manager does. Your manager is not responsible for getting you shows. Let me write that again, your manager is not responsible for getting you shows.

Your manager is not the one who gets you radio interviews or TV interviews. Your manager's job is to get you there on time, and in a healthy state of mind. Your publicist is in charge of your press bookings, not your manager.

Your manager is not your house boy. Your manager is not your driver. Your manager is not the guy that gets you alcohol or helps you bag groupies.

A manager is a consigliere. In the American-Italian set up a consigliere is an advisor to the don or boss. You are the don, but every true don needs someone who organizes the business of the family, and help achieve goals. He is not an errand boy.

Without a manager, an artiste's career can only go so far. Michael Jackson's career started dwindling when he got rid of his managers and practically started handling his own affairs.

If you need more insight on this topic get your hands on the popular TV series . It's about the adventures of a Hollywood star named Vincent Chase who is managed by his best friend simply known as E. From watching the series you can get a clear insight of what a manager's role is.