Amelia Ideh runs the influential 'Put Me On It', a blog dedicated to promoting good music from independent artists. She is a little lady, with lot going on, not to mention the fact she works in PR and is also an event co-ordinator. She is responsible for the monthly nights like ‘Pause’ at the Market Place and equally ' at the Gramophone. She is indeed a woman that runs things.
J*9: Describe yourself in three sentences?
Amelia: I'm a workaholic, but I'm half Nigerian so it's genetic - we're born hustlers. I'm creative yet organised - I have a degree in contemporary dance where I specialised in choreography (so it was surprisingly good training for what I do now). I sometimes feel like a cross between a hippie and a Care Bear.
J*9: What is an average day like for you?
Amelia: I work from home so it's pretty boring - get up and get to work! I spend an insane amount of time on the internet and often find myself still working at 3am, I love going out to gigs, contemporary dance and the theatre but I don't seem to have the time I used to for clubbing.
J*9: You run the blog put me on it, how did you start it?
Amelia: It began as a space where my friends and I could share news about music and events - we were constantly calling and emailing each other about it so I thought the blog would make it easier. It was my baby so of course I ended up posting the most but I still run it for the same reasons I started it for.
J*9: What did you hope to achieve?
Amelia: I don't think I had a goal in mind at first; it really was just to save time! After a while things developed and a lot of artists and DJs came back to me saying my support was actually having an impact so now I want to use the blog, events I produce and my networks to share amazing music and support the people who are making it.
J*9: You work in music promotion, as it the industry as tough as it seems?
Amelia: The toughest thing for me has been coming from an arts background where everyone is very nice and supportive - they want to collaborate and nurture each other in order to move forwards as a culture. The music industry seems to be much more of a competitive and male vibe which is just not very me! Luckily I think some people find that refreshing, but I've had to develop a thick skin, people can be unbelievably petty and patronizing.
J*9: How easy is it for you to promote independent artist?
Amelia: I think of PR as being one third of an equation. Good music and good marketing will result in good publicity - plenty of independent artists have had to get good at doing their own marketing which is the whole point of a label really, though the kudos can help.
J*9: What was the initial attraction to the world of PR?
Amelia: I held an artist consultation session at the Roundhouse a while back, and asked a group of musicians, vocalists, producers and DJs what they felt the hardest parts of their jobs were. The overwhelming response was spreading the word. I wanted to develop a company that could make a difference, and I had some experience of working in marketing and PR, so when people started coming to me asking if I could support their projects, I said yes.
J*9: What keeps you motivated with the type of work you do?
Amelia: Good music. I have had offers to work on projects I really don't believe in but I can't do it. I want DJs and journalists to be happy to hear from me, and generally they are which makes my job much easier and more fulfilling. I also don't work on projects I wouldn't want to write about myself, for example I could never write about someone's work just because they were paying me to promote it, because I always blog from the heart. At the moment I'm working with Accidental Records (Matthew Herbert's label), which is my favourite label - so I don't need much motivation - it's a dream come true!
J*9: You won a Performing Arts Fund from the BBC, how has that aided you in your career?
Amelia: The support, the process and the money which come with it are all amazing - but to be honest the biggest deal to me was the sense of affirmation. These people believe in me and my ideas, and they are willing to invest in me - that has made a world of difference to my confidence. The investment money means a new website and some bigger events next year, which I'm really excited about.
J*9: You are also an events manager have there been any nights you have been particularly proud of?
Amelia: Recently my Halloween party at the Market Place "Bitches Brew" was pretty amazing - an all female line up of emerging singers, DJs and artists who were all fantastic, and the place was rammed full of lovely people! I'm proud of everything I've worked on though - Pause (especially the Soul Power party we did this summer), Deviation, and Lookout! Have all been great experiences.
J*9: What are the key ingredients of making a good event?
Amelia: DJs you can trust to respond to the dance-floor instead of ego tripping, inviting the nicest people you can ("cool" people are fickle so don't court them), noticing the details (is the dance floor too bright for people to get comfortable dancing, does it smell nice in here?) and remembering to enjoy the party yourself.
J*9: Tell me about the first record you bought?
Amelia: I'm not quite sure which was the first but it could have been Cliff Richard and The Shadows, Holst "The Planets", Rick Astley or Danni Minogue. I was a strange 6-year-old. Long before that though I just used to listen to my Mum's records - loads of Michael Jackson and Motown.
J*9: Are you working on any projects in the future?
Amelia: Loads, watch this space!
Check out her site: http://www.putmeonit.com
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