Music Business on right track

DJ and music producer Ollie Crowe, 22, from Blackpool continues to be a rising talent in the entertainment industry with the help of Blackpool Council’s business advice and support service Blackpool Unlimited.

Ollie had an early start in the business, producing and being a DJ from the early age of fifteen. After first talking to the council’s business support team back in 2018 Ollie has turned his passion into a career and 10 million streams later, it’s safe to say he’s gone far beyond the ‘up and coming’ stage – but still looks to the Blackpool Council business team for advice.

His single ‘Voices’ became a dance anthem. Electronic Dance bible ‘We Rave You’ predicted Ollie would be at the “forefront of future house for years to come”. He also released for his growing legions of fans to enjoy – On My Mind, a collaboration with Dallas artist Iva Rii.

Ollie was travelling in Asia when the pandemic struck. Returning to the UK, lockdown helped him focus. He said: “I have been able to completely concentrate on making new music, experimenting with different ideas and reaching out to a variety of record labels. I’ve created over ten new songs in the last 12 months, collaborating with artists and singers from all over the world. As travel hasn’t been an option, we have used Zoom to write songs together.” His latest track with Iva Rii has now been signed to Soave Records.

However, music isn’t just Ollie’s passion – it’s his business. Massively increasing his fan base brought with it some business decisions to make. As ever, he took those decisions with the support of Blackpool Unlimited. “It’s a resource I know I can always turn to if I need advice,” he says. “Having recently rebranded, I’m currently in the process of protecting and trademarking my logo, which Kriss Wilson from Blackpool Unlimited recommended I do. That’s helped my brand be seen by more people.”

Ollie’s advice to other local artists wanting to make their mark in the industry would be to find a network of producers you can get advice and feedback from. He added: “Get a good online presence. Social media is just as important as the music. I have also found that record label contracts are a minefield, so invest in some good legal advice as and when needed.”

Blackpool Council’s business advice team offer a friendly, professional service for Blackpool residents looking to start, establish and grow a new business. The advisors have a wealth of experience and are able to cover all the key issues faced by people when setting up a business from scratch. As well as initial advice the team continue to support new entrepreneurs along their business journey.

Cllr Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Business, Enterprise and Job Creation, said: “Ollie’s success story shows what can happen when you take that first step and get help from experienced advisors. I hope that it will encourage others who want to start their own business.

“It doesn’t matter what your interest is, with help there can be the potential to turn it into a business. It is great to see that Ollie is doing so well, he has a real talent. We all wish him well for the future.”

Find Ollie at https://olliecrowe.com/, on Spotify and across social media.

For help turning a passion into a business, talk to the specialist team at the Enterprise Centre, Lytham Road on 01253 477147 or visit www.blackpoolunlimited.com/start-up to find out more about how they can help.