ATC Live agent and tour coordinator Cils Williams has built her career on showcasing and providing a platform for alternative artists. Though based in the UK, her roster is stacked with South Korean artists making their way on the world’s stages, including diverse music collective Balming Tiger. The group describes themselves as a “multinational alternative K-pop band” with a desire to create an impact globally, on par with Williams’ personal ethos.
After an impromptu one-off dance performance at Reading Festival, Williams found herself drawn to the industry. She’s risen through the ranks, making stops at Paradigm Talent Agency (now Wasserman), UTA, and Primary Talent International before landing at ATC Live. As an industry professional wearing many hats, Williams is driven by the desire to bridge representational gaps for minorities in music while breaking down cross-cultural barriers.
For the latest edition of Rob My Job, Williams discusses the path she took to get to where she is now.
How did you get into the music industry?
I guess through interning. I studied arts and events management at university, and one of the requirements to pass Year 2 was completing an internship. I did my internship at 580, the team responsible for Adventures in the Beetroot Fields and pubs like the [London’s] Lock Tavern and the Amersham Arms. During my internship there, I became friends with Zara Truss Giles, one of the promoters working there.
After I graduated, I went to [the UK’s] Reading Festival in 2010 and saw Zara there. She introduced me to some of her friends. One of her friends was hosting a club night called Swap-a-rama at the Alternative Stage, and Zara was the emcee that evening. Zara asked if my friends and I could help them out as their dancers didn’t show up. I am not a dancer, but they had me (and my friends) at “free drinks.” A few weeks after Reading Festival, I updated my Facebook status to something along the lines of “I want a job in music.” One of the co-founders of Swap-a-rama replied to my status, saying, “Oh, my boyfriend is one of the partners at a music agency. Send him your CV.” Through that, I got an internship at a music agency and have been pretty much working at music agencies ever since.
What does your current role entail?
I have a hybrid role, which involves working as both a booking agent and a tour coordinator.
As an agent, my current job entails curating a roster, helping to develop and shape their live touring careers, planning tours in advance, and attending shows, conferences, and festivals. As a tour coordinator, you tend to wear several hats. My role as a tour coordinator involves handling most of the administration associated with confirming shows. This includes contracting, invoicing, handling payments, setting up announcements, accounting, and more.
Shout out to the Irish princess Ayo Edebiri, who thanked tour coordinators in her Golden Globe acceptance speech. Ayo was a real one for that.
What are the key strengths and skills that help you excel in this role?
I guess the obvious one is that planning ahead is a key strength: being organised, understanding your roster and their needs, and understanding the fanbase and communities of your roster. Clear communication and clear goals are also essential. Additionally, having a cultural understanding of certain things has helped me excel in my current role.
TELL US ABOUT A MISTAKE YOU’VE MADE ON THE JOB?
Mistakes? I don’t know her…
“Raise your profile, support grassroots, and attend events like Futures Forums that provide insight into the industry and access to music professionals"
Who were your mentors along the way, and how did they help support you?
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve had many, or any, “mentors” during my career. However, throughout my career, I have come across some remarkable people who currently work or have worked in the music industry, whom I admire and want to celebrate. So, I would love to take this opportunity to highlight the following industry professionals, music creators, and communities:
Zara Truss Giles, all the members of Balming Tiger, Ynika Crosby, Ellen Lu, Sumit Bothra, Paloma YB, Hannah Shogbola, Yaw Ouwusu, Ben Wynter, Amarachi Okewuihe, Daniel Lee, Tokyo Terri, Elise Brown, Kele Okereke, Nkechi Ka Egenamba (Ninja), Nishant Karvinkoop, Elle Kim, Sarah Shodipe, Skin, Adem Holness, Johann Ponniah, Abi Raymaker, Mira Silvers, Remi Harris, Tamara Galon, Eastern Margins, Ryan Cameron, Elaine Wong, Marlon Burton, Seny Kassaye, all the Power Up cohorts (special shout out to Year 3), Dotun Bolaji, Soy Huh, Mosh Osinibi, ESEA Music, and David Lewis.
They have all done incredible things throughout their careers so far and have made a significant impact on people of colour and marginalised communities in the live music industry. I may not know all the people I have listed personally, but they have definitely inspired me and made a huge impact on my career just by existing and being themselves unapologetically.
What advice would you give to someone looking to break into the agency side of the industry?
Go outside and touch grass. Listen to lots of music and go to live shows. I think getting almost any job in music will help, as many of the skills you pick up can be transferable. Raise your profile, support grassroots, and attend events like Futures Forums that provide insight into the industry and access to music professionals.
If you could name one, what’s the most valuable experience you’ve had in your career?
I was in Japan for Fuji Rock, and I had one day in Tokyo before heading back to Europe. I needed to buy a charger, so I went to the Apple Store. I got into small talk with one of the sales assistants at the store. I asked her where in the States she was originally from and how long she had been living in Japan. I cannot remember where in the States she said she was from, but she had been living in Tokyo for about 12+ years. She asked me where I was from and what brought me to Japan, etc. So, I explained that I am from London and that I was in Japan for Fuji Rock. She asked me if I was a performer, and I started to laugh. I told her, “No,” and explained that “I work with a music collective from South Korea as their booking agent. They performed at Fuji Rock yesterday, so I attended the festival to see their performance.” Her next words were, “Omg, are you serious?” and she proceeded to smile. I nervously said, “Yes,” and she excitedly said, “You are a product of me, you are the future me!” She then explained why she moved to Japan. She was working as a manager for a Japanese band; unfortunately, the band broke up, but she wanted to stay in Tokyo, so she got a job at Apple. She then started to introduce me to her work colleagues, like some kind of proud mother, she was so cute, and I thanked her for paving the way for me.
I’m not sure if this is the most valuable experience I’ve ever had in my career, but it was definitely an experience that meant a lot to me. It was such a wholesome exchange and a valuable experience that I don’t take for granted, as it reshaped my thought process and made me realise how important visibility within the music industry truly is.
Where do you see yourself headed in the next 5 years?
I don’t know where I’ll be in 5 years, but I hope my roster and I will be thriving and making impactful, positive changes in the music industry.
