2025 Women of Live: Michele Bernstein

Michele Bernstein
Founder | Michi B

Fav 2024 Show | Kendrick Lamar’s “The Pop Out – Ken & Friends” at the Forum. “The show was a true declaration of L.A.’s own musical identity.”

Michele Bernstein, who left WME after 18 years with partner status at the agency where she’s credited with growing and developing its global tour marketing department, has more than found her stride after going solo as Michi B, Inc.

Always known as an innovative visionary within the industry, it’s no surprise the clients at her marketing consultancy firm are as varied as the types of experiences she’s helping bring to the masses.

That includes Dead & Company’s 30 sold-out shows during its Sphere residency in Las Vegas. She notes the pop-up experience
coinciding with those shows as a particular standout, which she
described as “highlighting the community, history, artwork and storytelling that took fans on a journey journey through a 60-year legacy.”

On top of those 16,000-plus-capacity sellouts each night, the pop-up, at The Venetian, was free to fans, taking up two floors and featuring a mini wall of sound, art, photos, memorabilia – and merch for sale, too.

Looking ahead, she’s excited about being part of new music and a tour by Lizzo, a podcast tour with Mel Robbins, Ivan Cornejo’s North American Tour, 18 additional Dead & Company Sphere shows, System Of A Down in stadiums this summer and the “Grand National Tour” with Kendrick Lamar and SZA.

She says the rise of many younger female artists shows the ability of music to connect with people on a deeper level.

“I believe it starts with the content,” she said. “We have more and more women making music fans connect to, with lyrics that show their vulnerabilities. We need to continue to assure younger artists that it is safe to do so while also connecting these artists to opportunities that are beneficial to their growth.”

Asked who she would induct to her own Women Of Live hall of fame, Bernstein shouts out fellow WOL 2025 honoree Christy Castillo Butcher, SVP of programming of SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, for her success and poise while overseeing two NFL teams, music and all other programming at the complex. “Plus she is a mom to teenage twin daughters,” Bernstein adds.