Impact NextGen: Tom Skoglund

Perhaps Tom Skoglund’s guidance for his up-and-coming artist/superstar mirrors his own rocket-like success: From his humble Wisconsin beginnings (where he was inspired by a “blend of MTV’s Total Request Live, VH1’s Pop-Up Video and every single female pop-star I’ve admired…)” to rising-up the Full Stop ladder from assistant to Jeffrey Azoff to working with acts like Harry Styles. This year the young manager is most gratified by one artist in particular: Tate McRae.

Her explosive year has put the 21-year-old on a path to success.

“Tate first teased ‘Greedy’ on TikTok in August ’23, on the night of the song’s release,” Skoglund says. “Six weeks later, she performed it to a sold-out crowd during her ‘Are We Flying’ North American tour (which opened at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre on Sept. 5 and continued to NYC’s Rooftop at Pier 17 and LA’s Palladium). The crowd already knew every word. From there, there was no stopping her.”

Skoglund explains how he and his Full Stop team strategized with Tate to propel her career to new heights. “In November, Tate announced the Think Later album alongside a 2024 ‘Think Later World Tour’ and her debut ‘Saturday Night Live’ performance. She then went on a thrilling album promo trip in December that spanned four countries in less than two weeks — including performances at Jingle Bell Ball, London’s G-A-Y, ‘The Today Show,’ ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,’ the Grammy Museum and more. At the same time, ‘Greedy’ hit No. 1 on both US Top 40 Radio and Spotify’s 200 chart. Tate’s relentless work ethic was leading the charge the entire way through.”

It’s a grind ethic that Skoglund clearly embraces, too, which means that McRae story didn’t end there. “In 2024, Tate took Think Later on the road. She just completed a sold-out European Summer and North American Fall headline tour, finishing at her sold-out Madison Square Garden debut, where she teased a brand-new song. Tate’s the hardest working person I’ve ever met and I feel beyond lucky to be alongside her, executing her vision daily.”

When asked about his mentors Jeffrey Azoff and Tommy Bruce, Skoglund cites the ethos of Full Stop Management: the artist always comes first. He adds, “The second most powerful learning is the power of no — it’s equally as important what you choose not to do as it is what you
choose to do in a career. Lastly, I’ve learned the importance of having an opinion and expressing it with conviction.”