Maintaining an atmosphere of integrity and progressive workplace practices that apply across an artist management roster and staff alike, Jay Rogovin, Alec Donkin and Jade Gaines, formerly of C3 Management, and Blake Coppelson of Proximity Music have joined forces alongside community service providers from 4 o’clock Consulting (DanceSafe & Good Night Out) to innovate the traditional conception of artist management, coining their new brainchild Kompass Music Group.
Spanning a full roster of 23 artists including Vintage Culture (with Entourage and Purple Wall), G Jones, CharlestheFirst, GoldFish, Rousseau and Eprom while supporting the development of the careers of emerging acts such as Of the Trees, Chee, 1788-L, Khiva, Wreckno, Frequent, Chemical Surf, seven managers at Kompass are hoping to re-imagine what it means to provide artist management and participate in the cultivation of a healthier music industry.
With core values that address current dialogues surrounding sexual violence, risk reduction, mental health, diversity & inclusion, and environmental impact key goals of the project work towards Establishing healthy boundaries and resources to support the mental health of artists and artist managers, setting new industry norms for health & safety through measures such as safety and inclusion initiatives, provide risk reduction education & training, reduce the environmental impact of touring, and to connect patrons with skill-building opportunities.
“We’ve been implementing diversity across the board with our lineups, even in the support acts it’s something that we’re cautious about, that we’re being inclusive,” says Jade Gaines. “It’s reflected in our staff, with David Kissinger who does Supertask, Integrate, and VCTRE. David [Giovanni] who is Wreckno and NotLö’s manager, and Emma [Windsor] who manages Khiva. We’re trying to diversify everything — the smallest step you can take is still a step in the right direction.”
Demonstrating the innovation and community support Blake looks to bring with him to KMG, 2020 saw Proximity provide entertainment by creating the first ever 3 day long online music festival called “Digital Mirage” during the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown. During the course of three events the festival raised over 400,000 dollars for people in the music industry affected by COVID-19 as well as supporting the Equal Justice Initiative. Over the course of the livestreams from April 2020 to present – Proximity has helped raise roughly 600,000 dollars for different charities including NIVA, Equal Justice Initiative, Color of Change, Sweet Relief, and Plus1.
“Where Proximity and our team come in is the digital side, the YouTube, Twitch, DSP, label side of things,” says Coppelson. “That’s definitely my focus but we’ll still be touching every facet of the management. But let’s say our artist has this 5-track EP, finding out the best way to release independently or sign to a major, or setting up their YouTube channels is something we’ll be working on. I’m incredibly excited to bring my 10+ years of experience to our team / roster the same way we did with our record label.”
Additional managers on board with Kompass include David Kissinger, David Giovannini and Emma Windsor, as Jade mentioned earlier, as well as Executive Assistant, Becky Carriel, all of whom also further diversify the company culture by bringing their unique experiences to the table and applying them across their management styles.
Also joining in the conception of Kompass Music Group, fellow C3 manager Alec Donkin will add additional value as a graphic designer and branding specialist where he has helped develop, maintain, and grow the brands of 40+ international touring musicians across genres over the past five years.
“Kompass Music Group has the opportunity to become a leader in music as a place where artistic integrity and human connection are valued above all else,” Alec Donkin shares. “I am incredibly proud and excited to be a part of this group of passionate individuals and artists and look forward to continuing my work as a manager and a designer, as well as having the opportunity to work towards some bigger goals for a healthier industry overall.”
“We are in the process of starting a nonprofit that will be connected to all of this, but it spans everything from working toward carbon neutral touring and being more environmentally conscious, everything from our riders to the way we tour and travel, to providing bystander intervention training that’s free for our roster and staff and anyone else in the music industry,” explains Rogovin. “Taking some of the profits that we are bringing in as a company and putting those toward monthly smaller initiatives and larger long-term initiatives that will continue to be defined as we develop.”
Kristin Karas, COO of DanceSafe and Stacey Forrester, Co-Founder of Good Night Out, Vancouver are also providing support in driving the force behind KMG’s organizational innovations.
“Working with KMG is a refreshing opportunity to dig deep into the meaning of participation and community within the music industry and grow something new from a place of integrity,” Karas and Forrester share. “Safety is often an after-thought, or add-on to the live music experience, with artists and those behind the scenes typically left out of initiatives until there is a crisis moment. 4 o’clock is thrilled to collaborate with Kompass to build safety, well-being, and community into their culture and operations from the ground up.”
With wellness being at the focal point of Kompass Music Group, the same ethos that applies to the company is also dedicated to the style in which the careers of their artists are managed. Working tirelessly towards a brighter future in the music industry, the launch of KMG aims to set the standard for internal practices and nurturing a healthier community.
Kompass Music Group
Full Artist Roster
1788-L – Carola – CharlestheFirst – Chee – Chemical Surf – EPROM – Esseks – FISE – Frequent G Jones – GoldFish – Integrate – Khiva – Lab Group – NotLö – Of The Trees – Potions Rousseau – Shades – Supertask – VCTRE – Vintage Culture – Wreckno
