MUMBAI: With an array of opportunities available for artistes and dynamic music business models, it's essential to have the right knowledge of legal procedures and game plan execution.

Artiste managers play an important role in managing such responsibilities as it's difficult for an artiste to handle the task by himself. The term is quite common in west, but is still to maintain its hold in India. The panelists comprising of some well-known artiste -managers, lawyer and singer explained the work module of artiste management in the evolving music scenario at Nokia Music connects 2011.

â€?Artiste Management' the last session of the event was  moderated by Fountain Head Promotion and Events chairman Brian Tellis including Promo Sapiens Asia Pacific chief Pakull Chaturvedi, Sound Advice lawyer/Business Manager Robert Horsfall, singer Shaan, Linkin Park's manager Jordan Berliant, Imogen's Heap manager Mark Wood and Haldanes partner John Mclellan.

The difficult element of music industry is to understand its legal entanglements and procedures attached along with it.  Shedding light on the topic, Mclellan stated, Manager should be competent enough to understand the legal contract as music industry is full of legal entanglements, he should be able to promote his artiste without any legal hassles. In today's scenario young artistes generally sign contract along with labels manager, who are not proficient enough to handle single artiste as they also have to look after other artistes....

Linkin Park's manager Jordan Berliant futher shared an insight on managing artiste, he stated, Artiste management is all about the relationship between an artiste and manager who is responsibile to build his career and sustain it. He must also build a strong relationship between artiste and audience.... Imogen's Heap manager Mark Wood also noted, The most important point of artiste management is the way manager inspires artiste. The artistes and manager should have trust on each other and respect each other decisions.

Horsfall added that when an artiste signs a label manager, it's difficult to maintain such relationship as record label handles several repertoire of artiste which makes a major interest issue and conflict. The manager should be smart enough to decide what is good for the artiste.

The artiste management scene in India is quiet different than the west, the concept is yet to get popularize. Explaining the crux of artiste management issue Chaturvedi said, In India the concept is new, we don't have huge number of managers to handle artiste. The body of managers role is not clearly defined as it's done in West. We should have a proper role drafted to managers....

Agreeing with Chaturvedi, Shaan and Anushka Manchanda pointed out that the artiste managers are yet to receive their due credit as they are still misconcepted  with the term 'secretary' in India.

Elaborating further On Mobile content head Atul Churamani asserted, India hasn't seen excellent management as it is a new concept. It is necessary for a manager to have a good interest for his artistes. This relationship should work from both sides. In India, there are artistes like Asha Bhosale and Sunidhi Chauhan who work without manager....

Today as the music industry is getting more and more competent the role of manager is constantly evolving. Now managers don't just have to help artistes with their legal contracts but also have to look after the creative side of the artistes. The panel agreed that to have a successful artiste management it's necessary to define the role of mangers and they should realize each others importance.