Rising Star is our monthly column in which we meet the industry’s brightest new talents. Here, Lucia Mulchansingh, Digial accounts manager, Absolute Label Services, talks us through her industry journey so far...
You started at Absolute as an intern. Did you always want a career in music?
“I grew up around music and from an early age I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything other than working in music in some form. I’ve always been into soul and R&B and would sing at open mics, then I learnt to produce and create music in my bedroom. I studied songwriting at ICMP [Institute Of Contemporary Music Performance] where I honed my creative skills and got really interested in the business side of the industry. Shortly after that, I was really drawn to Absolute as I felt their values really resonated with mine.”
Over the four years you have been with Absolute, how have they supported and nurtured your personal development?
“At Absolute, I’ve felt a lot of trust from the senior management, which has really allowed me to use my own initiative. Even as an intern and junior staff member, my opinions mattered and my manager, Dianne [Bonney, who passed away last year], recognised my value and trusted me with responsibilities. When I began my role, some processes needed reworking, so I rebuilt some foundations by doing workflow audits, developing relationships and building new ways to analyse results. My ideas have been supported, and having the space to think outside the box has been so valuable in my development!”
You’ve led campaigns with a range of artists including Busted, Alesha Dixon and Lucy Spraggan. What can Absolute do for acts that other companies can’t?
“We believe in discussions where everything – from marketing strategies to distribution plans and playlisting – is laid out on the table. We help emerging talents build their careers strategically, and we have fantastic relationships with our DSP partners, running meetings and listening sessions allowing us to craft bespoke campaigns. As a team, we’re focused on helping artists maximise their potential and build sustainable careers. All music has
an audience waiting for it; it’s about finding the place for it to thrive.”
In your role, you’ve also executed pitches for repertoire like Absolute’s Christian music catalogue. How did you carry that out and, in your opinion, what goes into a successful pitch?
“There was a gap that wasn’t being maximised in the space for the repertoire we distribute, so the pitch was all about showcasing it, building relationships and, with specific analytical tools, creating eye-catching pitches. It’s really crucial for a pitch to feel authentic to the artist, and also be informative, concise and tailored to platforms. It makes such a difference when you invest time into making information relevant to receivers.”
The world of label services is constantly developing. How do you think it will look in the next five years?
“It’s hard to say! The music industry moves with the tech industry, and given the rapid expansions in areas like AI, VR and crypto, it could look completely different in five years. I think we’ll see artists and labels realising that indie [companies] have so many tools now to help with their campaigns. I know managers that pretty much do five jobs at once; they just need to plug into a company like Absolute to deliver on their campaigns. It’s an exciting time, especially as it will allow artists to express their creativity in the truest way.”
LUCIA’S RECOMMENDED TRACK: Cleo Sol – Sweet Blue
