Ariana Grande and the organisers of the One Love Manchester benefit concert were named Industry Champions at last night’s Artist & Manager Awards.
One Love Manchester, which took place at Emirates Old Trafford in June, helped raise more than £17 million for the We Love Manchester fund, set up to support victims and families impacted by the Manchester Arena bomb attack of May 22. It featured acts such as Grande, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Liam Gallagher, Take That, Robbie Williams, Miley Cyrus and Pharrell.
Festival Republic’s Melvin Benn and SJM Concerts’ Simon Moran accepted the honour at the ceremony, organised by the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), at Printworks London. Imogen Heap, the FAC’s Artist In Residence and one of the performers at One Love Manchester, presented the award.
“For Simon and myself we were just really part of a team that put it together and we’re delighted to have done so,” said Benn. “The music industry is incredibly famous for arguments and battles and wrangles and all sorts of things. You fall out with somebody in the afternoon who’s your best friend in the evening.
“But the music industry, when it comes together, is incredible and that’s certainly something that everybody should be proud of.”
Grande’s manager Scooter Braun, credited as the driving force behind the event, sent the following message: “Although this is incredible, I want us to remember that the city of Manchester and all those families are the real heroes… 60,000 people of Manchester came forward and filled that stadium. It was the greatest act of defiance in the face of evil that I’ve ever witnessed, and I will never ever forget it.
“On behalf of myself, Ariana and the rest of the team, I want to say to the city of Manchester ‘thank you' - this is your award tonight, and you have taught us all a valuable lesson. Evil will never win.”
Annabella Coldrick, Chief Executive of the MMF added: “The terrorist attack at Ariana Grande’s Manchester Arena show was one of the year’s darkest moments, targeting young music fans and their families. It left 22 dead and more than 250 injured. To organise a concert in their memory, and to turn it into a joyous celebration of youth and music, was an incredible achievement.
“The MMF and FAC are humbled to honour the team behind One Love Manchester, and would like to dedicate this award to all those still impacted by the events of May 22.”
Elsewhere, the award for Manager Of The Year was presented to Tap Management’s Ben Mawson and Ed Millett by one of their most successful artists, Lana Del Rey. “It does take a village to make an artist go far,” said the singer.
Del Rey also paid tribute to her agent Dave Chumbley of Primary Talent, who died earlier this year. “I really felt if I mentioned his name he’d be smiling because he loved things like this,” she said. Mawson and Millett also dedicated their award to Chumbley.
A special tribute was paid to former MMF President, Jon Webster, who stepped down earlier this year to write a book about his experiences at Virgin Records in the 1980s.
Other winners at the A&MAs, which was sponsored by Spotify, included Depeche Mode’s longtime manager Jonathan Kessler, who picked up the Peter Grant Award for Lifetime Achievement, and Tracey Thorn, who was crowned Artists’ Artist.
Rag’N’Bone Man was declared Artist Of The Year, while Giggs and his management team Michael “Buck” Maris and Trenton Harrison-Lewis received the Pioneer Award from Island Records’ President Darcus Beese OBE. Additionally, Eleven Management’s Niamh Byrne and Regine Moylett received the Entrepreneur Award for their work on Gorillaz’ Humanz album campaign and Echo Beach Management’s Jill Hollywood picked up the award for Writer/Producer Manager.
Breakthrough Artist was awarded to singer, songwriter and DJ Tom Misch, whose parents picked up the award on his behalf, and Breakthrough Manager, which was awarded to 2K Management’s Kilo Jalloh & Moe Bah for their work with J Hus.
Performances came from Dermot Kennedy, one of Tap Management’s priority artists, and The Boxer Rebellion (ATC Management).
The full list of winners for the 2017 Artist & Manager Awards is as follows:
- Peter Grant Award for Lifetime Achievement - sponsored by PPL: Jonathan Kessler (Depeche Mode)
- Artists’ Artist Award: Tracey Thorn
- Manager of the Year Award: Tap Management (Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, DJ Shadow)
- Artist of the Year Award - sponsored by AudioActive: Rag’N’Bone Man
- Industry Champion Award - sponsored by Music Support: Ariana Grande, Scooter Braun, Simon Moran, Melvin Benn
- Entrepreneur Award: Niamh Byrne & Regine Moylett, Eleven Management (Gorillaz)
- Pioneer Award: Giggs, Michael ‘Buck’ Maris & Trenton Harrison-Lewis
- Writer / Producer Manager Award - sponsored by BMI: Jill Hollywood, Echo Beach Management
- Unsung Hero Award: Jon Webster
- Breakthrough Artist Award: - sponsored by Spotify Tom Misch
Breakthrough Manager Award - sponsored by YouTube: Kilo Jalloh & Moe Bah, 2K Management
