behind the music
behind the music
Building Artist Identity in a Crowded Digital Landscape: Interview with Kate Edge at Autonomy Music Group
Building Artist Identity in a Crowded Digital Landscape: Interview with Kate Edge at Autonomy Music Group
WORDS: LILY NGUYEN (EDITOR-IN-CHIEF)
IMAGES: AUTONOMY MUSIC GROUP
Kate Edge is Product & Social Media Manager at Autonomy Music Group, a global artist management, record label services and campaign strategy company working with wide roster of artists including YUNGBLUD, Damien Dempsey, Starsailor, Kate Nash, Feeder, Sienna Williams, Catfish and The Bottlemen and Jamie Cullum.
In this Behind The Music interview, she discusses story-led campaign building, audience connection across platforms, and the challenges of establishing clear artist identity in an increasingly crowded digital environment
Hey Kate! Your role at Autonomy sits across social, product management and artist development - what does your day-to-day actually look like?
Short answer: No two days are ever the same, which is what I love about it.
I work closely with artists to build creative campaigns around their releases, but for me it always starts with the story.
Before thinking about content, socials or live shows, I like to understand who the artist is & what they want to say as I strongly believe that every great artist has a perspective.
From there I help bring that story to life across everything, whether that involves sitting in studio sessions, planning content, pulling together creative teams, coordinating press and radio, or building out release and live strategies. I'm involved from the initial idea through execution, ensuring every piece of the campaign feels connected and purposeful.
A huge part of the role is artist development & branding via consultancy and constant idea generation (my WhatsApp is a busy place!)
Hey Kate! Your role at Autonomy sits across social, product management and artist development - what does your day-to-day actually look like?
Short answer: No two days are ever the same, which is what I love about it.
I work closely with artists to build creative campaigns around their releases, but for me it always starts with the story.
Before thinking about content, socials or live shows, I like to understand who the artist is & what they want to say as I strongly believe that every great artist has a perspective.
From there I help bring that story to life across everything, whether that involves sitting in studio sessions, planning content, pulling together creative teams, coordinating press and radio, or building out release and live strategies. I'm involved from the initial idea through execution, ensuring every piece of the campaign feels connected and purposeful.
A huge part of the role is artist development & branding via consultancy and constant idea generation (my WhatsApp is a busy place!).
"The artists who cut through usually create something with a real sense of purpose - music that makes people feel something, reflect on something, or see their own experiences in a new way."
"The artists who cut through usually create something with a real sense of purpose - music that makes people feel something, reflect on something, or see their own experiences in a new way."
Working across TikTok, Instagram and Spotify every day, what do you think makes people truly connect with an artist online now?
Even before building connection, one of the biggest challenges for artists today is standing out. There's more music and content than ever, so having great music alone isn't always enough.
That being said, I still believe it starts with the music.
The artists who cut through usually create something with a real sense of purpose - music that makes people feel something, reflect on something, or see their own experiences in a new way.
For me, connecting with an artist comes down to storytelling. People don't just connect with songs; they connect with the people and stories behind them.
It's one thing for people to enjoy your music; it's another for them to care enough to buy a ticket, share your content, and follow your journey. That's where storytelling becomes so important. The artists who build lasting careers are usually the ones who give people something to connect with way beyond the music itself.
Is it hard to build long-term artist identity when everything online moves so fast?
I actually think it's easier than ever to build an artist identity. Artists now have access to incredible tools and platforms that allow them to create, share and shape their world without needing huge budgets or teams behind them.
The harder part is making people care. Everyone is competing for attention, and audiences are constantly being presented with new content. That's why having a clear sense of who you are as an artist is so deeply important. And that's a huge emotional & time commitment.
A strong identity doesn't come from posting more than everyone else - it comes from taking the time to understand who you are, what you stand for, and what story you're trying to tell. Once that's clear, everything else becomes much more consistent and compelling.
Working across TikTok, Instagram and Spotify every day, what do you think makes people truly connect with an artist online now?
Even before building connection, one of the biggest challenges for artists today is standing out. There's more music and content than ever, so having great music alone isn't always enough.
That being said, I still believe it starts with the music.
The artists who cut through usually create something with a real sense of purpose - music that makes people feel something, reflect on something, or see their own experiences in a new way.
For me, connecting with an artist comes down to storytelling. People don't just connect with songs; they connect with the people and stories behind them.
It's one thing for people to enjoy your music; it's another for them to care enough to buy a ticket, share your content, and follow your journey. That's where storytelling becomes so important. The artists who build lasting careers are usually the ones who give people something to connect with way beyond the music itself.
Is it hard to build long-term artist identity when everything online moves so fast?
I actually think it's easier than ever to build an artist identity. Artists now have access to incredible tools and platforms that allow them to create, share and shape their world without needing huge budgets or teams behind them.
The harder part is making people care. Everyone is competing for attention, and audiences are constantly being presented with new content. That's why having a clear sense of who you are as an artist is so deeply important. And that's a huge emotional & time commitment.
A strong identity doesn't come from posting more than everyone else - it comes from taking the time to understand who you are, what you stand for, and what story you're trying to tell. Once that's clear, everything else becomes much more consistent and compelling.
You also manage WLDAN and TX - how did you end up moving into artist management?
WLDAN and TX are completely different projects, but what drew me to both was the strength of their character and artistry.
WLDAN has such a valuable story to share.
With him, it started with his story. His project was inspired by his grandad’s poetry book and a family full of talented writers whose work has never really been seen by the world. The idea that some of the best books have never been read and some of the best songs have never been heard really resonated with me. It’s a project with a genuine purpose behind it, and from the moment I understood the vision, I could see both its creative value and its potential.
TX is the most motivated artist I've ever met.
I’ve worked with him for a few years, but what stood out immediately was his work ethic. At 18, he was working two jobs while putting every spare bit of time, energy and money into his music. He’s one of the most driven artists I’ve ever met, and his passion for both his craft and the wider music community is infectious. Managing him has been incredibly rewarding because he approaches every opportunity with real hunger and respect.
What’s been consistent across both experiences is seeing how much incredible artistry exists, and how important it is in shaping how that story is communicated.
Before working in music management, I was in a band and built an online following by developing my own social media strategy. That experience made me realise I had a strong ability to build brands and create work that people genuinely connect with. Therefore, I wanted to help artists who were far more talented and musically committed than I was, but who hadn’t necessarily developed the same tools or experience for shaping how their story and music were being communicated.
Finally, if you could recommend one person for us to interview next for Behind The Music, who would it be?
You should interview my girlfriend Serra Marinheiro (formerly known as POESY). Her industry experience captures so many pieces of this crazy puzzle.
You also manage WLDAN and TX - how did you end up moving into artist management?
WLDAN and TX are completely different projects, but what drew me to both was the strength of their character and artistry.
WLDAN has such a valuable story to share.
With him, it started with his story. His project was inspired by his grandad’s poetry book and a family full of talented writers whose work has never really been seen by the world. The idea that some of the best books have never been read and some of the best songs have never been heard really resonated with me. It’s a project with a genuine purpose behind it, and from the moment I understood the vision, I could see both its creative value and its potential.
TX is the most motivated artist I've ever met.
I’ve worked with him for a few years, but what stood out immediately was his work ethic. At 18, he was working two jobs while putting every spare bit of time, energy and money into his music. He’s one of the most driven artists I’ve ever met, and his passion for both his craft and the wider music community is infectious. Managing him has been incredibly rewarding because he approaches every opportunity with real hunger and respect.
What’s been consistent across both experiences is seeing how much incredible artistry exists, and how important it is in shaping how that story is communicated.
Before working in music management, I was in a band and built an online following by developing my own social media strategy. That experience made me realise I had a strong ability to build brands and create work that people genuinely connect with. Therefore, I wanted to help artists who were far more talented and musically committed than I was, but who hadn’t necessarily developed the same tools or experience for shaping how their story and music were being communicated.
Finally, if you could recommend one person for us to interview next for Behind The Music, who would it be?
You should interview my girlfriend Serra Marinheiro (formerly known as POESY). Her industry experience captures so many pieces of this crazy puzzle.
About Behind The Music
Behind The Music is an interview series from Hype-Index exploring the people behind today's music industry. Through conversations with artist managers, publishers, marketers, publicists, label executives and other industry professionals, the series aims to shed light on how artists are developed, supported and discovered behind the scenes.
Each interview offers a practical look at the roles, decisions and day-to-day work that help shape modern music careers.
About The Author
Lily Nguyen is Editor-in-Chief at Hype-Index, where she covers artist development, music marketing and the wider music industry ecosystem. Through the Behind The Music series, she speaks with the professionals helping shape the careers of emerging and established artists across the industry.