Impact NextGen: Scott Schreiber

A big part of being an agent is knowing how to trust your gut. Take, for example, how UTA’s Scott Schreiber has approached routing dates for electronic music producer and singer-songwriter Zhu.

“Zhu is one of the artists that really went from zero to 100. … Most people have to build up to that. The way that he presented himself creatively and the quality of the music basically got him to that level way faster than most artists, and what takes most artists years to achieve,” Schreiber previously told Pollstar about Zhu’s early headline shows.

And while many will caution about skipping steps, Schreiber explained that from the start Zhu “made such a splash and the music resonated so strongly that really there was no other option but to present him in such a big way because that was how the world wanted to see him.”

Schreiber points to Zhu’s May 2021 run at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre, featuring six limited capacity shows that marked his return to the stage after COVID, as one of the highlights of his career.

In addition to contributing to the success of Zhu’s career, Schreiber has helped SG Lewis move from small venues into a six-figure festival artist (with 2022 dates including the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles) and worked with artists including Chet Faker, James Blake, Channel Tres, James Murphy, Soulwax and Michael Brun.

Working in concerts and events was a natural fit for Schreiber, who performed across music and theatre for most of his life before becoming an agent. He joined UTA in February and has been in the agency world for 10 years, starting in the mailroom in 2012 and becoming an agent at WME in 2017.

He names Samantha Kirby Yoh, who was hired at UTA in fall 2020 after exiting WME, as one of his mentors. Schreiber says, “Among so many valuable lessons, she’s taught me the importance of considering how each opportunity fits with an artist’s identity, and of making every important decision with an eye to what comes next.”

As for how Schreiber hopes to make an impact in the live industry, he says, “Putting talented artists in the right positions to tell their stories and create memorable moments for fans. If I can keep doing this for the next decade, I’ll be happy. I also want to help teach the next generation of agents how cool and fulfilling this job can be.”