Sara Tamim
Roster: Sebastian Ivanov / Elle Murphy / Jacqui / Mowgli May / Adam Bozzetto
Location: NSW
Listen: Sara’s Manager Of The Month Playlist
Advice I’d Give My Younger Self In Artist Management
Don’t quit on the long game! Careers in music are built by those who endure, adapt and keep going, even when the outcome isn’t immediate (I still tell myself this today and still hope it's true)
Proud Moments in Management
What makes me most proud is knowing how much unseen work goes into getting the wins. Those moments tell you who someone is. How they navigate pressure, uncertainty or disappointment and watching them push through, adapt and keep going is what genuinely makes me proud.
And regardless of whether I’m still working with an artist still or not, I don’t forget those moments. The growth we experienced together, and the way they rose to challenges, stays with me. It's something that I respect deeply about them!
One Change That Could Better Support Managers and Artists
One thing I think the music industry needs to change is how open it is to new ideas and structures! There are still structures and decision-making processes that were built for a very different era of the industry. While experience is incredibly valuable, we also need to create more space for emerging managers, younger professionals and culturally diverse voices to influence how the industry evolves.
Inspiration and Motivation
I was inspired to become an artist manager because I’ve always been drawn to the space between creativity and strategy. I saw incredibly talented artists and songwriters who had the vision and ability, but needed the right structure, advocacy and long-term thinking around them to truly build sustainable careers. I realised I could play that role- helping translate creative potential into real, global opportunities.
Coming from a background that spans publishing, A&R and campaign strategy, I became particularly interested in how Australian artists and writers could access international markets, especially in Asia. I saw a gap in infrastructure and wanted to help build those pathways rather than wait for them to exist.
What keeps me motivated is watching artists grow! not just in streams or milestones, but in confidence, clarity and global ambition. Seeing a songwriter land their first international cut, or an artist perform on an international stage, or write their album with international collaborators is incredibly rewarding. I’m motivated by building long-term careers, not quick wins, and by creating opportunities that expand what feels possible for the artists I work with.
A Pivotal Moment
I had a mentor session with Jess Keely a few years ago through AMM and that conversation was a turning point for me. Instead of just asking “How do I create the artists next opportunity?”, I began asking “What kind of management company am I building? What do I want my roster to represent? What markets am I genuinely connected to?”
It pushed me to think more strategically about my business and to build a roster that reflects my strengths in publishing, K-pop and international export, rather than trying to be everything to everyone. Since then, my approach has been much more intentional. I focus on long-term global positioning, building cross-border networks particularly in Korea- and creating repeatable systems for export pathways, rather than one-off wins. That shift from reactive management to strategic career architecture really shaped how I operate today.
From here, I was able to organise writing camps for my artists across Los Angeles and London, as well as continue travelling to Korea to build relationships directly with labels and publishers, and securing grants to support international development. Those experiences showed me how powerful access and preparation are. When we are in the right rooms, with the right support, trajectory can shift very quickly.
A Passion Outside Of Music
Outside of music, I’m deeply passionate about advocacy particularly for young people, women, and culturally diverse communities navigating systems that weren’t necessarily built for them.
As a Palestinian woman working across creative industries and policy spaces, I’m very aware of how identity shapes access. I’ve experienced firsthand how important representation, mentorship and structural support can be. That’s made me especially committed to advocating for equity whether that’s supporting young creatives in understanding their rights, speaking up in industry spaces where diverse voices are underrepresented, or engaging with broader conversations around social justice and political awareness.
I’m just passionate about creating environments in music and beyond where young people feel informed, powerful and capable of building careers and lives on their own terms.
An Industry Issue
I think we should collectively be considering HOW can we make Australia sustainable for artists and songwriters at all levels. I talk a lot about global expansion, but what does that look like being based in Australia?
Dream Music Industry Initiative
I’m actually in the process of developing a project that’s very close to my heart and aligned with my overall vision. If anything I’ve shared here about my career or goals resonates, I’d genuinely love to connect!!
Timeless Advice
One piece of advice that’s stayed with me is that setbacks are always data. I have and still do experience criticism and situations that are confronting. They always feel personal. But over time, I realise that those moments could either diminish you or sharpen you! I’m someone who doesn’t forget things haha both the positive encouragement and the difficult feedback. Rather than letting negative experiences discourage me, I’ve learned to analyse them. When challenges arise if it's industry pushback, missed opportunities or difficult negotiations- I don’t see them as reasons to retreat anymore, I see them as information I have learned about the situation or the person to be aware of in the future.
Recent Challenge
A recent challenge I’m still navigating is balancing artist management alongside my role at APRA AMCOS and my broader industry advocacy work. I care deeply about all three areas, but they each require different types of energy and time management.
There have definitely been periods where international travel, writing camps, release campaigns and grant deadlines have overlapped and rather than pretending I’ve “solved” it, I’ve had to become much more intentional about how I structure my time and where I place my focus at each given time.
But, I'm trying to become more selective about the opportunities I pursue, more disciplined with planning, and more transparent with my roster about timelines and capacity. I’ve also realised that the crossover between my roles can be a strength!
Key Achievements
Over the past few years, I’ve focused on building sustainable international pathways for the artists and songwriters I manage, with an emphasis on global positioning rather than domestic-only growth. I’ve supported artists in securing official showcase selections at SXSW Sydney, providing valuable opportunities to present their work to international labels, publishers, booking agents and media. I was also selected to attend WOMEX in Manchester as part of an Australian delegation, representing Australia within the global music community. The experience allowed me to strengthen international relationships and further develop export opportunities for my roster. Artists I manage have received coverage from respected international publications including Clash, Notion, and Ones To Watch. These features have supported our efforts to position releases within a broader global context and introduce the artists to new audiences outside Australia. I’ve worked closely with distribution and platform teams to secure editorial playlist support, including cover placements on Spotify’s GLOW. These placements have contributed to meaningful streaming growth and international discoverability. Artists under my management have performed at international showcase festivals such as The Great Escape, Focus Wales, MUCON, Bangkok Music City and more. These opportunities have helped us build long-term relationships in the UK and Asian markets and expand our global footprint. Alongside these outcomes, I’ve built a professional network across Seoul, Los Angeles, London, Greater China, and Australia. This has enabled me to facilitate international collaborations, direct pitching opportunities, and ongoing creative exchange across markets.
AAM’s Impact on My Journey
I previously mentioned the AAM mentorship with Jess Keely, this was really beneficial to myself and my career early on. There has also been countless networking sessions and workshops I've been able to be a part of which has always been really rewarding. The AAM also supported my attendance at WOMEX through a grant, which allowed me to represent Australia in Manchester and further develop my global network. Being in that environment and connecting with international managers, agents and industry leaders helped reinforce the future of my career. It wasn’t just a trip; it was an investment in expanding the scope of what’s possible for the artists I manage and for me!
Management can be isolating since I have always run my own business, but having a peer community that shares insights, challenges and opportunities has been invaluable!