MBW’s Inspiring Girls sequence profiles feminine executives who’ve risen through the ranks of the enterprise, highlighting their profession journey – from their skilled breakthrough to the senior obligations they now fulfill. Inspiring Girls is supported by Virgin Music Group.
Michele Ballantyne has spent a formidable 20 years on the Recording Trade Affiliation of America (RIAA), throughout which era she’s witnessed the music trade grapple with the transition from unlawful downloading to streaming, and now has a front-row seat within the battle to keep up the worth of human-created music within the age of AI.
As President & COO of the group, Ballantyne now runs every day operations and manages a 56-person crew. Her work has additionally centered on social justice advocacy, together with mobilizing RIAA members to help police reform payments, guiding the implementation of members’ social change commitments and managing probably the most various board of administrators in its historical past.
Born on the tiny Caribbean island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ballantyne, who later grew up in Montreal, was a self-confessed music nerd as a child however by no means envisaged having the ability to work within the trade.
As a substitute, she first pursued a profession in legislation and politics. After graduating from the Georgetown College Regulation Heart, Ballantyne landed authorities roles comparable to Basic Counsel for Senator Tom Daschle, Particular Assistant for President Invoice Clinton and Particular Counsel for former White Home Chief of Workers John Podesta.
After engaged on mental property points with Daschle, a good friend really useful her for a job at RIAA and Ballantyne began the music enterprise a part of her profession in 2004.
When requested how her historical past in Capitol Hill informs what she does at this time, Ballantyne solutions: “In my public service jobs, I used to be a generalist, an individual who would step again and check out to take a look at the massive image and ensure the puzzle items are all linked in order that we might get issues over the end line.
“you possibly can’t simply take into consideration what’s proper in entrance of you, it’s important to suppose three steps forward.”
“I used to fret that maybe I needs to be extra steeped within the intricacies of the small print. I do take note of the small print, it’s important to, however within the jobs that I’ve labored at, you possibly can’t simply take into consideration what’s proper in entrance of you, it’s important to suppose three steps forward. I spend numerous time puzzling these issues out and people are the talents I introduced with me.”
Right here, we chat to Ballantyne about her profession to this point, social justice and variety within the music trade, and the 2 lawsuits the RIAA has not too long ago filed towards AI startups Suno and Udio.
Do you might have any habits or rituals that make sure you carry your finest self to work?
I really like yoga. I by no means actually did a lot yoga earlier than however I noticed, proper earlier than the pandemic, that I wrestle with stability. I at all times really feel like I’ve to tick by my to-do checklist and may get very stressed and overwhelmed.
One of many methods I handle that’s by doing yoga. I do it nearly daily. Additionally, chilly brew espresso, which I can not dwell with out.
What’s your definition of excellent management?
It’s being a great listener, being considerate, bringing completely different views to the desk and ensuring that you simply hear these. I work actually laborious and I push folks to work laborious, however I additionally hear them and validate them.
It’s essential to have the ability to put your self within the sneakers of your crew members. Additionally, being variety, respectful {and professional} and having a humorousness about issues. Issues go mistaken and typically we are able to’t management these.
I consider in being very direct, which [RIAA CEO] Mitch Glazier (pictured) is on the receiving finish of most instances. However he likes it, so it’s high-quality. I consider in giving suggestions nearly instantly, if potential, I don’t like to sit down on issues. I feel that helps folks perceive the place and the way they will enhance.
I additionally consider in giving constructive suggestions frequently, as a result of I feel folks really want that. You wish to know that you simply’ve completed a great job or that you simply’re moving into the correct course. It’s horrible if you’re wandering round at nighttime and do not know the place you stand. I wish to let folks know the place they stand.
What are the largest classes that you simply’ve discovered throughout your profession?
When issues get powerful, put your head down, give attention to what’s in entrance of you and put one foot in entrance of the opposite. And that it’s actually essential to strive issues, even when they scare you.
After I was a younger staffer on The Hill, we used to have a gathering with the legislative administrators of each Democratic senator, which was round 50 folks at the moment, and certainly one of my colleagues mentioned, ‘You’re going to steer this assembly each week.’
I used to be like, ‘Oh, I’m new and I don’t actually know all these things.’ I at all times really feel like I’ve to know the whole lot earlier than I can speak about it. He was like, ‘You truly know greater than you suppose so that you’re going to sit down right here each week and also you’re going to run this assembly.’
I used to be actually anxious about it however I ran the assembly and it taught me methods to converse in entrance of a gaggle. I’m very nervous about public talking, which isn’t unusual, however the extra you observe it, the higher you develop into. And I noticed, ‘Effectively, I can do it.’ Yet one more factor: belief your intestine.
What’s the perfect career-related recommendation you’ve ever been given?
I’ve had a few mentors and certainly one of them is at all times pushing me to not get caught up within the day-to-day, to consider the massive image and methods to get issues completed.
Round 20 years in the past, he additionally informed me, ‘Simply be your self. There are abilities you might have that you simply don’t notice are abilities.’ I stored saying, ‘I’m not the knowledgeable on this and I’m not the knowledgeable on that. What am I going to do in my subsequent job? I’ve to know one thing specifically.’
He mentioned, ‘You’re studying methods to be a great boss.’ That enhance of confidence was what I wanted at the moment. I noticed that you simply do must study, you could perceive the panorama and the substance however you additionally must discover ways to use logic. That helped me to develop into a greater chief.
In regard to the lawsuits the RIAA has filed towards AI firms Suno and Udio. What’s the group’s supreme consequence?
That we’ll go to courtroom and we’ll win. That they must pay damages and handle what they’re doing. It’s not OK to make use of the supplies of artists as inputs and with out permission. We wish them to grasp that they’re doing one thing mistaken and handle it.
What do you make of the honest use argument and that the event of those firms, and music startups basically, is being constrained and restricted by licensing offers?
We don’t consider it’s honest use. On the constraints within the market [argument], I don’t consider that’s true. There are constructs arrange for a purpose, there are firms which have confirmed, over the course of the time I’ve been on the RIAA, that they’re keen to pivot, they’re keen to be modern, they’re keen to license and work with different firms. There are moral gamers within the market already which have been licensed.
Our firms have used AI in a accountable and moral method to supply these nice songs that you simply’ve heard from artists like The Beatles, which is wonderful. Not too long ago, Randy Travis, the singer-songwriter from Nashville, was on the town. He had a stroke in 2013 and he used AI to supply music.
“I don’t suppose it’s OK for firms like Suno and Udio to take supplies and use them for their very own functions to earn a living. Human creativity needs to be protected.”
I don’t suppose it’s OK for firms like Suno and Udio to take supplies and use them for their very own functions to earn a living. Human creativity needs to be protected. There are offers being completed on a regular basis. Every part is shifting so quick and we’ve to ascertain some guidelines of the street earlier than it will get approach too far out, creativity is suppressed and {the marketplace} is flooded with AI generated music.
The factor about music that’s so nice, that makes us all so keen about it, is that it comes from inside somebody. It’s honest and natural and it expresses their lived expertise or their creativeness. It’s not honest to take that away.
Greg Bulla by way of Unsplash
What’s the standing of laws that may higher defend copyrighted works within the age of AI?
It doesn’t exist, in fact. The factor you study in a short time if you end up working in Authorities, particularly within the US, is there’s a time lag behind the whole lot.
Proper now, we’re working in each the Home of Representatives and within the Senate to get them to deal with a few of these points. They acknowledge that issues usually are not shifting as shortly as they want, they usually acknowledge that know-how strikes extra shortly than the legislative course of. The primary piece of laws we hope will make it by addresses the problem of deep fakes.
An enormous a part of your work on the RIAA has centered on social justice and variety. Have you ever witnessed efficient change in these areas throughout the trade throughout your 20 years on the group?
Sure, I’ve. I see extra various faces on the desk. I additionally suppose there’s at all times room for enchancment and there’s far more work to be completed. We are able to’t take our foot off the gasoline.
There have been these main shifts after the police reform payments, George Floyd’s demise and the RAP Act [a bill to protect artists from having their lyrics used against them in court]. The complete trade coalesced round this stuff, not simply folks of coloration. You must maintain speaking about it. The work has to proceed and it’s important to be intentional about it. We are able to’t let up as a result of it’s too essential.
Are there any particular adjustments you wish to see throughout the music enterprise that might enhance entry to equal alternatives and variety at this time?
It’s a few issues. We companion with the Black Music Motion Coalition to do a music accelerator programme at a traditionally black school in Tennessee, TSU.
One of many issues that’s so essential about that’s getting younger folks into the enterprise, ensuring that they’re set as much as succeed and progress they usually have the publicity, the understanding and the data to maneuver ahead.
To increase the horizons of the place you search for expertise can be essential. And ensuring there’s extra and completely different views. For instance, for our board, it’s about growing the variety of folks of coloration but in addition style variety, regional variety, gender variety and racial variety. It’s not only one factor and I feel folks get caught there.
You must go searching. Are we listening to from girls? Are we listening to from the LGBTQ group? Are we listening to from younger of us and extra skilled of us, in addition to black folks, Latin folks and Asian folks? We now have to ensure that we’re getting all the views.
What are probably the most thrilling developments occurring within the music enterprise at this time, out of your perspective?
Within the time that I’ve labored at RIAA, the way in which that report labels have advanced has been fascinating. At first, they had been nonetheless coping with the repercussions of Napster, Grokster and unlawful downloading. The longer term was very unsure and there was a resistance to vary.
“Labels have gone from being considered as gatekeepers to extra like gateways into the music enterprise and into higher success for artists. We’ve labored laborious to indicate that we’re good companions.”
Over time, I’ve seen numerous thrilling, modern views, completely different, youthful folks coming in with completely different concepts about methods to do issues, methods to shake issues up. Labels have gone from being considered as gatekeepers to extra like gateways into the music enterprise and into higher success for artists. We’ve labored laborious to indicate that we’re good companions.
It’s a tricky enterprise and it’s laborious to interrupt by. There’s a lot music on the market, a whole lot of hundreds of tracks being uploaded daily. How do you attain the individuals who wish to hear what it’s important to inform them? I really feel actually proud and grateful to be a part of the group of parents who assist make that occur.
For those who might return to the start of your profession and inform your self one factor, what would it not be?
Maintain pushing. I by no means imagined I might have a job in music. I additionally by no means imagined I might go to probably the greatest legislation faculties. I by no means imagined I might work for the President of the USA.
I by no means imagined I might discover myself in a number of the rooms the place essential selections are being made, however someway I did, by a mixture of laborious work, nice mentors, a little bit of luck, seizing alternatives and doing the issues that had been scary typically. One foot in entrance of the opposite actually does get you locations in case you’re dedicated to doing the work.
Virgin Music Group is the worldwide impartial music division of Common Music Group, which brings collectively UMG’s label and artist service companies together with Virgin and Ingrooves.Music Enterprise Worldwide
