“For me, I’ve always been a leader and always been in management. Even at my old retail job at 19, I was always the retail manager so I’ve always had the heart for developing people and helping them grow. When I realised that wasn’t something that was going to happen for me I was like, if I am going to grow and develop let me pour all my skills and background into myself and see what happens.”
She is a businesswoman, a mother and an overall boss! Jazzmyne has worked with stars like Doja Cat.
From working in TV production to with hitmakers like Doja Cat and Wiz Khalifa, Jazzmyne knows what she’s talking about in the entertainment industry. From the San Francisco Bay Area, the 32-year-old impressively worked her way up from hit shows such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians where she crafted and developed her skills. Yet, Jazzmyne’s passion for empowering others didn’t stop there, leading her to start her journey in the industry.
She started her own business ‘No Conformity’ in 2021, a music management business dedicated to amplifying the voices of musicians and women.
Q: What do you do at ‘No Conformity’?
A: So, I help artists release music and other side projects. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do and how I was going to make money. That’s when I realised I am the girl who does the work and planning but I am also still creative. I just did what I knew how to do, get artists’ funding and support for their music. Marketing was something I was interested and that’s what I leaned onto.
Q: Starting your own company is something people often shy away from, what made you decide to start?
A: I decided to start my company because these jobs will still be there as the economy grows so I feel like I got a headstart and now everyone is doing what im doing!
I couldn’t do that, trying to make money for other people. I had to use my gifts and skills to do that for myself, what I am happy with and advocate for. Who knows where I would’ve ended up staying at a big company, working with big artists and all that great stuff but I see where I am going now and the future of the music industry as everyone leaving these big labels and companies. They are not being paid their worth and value and starting their independent companies- even executives are doing it!
Q: What was it like working with Doja Cat?
A: I feel it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to work with her and when we started she was the new girl and we were just getting ready to release ‘Juicy’. Then I left and had my baby when ‘Say So’ started picking up.
We had a No.1 Billboard record and when I came back from maternity leave that’s when they released Plant Her. It was great because I was around for all those records. It was beautiful and a great thing to see a music artist grow the way she did.
Q: What are some challenges you face working in the industry?
A: I think the challenges I found are just all in communication. You know music is very very very creative and I started in television, which is also creative but very structured since we have a limited amount of time to shoot these shows, turn them around and a limited budget. At the end of the day, even if there is conflict we have a common goal so we resolve conflict quickly and know how to work with each other.
When working in music, things are less structured and you don’t really know how to make your way up. For me, I told myself I was just going to do a really good job and hope someone noticed the hard work I did and maybe pay me a six-figure salary. She says as we laugh. I always thought it was outside the realm of possibility to get there but I thought of the men above me. I was thinking what are they doing that I am not and what can I do to change that, so I could develop my skills and increase my pay like they have.
Q: The industry is difficult for women. What do you have to say about your own treatment in this environment, working in TV production and now managing artists? And why do you think it’s important as women to pick each other up?
A: I think that is so hard even outside of the industry. I used to have a podcast called ‘Pick Her Upper’, in which I talked about women’s empowerment, self-discovery and all these other things because I was learning all this at 23,24 which women usually only discover in their 30s and 40s. So, I always look out for women because I have a rebellious spirit and never believe what you tell me. I believe the truth, what I see and your actions.
In the music industry, they want to hire soldiers, people who will just be loyal and do what they need you to do to help them but not necessarily what you need to do to grow and develop your own goals.
Q: You have worked with many famous artists did you meet all of them?
A: I have met every music artist I’ve worked with. My old job had the title project manager but I was more day-to-day so I was on set with them, on the ground for MTV shoots and music videos sometimes. Everyone wants to go to music shoots because that’s when the CEO or president of the company comes out.
But I can say I was the person who planted the seed to have Hannah Lux Davis (director) – do a single bid for the ‘Say So’ music video and I just discovered that! If I go back to the text messages and put the timeline together I did that!
While Jazzmyne continued to talk about her achievements I asked her about the famous diamond plaque she received and this is when I learnt plaques are NOT free.
A: I’m supposed to have 10 more plaques but people don’t realise plaques cost money so the plaque I have someone ordered it for me. I don’t have a plaque for every song I’ve helped on. For example, having a Billboard No.1, working on the ‘Say So’ campaign with Nicki Minaj, I could get a plaque for that which is usually a gift but at least I got this one!
Q: You’ve been killing it in the game however having a baby and being in the industry must have been difficult. So how was that experience for you?
A: Having a child completely changed the trajectory of my career, but I love God and serve the Lord so I believe everything happens for a reason.
I am very happy I had my child because I feel like a lot of women who came before me sacrificed having children, having a relationship or even what they wanted because they had to do all the work to be seen as valuable, to not be thrown away or overlooked but sometimes they still are.
So for me, I just had to advocate for myself.
Q: What was it like being pregnant at work during the pandemic and how did your team take the news?
A: When I became pregnant, I didn’t have to go into the office so no one had to see me.
I told my team about it when I was around six months. They were happy but wondered why I took so long to tell them. I thought does that even matter?
They also asked me are you quitting? Just because I have a child does not mean I won’t work in music again. I looked at Live Nation’s policy and saw they gave six months of paid maternity leave. And having that time with my son was so beautiful, irreplaceable and so necessary because I was breastfeeding. I cannot imagine going back to work even though so many women do it.
Women return to work like six weeks after they give birth and you release milk so you have to pump. For me, when I work, I am so locked in, that I can be in the office for over six hours and not come out. Imagine trying to do that, balancing pumping and trying to save the milk for my kid it is so crazy. So I always advocate women should choose themselves because it did change the trajectory of my career but I think it changed it in a positive way.
Q: Jazzmyne proceeded to talk about the importance of helping musical artists especially women in the music industry.
A: When you are in this and all you care about is the artist, all you’re worried about is how can I help YOU spread your music in the ears of other people? When you think about it, it all comes down to marketing creation and branding. At least it does for me, which I feel every music artist can benefit from no matter what skill you have since I have worked with everyone on different levels.
That’s all I care about helping music artists and highlighting women because we are here!
It is like our percentage in the music industry is so small which blows my mind because I work with so many women. I just feel I am going to do something to highlight all the women who are doing all these great things.
Q: I can see you are constantly showing up time and time again for women within the industry, do you feel you receive enough recognition for all the hard work that you do?
A: I don’t know. I don’t do the work for the recognition. I just feel there are so many women who work so much harder than me and people might not even know who they are. Do people know who HER’s manager is or HER’s touring manager? All these women work really hard behind the scenes but you go on their Instagram pages and they might have like 2-3 thousand followers.
A lot of us are not actually worried about the recognition. It is nice and trending to highlight women in music but when they do they only highlight executives and not management, for example, unless your artist has had a crazy breakout year. I believe in letting my hard work and success tell my story. If I ever get recognition great. But, if I don’t as long as the artists I work for are happy and we are doing what we need to do then you know it is cool.
Q: This industry seems ruthless and you’ve worked so hard and I just want you to know we can acknowledge all your hard work! What piece of advice would you give yourself or people that are trying to get to your level?
A: Thank you so much! I would say stop trying to find the perfect or the right way to do things in the music industry. The industry is constantly evolving and with the rapid evolution of technology and streaming, what works is constantly being redefined.
- So trust your instincts, trust your vision, trust what you want to do
- Don’t be apologetic for your ideas, views or greatness.
- Always continue to ask questions respectfully. Do not change your point of view or perception based on how other people will want you to be.
Because at the end of the day, people want soldiers, not visionaries, they will try to stomp that out of you. But that’s a part of who you are, that’s one of your gifts and that is going to be valued and recognised above all things. People are not going to value you for all your hard work, they will value your vision and helping them.
It is very important to bring people like Jazzmyne forward to hear their stories which we love to do at 5678. With all her talents helping women and breaking barriers in an industry that often isn’t the kindest to women, we should look at Jazzmyne and the things she has achieved. During the interview, she made me feel stronger, inspired and powerful helping me realise I can achieve whatever I want with the right help.
