Connecting Fans, Creating Change: Alexa Silverman MA ‘22 on Artist Management

For Alexa Silverman MA ‘22, senior day-to-day manager at ATC Management, a single Instagram message became the unexpected starting point of a career in artist management.

While at Berklee Valencia, Silverman reached out to an artist they highly admired, Danielle Ponder, for a Data Analytics in the Music Industry course project. The course, part of the Global Entertainment and Music Business (GEMB) curriculum, teaches students to examine real-world examples of how analytics significantly improve management decisions and apply methods like clustering and text analysis to evaluate marketing strategies. What began as a request for a class assignment unexpectedly became the start of a professional collaboration, eventually leading Silverman to manage Ponder’s day-to-day operations after graduation. 

Based in Brooklyn, New York, Silverman champions artists who use their platforms to drive social impact, with a particular focus on voices within social justice and queer communities. At ATC Management, they work across a diverse roster of artists including Hayley Kiyoko, Kelela, and Danielle Ponder, shaping artist careers through digital marketing and fan engagement. Their work centers on building data- and culture-driven campaigns that go beyond visibility, focusing on cultivating authentic communities around artists committed to meaningful change.

Silverman graduated from Berklee Valencia in 2022. The master’s program in Global Entertainment and Music Business offered not only a comprehensive understanding of the industry’s inner workings, but also an international lens that would later define Silverman’s approach to management. “It gave me a full understanding of how all the different parts of the music industry work together from a global perspective,” they said.” I especially loved that it was experiential, leaving the program having done the kind of work entry-level professionals do in the industry.”

Silverman now oversees operations and direct strategy for multiple artists at ATC Management. Working at the intersection of creativity and business, Silverman acts as a key link between labels, agents, publishers, and artists while bringing particular strength to digital marketing and fan engagement.

A key focus of Silverman’s work is helping artists take ownership of their fan data. They prioritize building direct connections between artists and their audiences, ensuring that marketing strategies are informed by a deep understanding of fan segments. “I love planning marketing strategies with my clients, It’s where I can really step in, help them understand not just their brands, but who we’re marketing to and the different segments of their fandom,” they said.

Their approach to community building is intentionally intimate. Rather than focusing on scale, Silverman emphasizes meaningful connection: “If we can facilitate one fan connecting with another in a genuine way, we’ve succeeded.”

This philosophy is central to Silverman’s approach to artist management. For artists like Hayley Kiyoko, whose fanbase is deeply rooted in queer communities, it carries even greater cultural significance. Silverman has most recently supported the release of Kiyoko’s upcoming feature film, Girls Like Girls, by supporting the development of community-driven experiences, strengthening both cultural impact and fan connection. Even at the highest level, Silverman remains focused on the core: “Community building is about taking a small segment of your audience and making them feel truly connected to each other,” they said. “If you can do that, it will scale organically, and it can genuinely change people’s lives.”

Looking ahead, Silverman is stepping into what they describe as their most exciting year yet, with major releases and new creative ventures on the horizon. For them, the most rewarding part of the job is both the process and the payoff. “Getting to help bring an album to life and then seeing fans experience it—laughing, crying, connecting during shows—is everything,” they said. “Knowing you played even a small role in that, and seeing your artists happy and proud of what they’ve created, is what makes it all worth it.”

Silverman emphasizes that the GEMB program is an exceptional foundation for anyone pursuing a career in artist management: “The program so beautifully prepares you for a career in management," they said. "It teaches you how every part of the industry not only functions but how they all connect with each other. I use the skills that I learned at Berklee every day.”

For current Berklee students, their advice is to take risks and put yourself out there. “The worst thing that can happen is you don’t get a response,” they said. “Putting myself out there changed my life.”