Successful businesswoman, new-generation dancehall manager, and booking agent Cara Burke gives an exclusive interview to Kaboom Magazine, offering a glimpse into her world, her special relationship with Skeng, and insights from the industry
Cara Burke, Propelling the Jamaican music industry locally & globally
Enthralled by the entertainment industry, Cara Burke has promoted Jamaican artists globally, helping them sell out shows and expand their reach. Though she prefers to stay behind the scenes, Kaboom Magazine highlights her impact on Jamaican music by discussing her career, future plans, and industry experiences. "I'm an entertainment consultant, as it means I can help develop and realize people's talents. Other titles feel limiting. However, I'm also an artist manager, booking agent, project manager, and have experience in A&R," she introduced herself.
Cara’s success was not overnight. "I didn’t enjoy my studies that much, but I enjoyed my internships at Sony Records and Warner Brothers. I thought, oh, I like this. It was easier to get into places in the UK, but I wanted to do this for my own culture. At the time, promoters in the UK and some nightclubs started asking for dancehall artists from Jamaica to come and perform."
She started contacting Jamaican dancehall artists like Assassin (before he became Agent Sasco), Lady Saw, and Munga for UK bookings. "Aicha Jacas, CEO of UNAM Consultants, and I worked together, building from the ground up. We taught ourselves how to handle work permits and visas, achieving a 99% approval rate," Cara said. She recently maintained this success by getting Vanessa Bling and Chronic Law’s work permits approved after multiple denials.
Brimming with intelligence and ambition
The Launch of Showtime: Aiming to Change the Industry
The Trelawny native channels her expertise into multiple ventures. Notably, she founded Showtime Services in 2015 and reignited it in 2017, with notable clients like LaaLee and Spice. The business, "on the surface, is a booking agency."
Delving into Showtime Services reveals an all-female team, with her sister Laura as Co-Director, Jade Francis as Project Manager, Christina Brann as Head of Marketing, Tamara Fletcher handling Visas and Work Permits, Deja Lee managing contracts and communication support, and Cara as CEO. Showtime also works closely with Live Nation and Wasserman, is registered as an official booking agent, and is a vendor on Live Nation.
"We offer numerous services under Showtime, including video treatment, work permits/visas, project management, tour management, event production, and artist development. Our artists have collaborated with Clark's, Adidas, BBC / BBC1 EXTRA, Netflix, and Audiomack."
"You’ll see me on my knees cleaning the stage after Skeng empties 10 bottles of water, spoiling my guys, and then sitting in rooms and cars in suits. I don’t really have an ego"
Showtime has recently undergone changes, with Cara deciding to delegate the management agency services to her new business, MEGO Management, co-founded with her business partner, Tiffany Juie. "MEGO and Showtime are two separate entities; MEGO handles artist management, while Showtime focuses on artist bookings."
"Tiffany was managing Kraff, and I was his booking agent. After that, it made sense for us to work together on his career. So, I separated the booking agency, which had enough on its plate, and created MEGO Management with Tiffany," Cara explained.
Cara’s character is quite selfless, naming MEGO "minus ego." She recalls, "I planned to do a podcast with that name. You’ll see me on my knees cleaning the stage after Skeng empties 10 bottles of water, spoiling my guys, and then sitting in rooms and cars in suits. I don’t really have an ego," she joked. "For me, it is just work. I'm not interested in being glorified on social media, but I am invested in making a change in my culture. If I can go down in the literature about this era when Jamaica was fighting for dancehall and reggae," she echoed.
The all-female team of Showtime Services
With the relaunch of Showtime Services in 2017, Cara accredited Skeng for reigniting the business. "I was introduced to Skeng by his father, and I started taking care of his career, and that truly catapulted and rebirthed Showtime up."
"Skeng is somebody you have to understand. By building a great relationship with him and managing him effectively, I was able to secure bookings and live performances that others couldn't. I made a name for myself with how I navigated his career along with Di Truth Records, working closely with his parents. This was my opening in Jamaica; before then, I was back and forth from the UK. Showtime really catapulted from there."
The relationship between her and Skeng reflects her natural motherly role, as she is a mother of two. “Most of them are young, and I have good relationships with their mothers. When we're on the road, I feel responsible for them. It's not just about getting them on and off the stage; it's making sure they eat, stay hydrated, and have downtime for themselves.”
"Skeng is somebody you have to understand"
Cara also oversees Sound Capital in the UK, hosting concerts, Estate Entertainment in the UK and Pink Note in Jamaica as recording studios, and Sevens Ultra Lounge in Kingston. "I have a lot of big responsibilities, but I am always looking for new business ventures."
Her vision is crucial to Showtime's success. “The Caribbean needs a world-renowned booking agent like AG, Live Nation, Wasserman. We need a staple roster and to be a force to be reckoned with, able to compete with giants and secure significant placements.”
Alongside bringing Jamaican artists to the UK, Cara plans to bring international artists to Jamaica. "We're looking to announce an international concert for 2025. Conversations with Minister Babsy Grange and title sponsors, one of our lead beverage distributors here in Jamaica, are underway to make it happen. I hope the audience will be pleasantly surprised with the lineup; Jamaica deserves it."
"We're looking to announce an international concert for 2025".
Cara's mission is to have a strong passion for Jamaican music and push it to transcend beyond Jamaica’s borders. However, she has experienced struggles in the industry trying to achieve this mission. "Trying to do business the right way in Jamaica is challenging because it's learned behavior. Everyone is so used to doing things a particular way because they think it works, and they are very stubborn to change," she explained. "This is a huge challenge because when you're pitching an artist to label execs who has potential and numbers, they get turned off by messy business practices, like having a 15-man entourage and not owning any masters. So, we're trying to make our clients as tidy as possible so that if an opportunity presents itself, we're in the best position to negotiate."
On Her "Road To Greatness"
Currently, Cara and Showtime Services are hosting Road to Greatness on June 1st, 2024, at Yallahs Primary School in St. Thomas, featuring artists like Skeng, Valiant, Vanessa Bling, Rajah Wild, and St. Thomas natives Rasta Citi, Jaystar, and Di Ruption. "We chose St. Thomas because it is my husband's birth parish," she said.
Road to Greatness also ties into a book Cara is writing, celebrating the behind-the-scenes contributors in the industry whose efforts have been overlooked. "The event follows the concepts of the book, so throughout the event, we’ll celebrate various contributors by highlighting their work on screen—photographers, videographers, venues, producers, consignment suppliers, and dancers. I wanted to create something different from the usual festivals like Unruly Fest and New Rules, adding a unique twist," Cara explained.
While managing, producing, planning events, and writing books, Cara Burkes advises young people to enter the industry on their own initiative. She clarifies, "Reggae and Dancehall have a big impact on other genres daily, yet we are still at the bottom of the food chain. We should be doing much better, but because we think we're doing our best, no one wants to change. That's my biggest challenge in the industry."
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