The Manager Promised to Make Her a Star. Two Years Later, He Would Barely Return Her Calls.

I’ve been an entertainment lawyer for 27 years, and I’ve seen a lot . A lot. I’ve Seen This Before is my Friday series that gives you a peek at some of the lessons my clients have learned the hard way. Some of the details may have been changed to protect client confidentiality.

She was fifteen years old.

Like a lot of teenagers, she had a dream. She wanted to be a singer. And like a lot of good parents, hers wanted to support her.

They drove her to lessons. They paid for recordings. They encouraged her every step of the way.

Most importantly, they wanted to make sure she had the best people around her and that she was protected.

That’s when they met the manager.

He loved her music. He told her she was special. He said she had real talent. He promised he could help make her a star.

To a fifteen-year-old and her parents, those words meant everything. They didn’t even blink when they signed the deal.

The Honeymoon Period

At first, everything seemed exciting. There were strategies. Ideas. Plans. Big dreams. There would be showcases with “major talent scouts.” She was going to take off like a rocket.

Then the calls became less frequent. The emails slowed down. Months went by. Then more months.

Eventually, they barely heard from him at all. The promised opportunities never came. There was no more guidance. No career development. Her parents were back to managing her career themselves.

Of course, they still had to send him a check for his 20% of her income.

By the time she was seventeen, they had all had enough.

That’s when they came to my office. "We need to get her out of this agreement,” they said. “He isn’t managing her at all.”

So, like I always do, I started to read.

The Contract Wasn't Over

The problem with this contract was that it wasn’t even close to being over. In fact, because of the way it was drafted, she could potentially remain tied to this manager for another ten years.

Ten years.

Her parents had signed the agreement when she was fifteen. That means she signed a 12 year deal. She would be tied to this manager for almost as long as she had been alive when it was signed. And she wouldn’t be done with him until she was 27—and that didn’t even take the post term obligations into account.

Her parents were shocked.

"But he hasn't done anything. He doesn’t even call anymore. He didn’t arrange any of the showcases he promised. Can’t you just tell him he’s in breach and terminate it?”

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Contracts don’t end just because one side is disillusioned. They end when the agreement says they end.

So I kept reading.

It only got worse.

The Lowest Possible Standard

The thing about music industry agreements, and management agreements in particular, is the loopholes. That means they are heavy on obligations to the artists, but there are nearly always loopholes for the labels, publishers, and managers. The contracts don’t always require them to do things—they just allow them to. What did that mean for my young, aspiring artist client?

It meant that she was tied to the agreement for the full term, but all the manager had to do was provide advice if she happened to ask. He didn’t have to find her a record deal, help her find gigs, or help her generate income in any way. The reality is, most management agreements won’t make those promises. But this agreement didn’t even require him to spend any measurable time, effort, or resources on her career.

She was obligated to let him control everything. But he wasn’t actually required to do anything. As a practical matter, all he had to do was remain available if she called and collect a check if she happened to get her big break.

The manager had promised the world.

The contract promised almost nothing.

The Difference Between Promises and Agreements

This is one of the hardest lessons for artists (and sometimes their families) to learn. The conversation that happens before signing is important. But the contract is what ultimately governs the relationship.

"He said he'd make me a star. He said he'd open doors. He said he had connections."

That’s great. You want a manager who is enthusiastic about you. However, to be clear, no manager can guarantee an artist any level of success.

But they can guarantee effort.

If that effort is not required in the agreement in a measurable way, then there is nothing to enforce.

The Problem With Long-Term Agreements

Even if the effort is there, agreements with long terms can be difficult for any artist—and they are particularly dangerous for young artists. It’s not because managers are bad. Many good managers work incredibly hard and genuinely believe in their artists.

But that doesn’t solve all the problems. Careers change. People change. Circumstances change. A relationship that makes sense at fifteen may not make sense at twenty. That's why you need the ability to reassess the relationship every few years. If it isn’t working, you need to be able to change direction. A ten year deal won’t let you do that.

Questions Every Artist Should Ask Before Signing a Management Agreement

How long am I committing?

This is extremely important. The manager needs time to get traction. But they shouldn’t be able to tie you down for the rest of your career. There has to be balance.

What exactly is the manager required to do?

While an agreement can’t guarantee success, it should contain meaningful obligations for the manager.

What happens if the manager stops actively managing my career?

If the manager has decided it is not worth investing time in your career, then you should be allowed to find another manager without a major penalty.

The Real Lesson

This family did everything right. They supported their daughter. They sought professional help. They were trying to protect her and help her build her career.

But they focused on the manager's enthusiasm instead of the contract's terms. They trusted the person and hoped for the best.

Two years later, the trust was gone but the contract was not.

They had just assumed that he would either make her famous or they could move on. In this case, they assumed incorrectly. By the time they realized that, she had already committed more than a decade of her career.

Friday Lesson: Before signing any management agreement, ask two simple questions:

How long can they keep me?

And just as importantly:

What do they have to do to earn that right?

Remember, it’s not about the promises. It’s about the actual effort.

Before you sign anything, download the free Artist Contract Survival Checklist and learn the questions every artist should ask before signing an agreement and making a commitment.