Taking a peek into the music industry with road manager Tyler Seavey

Truth is: the music industry seems pretty sweet. From the outside, everyone is living their best lives and thriving. Most people, especially fans, don’t get to see how tough it can really be. The management of artists can be just as much, if not more, work than being the artist. While musicians take the brunt of the hate online and from the general public, management staff are the ones who have to keep them afloat at the end of the day. Tyler Seavey says: “I think people assume that artists just easily get a hit song and are instantly thrown into this lavish lifestyle. People largely underestimated the amount of work that goes into becoming a successful artist. The boys and I will sometimes sleep less in a week than most people do in a day!”

Colleges recently have been developing Arts and Entertainment management programs and fangirls have been taking a growing interest in the industry. As we see the entertainment world become more accessible, we also see the lack of understanding about it surface.

I had the chance to talk with Tyler Seavey, road manager for American boyband Why Don’t We, and discuss how he fell into this line of work. He told me: “I had moved home after college and was pretty depressed since I didn’t have a job yet. Why Don’t We came to Seattle, then Portland on the Something Different Tour and I attended both shows. After the show, I went to the boys’ tour bus, “Batman”, to pick up the boys in my car to take them to dinner. I had already expressed my interest in the industry and sent my resume to the boys’ head managers and while I was waiting one of the managers stepped off the bus and said “you want a job right?” You’re hired!” Daniel was standing behind him with the widest grin and I just ran and gave him the biggest hug. It was an awesome moment, and I have been with Why Don’t We ever since.”

Tyler was inspired to get involved in the music industry after reading a job description for a marketing position at AEG. Prior to that, his career aspirations had changed all the time. His education leading to this position was completed at Eastern Washington University where he was a brother of Phi Delta Theta. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in both Business Management and Business Marketing.

Now, Tyler says that “Many fans know me as their makeshift security guard.” However, his job and role expands beyond that.

“I’m mainly responsible for doing promo with the boys and helping set up, then executing their schedule,” Tyler explains. “I work with Jon Lucero, Tour Manager, more than anyone. We all help out wherever is needed in the Why Don’t We family, though.”

While on tour, Tyler has to manage those day to day tasks that he had scheduled and coordinated. Sometimes, though, it’s not always the most fun and pressure can weigh on him. “The most stressful thing is trying to find a balance between getting the boys to their appointment on time while also letting them spend as much time with fans who follow us to all the events as possible. Nothing is worse than telling a little girl that Corbyn Besson has to leave now!” In many ways, it's easy for fans to demonize security and managers, but at the end of the day, they’re just doing their job.

There are definitely amazing perks to the job, as well! For Tyler in specific, he says a highlight is getting to work with his little brother. “Daniel and I have become closer than I ever thought possible. Sometimes I just have these moments while the boys are performing where I take in how blessed I am to have the opportunity to make a career of supporting my little brother's career. Those moments are my favorite memories.”

A career in this industry can completely shape who you are as a person, especially with so many different avenues and ways to be involved. Tyler explains that his mentors have been able to help him grow in his role. He says he has “grown too much to even explain.” With his wisdom, Tyler tells those who one day would want to step into a role like his to “Network as much as you can! Who you know can make the biggest difference in the world.”

While the Why Don’t We boys may have coined the phrase “only the beginning”, the same can be said for Tyler Seavey himself. Growth in business and industries like this one isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t look like Tyler has any plans of stopping. “At some point, I want to work with a country act that starts from nothing as the head manager. That is a huge goal of mine.” Tyler will continue to work with Why Don’t We for now, but one day maybe he’ll move on to achieve that goaI, and I for one, am endlessly excited for him.

The music industry for some reason has always been one that is so very elusive. It’s meant to seem transparent so that fans can feel like they are a part of it and interacting with their idols, but there is still so much that remains a mystery to them. Peeking into the lives and careers of those involved might just be the first step to understanding it better yourself, especially if you’re considering it as a possible career path. Take the time to talk to as many professionals as you can because you never know what you will learn.

Tyler with the band he manages, Why Don't We. (via @tylercv on Instagram)