The conversation — which took place during thein October — starts with Millet discussing founding the company in 2010 with his partner, fellow co-CEO Ben Mawson, and how Del Rey’s skyrocketing career basically dominated their first 18 months in business.
He and Ong, who joined the company as president in 2018, also get deep about the aggressive nastiness and outright misogyny their largely female roster encounters online, and how they help their artists cope with it — they even propose that record-label contracts should include provisions for therapy and other forms of mental health, if they’re going to so strongly encourage artists to engage on social media and share so much of their lives in public forums.
They also discussed Dua Lipa’s decision to release her very party-centric album “Future Nostalgia” just as the pandemic was beginning in March of 2020 — and how, even though it seemed completely out of step with the mood of that time, it went on to win a Grammy and, more importantly, provide a welcome relief and release for so many people, who got their grooves on at home in their pajamas instead of the club.
Of course, there’s much more to TaP Music than the above artists. The company also represents many other up-and-coming artists, as well as songwriters and producers, and also boasts a label, publishing company and digital marketing unit. Millet, who co-founded TaP in 2010 with music attorney Ben Mawson, had previously worked in management for Moby and the Kinks’ Ray Davies as well as his own band. Ong, a veteran of Variety’s Power of Women list, brings a remarkably diverse background to TaP.
They just needed to water the plant. Give us a break.