Artist Management 101- Marty Gonzalez on What Happens when Artists and Managers Fall Out

The relationship between a manager and an artist is like a marriage. Behind what we see is an array of issues, concerns, and at times, conflicts. In reality, there are times that the artist/manager relationship will fall apart. Marty Gonzalez believes a manager is the one person who is supposed to look out for the best interest of an artist, to defend and protect them, when necessary, especially when they are dealing with agents, publishers, record labels and the press. Just like in a marriage, when disagreements arise, things can get messy. This is why it is imperative to have a plan in place that can be referred to during such moments.

Marty Gonzalez is the founder of Fyre House Music, an establishment that finds and manages new talent. The business has since developed to become one of the best record labels in the country, having worked with prominent artists from Ronnie Banks, Deshae Frost to Lil Pump, and Calboy. Marty Gonzalez was inspired to become an artist manager because he had a sincere passion for music. He has worked as a social media manager before, an engagement that enabled him to become efficient in management matters. Marty Gonzalez admits that conflicts and disagreements occur more than people know, and his work is to ensure that daunting outcomes do not arise from these situations.

Fallouts between an artist and manager can be good to some extent, and this depends on the attitude of the involved parties. Just like a divorce, there are two sides to every story. It is imperative to establish the truth as perceived by an individual and work your way up towards establishing a solution. In the artist management business, avoiding a conflict resolution strategy is not acceptable. Marty Gonzalez prefers to deal with things head-on, even if it means involving an external consultant or professional to mediate the affair.

Marty Gonzalez always asks himself, “what does each person need?” and answering this question enables him to prioritize the expectations of each involved party. Compromising is about making sure everyone works together even if he won’t get his way. The consolation prize at the end of the day for doing this is comfort, cooperation from an artist and good business. Once he has compromised his needs for that of his client, Marty Gonzalez collaborates with them, an effective way of putting people in a position to change their lives for the better.

Marty Gonzalez says that creating a positive work environment is imperative when dealing with artists. This should be the priority whenever fallouts are imminent. It is best to understand first before compromising.