We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kiley Larsen a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kiley, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?
The Corporate America wing of the music industry is currently completely misguided by following the money trail of clicks, followers, streams, and TikTok popularity. I’m very fortunate to run Mama Mañana Records and the live music promotions wing of the business out of New Mexico.
New Mexico, in general, can often be an afterthought when running through the fifty states, but the joke is on everyone who doesn’t let this beautiful state cross their mind. It’s its generous people who match gorgeous landscapes, and most importantly, in this case, it is full of amazing artists and musicians who punch well above their weight. It’s a state of communities, and in my experience, mainly in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, it’s the same idea that draws our music scenes.
The first thing I tell a new artist to the label is to not worry about streams, “single-worthy” songs, or runtimes and to focus on playing all the shows you can to keep reeling in your growing audience one fan at a time. I focus primarily on local media markets when promoting a new record or single from one of our artists. Feel free to send your album to prominent publications or influencers like Pitchfork or Anthony Fantano. Still, like submitting a resume in Corporate America, there’s a pretty good chance your song isn’t reaching the ears you want it to unless it’s coming from the major labels that have been doing their thing for decades.
As an indie label with hardworking under-the-radar bands on the roster, it’s about taking American music back to its roots and generating a local buzz, then moving regionally before making your way to other markets. We’re also fortunate to have solid UK and European support, and the music we release is generally more accepted that way. Also, blogs and newsletters are crucial to reaching new fans, with more legacy music publications disappearing yearly.
A case in point is our latest physical release, ‘Slightest of Hands,’ by Albuquerque’s extremely underrated Strange Magic. Javier Romero, the mind behind the project, has spent well over the past decade playing in various bands in New Mexico. Romero is a power-pop genius who produces minute-and-a-half to four-minute ditties, and the world needs to know that. So, with this new release, we combined a local media approach alongside UK press (who, again, are more receptive to guitar-driven music) and choice local shows to become our best-selling album yet. By also releasing it on cassette tape, we kept it at a reasonable price point. Cassettes are rising again because they keep things affordable for the artist, label, and consumer. Not everyone has a deck, but they’re more willing to come away with a $13 show souvenir than a $40 vinyl. Plus, they sound amazing!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I spent my college years playing in bands for bar tabs, and I wanted nothing more than to have someone come along to guide us through recording, promoting, and placing us on killer bills. My professional career started in political journalism before making a surprise transition to corporate real estate project management. The pay was great, I worked on cool projects, but the work wasn’t rewarding at the end of the day.
After looking for work in a damaged industry during the early days of the pandemic, I decided to listen to my gut and get back in touch with my real loves: music and writing. I’ve always been one of those people that friends ask for new music recommendations, and I put that energy into a Substack. It proved a popular concept, as the newsletter quickly gained more subscribers than I ever imagined.
When I relocated from Denver to Santa Fe, I quickly immersed myself in the local music scene and found it to be chock full of amazing artists. The label wasn’t needed in my adult years living in New York and Los Angeles, but New Mexico is the perfect place to help artists and promote a community-driven scene.
I only want my artists to focus on writing/recording and playing the shows to the audience they need to. If booking and promoting your album on your own, it’s easy to get stuck in the swamp and lose the reasons you started writing music in the first place. With my project management background, I’m able to help them through all phases of releasing an album. From writing and recording, record pressing, promoting, and advertising, I want Mama Mañana to be a reliable home to take care of all of these things while also being a sounding board when there are inevitable hiccups throughout the process. I also use my journalism background to craft the album’s narrative for the press. As someone who received endless press kits for review, I know nothing catches the media more than when there is an excellent story to tell and get the listener to press “play.”
The live music promotions branch of Mama Mañana operates by the same compass: the artist comes first, and the priority is to ensure they’re making money for their efforts while building community. The most important part of being a promoter is putting together bills where the band pairings make sense. Whether it’s a stacked local lineup or a local band opening for a tour, it’s all about getting them in front of a new audience that may not have known them before showtime, but they’re going home with merch or streaming the new album.
I’m most proud of constantly trying to reimagine what people think of when they think of a record label. There are so many predatory practices in the music industry, and it’s easy for labels to have a bad name. We don’t often hear about the label when something sells well or an artist takes off. But if there’s inequality or predatory practices between the artist and label, there’s a better chance you’ll read about it. I’m proud of Mama Mañana for respecting the music creators and ensuring the partnership makes sense for all parties. At the end of the day, the friendships, community-building aspect, and knowing you made an artist’s release as memorable as possible are worth more than any money.
It’s easy to be overloaded by streaming services and listen to the same bands you did in high school, but that doesn’t change the fact that there are so many great, hardworking bands out there. We just need them to be championed and shared with the world.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
There is no more fitting word for running an indie label and live music promotions than “resilience.”
From running on razor-thin margins to media rejections and concert curveballs, a fire always burns on the stove. “Pivot” is the keyword for any business owner and the one that works hand in hand with resilience. It’s all about putting good energy out there and being true to yourself. When things inevitably reach a low point, a welcomed surprise falls into your lap and you pivot into the next phase. These moments are truly rewarding when you reflect on them and realize how far you’ve come. The road is open if you want it.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Speaking of “pivot,” this skill is absolutely essential for navigating the corporate landscape in 2024.
I had a great internship in college that allowed me to make the connections I needed when I thought I would spend my career as a political journalist. But short sessions at the state level and the 2008 recession had other plans for me. When the job prospects dried up in Denver (long before it became one of THE places to live), I pivoted by moving to New York with just enough to pay a rent deposit and some meals. I never imagined myself in corporate real estate, but sometimes, you take a temp job to put food on the table. As much as I resisted this path for a few years, I was lucky to have a few champions who saw the potential in my skillset and personality and led me to a comfortable place.
The biggest pivot came when I decided to start this label. When you’re numbed by rejection emails for applications no one even looked at, it’s time to create something for yourself. What better way than working in music, which has meant more to you than anything since you were a kid? Have faith and the rest will follow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mamamananarecords.bandcamp.com
- Instagram: @mamamananarecords
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kileylarsen/
- Youtube: @mamamananarecords
