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Ella Brockelsby
CRS Management’s Paul McKessar was named 2020 Manager of the Year at the Aotearoa Music Awards just a few weeks ago.
Pop superstar Benee’s music manager returned his 2020 Aotearoa Music Awards Manager of the Year award and apologized for “crossing professional boundaries” with the artists he represented.
Paul McKessar was one of two high-profile music executives named in a Stuff #metooNZ investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of power in the New Zealand music industry on Sunday.
The other man, Scott Maclachlan, who discovered singer Lorde and helped her rise to stardom, admitted years of sexual harassment and harmful behavior.
Stuff The investigation found that he was demoted and banned from Warner Music properties and concerts in Australia after the company commissioned an external sexual harassment investigation in 2018. Maclachlan confirmed to Stuff that he had also harassed other staff members and colleagues.
READ MORE:
* Former Lorde manager Scott Maclachlan fired from Warner Music after admitting to harassment.
* Professionals in the music industry demand a change after talking about their dark side.
On Sunday night, Warner Music Australasia fired Maclachlan.
In an apology posted on his Instagram account on Monday, McKessar wrote: “I am so sorry for the pain I caused Possum and Lydia. There is no excuse to cross professional boundaries. “
“I continue to do the personal work necessary to be a better and more responsible member of the music community. I also appreciate that I shouldn’t take a courageous stance to enact change, and I hope theirs brings more progress to our entire community. I sincerely apologize to both of you. “
He followed up with a comment apologizing to the Music Managers Forum (MMF) for “not abiding by their code of conduct,” and said he had “given up” his 2020 Music Manager award.
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Pop star Benee is Paul McKessar’s highest profile client.
His apology Monday was in stark contrast to his earlier statements on the matter. On Friday, in response to questions from Stuff On his behavior towards two of his clients, singer-songwriters Possum Pllows and Lydia Cole, he said he would not comment on a “consensual relationship” that he considered private.
When contacted Monday, McKessar said again that he would not comment on his “private life.”
Later Monday, McKessar emailed Cole with a personal apology. At the time of publication, he had not contacted Plows.
Both artists said they were upset that McKessar chose to apologize to the public first, calling his apology “performative.”
Cole said McKessar’s email did not address his behavior toward her and was “mostly just a compliment.”
“I’m disappointed that he chose to do the performative first. In some ways, apologizing to the public was more important to him. “
Campbell Smith, McKessar’s business partner at management company CRS, also posted a statement on Instagram on Monday, saying the company had failed to meet standards “to provide a safe environment for our customers.”
Campbell Smith did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Their Instagram post said that the company would “hire independent consultants to help us strengthen our company culture and refine policies and processes to ensure we always meet this (safety) standard.”
He said CRS would be working with SoundCheck Aotearoa, a new diversity and safety group, “in building a safe and inclusive culture for the music industry.”
In a statement, Recorded Music NZ CEO Damian Vaughan said McKessar had returned the Kaiwhakahaere 2020 Puoro o te Tau | NZ Manager of the Year Award given to him at the AMA Artisan Awards in November.
“Paul has acknowledged that his actions violate the New Zealand MMF Code of Conduct and therefore it is inappropriate for him to continue to receive the award,” said Vaughan.
“Recorded Music NZ is a founding member of SoundCheck Aotearoa and, together with the Aotearoa Music Awards, is committed to a safe, respectful and inclusive industry.”
