Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melissa Keklak. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Melissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

I absolutely do. I think it is very important to humanize the relationships between artist/athlete and potential management as well as set the precedent at the beginning that you are an indispensable asset for them. That being said, when I have interest in managing an artist or athlete, there is a “courting” period if you will where I am making myself a visible part of their structure while enhancing it. Before money, contracts, lawyers, etc begin to be part of the conversation, I am showing you my value. It’s literally the “try before you buy” method. Any product that knows its a great asset will always guarantee itself, I implement the same tactic. I also don’t believe in talent and management’s relationship to be strictly transactional, I think it is important to be able to understand them, relate, help them through tough scenarios, etc. I feel this is a characteristic and approach I’ve always applied as a manager.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Melissa Keklak, a seasoned Music Manager, stands out as a true leader in the music industry. Armed with a degree in Mass Communications from The University of Scranton, Melissa’s journey in the world of music began early on when she interned to cover concerts for a local music magazine in Scranton. Her passion for music was ignited, and she hasn’t looked back since.

In 2006, Melissa took her first steps into the industry as the Manager of Artist & Public Relations for Casio’s G-Shock watches, where she quickly rose through the ranks to become Director. During her five-year tenure at Casio, she orchestrated brand initiatives and campaigns alongside renowned artists like Kanye West, Ke$ha, Kid Cudi, and Wale. In 2012, she made the bold move to Los Angeles and founded her own Boutique PR firm, MMKpr, which handled projects and album rollouts for notable names like Empire, Rostrum Records, Lil Debbie, Hopsin, and Sammie.

However, her journey took a significant turn in 2016 when Melissa transitioned into music management steering the careers of artists such as Compton hip hop artist Problem, Producers Diego and Tahj Moneyy as well as Memphis sensation Blac Youngsta. In 2018 Blac Youngsta named Keklak as President of his independent label Heavy Camp where she masterminded marketing. PR and DSP partnerships.

Melissa’s remarkable eye (and ear) for talent brought her to the forefront of the industry when she discovered Houston hip hop sensation KenTheMan; after meeting Ken she quickly began managing her and was instrumental in Ken’s artist development. Melissa played a pivotal role in KenTheMan’s ascent, steering her to chart-topping success with her EP “4 da 304’s” and securing deals with Asylum Records and Roc Nation. She has been managing KenTheMan for the last four years. KenTheMan just descended on her first headline tour which was curated by Keklak and agency partner, The Mac Agency. Melissa Keklak’s journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment, leadership, and prowess as a music manager, proving that in this fast-paced industry, she’s not just keeping up—she’s setting the pace.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Having solid and impactful relationships among my peers in the industry. I worked hard to build, maintain and enhance every relationship I have. It is also important to take interest above business and connect on personal levels as well which I always pride myself on reaching out on holidays, birthdays, inviting my peers to events I think they would like, etc.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

So many! There are many things I implement into my career that have helped in different ways. I love using Insight Timer or the Calm app before I go to bed. I think it is very important to end your day with a positive meditation to set your tone for the following day. I also watch alot of short form content by Jay Shetty, Michael Rubin and Gary V. Some of my top book recommendations include – Lucky Me by Rich Paul, The Greatness Mindset by Lewis Howes, The Perfect Day to Boss Up by Rick Ross, How To Win Big In The Music Industry by Clinton Sparks and Being The Boss by Hill Lineback

Contact Info:

• Instagram: MelissaKeklak_
• Twitter: mkent_
• Other: TikTok – @melissakeklak_