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

Hailey, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

In high school, all of my friends were creatives. Some were into fashion, and art but most of my circle was rappers. I always loved their music but I felt like they were worth more. At ages 15 and 16 none of us had the money or knowledge to actually boost our music careers and take it seriously. Some of my friends were really good at what they did and they all came to me for ideas, support, and advice. In a sense, I was a manager before I actually knew what managing was. In 2020 I met one of my current artists, Sugie through Instagram. We built a bond and he then asked me to be his manager. I felt so special because then I knew that people really do trust my judgment. The following year another one of my friends, Skully Brando was dropping a new project and asked me for my judgment. I gave him advice and support and he told me I should be a manager too. I took that as I sign to change working in the music industry from a playful conversation into reality.

Before launching my management group, I was doing as much research and networking as possible. I started studying how the industry works and the different roles involved. I was a mentee to many big-name artists in Atlanta and I took everything they taught me to heart. Over the following summer,, I began attending an unimaginable amount of concerts, underground shows, pop-up shops, and networking events. Every week you could find me out in the city, meeting other creatives and people working in the music industry. I knew that I wanted to be around people with similar interests and career goals so I made my way into the underground community. The moment I was confident in the knowledge and network I had built, I took on my first artist again. I started back working with Sugie and I now have 3 more artists working directly under me as their manager.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am a manager and creative director who makes sure artists are on the right track to success. I help with bookings, promotion, and creative direction in the Atlanta area. I am most proud of my growth as a creative because I have dabbled in a bit of everything. I finally found something I am excited to wake up and do. Every day I work towards making someone a better musician, a better performer, a better creator. I am set apart from other managers in the underground community because I cater to my artist’s musical and personal needs. I am more than just someone who books a show and shares a couple flyers. I am a mentor and a coach to my artist because a lot of creatives just starting up don’t have the support or motivation to keep going. I make dreams come to reality by finding ways to help others achieve their goals. People come to me with ideas for songs, music videos, photoshoots, branding, etc and I am able to bring it all together.

I offer help with small business and artist start-ups. I teach creatives how to get started with their career and how to market themselves in a memorable way. To many, starting their creative journey can be a scary thing. Some don’t have the confidence or knowledge of what they need to do to make their name stick out. I am here to make that part smoother for artists

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The main goal that’s pushing me to keep going is opening my own creative space. I want to operate a space that welcomes individuals to expand their creativity with multiple types of art. It will have a recording studio, photography backdrops, computer labs, sewing and embroidery machines , a radio station and much more. I want it to be an area full of networking and new ideas. Growing up I would’ve loved to have a place to where I can be as loud and expressive as possible. I can’t wait to let people in my city have a one stop shop, where they are able to bring their ideas to life without hassle. It can be expensive to own your own setup and I want to give back to my community by giving us somewhere to get started. My space will be somewhere artists can let lose and create.

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

Being genuine and having an open mind towards everyone I work with has greatly helped me build my reputation. When your spirit is pure, it’s easier to make your name stick. First impressions are everything to my brand so I make sure to remain the same with everyone I meet. Managing artists comes with a lot of networking and I’ve learned how to stay impactful with every conversation. When people see that you take what you do seriously and move with intent, they’re more open to recommend you to another client. A lot of my clientele has discovered me by word of mouth through the underground community causing me to be able to work with bigger artists in the industry as well.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haileytarantino/