Earmilk Interview: Jake Udell, Manager Of Krewella

I had the opportunity to chat with Jake Udell, who manages one of the biggest acts in dance music right now, Krewella. Jake was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago and has been involved in the music industry  for some time now. He started as a recording artist under the moniker, JQ, but left that career behind to co-found  TH3RD BRAIN MANAGEMENT in order to apply his marketing and business expertise to the managerial side.

For those who are not familiar with the act Krewella, they are an electronic dance music trio consisting of two sisters, Jahan and Yasmine Yousaf, and producer Kris Trindl, who blend catchy pop vocals with hard-hitting dance instrumentals. Krewella broke on to the scene with their cover of Skrillex's song "Breathe."

From then on, it has been all success for the trio, who have achieved high praises on their moombahtoon, dubstep, and house-infused EP Play Hard– which topped the iTunes dance music charts. Most recently, their song "Alive" has taken over the radio waves and is currently being played out on all major stations. For all upcoming artists, wanna-be managers, and music industry hopefuls, look to this interview for some insight into the dance music world.

EARMILK: Jake, can you tell us what sparked your interest in the music industry and was being a music manager all part of the plan?

Jake Udell: My interest in the music industry was originally sparked by my boredom with other industries. I wanted to be a part of the action and music seemed exciting. The original plan was to become a recording artist. I never thought I would be a manager. I started my first business when I was 13, so becoming a manager has been a natural progression. I guess you never know where you'll end up, but I've always believed if I work hard and maintain my vision, amazing opportunities will present themselves. Getting involved with Krewella has been one of those unique opportunities that I am very grateful for. I feel blessed for all of my various failures and the people that worked with me to provide the necessary experience to my music industry education – these failures served as the building blocks for my success.

The next step in my journey is to pass along the knowledge from both my successes and failures with other like minded individuals at the TH3RD BRAIN, our collaborative management agency. We're always looking for passionate, creative individuals to join our team — it's the only way our growth is possible. The management platform we are creating and processes we are perfecting will continue to benefit Krewella, and future artists as well. When we, as managers, come together with our artists, we create the TH3RD BRAIN.

EM: What are some of the key factors in Krewella's success? Is it the branding, music, or marketing scheme in place?

JU: There is a lot of strategy that obviously takes place to coordinate releases properly, which includes cohesive branding. But at the end of the day, the music speaks for itself and that is the key to Krewella's success. Their vocally-infused blend of self-produced electronic music spanning a variety of genres was just what the market needed. Their timing was impeccable and their sound was contagious. Just ask Will Runzel and he'll tell you — crack music is the key to success.

My advice for young producers would be to focus more on developing their sound before they release music. Krewella took three years to define their sound before I even started working with them. It was really important that once we started working together their music and their mindset were ready for the next level of their careers. That development process is priceless.

Similarly, as an artist develops their sound through trial and error, they also need to develop the vision for what will make them unique in the marketplace. Krewella was relatively easy because they were two girls and a guy, but nonetheless, we have plans and ideas for them that span well into their careers. I believe artists should have a general idea of where they want to be a year from today, five years, etc. Those plans can be adjusted as their careers take shape, but having a vision to work toward is critical element to an artist's growth process.

EM: What are your thoughts on the current state of the industry? Do you believe there will be a bubble as some speculate? Or will the industry evolve in something more unique?

JU: I guess I'm not sure. I can't predict the future. I'm going to keep working hard and encouraging others around me to do the same and take advantage of the opportunity while it's here. I feel blessed to be in the position I am in with Krewella to help shape the sound of American dance music.

EM: Management teams are often overlooked when it comes to the success of their artists. What would you say makes an effective management team, and what contributors were intricate in your success as a manager?