2023 Women Of Live: Nicole Erin Massey

Production Manager | Billie Eilish & FINNEAS

As Billie Eilish prepares to play her first-ever South American tour dates as part of her “Happier Than Ever, The World Tour,” she and her team – including production manager and Women Of Live honoree Nicole Erin Massey – have lots to be proud of.

“We are just about to complete the final leg of the tour, but in 2022 we made it through the tour without missing any shows due to COVID and we nailed the Grammys, Oscars, Coachella, a Live from the O2 film shoot and Glastonbury all the while in the middle of our tour!” Massey says.

The tour, which launched Feb. 3 in New Orleans at Smoothie King Center, grossed a reported $74.6 million during the 2022 chart period and ranked No. 28 on Pollstar’s Worldwide Tours Chart.

Massey points to Coachella Weekend 2 as a stand-out moment, marking her first Coachella as a PM.

“We had just completed two U.S. legs of the tour and pretty much went straight into Coachella rehearsals the day after that run ended. We poured our hearts into the show. Weekend #1 was great, but everyone knows Weekend #2 is for the fans – the lovers of music! During Billie’s show on Saturday night, she was (of course) amazing and made mention to ‘I can’t believe I’m headlining!’ I turned to my head rigger and dear friend, Mattie Rynes, and said ‘I can’t believe I’m the Production Manager for a headliner at Coachella!!’ We laughed and I got misty eyed! The next day we finished out our Coachella fun with an amazing FINNEAS set and I drove the whole way back to LA with a smile on my face.”

While noting that she likes to think the entire world is becoming more inclusive – including the live industry compared to when she started touring and was often the only woman on the road – Massey says, “We really need to start including the young touring crew earlier, pushing and guiding them into these managerial roles. I would (obviously!) like to see more women in the touring Production Manager roles. But more importantly, I’d like women to start believing that they can hold that position.”

Eilish’s tour continues through August including festival appearances at Montreal’s Osheaga, Paris’ Rock En Seine and England’s Reading and Leeds.