Independent distribution and label service provider Ditto Music has become the first distribution company to offer management services for artists with the launch of Ditto Management, a stand-alone artist management company.
Set up by Ditto Music CEO Lee Parsons (pictured), the London-headquartered management company is launching with four artists on its roster, including Big Zuu, Nathan Dawe, Bobii Lewis and Nathan Brooks.
Speaking to MBW, Parsons said that the company’s “first goal is to concentrate [its] efforts into building these artists into global acts”.
Added Parsons: “The music industry is at a fascinating point. Everyone is looking to acquire catalog or buying up market share.
“What we are doing is going in the opposite direction and putting the emphasis on developing artists for the long term.”
Ditto Music, which has worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Stormzy and Sam Smith, is headquartered in Liverpool with 22 offices across 19 countries (it opened 12 new global offices in 2017 alone) and Parsons plans to expand the management arm into each territory where Ditto is active.
“I’m going to build out management the same as we have with Ditto, so that each territory has their own management offices but also helps our international roster,” he said.
To lead the new London based management company, Ditto Music has appointed Matt Dodds as Head of Ditto Management.
Dodds previously worked for Colin Lester’s JEM Music Group, where he worked with Big Zuu and multi-platinum-selling UK artist Craig David.
During his time at JEM, Dodds was part of the team that worked on Craig David’s comeback, which saw the UK star top the UK Album Chart with Following My Intuition in September 2016.
“I’ve been lucky enough to work with one of the best managers in the industry for the last six years at JEM Music Group, so I’ve seen what it takes to build a successful management company,” said Dodds, speaking to MBW.
“With everything Ditto Music can offer I believe we can create a really good environment for new talent over time.”
The launch of Ditto Management marks the second time that Ditto Music has diversified its business activities in recent months.
It launched a coffee chain called Ditto Coffee in December 2018, with its first store already open in Liverpool and more to be announced throughout 2019.
“Having a management company with the set up that Ditto has is truly unique because not only are you being pushed locally but you’re on the radar in over 20 countries through our offices.”
Lee Parsons
Lee Parsons said: “Having a management company with the set up that Ditto has is truly unique because not only are you being pushed locally but you’re on the radar in over 20 countries through our offices.
“All of the partnerships that Ditto brings in to our artists are on the table for you. With Nathan Dawe, the first thing we did was speak to our Brazilian office and start looking at shows for him.
“All artists should be looking internationally. But it’s very hard to actually do that unless you set up those joint ventures with other mangers overseas.
“With all of my current acts I’m looking at giving them long-term international careers.”
“The main plus of having Ditto’s Label Service next to Ditto Management is that on my doorstep I have amazing publicists, radio pluggers, sales divisions and trademarking teams, as well as there being 20 offices around the world all with similar infrastructures.”
Matt Dodds
Matt Dodds added: “I’m looking at Ditto Management as a slightly separate entity to Ditto Music. I want artists to look at it as an Artist Management company but with a distribution and label service operation if we choose to use it.
“Having a distribution and label infrastructure in the same office is an attractive proposition for any manager or artist but it’s important to realise that it doesn’t have to be used if it’s not right for the artist.
“The main plus of having Ditto’s Label Service next to Ditto Management is that on my doorstep I have amazing publicists, radio pluggers, sales divisions and trademarking teams, as well as there being 20 offices around the world all with similar infrastructures. It’s hard to find other management companies that can tap into such services so quickly.”Music Business Worldwide
