Traci Adams, EVP of Promotion at Epic Records, Talks Achieving Success Throughout & After The Pandemic

2021 is undoubtedly the year of the Black Woman & Epic Records Executive, Traci Adams is no exception! As many aspire to climb the corporate ladder within the music/ entertainment industry, very few actually get the opportunity to experience what it truly takes to succeed. Traci is responsible for both the climb and reach, developing a strong promotional team, that remains committed to implementing marketing strategies. In fact, such a demanding role creates space and opportunity for optimal growth! Despite the difficulties of the pandemic,

Adams’ philosophy to the WFH experience proved to be beneficial. “ I’ve survived during the pandemic with prayer, my family support (working in Savannah from my parents home for 15 months kept me sane & my mom fed me home cook meals daily. Man, I really miss living at home!) and remaining focused on the bigger prize knowing the pandemic and some sense of normalcy will soon come in addition to fewer lives being lost to this deadly disease. Now that we are a year in a half with the pandemic, businesses are starting to open again….” .

Adams simply credits her team & the opportunity to repurpose her time during the pandemic, to the success of
projects like “Khaled, Khaled” , which immediately hit number 1 on the Billboard charts upon its 2021 release. The elimination of her daily commute to the Manhattan offices allowed her to apply more pressure to promotional strategies. Social media is the name of today’s game, & staying ahead of the curve is essential for the Exec. So how does she manage to do so? It’s all about bridging the gap of services and adjusting to the new norms. With this, comes the responsibility of knowing how to navigate through this digital age: “its not difficult to stay current with TikTok and social media leading the record breaking wave. It’s all about simply adjusting. I’ve been in the music business for 21 years and I see it evolving. Currently, we’re in a digital age and I had to adjust quickly to stay competitive and relevant. TikTok and social media keep fans current who aren’t able to attend shows, festivals and concerts. They can experience it on social media or be apart of it on TikTok by making a video.

It helps us understand the  audience for a particular artist and why songs perform at radio and/or streaming
platforms the way they do.” Gaining more incite is certainly a constant, especially with two decades of experience under your belt. Adams equates keeping up with social media to the countdown showtime era in the 90’s and early 2000’s. Shows like Soul Train, Yo MTV Raps & 106 & Park, all provided the same tool, direct connection to the audience. “Now, all fans have to do is create a social media account, anytime and anywhere like TikTok to see new challenges or dances. Five, perhaps 10 years from now, I’m sure it’ll be something different and at that point, we will have to adjust again!” Rising star, Giveon proved to be another winning prediction for the Epic Records family, “He’s definitely a rising star and this time next year, Giveon will be a house hold name in addition to headlining his own tour! Wait and see…”The Epic Records promo team gives little room for doubt, so why would an aspiring artist not want to take heed from a Boss like Traci?! She says the key to this game for all artists is very simple: Stay relevant, stay current, stay true to your artistry, be competitive, be creative, be original and be yourself. The pandemic has allowed artists such as D Nice to really shine with his “Club Quarantine” Sessions in addition to Swizz Beats and Timbaland “Verzuz” Battles. These events showed their love for music, their passion for the industry and more importantly, kept us entertained during these difficult times!  Her foresight into the is unmatched! Traci and her team also worked on developing promo for Bia’s “Whole lot of Money” last year, fast forward to last week! Per her
work and dedication, it is definitely another EPIC summer. Stay ready!
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