Ever wondered what makes someone a star, and who gets to decide? Take a look at how managers identify potential today, from gut instincts, social media metrics and viral momentum.
Explore what actually attracts industry attention, when an artist should (or shouldn’t) bring in management, and how social media has reshaped the idea of “being discovered.” Are stars still spotted, or increasingly self-made?
the age of TikTok virality and social media fame, the way talent is discovered has shifted, but the core question remains the same: what makes someone stand out, and who decides when they’ve got “it”?
For managers and talent scouts, the process of identifying potential has always been a mix of intuition, market awareness, and timing. Today, it’s more complex than ever. From social media metrics to the gut feeling, the methods of attracting an artist are evolving.
But what does ‘star quality’ look like today?
We asked James Merritt, manager at a London based agency, Authority Management, what he thinks it takes. James said most importantly; ‘talent can come from anywhere’.
The myth of ‘overnight success’
A widespread misconception in the music industry is that fame happens overnight; in reality, it is the result of years of persistence, development, unseen effort, and above all, talent.
According to UK Music, in 2024, the UK music industry employed a record 220,000 people. Of those, about 157,800 were music creators, meaning artists, composers, songwriters, producers, and engineers.
In the past, a role called A&R (artists and repertoire) would’ve been almost solely responsible for finding new talent. An A&R representative would nurture artistic growth, acting as a bridge between the artist and the company to develop their sound. They would sign them, and guide their careers.
Chiz Williams used to be an A&R rep in Southeast Asia, bringing in artists from Europe and America.
So, what are they looking for?
It takes a lot to be a star. Take a look at musicians now- they can be talented and gifted at what they do. However, skill doesn’t make you a star. A&R reps discover artists by listening to demos, attending shows, and monitoring trends, then work with them on songwriting, production, and connecting them with the right people to create successful records. But what are managers actually looking for?
Chiz, self-declared ‘music man’, previously worked at QU Junktions, a company focused on live shows and management. He said the key to success is standing out: “Even if they’re not good, sometimes they are interesting.
“You could tell me you’re a musician, and show me a live gig, or experience, on your phone, and I would get a sense that it was interesting.”
Chiz recalled a time when someone approached him: “I remember once we were running a tent at a festival, and a guy with goofy hair and his mate, like a comedy duo, gave me a tape.
“I thought they were funny. So instead of putting it on the pile I listened to it straight away.
“I thought it was great, but it wasn’t just that they were great, it was that they had somehow made me listen to it.”
James argued an artist needs to have an ‘It Factor’ about them.
He said: “Whether they’ve got a really good tone to their voice, or a good work ethic, they also have to have some sort of factor about them.”
James also said he receives plenty of emails that he refines: “There can be a hundred emails, and there might be one that’s worth listening to.
“I always listen to that sort of stuff, just to see a diamond in the rough. They’ve just got to have something really special about them.”
James has previously managed ‘diamond’ artists such as Ella Eyre, and is currently working with Jos Rivers.
Ella Eyre is best known for her collaborations with Rudimental on their UK number-one single “Waiting All Night”.
The social media effect
Although it may feel like an over-discussed topic, social media really has changed the game when it comes to scouting talent.
According to the TikTok Newsroom, 84 % of songs that entered the Billboard Global 200 in 2024 had gone viral on TikTok before charting. Only about 4 % charted without significant TikTok engagement.
James and Chiz both had something to say when it came to how social media has changed their work.
James was adamant that to make it big, you had to ‘break’ TikTok. Managers are now partially responsible for the amount of social media presence an artist has. James said: “It’s making it much harder for new artists to break on the radio because they just aren’t getting the airplay that they used to get.
“You have to leverage TikTok. It’s a different world, it certainly takes a bit of getting used to.”
The platform doesn’t just make songs popular on short video; it drives listeners to save and stream those tracks on music apps and leads users toward paid subscriptions.
Chiz said: “I see a lot of people focused on the content, and not enough on the music.
“I heard someone say keep posting, but I think that’s limited. Just keep on playing and find out how you want to play, not how others want you to play.”
He suggested that the problem is not the creation of content, but what’s difficult is getting a certain amount of people who are listening to the content to want to buy something further.
The artists perspective
Noah Clark, guitarist and member of the band Tradwife, said they are constantly being approached with ‘floods’ of messages following even their first gig: “We had plenty of people asking us to do things.
“It made my job quite easy, just having to say yes and no!”
Noah said they had been approached by members of different record labels, magazines, and promoters who had seen them play, and were interested.
The most noticeable being Leeds based Private Reg cords who they worked with on their latest single ‘Fingernails’, which is now out on Spotify.
But is a manager still essential to an artist’s rise, or can the next superstar make it solo?
Tradwife are a self-managed band. Noah said: “We have to book everything ourselves and it all comes out of our pocket.”
That includes finding gigs, booking band rooms, and booking recording studios. Noah argues that Tradwife doesn’t really need a manager.
“It’s definitely possible not to be managed. It also gives you a bit of freedom because you really choose what you want to do. You can get things how you want them to be.”
James also spoke about creative freedom. He suggested the artist has to believe in what they are doing: “There is no point as a manager trying to force an artist to do something they don’t want to do.
“You just need to always be on their side, and do your best for them.”
Both James and Chiz were happy to let the artist “do what they want”.
Chiz stated he “would never restrict anyone’s creative freedom in the music they are creating.”
Instead, he would help them do what they want. Chiz co-founded Qu Junktions who work with artists such as Daniel Blumberg, and Mica Levi. Daniel Blumberg is best known for composing the soundtrack for The Brutalist, and winning an Academy Award and BAFTA for Best Original Score.
Managing in the digital age
Paid streaming subscriptions reached 752 million worldwide in 2024, up significantly and higher than ever before.
This means the role of managers has changed. The role has shifted from a largely behind-the-scenes, relationship driven position into a highly visible, multi-disciplinary one. It’s now shaped by technology, social media, and the collapse of traditional roles. Managers once focused on securing record deals, coordinating album cycles, and leveraging industry connections, and they now guide artists through a digital landscape defined by streaming data, social platforms, and fan engagement.
Modern managers act as strategists and brand architects, overseeing not just music releases but online narratives, partnerships, touring decisions, and long-term career sustainability.
James also said the industry had changed: “I’ve been a manager now for about 20 years, and everything has changed.
“I think the most obvious way the industry has changed, apart from social media, is the way people consume music now.”
20 years ago, records and physical media were all the rage. The industry relied on people buying their music.
“Profits were plummeting, because people had stopped buying physical copies and weren’t paying for digital music.
“Thankfully, the industry has now recovered in that respect.”
Chiz similarly spoke about how the role has changed. He argued the industry could ‘all change in an instant’.
Can you really spot a star?
While platforms, data, and algorithms continue to reshape how artists are found, the fundamentals of talent discovery remain unchanged. Artists can be discovered and built.
Careers are still built through consistency, development, and the judgement of people willing to take a risk. As James put it, “you never know when you will find someone successful.”
Music management and talent scouting sit at the heart of the industry’s future, shaping not only careers but the sound of generations to come. RB
Featured image via James Merritt
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