Impact International: UK/Euro 2024 Honoree Adele Slater

“IT’S TOUGH OUT THERE BUT NOTHING CAN REPLICATE A LIVE SHOW”

Adele Slater was raised in England’s Midlands by a father, listening to everything from Rory Gallagher to Free, and a mother, who was into The Beach Boys and Elton John. “One band we all agreed on as a family was Slade,” she recalls. “They are local heroes from my hometown of Walsall and have written so many absolute classic songs that still stand the test of time today (beyond the Christmas single). I was too young to see them live, but still hold out hope they will reform one last time with Noddy at the helm.”

It’s a hope that could become reality, as another recent iconic reunion proves, namely that of Oasis. One of the Gallagher brothers, Liam, is represented by Slater (alongside Wasserman Music’s Alex Hardee). Liam Gallagher toured the UK this year celebrating 30 years of the seminal Oasis album Definitely Maybe, selling out more than 200,000 tickets across 14 arena shows – including four shows each at Manchester Co-op Live (70,360 tickets, $6,830,277 grossed, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports), and The O2, London (68,996 tickets, $6,749,536 gross), followed by a major festival season that included headline performances at TRNSMT, Sziget and Reading & Leeds.

Another highlight of 2024 includes the sleeper success of Chappell Roan, who released her debut album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess in autumn 2023. It rose to No. 1 on the UK album chart by August, and her 2024 dates included three sold-out nights at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. She had an incredible reception across North American festivals this summer, culminating in the biggest daytime set ever seen at Lollapalooza in Chicago. Being a part of Chappell Roan’s team (Slater reps her alongside Anna Bewers outside of North and South America), is one of Slater’s highlights of 2024.

Slater’s clients Courtney Barnett and Wet Leg supported Foo Fighters on their UK stadium dates in June, and Wet Leg went on to headline Truck Festival in July — their first ever UK festival headline.

The Brit and Grammy Award-winning group from the Isle of Wight took to the stage on July 27 at 9:40 p.m. to a 25,000-strong crowd. Their set took the audience through their self-titled debut album, including songs like “Wet Dream,” “Being in Love,” and “Angelica.” It also featured a sensational cover of the Charli XCX single “360,” and closed with “Chaise Lounge.”

Sets like these dispel any concerns about where tomorrow’s major festival headliners might be found. The band also held its own inside stadiums supporting Foo Fighters and Harry Styles. “We would be nothing without the amazing talent we’re honored to represent – their success is our success,” says Slater.

Wasserman Music continues to grow globally. “We have really solidified relationships and practices with our Wasserman Music counterparts in the U.S. and abroad to the benefit of our clients,” she says, “I’m fortunate to work side-by-side with some of the greatest agents in the industry from around the world, who all share the same ethos and help us to view success through a global lens.”

Faced with the ongoing skyrocketing costs of touring “it’s increasingly difficult for the budgets to add up that allow artists to go on the road,” she continues, acknowledging that “the middle is being pinched and margins are becoming tighter and tighter. You definitely have to be more strategic and considered with what you do, and when and why you do it.” She deems it “critical for newer artists to learn the craft of touring and performing,” which they do by playing shows, “so it becomes a matter of what they can afford – or afford to get into debt for – at the start of their careers.”

Slater is “very conscious of giving business to the grassroots venues and regional promoters, and to keep that live circuit thriving, because their success is so central to the larger business. It’s tough out there right now, but thankfully there is still nothing that can replicate going to a live show, the IRL experience, and the community that creates.”
Growing up a working class girl from the West Midlands with no family in the industry, Slater knows firsthand how difficult it is to break into the business.

“It takes time,” she says. And while Wasserman Music has always been very conscious of diversifying the workplace from a racial, gender, social, and economic point of view, the industry as a whole can seem to be a workforce for the privileged few.

“We have a taskforce in the office and initiatives across the company that are dedicated to addressing this,” says Slater, “but there are simple things you can do straight away, like choosing where you advertise any vacancies, widening the reach that aren’t just industry focused, and educating young people that opportunities do exist for everyone, not just the elite. Our staff should be a reflection of the diverse talent we represent.”