Meet Terence Daniel: Relationship Manager of Black Music Genres
Terence Daniel, PPL Relationship Manager, Black Music Genres, supports our members to get the royalties and revenue they’re due from every performance. Here he shares the highs of helping artists, the music he’s most excited about, and the new track you need to hear.
Terence, what made you want to be part of PPL – and what were you doing before?
Before joining PPL nine years ago, I worked as a fraud investigator, in print media, and in education with disadvantaged kids. Quite a mix!
I always wanted to work in music but I knew I didn’t have the talent to make it as a performer. What I am good at though is building relationships. I love getting to know people, helping people, making friends – and I get to do that every day in this role.
When I came to PPL in 2014, I started out in the US tax team, helping to ensure that our members received revenue from US airplay. I then moved in a membership role, supporting artists and labels with general queries. After a while I was promoted to Account Manager, where the role was a bit more specialised, and then in January I was promoted again to my current role. It’s a newly created job and I’m the first person ever to do it, which is pretty exciting for me.
Tell us about a typical day in your role?
I always start my day by opening my emails – and usually there are loads. After that, no two days are ever the same. My job is to ensure that all our members maximise their revenue by having their repertoire listed with PPL. It’s all about relationships so I’m often exchanging emails or having meetings, then there are educational aspects to the role too, like participating on panels or in talks to spread the word about what we do and how royalties work.
I also spend a lot of time researching new artists and labels – exploring fast-growing genres and nurturing relationships to make sure that emerging artists are registered with us so they can get the revenue they’re due from their work.
What are your top priorities right now?
The educational part of my job is a big priority. You might assume that people know what they’re entitled to when it comes to royalties but so often that’s not the case. That’s why we want to make sure people understand what we do and how, through membership, we help thousands of artists and labels to maximise their revenue.
What are some of the biggest challenges?
If you’re not registered with PPL, then we can’t pay you. There are a lot of artists and labels that aren’t yet registered with us – so a big challenge is finding them and educating them about what we do. The best bit is I’m approaching people to give them money – not to ask them for it!
Once people have registered their information with PPL, we can begin the process of tracking the royalties that they’re due. It’s not instant – royalties are usually paid a couple of times a year. But every time their track is performed, if they’re registered with us, we can make sure they’re fairly paid.
How have you seen PPL make a positive impact for the artists and organisations you work with?
The entire nature of what we do here has a positive impact on the music industry. We’re another revenue stream for artists and labels and that can have a huge impact.
A while ago I worked with a Jamaican performer who had been unaware of PPL. I helped him sort out his repertoire, attaching his name to the recordings he performed on. He calls me to thank me every time PPL makes a payment to him. He says it helps pay his children’s school fees.
I worked with another member who contributed to some music that Sky used to promote the series Game of Thrones. She hadn’t realised she was entitled to anything, and the money made a big difference to her.
What’s the most rewarding thing about your job?
The hard work really pays off when the money is paid through to an artist – and that’s such a team effort.
I’m front-of-house and have great relationships with our members but it’s not just me who gets their royalties paid. So many people work behind the scenes in our International, Distribution, Repertoire, Licensing, Finance teams and others. We all bring it together to get the best results for our members.
What are you most excited about in the Black music world?
That’s a tricky one because it’s really hard to define Black music – there’s rap, grime, R&B, Afrobeats, so much going on and it’s an endless list. At the moment I’m really excited about Afrobeats. My parents are from Cameroon in Africa – I grew up with that music – but it’s never been mainstream and I never used to hear it outside of my house except at family parties. Now artists from the African continent are representing the genre like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and they’re making an impact worldwide.
And it’s not just African artists that are working with other African artists. Mainstream pop stars like Selena Gomez and Ed Sheeran recently worked with Nigerian artists Rema and Fire Boy. I love seeing that blend of cultures. If we had more of that in other walks of life, I feel like we’d have a better world.
Who are your ones to watch?
Definitely Libianca – she’s a singer from Cameroon who was raised in America, and fuses Afro sound with a pop sound that’s very easy to listen to. She has a beautiful voice. Burna Boy and Rema, both from Nigeria, are very talented too.
What’s a track that always makes you smile – and why?
It has to be Ex-Factor by Lauryn Hill. I grew up listening to her music and she always seemed to have such a positive soul. Something about her is both captivating but very relatable. Her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, is one of my all-time favourites.
And finally, what new track should everyone have on their playlist?
Talibans by Byron Messia. It’s a feelgood song by a Caribbean artist all about enjoying his hometown of Kingston, Jamaica, and the remix features Burna Boy.
