Impact NextGen: Lesly Montes

Lesly Montes remembers being 15 and watching Pearl Jam’s performance at the Netherlands’ Pinkpop festival in 1992 via YouTube and how her “mind was blown.” She says, “I was captivated by how the power of music could bring people of all walks of life together and create unforgettable experiences. I knew then I wanted to be a part of that somehow.”

Montes got her start in the business eight years ago as a promotions assistant for a cluster of seven radio stations in Miami, where she “gained hands-on experience and developed a deep understanding of event management and digital marketing.”

She now works as a marketing and production director at #iVoted Concerts and a partner
at Collective Entertainment — and gets the chance to help bring about change through the power of music.

“#iVoted increases voter turnout by producing data-driven concerts on election nights and during early voting periods that let fans in who show a selfie from outside their polling place or at home with a blank and unmarked ballot,” Montes says. “We aim to change the culture of voting by producing concerts with impact. For this upcoming election cycle, I’ll also be serving as lead producer for a slew of shows across the country with talent booked per the data of the top trending artists in and from key states.”

This year she’s also worked with the newly formed Music Votes coalition, which was announced in June and was assembled and led by the Music Sustainability Alliance (MSA). Music Votes has designed a nonpartisan program to increase voting via voter registration, ensuring voters have an accepted form of identification and turnout.

“Working with these organizations, especially during an election year, has been so fulfilling,” Montes says. “I feel like I’m making a significant impact with the skills at my disposal and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. Seeing music industry leaders, organizations and artists using their influence to drive voter engagement has been a dream come true. Additionally, joining Collective Entertainment as a partner and consulting on digital strategies for independent artists, creators and labels alongside industry leaders has been a significant milestone in my career.”

Asked for her input about trends in the business, Montes says, “The growing emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility within the industry is very encouraging, as it reflects our commitment to positive change. I’m also excited about the increasing integration of virtual and augmented reality into live events, which offers new ways to engage audiences and ultimately make events more accessible.”