I A M WELCOMES Ernest Manigo, Jr.
How are things! What’ s new in Music?
Hey! Everything is great! Can’ t complain... What’ s new? Well, for months I’ ve been working on a couple of albums; one featuring a young lady from NJ name Grace; she’ s Jersey Shore’ s Mary J Blige... Strong soulful vocals and a fresh sexy look! And the other is band called Focus, kind of today’ s version of Mint Condition with a younger more urban vibe... Hip hop flava in live music always goes hot!
Good! So tell me more about your plans...
Well, I never thought things would slow down in music so drastically, but as you know, most katz are not paying for their music anymore... I really believe in the movement the future of music coalition started in 2006... Ad supported free music! Funny thing though, I’ ve been preaching this since 1999 when I first heard of Napster! I simply mentioned to Rodney Jerkins that I think the new focus in music business should be with Advertising Agencies partnering with labels and producers! I even took him to a huge ad agency in NY in 2005 Young and Rubicam to forge a partnership with Darkchild Independent Records, but nothing came of it... Bottom line, I’ ve lost faith in Consumer to Business aspect in music biz and am now focused on finally forming my Business to Business model! My current acts may not wind up as my debut business to business labels fully operating on ad support first acts, but it’ s coming...
So what about your current acts? What will you do if not the ad supported model?
I figure since my company isn’ t fully launched( it’ ll be ready likely next year unless a couple of irons in the fire just happen to hit big this summer) I would want my current acts to have to wait! They have great first singles and I’ m not going to sit on them! I will do a deal with a label or distributor the“ old” way just to get them started... I and my team are pretty saavy with regard to marketing so I believe we’ ll still have great success... My team is on the money!
So tell us about your column with IAM Magazine
This is a great opportunity! Many publications are only online but the fact that IAM is online and on stands allows me to reach a broader audience! My column will primarily focus on sharing advice and information related to the entertainment industry on various subjects in film, music, technology, marketing,... I want to also evolve the column to include a Q and A... I will answer questions from all our readers but publish a couple each month... So you see a segment of my advice or information and then a segment of Q and A following... I also will do a film and music critics column where I’ d rate and critique current box office releases in film and current album and single releases... That’ s later on down the line
Wow, our readers will love that!
Yes, I hope I can help IAM develop a connection with it’ s readers with regard to satisfying their entertainment information needs! But I won’ t do news or gossip! I leave that up to your experts in that category!
What’ s next?
I hope to one day soon finally produce and market my first musical play which I wrote entitled“ Soulspell”... But I’ ll that for our next interview someday!
Well there you have it! Ernest Manigo Jr. Has joined the IAM family and we look forward to hearing more from him!
6