Joining us for our first Artist Community Member Spotlight of 2023 is Montreal-based music business consultant and manager, Adele McAlear. Read on to hear about Adele’s work with Irish neo-soul/contemporary jazz artist, ZASKA, along with her unexpected journey into (and out of, at times) the industry.

Welcome, Adele! We’re thrilled to have you in our community and even more excited to get to know you better. Let’s start big–how did you know you wanted to become a Music Marketing Consultant and Artist Manager?

I’d known since I produced my first concert at 15 that I wanted to work in music. I started my career in music PR in Toronto and moved to London where I was the label liaison for a music video post-production company. When I moved back to Canada, I couldn’t find work in music, and my career took a left turn. I went into marketing, then into tech marketing, and in 2007 became a social media consultant. In 2015 I was feeling burnt out and felt that I needed a big change. When I thought about the things that brought me the most joy in my career, it was working in music. I decided to take everything I’d learned in marketing and help artists and music companies. I went deep into re-educating myself about how the current music industry works and started consulting. I had no intention to become an artist manager. It evolved after working with Max Zaska for a while. We work together so well as a team and my role kept expanding, it was a natural progression to become his manager.

It sounds like all roads led you back to music, and from the looks of it, it’s paid off! Can you tell us about ZASKA and how you’ve helped his career?

He’s grown as an artist and a business quite a lot in the five years we’ve been working together. Some things that we put into place early were structure and strategic planning. Determining goals, then working backwards to lay out how to achieve them, putting in a timeline, and identifying the different components needed for each stage of the plan, and what we need to get them done. From financing, song administration, and distribution to branding, PR, and fan nurturing, every aspect has leveled-up with each year. Artistically, he’s co-writing and collaborating more than ever and gained confidence to take on new roles, like singing lead vocals and being the Musical Director for other artists.

Your consulting firm, Sparks The Flame, offers the same type of strategic planning that worked for ZASKA to other artists around the world. What’s been the biggest win for the firm so far?

Securing a licensing and distribution deal with a UK indie label this year that resulted in ZASKA landing on major Apple Music playlists, an opportunity that we would not have had going it alone through Distrokid. I’d say tied for that would be winning some arts grants that not only added to needed financing, but also opened up artistic opportunities for Max.

Incredible! You mention on your website some key elements of Music Marketing you can help with, but we’re curious about one in particular. Thoughts on crowdfunding? Do you have any tips for artists wanting to create a campaign?

Crowdfunding is not right for everyone, but if you have a fan base - even a modest one - it can be great for helping to finance a record, particularly if you don’t have access to a government grant system. ZASKA has run 2 crowdfunders and has raised over €31,000. 

Reward fulfillment takes at least as much time and effort as planning and running a campaign. You need to keep the details super-organized. Factor this into your planning. When designing your rewards, consider the cost of postage & shipping materials if you have physical goods. Think through the logistics of what would be required to deliver on your promises, and the time & effort that each reward would require, whether they are digital or physical. When choosing your fundraising target, create a budget that outlines how the money would be spent to ensure that your own expectations are met. Your campaign video needs to explain why you need the money, how you’ll use it (ex: mixing, mastering, vinyl production, graphic design, etc.), and how your funders will benefit from contributing (rewards, making your artistic dreams come true, hear great music). Make the video entertaining and informative. Once you launch the campaign, you’ll have to not only put it on social media, but email people, send private messages, maybe even run social ads or do PR for more coverage outside of your fan base. Consider how long a campaign lasts, and your energy capacity. A long campaign can be draining. A short one may not reach your goal. 

After your campaign, communication with your funders is important, particularly if it may be some time before they receive their rewards. Regular updates on the status of the project and fulfillment timelines will help to maintain trust in you.

Wow, there are so many factors that go into creating a successful campaign. We appreciate your insight! Is there any advice you have for artists who are looking to build a sustainable music career?

Be clear and specific about your goals, make them achievable in a given time frame, and keep them in focus. Concentrate on incremental growth. Try to make each show, each recording, each campaign better than the last. Even if the results vary, think about what you learned, the processes that you improved, the experiences you gained, that will help you the next time. Making a sustainable career in music is a long game. There are no magic shortcuts. Do the work. Celebrate every win. Learn from every loss, dust yourself off, and get back up again.

Thank you, Adele. We’re really inspired by your industry success but also by your wisdom! It’s important to celebrate the wins and learn from the losses in any industry. Before we go, we have to ask–what's your favorite feature of Bandsintown for Artists and why?

Hands down, it’s the ability to message followers with geo-targeted show information. It’s just an amazing way to reach your target audience and it’s free! An incredible feature.

We may be biased, but we like that one too! Now tell us, is there a current project you’d like to tell the community about so we can support you?

If you’re interested in knowing more about what services I offer or booking a consultation, you can find out more at http://sparkstheflame.com or reach out on social media @adelemcalear. 

Also, ZASKA’s new album A Better Way is available on all streaming platforms. It’s a feel-good blend of neo-soul, indie jazz, and modern funk.

We hope you enjoyed this member spotlight! Until next time, keep creating and inspiring those around you!

To connect further, you can find Adele in the Bandsintown Artist Community or through the links below.

Website - http://sparkstheflame.com 

Bandsintown -  https://www.bandsintown.com/a/5253513-zaska 

Instagram - http://instagram.com/adelemcalear 

Twitter - http://twitter.com/adelemcalear 

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelemcalear/