Mathew Knowles (Alabama, 1952) has it. Many have sought it, others have avoided the matter, others have speculated ... But he does not doubt. He has solved the puzzle that haunts the music industry since pop seduced the masses. What is the formula to become a star? «Very easy: in 30-35% it is something artistic and in the remaining 65-70% it is ... business». It is not a volleyball figure. For 27 years he has worked in this world, as manager, record company manager and advisor to many musicians, such as Chaka Khan and Earth, Wind & Fire.

But, above all, he has been the promoter of two mega stars that, by chance, are his daughters: Beyoncé and Solange . After guarding the group of the first, Destiny's Child , accompanied her in her solo career until, in 2011, she decided to break up with him. An experience not as traumatic as people think, says Mathew, who will talk about it and the rest of his career in business this Thursday at the BIME Pro , the professional fair of the Bizkaia International Music Experience. The BEC of Barakaldo will host this festival, which during the weekend will feature performances by Jamiroquai, Foals, The Divine Comedy and Kraftwerk in 3D format, among others.

"The key to success is to start with passion," explains Knowles in a telephone conversation from Houston, where he started his business. "But then you have to accompany it with a work ethic," he proclaims. He has no qualms about putting the merchant above the creative. «And that if you look at the credits of Survivor , the great success of Destiny's Child, I appear as one of the co-authors, because I have been involved in the artistic part. But that is not my goal.

Because he completely disagrees with the idea that when someone with a talent like Michael Jackson or Beyoncé appears, it is inevitable that the world will end at his feet. «You need a team that surrounds creativity. Beyoncé for example, was eliminated in a television contest, Star search, and a company as important as Elektra Records kicked her out after signing a contract with her. But if you look at many of the great stars, such as Michael Jackson or Beyoncé, they failed miserably, many times, before achieving success, ”he says.

Hence his advice to young people who start in music: «Many want to reach the top instantly. But I think you have to learn from failures, see them as an opportunity to grow and not a reason to quit ». And, of course, «have a plan. You cannot pretend to be a singer, producer and fashion designer when you have not yet learned to master a single discipline. What is achieved in this way is to be mediocre in a lot of things, but never great in any ».

Hence, his idea of ​​the management of musicians is based on an "honesty" that is not always pleasant to hear for those interested. "The success rate in this industry is 1%," he says. «The manager is many things. He is a teacher, but also someone who helps you make your dreams come true. This requires a financial vision. And that's why it is such a complicated job in these times ».

Another of the formulas that Repeats knows most is that "public equals sales." For that reason he is very skeptical about the possibilities that someone who is not at the level of Taylor Swift pretends to be the voice of a generation or to send political messages . «When someone comes to me with an audience of 300,000 people saying they want to get into social justice stories and things like that ... If you're not even known in your city ... You can afford that when you're on top of your success ».

And remember how, in his youth, artists like Marvin Gaye and Sly & The Family Stone talked about what was happening, about the Vietnam War, about civil rights movements, about the fight against racial discrimination. « Racism It remains a central issue, we continue to have wars, social problems such as #MeToo ... But millennials do not seem involved, ”he laments. «That is why I think that we have to focus on the most important, which are the songs, because they are the ones who speak the best about these matters, the ones that make people connect with them. Music is power ».

Knowles does not dodge the issue of his separation from Beyoncé . "I've never considered myself a manager, and that surprises people," he explains. «I am a musical executive who, among other things, is responsible for managing the careers of these people. But I have also carried a seal like Sanctuary Urban, I have had 1,500 employees all over the world, I have worked with great names that people tend to forget ... The world does not revolve around Beyoncé, neither the industry nor mine » . And he regrets: «The knowledge that people have of me is based on a single person and I am not like that. I am not thinking about Beyoncé all day, from the time I go to bed until I get up.

Even so, he recognizes the particular situation of people like him or Joe Jackson, the patriarch of the Jackson family . «He was a factory worker and I have two degrees, plus a graduate and a doctorate. In addition, he was more involved in the artistic part and loved being in the studio. But, anyway, I am able to see that many of the things that were said about him were not true and that there is a situation that we can share, ”says the creator of the Jackson 5.

«The difference with another type of manager is that when, in addition, you are his father or his mother, you are worried about the welfare of your children. For some people it is complicated, because it means being too emotionally linked, ”he reflects. “But even with my two daughters, you have to have the emotional and the business side . Now, when I am a businessman I do not exercise as a father and when I am a father I do not exercise as a businessman, ”he clarifies.

Thus, he says he feels "very honest" because this balance has penetrated his offspring. «My daughters have written songs about us, his father and his mother. And we both worked hard to be good parents and to give them an atmosphere of creativity in which they learned of success and failure. And, above all, in being good people ».

And he puts on the table a piece of information: «Beyoncé and Solange are the only sisters in the history of music who have reached Billboard number 1 the same year. Not to mention that the most selling female group of all time is Destiny's Child. So, well, we've managed to make some history from a family business, ”laughs Mathew, who has just announced that he has overcome breast cancer for the second time. He is also a survivor of the music industry.

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