MARINA V
marina@marinav.com
http://marinav.com
Marina V is a totally self-sufficient DIY queen who has managed herself for the past four years. She is so effective at self-management, she probably scares off most managers. Her fans have financed all of her recordings and have helped her build an international touring career, with shows in the US, Russia, London, Portugal and Washington D.C. A multi-award winner, she’s appeared on network television and placed songs on popular TV shows, including a Pepsi campaign.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD A MANAGER
I’ve had one official manager and a few unofficial managers. David Krebs (Aerosmith, Ted Nugent, AC/ DC, Trans Siberian Orchestra, et al) was my official manager for several years. He was very helpful and I learned a lot from him. After we parted ways I found that many people called themselves managers, but that didn’t mean they could do the job. That’s why I’ve had unofficial managers for trial periods. I wanted to see if they could work with me. Eventually, I discovered that I could accomplish a lot more on my own.
BEST PART OF SELF-MANAGEMENT
I enjoy being my own boss. It’s fun and creative because there’s really no right or wrong way to do things. Whatever works is what you go with. I’ve been doing it for so long now, I don’t want to ever give up total control. I like the freedom self-management gives you. I look at acts like Madonna, Lady Gaga and Paul McCartney (as a solo act). They’ve all had a personal impact on their careers. They didn’t just rely on someone else for their success. They made it happen.
WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER WORKING WITH A MANAGER
I might consider co-management. But, a manager would have to bring a lot to the table. I would need someone with more connections and expertise. But, finding a good manager is a lot like dating. I would only consider that type of relationship with someone who is passionate about my music, and is willing to work as hard as I do.
WHAT SKILLS DO YOU NEED TO MANAGE YOURSELF
You have to be smart and organized, and need to know something about the business. Having a strategy and a plan is very important. Strategizing is probably the hardest part. Sometimes it’s hard to be objective about what you’re doing. But, you have to be honest with yourself and decide what’s best for your career.
YOUR FAN ENGAGEMENT IS AMAZING––WHAT’S YOUR SECRET
I love crowd sourcing. My fans are my priority. I ask them for their opinions and always answer their questions. I make them feel like their part of a team, because they are. If a fan asks me to play somewhere, I ask them to help me book a show. If they do that, I’ll give them a house concert. That has gotten me more bookings than just about anything else.
DO ARTISTS NEED A MANAGER
When you have so much going on that it’s difficult to handle, it’s nice to have help. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need a full time manager. Sometimes just outsourcing a function will get the job done. For example, I have friends/fans help with my website and booking shows. In fact, at this point in my career, I think a booking agent would be more helpful than a manager. I’d love to go on a national tour.
