NETWORK

Alexandra Kraus (founder): product & project management, marketing & consulting

Over the course of Alexandra’s 20 years in Music Marketing and Promotion she held the vital role of conceiving, coordinating and implementing the strategy that was tailored to each individual artist. One of her many strengths is identifying and treating each artist as an individual and utilizing their strengths to figure out the best route to market. How to locate and harness their audience and deliver results.

Alexandra has a proven and glittering list of continuous success for artists of all styles and sizes – from Global superstars to up and comers. Her years of experience at some of Germany’s biggest media and multinational companies (Radio Energy/NRJ, Virgin, SonyBMG and Sony Music) have led her to create mesh music. By doing so she brings with her a wealth of contacts and relationships, a powerful network of industry experts and a committed drive for this new challenge.

With absolute passion for what she does, open and honest communication, and with the complete faith in and of the artists, these elements allow her to assure you that your interests are at the center of every action at mesh music.

Her goal is to put both her and the teams considerable experience, creativity, local knowledge and strong relationships with media and all relevant partners to help you find your target groups, and to build and foster a long lasting, and solid career.

As product manager she worked for these amazing artists in Germany: P!NK, Alicia Keys, David Bowie, Sade, Rag’n’Bone Man, Sia, Gossip, Beth Ditto, Backstreet Boys, Depeche Mode, Beyoncé, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Olly Murs, John Legend, Mark Ronson, Robbie Williams, MS MR, Elle King, Maria Mena, Joss Stone, ENIGMA, Aretha Franklin, UB 40 and many more.

“My strongest motivation is the feeling of responsibility for the artists and a love for music and from that came ‘mesh music’. Passion, integrity and loyalty are my personal values and the values of this company and all the amazing colleagues within the network. Each one of them always goes “all in” for the artist. That Katrin, Susanne, Vivian, Merle, Nick and Moni said “yes” to this idea and partnership couldn’t make me any happier.”

Nick Bader (Munich): promotion coordination/events

Whenever an artist has any live-promo or live need, Nick is the man! With all the resources and connections he has to hand across the country he has put together showcases and live events of all sizes and scales. Like with all our services this can be the end to end co-ordination or plugging the gaps that are missing, like locating and providing musicians, or dancers for live performances or playback.

His expertise and services include coordinating, planning and booking any travel of the artist, artist support at home and abroad. On request, as mentioned he can provide: musicians and/or dancers for performances (live or playback), backline, rehearsal studios, trucks and tour buses, transfer planning, flight booking, both commercial and VIP charter, airport VIP service, hotels, tour accompaniment/tour management, budgeting & placement of sound engineers, backline technicians and stage hands.

Nick has provided these services over the years to the following artists and more: Alicia Keys, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, Céline Dion, Daft Punk, Depeche Mode, Dido, Earth Wind & Fire, Foo Fighters, Gossip, John Legend, John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Kings Of Leon, Leona Lewis, Lionel Richie, Mark Ronson, Meat Loaf, Mike & The Mechanics, Miley Cyrus, MS MR, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Olly Murs, One Direction, Paul Potts, Pharrell Williams, Patti Smith, P!nk, Rag’n’Bone Man, Rita Ora, Robbie Williams,  Shakira, Usher, Whitney Houston and more.

“I have been working with Alexandra for over 10 years. First as a colleague at Sony Music, later as an external partner. She is one of the most impressive and dynamic music professionals I have ever had the pleasure to work with. She will always give it her all for the project which we share in common.  My love of music and events meant that when she called to be a part of the team, I could not refuse.  I am so happy to be taking care of the creation of customized promotion plans and routings for ‘mesh music’.”

Katrin Brauer (Cologne): online promotion

After being a product manager at EMI Music Germany Katrin decided to focus her skills in Press and Online promotion in 2012, when she left EMI. In this role she helped to build the careers of both newcomers as well as established house hold names like Miley Cyrus, Alicia Keys, Foo Fighters, Dido, Kylie Minogue, Tones And I.

The solid network established during those years at EMI and since have allowed Katrin to form good intuition for trends in the local market.  Paring this with her organization skills and the unconditional love and passion for music means that when she is on a project, she will leave no stone unturned!

“Alexandra and I have worked together on many projects over the last 10+ years. I really appreciate and admire her inexhaustible passion and energy towards an artist and her love for music. She always was and is a role model for me and I feel honored to be a part of ‘mesh music’, because we share 100 % the same philosophy.”

Vivian Hauner (Munich): TV promotion

Vivian has been working in the music business for 20 years, with a specialized focus on TV promotion for the last 15 years. A big part of her individual skill and what we like to create at mesh music is creating individual plans. Within the TV domain there are few equal to her ability to target group-oriented TV campaigns for National and International Artists. As well as that Vivian finds TV formats to match the artist which can vary from prime time and late-night shows, talk and cultural formats, boulevard, news, music video channels, kids and local tv.

Her service through mesh music includes the placement of pre-produced video content, EPKs, interview acquisition as well as the creative conception and realization of TV performances within a defined budget.

In the past years she has worked with with established artists like Alicia Keys, P!nk, Justin Timberlake, Céline Dion and Peter Maffay and She also (with most of the Mesh Music team) took part in breaking newcomer artists (e.g. Olly Murs, George Ezra, Rag ’N Bone Man, Tom Odell, Gossip/Beth Ditto).

“Alexandra has been my appreciated colleague and friend for 20 years, which is why I’m even happier to be part of her ‘mesh music network’. My focus has always been the music and the appreciation for the artist. To team up with like-minded people – every person being an absolute expert in her/his field – this is a massive advantage for the artists and fun for the team.“

Monika Goltz (Berlin): radio promotion

Monika’s knowledge of the German radio landscape is hard to compete with. Having been a part of the German music industry since the beginning of the 90’s (Virgin Records, V2 Records, EMI Music, Mute Records) Monika then decided to focus on radio promotion since 2001. She is one of the few that work Nationwide and with all the relevant German radio stations. For anyone that lives in Germany or has had some knowledge of the German market, you will know that it really is a jigsaw puzzle, and few have the key. Her work for the artist includes planning the right strategy, placing the artist in the genre that’s right for them within the German Radio landscape as well as organizing, planning and overseeing promotional tours. Monika is like a silent assassin, a gentle passion and dogged determination for her artists is at the core of everything she does.

“I have been working with Alex on many different artists (John Legend, Adam Lambert, Sia, Charlie Winston, Maria Mena etc.) during many years. I’m really excited to share Alex’s beliefs as part of ‘mesh music’ within the radio promo team. Responsibility towards the artist is as much a priority for Alex as it for me. Pushing an up and coming artist is just as exciting as working for an established one”

Jascha Farhangi (Berlin): online promotion

Jascha started his career as a music reporter for a teen magazine in 1996 before he teamed up first with Jive Music, then Public Music & Media and after that as head of press & online promotion with the international division of Global market leader Universal Music. 

Jascha, has had the unique position of seeing both sides of the coin, having been within the media and then with in the label structure. Now fully indie and integrated into the mesh music network, his work and vision for the online space is an important part of any campaign. Jascha’s philosophy: sharing is caring!

Amongst many others, he worked with music icons such as Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, U2, Eminem, Jay-Z, Snoop Dog, 2Pac, Kendrick Lamar, Metallica, Justin Bieber, Backstreet Boys, Robbie Williams, The Chemical Brothers, Luis Fonsi, Shawn Mendes, The Killers, The Libertines, Paul Weller, Rod Stewart, The Who, Cat Stevens, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Black Sabbath, Selena Gomez and Madonna.

“I’m really excited to be part of this illustrious group of experts within ‘mesh music’ and to also contribute my know-how. Fun times with great music and creative joy ahead.“

Merle Lotz (Düsseldorf): print promotion

“Music is the passion of language”. The quote from Richard Wagner became Merle’s guiding mantra when she started as a press promoter in 1995. A short sentence that contains everything that makes up both her and her work. The enthusiasm for music, the passion for artistic work and the love for language, the written word. For 25 years she has been accompanying National and International musicians in the press sector.

Whether it’s the first steps into the music business like Katie Melua, Tina Dico, Carla Bruni or Passenger, the establishment of new product lines like Sing meinen Song – Das Tauschkonzert or the support of established artists like Madness, Simply Red, George Ezra, Helen Schneider, Heather Nova, Blondie, and many more. It is the stories of the musicians and their works that inspire Merle again and again to put them into words and tell them. No matter if newcomer or a Global star, there are personalities behind them who put a lot of heart and soul into their work and with that same energy it is her motivation to put this into the print media. 

“To be a part of ‘mesh music’ makes me very happy, because only in a team you can achieve more! And this team consisting of Alex, Monika, Vivian, Katrin, Tine, Nick and Susanne combines decades of experience with partnership and cooperation. We’re all on the same wavelength and that’s a bit like music, too.”

Susanne Beck (Berlin): print promotion

… Do it for the love of music… that’s what gets Susanne out of bed in the morning! Already 22 years in the business with no signs of slowing down. Susanne started her career being responsible for the print promotion of the German label Four Music and took care of artists like Die Fantastischen Vier, Freundeskreis, Gentleman, Clueso, Marteria, Wir Sind Helden etc.. In 2010 she went independent and became a valued part of Alexandra’s network. From this place she worked for artists like Alicia Keys, P!NK, John Legend, Beth Ditto, Clueso, Revolverheld, Dendemann, Tim Bendzko, Deine Freunde and many more.

A key part of her daily work is developing and tailoring a concept for every individual artist together with the team. Fair cooperation and open communication are very important to her. A part of her job is servicing her well-established network within music magazines, newspapers/feuilleton, women & life style magazines, daily newspapers, student/parenting/family mags as well as listing and LGBT magazines for reviews and features, getting interviews together, organize and execute photo shoots and all other press relevant requirements.

“I’m very happy to join Alex, Nick, Vivian, Monika, Merle, Katrin, Tine and Jascha at ‘mesh music’ and to be able to work again with the team I partly also worked already on the releases of Alicia Keys, P!NK, Beth Ditto and John Legend. The teamwork was always embossed with a big passion for the music and the artists, collegiality and the fun in what we do.”

Nehle Schröter (Cologne): online promotion

After studying musicology, Nehle spent three years learning the online promotion trade from Katrin Brauer (also part of this network). The subsequent training as a journalist now gives her the great advantage of sitting comfortably on both sides of the table.

Nehle’s dream has always been to fill her days with as much music as possible, and that’s still the goal. That’s why she also works in the music editorial department of Radio NRW.

Artists Nehle worked with are Emily Roberts, Lahos, Topic, Nothing But Thieves, Tom Grennan, Ziggy Alberts, John Legend, Emma Longard.

“Everything in my life revolves around music. That’s why I’m very happy to be part of this network. Only together and as a team you can really pull something off.”

Thomas Klauke (Munich): product & project management

For more than a quarter of a century the music business has been Thomas professional home, working as a marketing and product manager for international and national artists in Germany. Breathing music since the eighties he worked for record companies like Intercord, Virgin and Sony Music and experienced the digital revolution within the music industry from vinyl to CD to download to stream first-hand. What stayed with him throughout this time was his unbridled passion and love for music and the artists creating and performing it.

In this capacity he worked for the likes of Lenny Kravitz, George Michael, Genesis, Enigma, AC/DC, Depeche Mode, Daft Punk, Shakira, David Gilmour, Celine Dion, Little Mix and Roger Waters and many more.

„I have been working with Alex for the last twenty years. The passion for her artists is intoxicating. I’m happy to be able to continue working with such a passionate music enthusiast.“