Meet the MusicWorks Decipher Panelists: Anthony Carvalho, Chelsie Grobins, Shea Malcolmson

Performing live, playing festivals, and taking your show on the road is one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of your music career… and it can also be the most challenging. Booking shows, finding festival dates, and managing a tour raises all kinds of questions: when to start, where to go, who to contact, what it takes to get a crowd out, how to travel on a budget, and many more. Coming up in our next installment of Decipher on March 21, our panelists Anthony Carvalho, Chelsie Grobins, and Shea Malcolmson will share all the nitty gritty details, tips and tricks you can use to help you secure gigs and get the most out of your live performances.

Anthony Carvalho is the manager and DJ for Winnipeg hip hop trio, 3PEAT.  Anthony began his career in radio promotions and as an on-air personality in college and urban radio. He is the co-founder of Fourth Quarter Records, a record label and recording studio that is home to the 3PEAT artists. The group has played various Canadian Festivals and is heading out on their first European Tour this Spring.

Chelsie Grobins, C.E.O. and founder of Where It’s At Entertainment graduated from Nimbus School of Recording Arts in 2012 where she was exposed to invaluable information as well as the opportunity to network with other industry professionals and key players. Where It’s At Entertainment is now in its tenth year of operation offering Music Events, Concerts, Party Cruises, Festivals & Artist Services across the country. The company has grown to provide artist management, administration, concert promotion and other services, having worked with artists such as Tech N9ne, Swollen Members, French Montana, Redman, Machine Gun Kelly and many more! Where It's At is a partner of Electric Love Music Festival, a host of the hip-hop showcase at Curiosity Festival, and a big partner in the rap battle scene across the country with their SMOKED OUT BATTLE LEAGUE.

Shea Malcolmson is an award-winning producer, songwriter, artist, founder of Northern Touch Music Festival & Conference, and advocate for Winnipeg’s hip-hop scene. Shea worked as the morning show host at Canada’s only hip-hop station, Streetz 104.7 FM, while it was still on the airwaves in Winnipeg, and has owned and operated Think Tank Music & Media since 2010. With over ten years of first-hand experience in the music industry, he is one of the city’s most knowledgeable artists when it comes to the behind the scenes side of the music business. Participating in over 25 festivals in over five years as an artist (previously, as Abstract Artform), Shea understands what festival events and conferences can do to help an artist’s career. 

Get to know them better with our little Q+A...

Q: If you could spend a day with anyone in music, who would it be, and what would you do?

Anthony: I would love to sit in on a mixing session with MixedbyAli. He’s worked on all my favourite projects and his work continues to get better. He’s all about teaching and growth for engineers so I think it would be super informative. 

Chelsie: DJ Kool Herc helped originate Hip-Hop in the 1970s and I would want him to tell stories of how it all began and the roots of original Hip-Hop before it become the way it is today.

Shea: Go to the gym with Scooter Braun, I feel like it’s a good chance to talk and pick someone’s brain. There’s a lot I’d like to learn from him. Inspired by his resilience and his ways of doing things “non- traditionally."

Q: When you were 6, what did you say you wanted to be when you grow up?

Anthony: Probably a business man. I just wanted to wear a suit and now I hate being told I HAVE to wear a suit.  

Cheslie: I wanted to be a vet cause I loved animals but as I was growing up I was hosting parties in my parents basement and loved music.

Shea: Pretty sure I wanted to be an astronaut at age six. Space has always amazed me. Empowering and humbled me, at the same time.

Q: Which three words would the people closest to you use to describe you the best?

Anthony: Loyal, hard working, #rapdad

Cheslie: Funny, kind, hard working

Shea: Goal oriented, resilient, virtuous 

Q: What is your favourite live music venue, and why?

Anthony: I have to say The Good Will. They’ve been instrumental in our growth and that of music scene in Winnipeg across all genres. PLUS there’s a washroom back stage. 

Cheslie: Harbour Event Centre in Vancouver -  I have been to many events & concerts there. They changed from the biggest night club in Vancouver to an event center that has amazing lighting and sound. Every time I go there I have an epic time and I feel right at home.

Shea: Anywhere that wasn’t a traditional music venue. The memories we made in places like VP Nites, Room 720, War on Music, the bar on Osborne were the best memories ever.

Q: If you could give hip hop artists one piece of advice about gaining performance opportunities, what would it be?

Anthony: Go to shows and make friends.

Cheslie: Try to think outside of the box what you can offer that other artists can't as there are thousands of you out there but only so many performance opportunities and STAY HUMBLE.

Shea: Show up to other people’s shows. And always carry a USB of your tracks. You never know.

Don't miss out on your opportunity to hear from them at our upcoming workshop on March 21, 2018, Decipher: Booking Shows, Festivals, and Tours.