– Natalia Nastaskin

The Caretakers

As Agency Group CEO, Natalia Nastaskin played an integral role in United Talent Agency’s 2015 acquisition of the talent booking agency. Since subsequently joining UTA, Nastaskin has led the agency’s music expansion, with moves like last year’s acquisition and integration of Circle Talent Agency, while nurturing and developing the field’s next generation of professional talent, including agents, executives and business affairs and tour marketing personnel.

“To me, seeing the progression of somebody that started as an intern, moved to an assistant, then became an agent, those kind of trajectories are what’s really important to me,” Nastaskin says.

As general manager of UTA’s Global Music Group, Nastaskin identifies strategic growth opportunities for the company, which recently added a tour marketing professional to the team in London. “Tour marketing is an area where we’ve done a lot of investment and we’ll continue to look at this because we find the return is tremendous for both our agents and our clients,” she says. 

UTA’s Nashville office and the company’s footprint in the city is another focus; UTA added agents to the office last year via new hires and promotions.

As for the 2019 plans of UTA artists, Jonas Brothers just announced their first tour in six years, Guns N’ Roses has festival dates, “Denzel Curry is supporting Billie Eilish this summer, Tierra Whack is doing exceptionally well – I can go on and on,” Nastaskin says. 

Another target area for UTA is developing internationally known artists stateside, including recently signing Leningrad, the company’s first Russian artist.  

“Also part of the global movement, what’s happening in the Latin world is extremely exciting for us,” Nastaskin adds. “We’ve recently signed Monsieur Periné, which is having a wonderful summer tour run as well as some big festival looks including Bonnaroo.”

Hot Takes

THE SHOW THAT CHANGED YOUR LIFE?

It was Duran Duran at the Beacon Theatre. I think it was around 1987. That was life changing. I was a huge fan, I was very very young, I was 16 years old when I got to go to a concert by myself with my friends and we were all huge fans, and danced all night and really felt like a part of a fan community, sang along with every word to every lyric to every song. 

WHERE CAN YOU BE FOUND DURING A SHOW? 

I’m still first and foremost a fan, so even though I’m probably not in GA (laughs) and I have a decent seat or I’m standing in a good sight line. I’m paying attention and just part of the show, just watching it and being a part of it and remembering it and just feeling the moment. 

BIGGEST MISS BY YOU OR THE INDUSTRY? 

I think it’s still Napster and the fact that Napster was given the opportunity to create this universe of file sharing that ultimately I think it caused a great slump. I wonder if we all missed an opportunity to change the narrative when it was happening. 

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL OUR FRIENDS AT RECORD LABELS/RADIO? 

I think we should all be collaborating and working closely together for the ultimate benefit of the artist. One plus one equals three. 

ARTIST TO WATCH? 

For me, having just now seen her at Coachella and thoroughly enjoyed her set, it’s Tierra Whack. It’s hard to choose just one artist from an immense roister that we work with that I love so much but Tierra is just such an incredible performer, songwriter and personality that I’d love to highlight her here.

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