As part of the team behind Manchester rapper Aitch, Michael Adex is making a big impression on the music business. Here, the NQ CEO tells his story so far...
How did you get into the business?
“I started by just being a fan and discovering a lot of artists that later became big, on platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube. From there, being a Mancunian citizen I was able to form relationships with various artists when they came to the city on tour, or when I was visiting London.”
What’s your mission at NQ?
“Our main aim is to add value to talented individuals and create relevant infrastructure in the north of England that impacts the nation. Having been born in Germany, I understand how big the world is and the importance of taking advantage of what it has to offer. There is a juxtaposition in what we are trying to achieve with creating infrastructure in the north of England, but attempting to compete on a worldwide level.”
Name the most exciting thing about your job right now?
“Helping to create something from nothing. Having worked with an artist such as Aitch from the ground up to touring the world is a feeling like no other. On his new EP, tracks like Triggered show what he’s really about: cheeky, but in a respectful way. As a company, what we have achieved so far and what we’re planning to achieve in the future is proof that anything you put your mind to is achievable. I’m honoured to have met so many influential people around the world.”
We want to create as much noise as possible
How do you want to impact the music business?
“As a group and company, our main goal is to simply add value to the talent we work with. We want to create as much noise as possible and really impact on a global level, not just domestically or regionally. We also have a real intention to create opportunities for people behind the scenes. It’s important to help bring through new producers, A&Rs, talent managers and general creatives as they are all crucial parts of the industry’s ecosystem. It’s not all about the artists.”
What’s the biggest change you’d like to see in music?
“There needs to be more openness and candid conversation with artists about decisions that they are making. From my personal observations of the industry, there is a lot of focus on what the individual can get out of a situation rather than what’s right for the artist or talent. It’s important to really help guide artists in making informed decisions and help add real value to what they are doing. I believe business in this era should be a lot more transparent and open from the beginning, to really understand everyone’s expectations. This really helps maintain relationships long term.”
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