Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Hiscock.
Ian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Upon moving to Salt Lake City in 2010 to attend the University of Utah, it was shortly after that I determined I wanted to pursue a path in media, entertainment, and music. Soon into college, I began exploring opportunities to begin down this path and soon was introduced to Matt Williams, who was the current VIP host at Park City Live (now Marquis PC). I interviewed and began a role there as Street Team Lead & Marketing Assistant, assisting with flier and poster distribution, social media strategy, as well as managing a team of street promoters. I was also aspiring as a DJ/Producer at the time under the name AtrophIA, and played a lot of incredible gigs at Park City Live while I was working there, which were some of the most foundational times of my life, cementing my passion surrounding music performance and promotion. Around the same time I began dabbling in digital release strategies and artist management with my newly founded company Nova Lotus Music. I
I continued to work at both Park City Live and on my own company, and DJing around SLC while I finished college until 2014, when I graduated college, left Park City Live, and began a role at marketing agency The Summit Group. Shortly after this, Matt Williams reached out to me again about a new club opening in SLC that was set to be one of the biggest things the city had ever seen. We discussed me leading the marketing and helping launch the new club with all of my experience in the scene.
In March 2015, I had a large role in launching Sky SLC to the city, and became the very first DJ to perform at the club. In the years that followed, I played countless more gigs at the club, was introduced to V2 and helped launch Therapy Thursdays, followed by Energi Wednesdays a few years later. I devoted a huge part of my time to the success of these nights over the years, and look back fondly on my time there.
In addition to being the Marketing Director at Sky SLC, around 2015-2016 I joined with V2 initially as a Public Relations Manager & Artist Relations Manager where I spent the next decade of my career and became the Talent Buyer for the company in 2021. Additionally in 2021, I founded my digital marketing agency Noteworthy HQ, in conjunction with LNE Presents acquiring Sky; and I transitioned from my role at Sky to serving LNE as a digital ads manager for their properties including Sky, Soundwell, Reggae Rise Up, Ivy & Varley, Rise Up St. Pete, Granary Live, and more.
In 2023, I founded my artist management agency Outwrld Artists, and dove deeper into artist management. In 2025, I left my role at V2 to pursue new opportunities, and now in 2026 I continue to operate Outwrld Artists, Noteworthy HQ, and recently stepped into the role of Head of Paid Media at Las Vegas based LV8 Agency; serving a variety of high profile entertainment clients.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’m incredibly grateful for all of the experiences I’ve had over the years. I’ve worked hard year after year, shown up consistently, and never given up on what I believe in. Some of the hardest times I encountered over the years were the struggles and uncertainty that came along with the pandemic in 2020.
My music career was brought to a screeching halt overnight, and I was forced to reassess how to make a living. Though the pandemic times were tough for many reasons, I was able to invest more time into building my label Nova Lotus Music and cultivate an incredible community around it, in Discord servers and virtual live streams on YouTube and Twitch. I think many would agree that those interesting times of connecting in digital spaces with others while we were all stuck at home were some of the most special and unique experiences we ever had.
The pandemic times are what gave me the time and confidence to launch my digital marketing agency, and helped lay the foundation for the success I would find in following years.
It was surely an incredible feeling around mid-2021 when live events were able to make a comeback, and the festivals and clubs were able to open their doors again. The events that followed the reopening of the world after the pandemic were some of the most high energy and incredible vibes that I would feel at live events across the entirely of my career. People were so happy to be out doing what they loved again.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I founded my artist management agency upon a few important distinctions. Too many managers operate as glorified secretaries, delegating their artists to junior staff or interns and losing the personal touch that makes the relationship valuable.
My company is built on the opposite. I prioritize deep, genuine relationships with every artist I represent, going well beyond the transactional dynamic that can be the norm at larger companies, where an artist may rarely interact with the person actually running their career.
What sets me apart in an operations sense is speed and presence. Immediate email responses, proactive handling of responsibilities, quick adaptation when circumstances shift, and a professional and personable demeanor with those who matter the most.
On top of that is a genuine marketing expertise that most managers don’t bring to the table – giving my artists a strategic edge that goes far beyond relationship and admin management.
I also believe in keeping my roster small and intentional. No two artists on my roster occupy the same musical lane, which means every opportunity that comes in has a distinct and obvious home. No one is competing with each other for it. It also means each artist gets a specific strategy, built for them, with my complete attention behind it.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck has definitely played into my career more times than once, though I am a true believer that putting in work and consistency is really what creates opportunity, and that luck is more a byproduct of that consistency over time.
But something I’ll never forget is just the general coincidence of Matt Williams coming into my life. Truly one of the most important people who I’ll always give props to, for putting me on the right path in the music industry. The first time I met him, I just happened to be walking by a Park City Live booth at that specific part of the University of Utah campus, and the conversation I had with him really set me down the path that I am still walking today.
He was the catalyst that launched me into the music industry – from Park City Live to Sky SLC – I’m forever grateful for him and for things to have happened the way they did.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://outwrldartists.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ianjames_h/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outwrldartists
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjhiscock/
- Twitter: https://x.com/ianjames_h
- Other: https://www.threads.com/@ianjames_h
