‘Women have not been safe’: John Legend’s manager Ty Stiklorius advocates for change in music industry after Sean Combs

Music executive and Friends At Work CEO Ty Stiklorius is advocating for change in the music industry following the arrest of music producer Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Combs’ arrest on charges of sex trafficking and sexual assault sent shockwaves through the industry. However, it’s quite clear his alleged abuse wasn’t an isolated event. Prosecutors have warned that further charges against other high-profile individuals may be on the horizon. Combs alleged abuse spanned decades and required the enabling and complicity of countless individuals. It’s a story similar to those of R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, and Jeffrey Epstein. All of these perpetrators were only able to commit their crimes because of a corrupt system that protected and enabled abusers.

However, Stiklorius recently expressed that she has hope for change in the industry. Stiklorius is part of the change herself. While she is best known as the manager of the singer-songwriter and pianist John Legend, she is also a seasoned music executive who has fostered important relationships with numerous prominent artists through her company, Friends at Work. On her business website, she describes how her goal isn’t just to drive artists to success but to encourage altruism, empower women, prioritize diversity, and help every artist achieve their potential regardless of “systemic hurdles.”

Ty Stiklorius calls for remaking the music industry

Recently, Stiklorius penned a powerful op-ed for The New York Times in which she described Combs’s arrest as a chance for the industry to “remake” itself. In the article, she utilized her own experiences as a woman in the music industry as evidence of the need for change. Her first frightening experience occurred at a Combs’ party shortly after she graduated college. She and her brother managed to “finagle” their way into the party, but the experience quickly soured when she was directed into a bedroom by a man she believed to be an associate of Combs. Only after mentioning her brother was there and looking for her did the man unlock the bedroom and let her out.

At the time, she brushed it off as “just one guy behaving badly” at a party. However, she experienced another similar situation when a senior music executive slipped her his hotel room card under the table at dinner when she was a graduate student. Over the years, she quickly learned what happened to her at Combs’ party was a sign of the “pervasive culture” in the music industry of exploitation and misconduct. R. Kelly and Combs were not “outliers” as presented by the media but part of a “systemic rot” in the industry. Stiklorius explains there are “nearly always male” gatekeepers in the industry. For years, these men determined who succeeded in the industry or not, paving the way for the abuse and exploitation of vulnerable artists, including women, children, and newcomers. She writes:

Too often, women have not been safe in recording studios, on tour buses, in green rooms or in offices. It’s not a bug of the music business; it’s a major feature.

Fortunately, Stiklorius sees an opportunity for change as she slowly notices the power of gatekeepers slipping. She’s not just talking about the arrests of high-profile executives but also about the artists who have proven they don’t need gatekeepers to succeed. While she is Legend’s manager, she doesn’t try to claim credit for his success. Instead, she cites him and his talent as the reason she refused to quit the industry despite her experiences. Artists will be empowered further if they can inspire good people to enter the industry. Stiklorius also pointed to Chappell Roan’s career as a sign of shifting dynamics. After she was abruptly dropped from her label, Roan rose to fame, producing music independently until she found a producer who complemented her talents. She is proof that artists don’t always need gatekeepers.

Stiklorius admits an industry without gatekeepers can be difficult to imagine, as artists typically struggle to break into the industry independently. Hence, she calls for people like her, those in management, studios, labels, etc, to understand and adapt to the shifting environment to find how best to support artists. Stiklorius concludes, “We owe it to the next generation of creators to remake the business into something worthy of the art they create.”

The shocking details of Combs’ arrest and the seemingly infinite number of #MeToo accounts can be disheartening. However, artists have already proven that they can succeed without the gatekeepers most often responsible for abuse and exploitation. If the rest of the industry can also rise to meet artists halfway and further diminish the need for gatekeepers, change is possible.