Women in Music: Interview with Nicole Barsalona
Women In Music is a non-profit organization that, for over forty years, has a mission to educate, empower and advance women who work in the music industry via networking events, seminars, and youth initiatives. The organization’s President is Nicole Barsalona and she recently granted an exclusive interview where she discussed how Women In Music has benefited songwriters, musicians, recording engineers, agents, and others who work in the industry.
Nicole recently discussed her career via an exclusive interview.
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you get interested in music and how did that lead to you helming this organization?
Nicole Barsalona (NB): I left the company I was working for to go out on my own and start my artist management business, but I realized I would also be leaving behind critical resources like accounting, legal, and other specialties that I wouldn’t have at my fingertips any longer. I Googled “Women in Music” and found womeninmusic.org, and from there I became a member and started attending events, where I was able to network with a myriad of folks who worked across the industry and became my go-to resources. It didn’t only provide a comfortable and empowering space, it truly became my lifeline to connect with mentors, peers and partners who I would grow with over the years. I volunteered on a few of the committees, joined the Board in 2013, and became President in 2019. It’s such an honor to get to serve our members and maybe best of all for me, I get to volunteer alongside some of the most incredible, brilliant and mission-driven women in our industry who are all devoting time and energy to making our business more inclusive for all.
MM: How important do you think it is to promote artists such as songwriters and singers and why?
NB: WIM really addresses two issues — we provide educational resources, global networks and career development opportunities to both artists and creatives, and executives. Both audiences are critical, because if you don’t have women in decision-making positions in the industry on the executive side of things, the old gatekeepers can still keep artists and songwriters out of the conversation. We need to amplify and support both creatives and executives in order to see real change. We’re committed to providing tools for both audiences — from collaborative Spotify playlists that highlight artists in the community, to our weekly WIM Community Newsletter that amplifies the work of our artistic community, to our Executive Internship Program that provides paid, real-life career experience and diversifies the funnel into the business on the executive side, and so much more.
MM: Your organization also includes people such as agents and marketers, how essential are these roles in a musical artist’s overall success?
NB: Agents, marketers, managers, publicists, publishers, DSP reps, label executives, attorneys, accountants — these are all roles that are critical to the success of an artist’s career. It’s really special to have an organization where women are able to connect with other women in these roles so that they can build teams based on shared vision, values and goals. When I first joined WIM as a member, I was looking for an entertainment attorney who I could bring on my team and who I felt could explain things to me in a way that was dynamic and forward-thinking. While I knew a lot of high-powered attorneys in the business, they were men, and I really felt more comfortable seeking out a woman for my team because it felt more approachable to me. I built up my network that way and it has been the greatest gift to be able to surround myself with people who feel like family.
MM: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
NB: The highlight of my career as an artist manager has been a few “pinch me” moments when goals my artists and I set came to fruition, in ways I’m not sure I could have imagined if I’d been told years ago. The highlight of my time at Women in Music has been bringing our annual virtual Summit come to life starting in 2021 in order to serve the needs of our global members. During our 2022 Summit, a member wrote me an email telling me that they’d tuned in during the inaugural event in 2021 when they aspired to work in the music industry, and by our 2022 Summit a year later, after feeling inspired to take the leap and lean on WIM resources to make the transition, she was tuning in from her desk at her music industry job. I was originally inspired by seeing women who represented the life and career I envisioned for myself years ago, and so it’s a highlight each time we get to see that someone else has been inspired by the representation, education and advancement opportunities WIM presents.
MM: How do you hope your career — and the organization — evolves over the next five years?
NB: In my career as an artist manager, I hope I continue to help my artists achieve our mutual goals and help bring the lives and careers they envision to fruition. For Women in Music, I hope that we’re able to reach more people with educational tools and career resources around the world to further connect and advance folks in their journey to create a more diverse industry and a place where we all belong. More tangibly, I’m hoping we can see an in-person Summit come together so we can all gather and celebrate the truly incredible community that exists at WIM!
MM: What are your ultimate goals for the future and is there anything else that you would like to mention?
NB: The ultimate goal of Women in Music is to usher more women into the highest echelons of the industry so that the decision-makers represent the diverse talent and audiences they represent. We want those gatekeepers to look more like the rest of us, so that it’s not one type of representation at the top. For anyone looking to support Women in Music or to join us, visit womeninmusic.org!