In every success story in music—the chart-topping albums, the sold-out world tours, the brand deals, the legacy-defining cultural moments—there’s one name rarely mentioned in headlines but usually present behind the scenes: the manager.
No matter how gifted an artist is, talent alone isn’t always enough to navigate the modern music industry. Today’s artists are expected to be everything at once—creators, entrepreneurs, digital strategists, public figures, and businesspeople. It’s an impossible ask. That’s where good management becomes not just helpful, but essential. A great manager doesn’t just make calls and send invoices—they build careers, protect visions, negotiate for value, and ensure that the artist’s time, energy, and creativity are directed toward what matters most.
Take Beyoncé, for example. Before she became the global icon she is today, her career was carefully shaped by her father and former manager, Mathew Knowles. He played a crucial role in transitioning her from Destiny’s Child into a solo act, navigating early media narratives, and helping build the foundation of her business empire. When she eventually took over her career, she had already absorbed years of strategic direction and industry navigation.
Or look at Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, who catapulted to stardom under the guidance of manager Brandon Goodman (of Best Friends Music) and later Danny Rukasin. From the start, the team knew Billie wasn’t a conventional pop star; her music was intimate, odd, and different. Her image was intentionally unpolished, but her management never tried to mold her into what was trending. Instead, they doubled down on authenticity, built strong digital-first strategies, and guided her through a meteoric rise without compromising her identity.
Closer to home, Divine, one of India’s most recognized hip-hop exports, owes part of his success to his long-time manager Chaitanya Kataria, who later co-founded Gully Gang Entertainment with him. Their partnership isn’t just about music—they built an ecosystem, created a label, and gave rise to the desi hip hop (DHH) community. The fact that Divine can be both commercially successful and culturally respected is not just about his music; it’s quite literally about the infrastructure behind him.
Similarly, Diljit Dosanjh, now a global crossover star, owes much of his career expansion to Sonali Singh, who managed him through some of his biggest milestones—from debuting at Coachella and headlining BC Place in Vancouver, to collaborating with Sia, Jackson Wang, and Saweetie. His team ensured he wasn’t boxed into the “regional star” label. Strategic partnerships with Warner Music, Levi’s, and The Tonight Show appearance with Jimmy Fallon didn’t just happen, they were architected.
In a similar way, Hanumankind’s rise has been shaped by his manager Rohan Venkatesh and the team at Imaginary Frnds. They’ve helped him build a career that’s not just creative but also well thought out. Along with Venkatesh, co-manager Ashish Jose brings in his background in music, design, and culture to help grow the 33-year-old rapper’s vision in a fresh, global way. It’s a good example of how strong, creative management can really make a difference, especially in India’s still-developing alternative rap scene.
And then there’s Khalid, who went from uploading demos on SoundCloud to becoming one of the most streamed artists in the world. That didn’t happen by sheer luck. His career has been carefully guided by Right Hand Co., a powerhouse management team led by Courtney Stewart. From the beginning, they understood how to let Khalid’s vulnerability and youth shine without being exploited. They helped him build an identity—somewhere between pop, R&B, and singer-songwriter—and connected him with the right collaborators, platforms, and partnerships to support long-term growth. His global success is a masterclass in what patient, artist-first management looks like.
And then there are the cautionary tales. Talented artists who burned out early, who signed bad deals, who were taken advantage of, or whose careers plateaued despite early promise—often because they lacked guidance, advocacy, or someone in their corner who understood both business and art.
A good manager in my opinion, is not just an executor; they’re a translator. They take an artist’s creative vision and make it legible to labels, agents, platforms, and brands. They understand timing, when to push, when to pause, and when to pivot. They’re part strategist, part therapist, part gatekeeper, and part hype person. They handle the tough conversations so the artist can stay grounded in the work. They also keep the machine running when life gets messy. Artists, like anyone else, go through burnouts, breakdowns, fallouts, and failures. Management is often the buffer that shields them from spiraling, that pulls them back to center, and ensures that one mistake doesn’t derail a decade of work.
The best managers also think long-term. They do care about trends, but also how to build a legacy. They ask the hard questions: What does your next decade look like? How do we move you from viral to viable? How do we protect your mental health, your ownership, and your identity? In fact, in the independent era—where artists can upload a song and go viral overnight—good management becomes even more critical. The faster the rise, the more important it is to have someone who knows how to build structure and sustainability behind the scenes.
Arjun Shah, founder of Shark&Inc—home to emerging talents like Taaruk Raina and Akshath—believes the artist leads the way. “Artists are the voice,” he says. “As managers, our role is to shape the vision and build a strategy around it—crafting narratives, amplifying moments and nurturing community. We don’t create the magic, but we make sure the world sees it, hears it and remembers it.”
Sweta Ojha, co-founder of Bluprint and manager to King, believes in the sentiment but adds a nuance. “It’s only partially true when people say a manager’s job is to execute the artist’s vision. For a truly successful career, it’s also about the manager’s own vision—seeing the artist’s potential, placing them in the right rooms, and making those opportunities happen.” She emphasizes that this effort is “what eventually snowballs into the artist’s story as the world sees it. It’s a real partnership, and in most cases, both the artist and manager are sacrificing equally to achieve that greatness.”
Ultimately, a great artist without a great manager is like a brilliant film with no director. The pieces may be powerful, but without someone orchestrating them into a coherent whole, the impact gets lost. So while fans may scream the artist’s name, those in the know understand that a career is never built alone.
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