We want all of our Student Artists to be equipped with the tools, skill sets, and confidence they need to become successful artists and professionals. In our Beyond Beats series, we invite music industry professionals, including artists, executives, and trailblazers, to provide our Student Artists with helpful tips, feedback, and insights into their journey in the music industry.
MUSIC INDUSTRY FORUM
Music industry professionals and artists provide our Student Artists with helpful tips and feedback about the industry and a wide range of topics.
Our Spring 2021 Industry Guests include:
Our Spring 2021 Industry Guests include:
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mALIK NINETY FIVE
New Orleans rapper/producer 
New Orleans has been steadily harboring some gems when it comes to the rap scene. Malik Ninety Five is one of the more prolific artists emerging from New Orleans dominating the hip-hop world. He is a rapper, songwriter, and producer, and is paving the way for the new rise of NOLA all-stars. From working in the studio alongside acts like YK Osiris and AJ Tracey to performing with TDE artist Jay Rock for his 'The Big Redemption Tour,' Malik has been steadily hustling his way onto the radar of many hip-hop critics. reid martin
artist manager & co-Founder of midcitizen 
Reid Martin is the co-founder of MidCitizen Entertainment, an artist management company based in New Orleans that currently consists of five employees and ten artists. At the company, Martin specifically focuses on strategies related to long-term artist development and recorded music. MidCitizen's current roster consists of the following acts: Alexis & the Samurai, Alfred Banks, Big Freedia, Low Cut Connie, Naughty Professor, Sinkane, Sweet Crude, Tank and the Bangas, The Suffers, and Travers Geoffray. Prior to his role at MidCitizen, Martin spent four years as the tour manager of The Soul Rebels and co-founded the uptown music venue, Gasa Gasa. He graduated Loyola University in 2009 with a double major in Economics and Music Business. tank ball
lead singer, tank and the bangas 
Hailing from New Orleans, Tarriona "Tank" Ball is the frontwoman of the Grammy-nominated group Tank and The Bangas. The four-piece group has a rare knack for combining various musical styles - fiery soul, deft hip-hop, deep-drove R&B, and subtle jazz - into one dazzling, cohesive whole that evokes the scope of New Orleans music while retaining a distinctive feel all its own. Tank and The Bangas released their major-label debut album "Green Balloon" in May 2019, and most recently released the band's follow-up EP "Friend Goals" with a host of features included PJ Morton, CHIKA, Pell, and Duckwrth to name a few. Tarriona "Tank" Ball has collaborated with acts like Mikey Hart, Norah Jones, Tayla Parx, and Jacob Collier to name a few. She's also had the opportunity to her stunning vocals to Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on the track "I'll Be Seeing You." |
dan helfers
TAlent Buyer, winter circle, aeg, buku, republic 
With an extensive background in artist management, marketing and concert promoting, Dan Helfers is now a Talent Buyer at Winter Circle Productions, the Gulf Coast office of industry leader AEG Presents. Dan books hundreds of shows per year in and around New Orleans at various venues including Republic, Orpheum and Joy. He also serves on the booking and A&R team for BUKU Music + Art Project and Hangout Music Festival as well as AEG’s rap & hip-hop touring division. A native of St. Louis, Dan graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a BS in Business & Music Industry Studies. jacqueline reynolds-drumm
Agent, ICM PArtners 
Jacqueline Reynolds-Drumm is a Talent Agent at ICM Partners, whose clients include Lil Yachty, Migos, Fivio Foreign, Bas, Wyclef Jean, Justine Skye, Leikeli47, Q and Baby Rose tavia osbey
manager, tank & the bangas & Co-founder of midcitizen 
Tavia Osbey is a New Orleans native that graduated from Southern University of New Orleans with a degree in Business Entrepreneurship. She began her artist management career with Tarriona Tank Ball as her first client in late 2010. With a love and passion for music and business, she took the Artist Management title on full speed ahead. From 2011-2013 she worked alongside Jarred Savwoir at Soul Savvy ENT which is where she helped develop, brand, and promote rising New Orleans award-winning Grammy-nominated band Tank and The Bangas. In 2018 she co-founded Mid-Citizen Entertainment based in New Orleans with a roster that holds some of New Orleans' most talented artists that include acts like Big Freedia, The Suffers, Low Cut Connie, and Sweet Crude to name a few. |
big freedia
bounce legend 
Known as the Queen Diva, Big Freedia is a New Orleans-based hip-hop artist and worldwide ambassador of Bounce music. After releasing a series of noteworthy singles––’Gin In My System’, ‘Excuse’––during the mid 2000’s, Big Freedia’s life was chronicled on the reality show, Big Freedia Bounces Back, on Fuse TV. The docuseries followed the life of a choirboy turned bounce rapper and remains the highest rated original series on the network. In 2015, Big Freedia was featured on Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning single, “Formation” and in 2018, on Drake’s “Nice For What.” She has collaborated with artists like Lizzo and Diplo to Icona Pop and New Kids On The Block. In 2018, Big Freedia released the critically acclaimed album, ‘3rd Ward Bounce’ on Asylum Records in 2018. In the summer of 2019, the Queen of Bounce debuted her limited run flavor ‘Big Freedia’s Bouncin’ Beignets’ with the ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s. She graced the cover of Billboard and Paper Magazines, and served as the official host of the Iive Instagram stream for the 2019 Met Gala. In October 2019, Big Freedia and multi-platinum pop artist Kesha released their new single “Raising Hell.” The song was a pop radio hit and the two performed the hit song on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, Late Night with Stephen Colbert, and the 2019 AMAs. Big Freedia released her second EP “Louder” in March of 2020. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir, Big Freedia: God Save the Queen Diva! on Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, which will be re-released in paperback on December 1, 2020. yves pierre
Agent, ICM PArtners 
Yves Pierre is a Talent Agent at ICM Partners, whose clients include Lil Yachty, Migos, Fivio Foreign, Bas, Wyclef Jean, Justine Skye, Leikeli47, Q and Baby Rose pell
rapper/producer 
Growth is ingrained in Pell's nature. Since taking the industry by storm in 2014, the electric New Orleans native, born Jared Pellerin, has continued to expand his sound and musicality. His stellar Floating While Dreaming debut garnered attention and praise from press across the board, including FADER, Billboard, XXL, Complex, among others. After touring with G-Eazy, in 2015 he released LIMBO, an EP produced by TV on The Radio’s Dave Sitek, developing his "experimental soul" sound to set him apart from his peers. Pell released his next EP, girasoul (4.5 million streams to date) via Payday Records in December 2017. The project featured collaborations from Saba, Imad Royal, and Vérité. Later in 2019, Pell released his second full-length album "Gravity," an ode to his hometown of New Orleans, featuring performances by PJ Morton, VÉRITÉ, Ambré, and Malik Ninety Five. The album documents his growth and pulls inspiration from different life transitions such as heartbreak and longing. Pell has toured with Kehlani, PJ Morton, Doja Cat, Brasstracks, Tory Lanez, and has performed at prestigious festivals like Hangout, Firefly, Pemberton. |
Fall 2020 Industry Guests:
- De'Mont Callender - Agent, Paradigm Talent Agency
- Joe Hadley - Agent, CAA
- Kenny Beats - Producer
- Kendall Cousin - Global Marketing, Warner Records
