When you look at the music industry ten years ago, then think about the way it is today and try to visualize its future. Don’t just look at it from an outsider’s point of view, look at it from the fans perspective. We grew up idolizing all these female pop queens, we went to see them in concert and that was about as close as we could get to them. Back in the days, fan engagement wasn’t as developed and innovative as it is today. Someone who helped push for that to change is none other than Jaime Bilotti, the founder and CEO of mutuals Agency and Fan To Band.
Jaime is a visionary, a determined and extremely hard-working young woman leading by great example with everything she does. I asked Jaime to give me her perspective on the power of fan engagement we are witnessing, what the future of the music industry will look like and what it entails.
Let’s start with the question: What is fan engagement? For a lot of people it might be completely new territory, but the effect it has had on the music industry is tremendous. Jaime defines it as taking those rather indescribable or beneath the surface variables of an audience and considering them in an artist’s strategy, and there is so much meaning behind that. And, according to Jaime, it matters more than ever, because nowadays artists have the resources to define what kind of career they wanna have. They have the power to set the tone, their own ceilings and how they want to do things, which has made the industry mixed with artists who have different variations of what success means to them. As fans, this has given us more options than ever.
We want to connect with our favorite artists because nowadays, we can. We want to be a part of their projects, have fan activations to participate in, album listening parties to attend and an opportunity to support the music in a way that helps it succeed. Fans are the ones who have the power to amplify an artist’s work and aspiring industry/fan professionals can lead the way, because they have the skill to understand that space no college degree can cover. From Jaime’s point of view, fan engagement is one of the only ways to measure true audience and test out markets in non-traditional, yet effective ways. There is not one way that works for everyone, there is no handbook on how to get every artist to the top of the charts with the same initiatives. So many artists stream very well, but can’t sell tickets. And then some artists whose streams are always coming from the same fans/playlists, can sell out venues like the Troubadour in LA.
“To think about artists’ careers as cut and dry as it may seem, without accounting for the immeasurable factors fans bring into play, is ironically unrealistic. A term many industry professionals use to try and justify the unexplainable. Music is too universal to look at fans from one side.”, Jaime says.
So what is the bigger picture here? We have seen the music industry shift and change already, and it surely didn’t happen overnight, but there is still a lot to be done. During her internships at different major labels, Jaime was told fan engagement wasn’t a thing for four years straight. And if it wasn’t for her old bosses who vouched for her, she wouldn’t be where she is today. They didn’t completely know what she was saying in her passionate rants about fan engagement, but – if you’ve met Jaime – you know how smartly convincing she can be.
Jaime knows exactly what she’s talking about, because she has the knowledge and experience to back up her arguments. Those who called her and people she admired crazy, are now using fan engagement as a selling point. As frustrating as that is, it is exactly the goal she wanted to achieve; for people to get it, to be okay with having different opinions and still respecting that. That is what fan engagement and music is about, right? Different opinions, perspectives, backgrounds, passions, and more. Although there is this added pressure, to say the right thing or to not have too bold of an opinion, when that’s what’s needed.
There are enough people pleasers and rule followers who do things by the old book, they don’t take risks nor do they wanna leave room for the creativity and innovation that comes with fan engagement. As industry professionals with a fans perspective, it is our job to inject our opinions into everything we do, to be well informed, consider other sides, and to trust our gut. It is a very hard thing to do and it isn’t something you wake up one day and conquer, Jaime confirms. While we do our part to make the industry better and more fan-friendly, there are more and more artists contributing to it. I asked Jaime to give me a few names of female artists she believes are leading the way.
Sabrina Carpenter is utilizing fan perspectives with content coming from each tour stop version of Nonsense. Kelsea Ballerini used her platform for the greater good, bringing out Drag Queens at the CMT Music Awards after some alarming anti-drag legislation came out. Meghan Trainor is one of the most authentic artists out there right now, being honest and raw through not just her music, but her podcast and overall social media content as well. And the list of why Jaime loves Lizzo’s fan engagement is a long one, but she says Lizzo truly sees her audience and creates space for them to insert their own perspectives on socials, in her live performances, and more. Two female artists I personally believe are carrying the future of the music industry are Tate McRae and Lauren Spencer Smith.
I remember being on a call with Jaime and hearing her preach about how Tate has mastered fan engagement. With her being my favorite artist, I couldn’t agree more and believe me when I say that, when Jaime sees the potential, it means something. The way Tate teases new music, interacts with her fans, values their opinions, voices and feedback shows that she gets it. With that, she is doing everything right, because she makes music for her fans first and if they can’t vibe with it, then who will? That right there is a great example of an amazing artist-fan relationship. And then there’s Lauren Spencer Smith.
Lauren is not only one of the greatest young female vocalists out there, but such a kind-hearted, genuine and inspiring young woman. While her artistry and authentic character will take her places far beyond anyone’s imagination, keeping a close connection to her fans matters most to her. Knowing Tate and Lauren personally, you sometimes forget about the tremendous success they have had and the rising pop queens they are, because of how humble they come across. It’s like talking to your friends while watching them take over the music industry.
Looking at all that its future entails, we see fan engagement as a top priority, our favorite artists creating phenomenal fan-driven campaigns and more women in leadership positions. With Jaime pushing the fan culture revolution with all she is working on, advocating for especially young women and amplifying fan voices, you can be certain that impactful change is on the horizon. So what does her vision for the industry entail?
Jaime wants to see comradery among women in leadership roles, respect from fans for industry professionals they admire and to understand that not all is as simple as it seems. And let’s not forget about implementing fair ticket laws both in the US and internationally. We want to feel the change in music through industry norms changing in the fans’ favor, because we’d be nothing without them, whether you are a passive fan, a superfan or someone in between. We wanna see more artists not only create worlds for their fans – big and small – but also opportunities for them to connect with each other. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it?
But not only do we want to see that happen, we wanna see more artists give fan professionals a chance to help them succeed. To offer them legit and well-paid jobs to do what they have been doing for years, just adding the well-deserved respect, recognition and reward they have rightfully earned. It’s time to stop using fan professionals for their great skill-set and treat them like unpaid interns, because their knowledge, commitment and understanding is far too valuable to be dismissed. It’s time for change, that’s for sure!
And how can aspiring industry professionals contribute to this change and what can motivate and inspire them to step it up? Asking Jaime for industry advice, she says you have to be quick to admit what you don’t know. It will help you be more confident in what you do and push you to learn ten times more than what you expected you were capable of. Let curiosity guide you, stay dedicated, try things you may not know much about and, most importantly, check on your friends in the industry, cause it’s tough. And no matter how much bad past experience you have had or how many people gate-kept opportunities from you, make sure you don’t repeat that cycle once you are in a position of power. Become a valuable source, the mentor you wish you had and a great example of the change you wanted to see. Like I always say: Why wait to see change, when you can be a part of making it happen?
When I think about inspiring women who have guided me, it is safe to say that Jaime has helped me in more ways than one. Over the last year, she made me see the power I have as a fan, the value of my skill-set and the importance of my place and perspective in the industry. I know I can confide in her and trust that she will not only have a solution to any challenging situation I might be stuck in, but be a great mentor and friend throughout my journey. Watching her conquer it all, working her absolute hardest while dealing with a lot personally, I have seen a young woman succeed against all odds. She is unstoppable and a force to be reckoned with, so I have no doubt in my mind that Jaime will achieve every goal she puts on her vision board. Knowing her, she will be checking off one by one successfully, but we are here to manifest in her favor anyways.
All in all, the future of the music industry – from the fans perspective – looks very promising. If we keep putting our creative minds on work-mode, if we work together and encourage our favorite artists and the industry as a whole to adapt to the new norms we are setting, things will change for the better.
Any industry professional has a certain level of responsibility of adding their perspective and transparency into the industry which, Jaime can confirm, does come along with not everyone liking you, supporting you, false narratives, people you never met, saying they are your best friend, and more. But becoming a part of this world, at least for me and Jaime, also resulted in great friend- and partnerships, incredible memories and opportunities, feeling understood and supported as well as finally being respected and taken seriously for the difference we are making.
We are in this together and we are not just contributing to the future of the music industry. We ARE the future of the music industry.
ROARA Magazine 