Lulama Mali

I am a retired photographer who practices a cultural activists and archivist. I started my career as an artist manager, A&R, and label manager. I'm passionate about discovering new talent in the music industry, especially that of the female persuasion. My work involves connecting independent artists to information and helping them bring their creative ideas to life. Aside from my day job as an artist liaison, I sit as the deputy chairperson for Women in Music SA (WIM SA).

My key responsibilities include coordinating and supporting the artist and repertoire team in scouting, acquiring and developing emerging artists. This involves researching industry trends, attending live performances and reviewing demo submissions to identify and evaluate potential artists. Maintaining relationships with artists, managers, agents and other industry professionals is important to facilitate collaboration opportunities and expand the roster of artists. Organizing recording sessions, songwriting camps and production workshops helps foster the creative growth and output of high-quality music from the artists. Coordinating the logistics of artist showcases like booking venues, managing budgets and liaising with promoters is part of the role. Administrative tasks such as maintaining databases, tracking expenses and preparing reports on artist performance and insights are also required. Actively participating in meetings and contributing ideas to optimize artist development strategies, marketing campaigns and release schedules. Assisting in coordinating promotional activities such as social media campaigns, press releases and interviews to generate buzz and visibility for the artists.

I hold certificates in multimedia, graphic design, photojournalism, and creative writing, demonstrating proficiency in these creative fields. My multimedia certificate reflects training in audio-visual media integration and presentation. The graphic design certificate shows aptitude in visual communication and branding. Photojournalism involved instruction in still photography, video capture, and news storytelling. Finally, the creative writing certificate attests to abilities in fiction, poetry, and narrative non-fiction composition.