Once again this year, MXD are inviting several key international industry professionals to attend SPOT Festival. All of them will be joining us at the MXD Superball @ RADAR as part of the SPOT+ programme, but until the festival kicks off on May 4th, we will be bringing you brief introductions to them, including where they come from, what companies they work for, what bands they want to check out at Spot, and much more. We look forward to seeing Hugo Simpson of Kartel Music Group.
Name: Hugo Simpson
Company: Kartel Music Group
Title: Promotions Manager
Based in: Hackney, London
Can you tell us a bit about the company’s history and roster?
Kartel is a music services company that provides label services, management and more. I run the internal promotions department plus an external roster. The company started 10+ years ago as a management company for Fat Freddy’s Drop and Buena Vista Social Club and has expended year on year, now covering a wide range of artists and working with a long list of labels internationally.
– and a bit about the acts you personally work with at this moment?
I do Online PR, Print PR and Radio Plugging for artists from all over the world, but the majority are based in the UK and in Scandinavia.
What was the moment you decided you wanted to work with music?
Always have done. My first proper job was a Music PR company straight out of school.
Who are you looking forward to seeing at Spot Festival this year?
I’m biased, because I work with a load of great Danish artists, but Palace Winter, Soleima, Irah, Masasolo, Blondage and more.
Best show ever of your life, hands down?
Colin Stetson. Best musician in the world!