In today’s artist-driven electronic‐music landscape, the role of a strategic, creative manager is often the determining factor between a fleeting moment on the dance-floor and enduring global impact. For October 2025, TechnoHouseCDA is proud to highlight Oskar Ekman—Swedish music manager, label co-founder of YEAR0001 and founder of Arketyp Group—as our Music Manager of the Month.
About Oskar Ekman
Oskar Ekman was born in 1982 in Gislaved, Sweden, and has built his career since the early 2000s from booking agency agent and band-member to manager, A&R and label owner. He co-founded the independent label YEAR0001 (alongside Emilio Fagone) which has become a key vehicle in bringing left-of-centre Swedish artists into international reach.
More recently, he launched Arketyp Group, a Stockholm-based creative, marketing and management hub for artists and independent labels—expanding his model beyond traditional artist management into full-service creative partnerships.
Why He Deserves Recognition
Oskar Ekman represents the modern, genre-fluid manager who treats management as both entrepreneurial platform and creative ecology rather than simply bookings and scheduling.
- He merges label ownership, artist-services infrastructure and management under one umbrella—giving him a very holistic vantage.
- He fosters global opportunities for non-mainstream artists, especially in experimental, electronic and alternative circuits, which aligns strongly with TechnoHouseCDA’s mission.
- His recent moves highlight not just the art, but also the business and infrastructure behind artists—this dual awareness is key in today’s streaming-, data- and brand-driven environment.
Recent Moves & Influence
- The global partnership between distribution-services company FUGA and Arketyp Group (founded by Ekman) marks a strategic scaling of his operations—bridging independent artists/labels with global logistics and marketing infrastructure.
- YEAR0001’s roster and its success is symptomatic of his model: building around new, international-minded electronic/experimental artists and then elevating their scope across borders.
- Ekman consistently speaks about the balance between creativity and commerce, and his approach to management as enabling and empowering artists rather than simply directing them.
Challenges & Forward View
The contemporary electronic-music world demands more from a manager than ever—streaming analytics, playlist strategy, brand partnerships, social media, touring logistics, and leveraging AI/data tools are all in the mix.
Oskar Ekman is well positioned to navigate this complexity, having built a platform that merges creative services with infrastructure. Moving forward we expect:
- deeper integration of direct-to-fan marketing and artist-centric business models
- expansion of independent infrastructure (e.g., distribution, sync, creative agencies) that empower electronic artists with fewer gatekeepers
- continued emphasis on global, cross-market opportunities (Scandinavia → Europe → Asia etc) for genre-fluid artists
Conclusion
Oskar Ekman embodies what a modern music manager in electronic and experimental music can be: a strategic partner, a creative enabler, a business innovator and a global connector. With his track record, infrastructure-building, and artist-focused model, he stands out as a key figure for October 2025.
For all these reasons, TechnoHouseCDA proudly names Oskar Ekman our Music Manager of the Month for October 2025.