News

What’s your name?
Chelsea Wood

Instagram username
@wood.management and @chelseawood89

Where are you based?
North East England

How long have you worked in Management?
13 years

Who do you manage now?
Finn Forster, Dom Malin and Maius Mollis.

Where did you find your first client and what inspired you to take them on?
I found my first artist for Wood Management through a mutual friend. I was building out my roster at the time and happened to chat to a friend who knew the artist. It felt like a sliding doors moment, as it was a friend I don’t see all that often!

What does a good/bad day at work look like for you?
Most days are good, but the best days are the ones when I can work towards both short-term and longer-term goals. I thrive off planning ahead and being my typical Type A organised self, so working that way is me at my best.

Bad days are those spent just fixing other people’s issues, which takes away time from other priority tasks. We all have these days, and it’s ultimately all progress, but they don’t feel the same as getting ahead and feeling like you’re really moving the dial.

What has been the highlight of your management career to date?
Starting my own management company. I’ll forever be proud of myself for taking that step because I’ve gone on to positively impact the lives of both my roster and hundreds of other independent musicians through working with great music organisations like Generator and Help Musicians.

Seeing my artist Finn Forster play stadiums and arenas supporting Stereophonics was also such a pinch-me moment, and one that very much added fuel to the fire of our aspirations to headline venues of that size ourselves too.

What do you think are the big challenges for a manager right now?
Financial sustainability is the toughest challenge as a working-class manager with a roster of working-class artists.

Live is a good example of this. I think live is so important for artists because there is no question about AI or authenticity being questioned, but touring costs are now also at a point where artists are having to turn down shows because they physically cannot afford them.

I really commend the new funds like Liveline and UKAT, which are helping to offset headline tour losses and allow artists to keep touring, as well as the Music Growth Fund for managers. It’s tougher than ever before out there for working-class artists and managers trying to break through.

What music are you currently listening to?
Twenty One Pilots. I have their latest two albums, Clancy and Breach, on repeat at the moment.

Why would you recommend the MMF?
The community of managers on this platform is invaluable. When you work solo like I do, it’s so important to have a community of people you can speak to for ideas and concerns. The MMF events help to facilitate this, and the newsletter is always full of relevant information too.

Chelsea is also an MMF Certified Manager, recognising her professional knowledge and experience as a music manager.