After working on her artist management skills, Chloe Mykel launched her own music collective. 1994 Collective was founded in order to bring together creatives and supports artists. It was inspired by a clear creative vision, industry knowledge and a passion for uplifting emerging talent. We chat to Chloe about the 1994 Collective and how she's shaking up the world of music.
What was your first experience of working in the music industry?
My first experience working in the music industry was actually managing my younger brother Young M (go check him out @youngm). Artist management allowed me to gain a plethora of skills that I’ve carried with me throughout my career in music. I wouldn’t know half of what I know today if it wasn’t for that experience.
What inspired you to start 1994 Collective and FEMUSIC?
1994 Collective was actually born out of the experience of gaining all the skills and knowledge that I had racked up throughout my artist management days. I got to a point where I felt like I had a lot to offer, with a very sharp creative vision, too. I noticed a distinct lack of accessibility to certain services and expertise within the industry for emerging artists in particular, so I wanted to bridge that gap. FEMUSIC was unintentionally formed after I decided I wanted to host a brunch for women in the music industry to meet each other and connect in person after being in lockdown. It was only meant to be a one-time thing, but when myself and my now business partner Crystal came together to plan it, we realised that it was much bigger than just a one-off brunch.
What are your hopes for the future of the 1994 Collective?
I want it to continue to grow, in whatever way that looks like. I don’t have distinct plans for 1994 in terms of a tick list of goals or milestones, but I do want to make an impact and do things that have never been done before.
What's your favourite part of your job?
I enjoy the freedom of working for myself, choosing my clients and creating my own schedule. I’m not someone who performs well when I feel restricted. Freedom is the key to fulfilment for me.
How does it feel to operate under an independent wing of the music industry? Does this let you bypass some of the issues that can often occur within some big record labels?
Operating within the independent realm is definitely a blessing, but it also comes with a lot of challenges and roadblocks – most of which I never saw coming! Often at times, there’s a discord between what we are able to do independently versus what we could do if we had a big label budget or a huge team. As a small business, building a strong infrastructure when it comes to your team is key. You can only perform as well as your team can, so supporting and nurturing them is the most important thing.
What has been a career highlight for you so far?
Probably being nominated for the ‘Best (Service) Agency’ at the Young Music Boss Awards this year. That was a crazy and overwhelming experience.
What's the most exciting part of your day-to-day life?
I’d say planning my schedule for the day. Every morning the first thing I do is make a list of all the tasks, meetings and to-dos for the day. That sets me up for a productive day. I love to be organised.
If you could give your younger self one bit of industry advice what would it be?
Always remember your ‘why’. So when times get tough, and they will, you never lose sight of why you started.
You can check out 1994 collective online here.
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