{"id":236653,"date":"2025-07-18T14:57:42","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T13:57:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/?p=236653"},"modified":"2025-07-18T14:57:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T13:57:42","slug":"confidence-in-a-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/confidence-in-a-crisis\/","title":{"rendered":"Confidence in a crisis."},"content":{"rendered":"

Andy Saunders has seen the music industry at its messiest.<\/p>\n

As founder of Velocity Communications \u2013 celebrating its 25th anniversary this year \u2013 he\u2019s spent decades building stories and shaping strategies for some of music\u2019s most prominent companies. But there\u2019s another side to his work that rarely gets discussed over polite industry lunches: crisis management for artists whose worlds have suddenly imploded.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first question is always, \u2018Did you do it?\u2019\u201d Saunders tells MBW. \u201cI have to be 100% confident they\u2019re telling me the truth. Because if you don\u2019t tell me the truth, I can\u2019t help you.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a stark opening to our conversation, but it gets to the heart of what Saunders does when he\u2019s not promoting the latest signing or industry deal. He\u2019s on speed dial for artists (and their reps) when accusations surface on social media, when tabloids come knocking, or when a moment of poor judgment threatens to derail everything they\u2019ve built.<\/p>\n

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Saunders\u2019 \u2018reputational management\u2019 clients fall into two distinct categories: (i) those who\u2019ve been falsely accused of misdeeds and need their reputations defended, and (ii) those who\u2019ve genuinely transgressed and need help navigating the consequent fallout.<\/p>\n

As you\u2019d expect, this sees Saunders wade into challenging territory. Yet he\u2019s steadfast about his moral boundaries. \u201cI never wanted to be Max Clifford; I do not defend the indefensible,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you\u2019re a racist, a rapist, or an abuser, I don\u2019t want to know you, let alone work with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

With typical straightforwardness, he adds: \u201cYou can\u2019t come back from something unforgivable that harms another person. You can<\/i> come back from being a fucking idiot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below, Saunders discusses the moral lines he won\u2019t cross, the strategies that actually work in crisis situations, and why social media has fundamentally changed the game for anyone in the public eye…<\/p>\n

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You work with artists accused of serious things, but you say there are strict moral limits to the cases you take on. What are those limits?<\/b><\/h6>\n

I\u2019m very clear on this: I don\u2019t defend racists, I don\u2019t defend rapists, and I don\u2019t defend abusers. I could take the lawyer\/solicitor view \u2013 \u2018everybody deserves a defense\u2019. But I\u2019d be lying to myself. Some people, some actions, are indefensible.<\/p>\n

My role is to mitigate situations for people who have made genuine mistakes, or who have been falsely accused. I\u2019m here to work with artists to articulate an apology if needed. And I\u2019m here to help them navigate the bad actors in the media who wish to exploit their fame \u2013 their \u2018fall from grace\u2019 \u2013 for clicks.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve turned down much more of this work than I\u2019ve taken on. Why? Because I\u2019ve got a wife and daughter, because I\u2019ve got a diverse group of friends, and because I like to think I\u2019m a reasonable, decent human being.<\/p>\n

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What gives you the confidence that an artist is being falsely accused \u2013 that they\u2019re not lying to you?<\/b><\/h6>\n

First, I look them in the eye and say: \u2018Did you do it?\u2019 And even if they then say no, I ask: \u2018What were the circumstances behind this even becoming an accusation?\u2019<\/p>\n

If, at the end of that conversation, their story seems credible, I begin a process of evidence building. That can be as simple as internet research or as complex as working closely with lawyers and private detectives.<\/p>\n

One of the most serious cases I ever took on was a rock band who were accused, via an anonymous social media account, of assaulting one of their fans. This account basically said: \u2018They assaulted my friend at this particular hotel in this particular town.\u2019 But having conducted research in tandem with the band\u2019s management, we concluded it couldn\u2019t be true.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the [accusatory] tweet was getting amplified, and the band\u2019s career was suddenly in free fall. Cover shoots were drying up, gigs were being cancelled and people were piling in on social media with comments like \u201cI always thought they looked like wrong \u2018uns\u201d.<\/p>\n

We were eventually able to identify the person behind the anonymous account, and they agreed to post a public apology, having confirmed the information they received was incorrect. The band then asked their fans not to bully this person, accepted the apology, and everyone moved on.<\/p>\n

It blew over, causing rapid but limited damage. But it\u2019s not an exaggeration to say that if it wasn\u2019t dealt with quickly, it could have destroyed careers and lives.<\/p>\n

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Anonymous accusations online are a uniquely modern issue: anyone can publicly accuse anyone of anything via social media while masking their identity. <\/b><\/h6>\n

Social media has made people lonelier than ever. When we interact with other people through our devices more than we do in real life, reality can become a bit blurred. We\u2019re certainly seeing that with AI and \u2018deepfakes\u2019 now.<\/p>\n

Social media allows you to easily \u2018other\u2019 people, to treat them as commodities or one-dimensional beings. It\u2019s also gamified outrage in a way that can incentivise people to stretch the truth \u2013 or forget it entirely.<\/p>\n

People who lack agency and power in their own lives can see it as a way of attracting attention or being in the spotlight. It makes them feel like they have influence.<\/p>\n

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What about when artists have done something wrong? One pop star you worked with a few years back broke Covid rules, which quickly became tabloid fodder.<\/b><\/h6>\n

Reassurance is a massive part of what I do, taking the heat out of the situation. When someone is in the middle of a reputational crisis, it\u2019s usually the worst day of their life. It\u2019s easy to lose perspective when all that\u2019s going through your mind is: \u2018What the fuck am I gonna do?!\u2019<\/p>\n

My job is to put a metaphorical arm around their shoulder and say, \u2018You\u2019re not the first person this has happened to, and you\u2019re unlikely to be the last. Let\u2019s not allow emotion get in the way of pragmatism.\u2019<\/p>\n

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\u201cI always tell clients who are in that initial panic mode that shouting \u2018it\u2019s not fair!\u2019 is not a strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After that, the solution can be as simple as issuing a statement: \u2018I shouldn\u2019t have done this; I apologize.\u2019 And meaning it!<\/p>\n

In the Covid artist story you\u2019re talking about, the transgression \u2013 serious though it was \u2013 was being made out by certain media outlets to be the end of the world, when anyone with half a brain could see that wasn\u2019t the case. Once everyone understood the dynamics of that, our strategy fell into place.<\/p>\n

I always tell clients when they\u2019re in that initial panic mode that shouting, \u2018It\u2019s not fair!\u2019 is not a strategy. You have to work out what<\/i> you need to communicate and who <\/i>you need to communicate it to, and then <\/span>execute.<\/p>\n

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Is it true that you\u2019re working with Kneecap \u2013 the Irish band who\u2019ve attracted media criticism for their pro-Palestine statements, as well as some troubling public comments made in years gone by?<\/b><\/h6>\n

I know it\u2019s boring, but I won\u2019t confirm or deny working with any clients. I will say this about Kneecap: I\u2019m pleased to see they have held their hands up, and openly regret, some of the stupid \u2013 potentially illegal \u2013 things they have said in the past. At the same time, I\u2019m pleased to see they\u2019ve doubled down on the political viewpoints they fundamentally believe in.<\/p>\n

Those are two separate issues that were in danger of becoming conflated in the narrative.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t matter if you strongly disagree or strongly agree with Kneecap\u2019s political statements. Artists have always had the freedom to say uncomfortable things, and I support every artist\u2019s right to do so. I also support everyone\u2019s right to challenge those statements.<\/p>\n

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\u201cArtists have freedom to say uncomfortable things. I support their right to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We\u2019re a poorer society when we start clamping down on freedom of expression from any political \u2018side\u2019. \u2018Cancellation\u2019 in that way is pure cultural cowardice.<\/p>\n

I remember being upset about Morrissey [writing about and using imagery connected to] Myra Hindley. But I still support his right to do it. If we start cancelling artists for expressing themselves, especially when they\u2019re saying things we don\u2019t like, where does it stop?<\/p>\n

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You mentioned working closely with lawyers on these cases. How does that play out?<\/b><\/h6>\n

Sometimes the lawyers actually bring the cases my way, especially if there\u2019s potential media blowback.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m always comfortable getting referrals from lawyers that I have a lot of respect for, and who take the same approach to things that I do. Russells is a great example of that, and I particularly like working with their litigation specialists\u00a0 <\/span>Steven Tregear, Dan Hoyle and Eliot Leggo.<\/p>\n

Working with lawyers can lead to really interesting philosophical conversations about why we\u2019re doing it, what we\u2019re doing it for, and what we\u2019re hoping to
\nachieve. Sometimes I help them soften the litigation edges, and they give me a much clearer framework in which to operate. In certain circumstances, the communications element \u2013 the public message – becomes just as important as the court filings.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m an artist falsely accused of something \u2013 or in hot water over a mistake. What are the first three things you\u2019d advise?<\/b><\/h6>\n

1)<\/b> Tell me everything. Why would this person even think<\/i> of accusing you? It won\u2019t go outside this conversation; you can NDA me if you want. But I have to know everything, because without all the facts on the table, there\u2019s no route to properly figuring a way out of this.<\/p>\n

2)<\/b> Don\u2019t comment. Don\u2019t respond. Don\u2019t post. Don\u2019t do anything<\/i> until we figure out the plan. I know every fibre of your being wants to post on social media \u2018I DIDN\u2019T DO THIS!\u2019 but if you do, you could fan the flames, especially if it\u2019s becoming a national or international media story.<\/p>\n

3)<\/b> Do you need to apologise? If you do, don\u2019t fake it. I\u2019m not going to just give you a template \u2018Yeah, sorry about this\u2019 statement. First, you\u2019re going to appreciate why you need to apologise. Then you\u2019re going to tell me<\/i> why you\u2019re apologising, in authentic language \u2013 and what you\u2019ve learned from this experience. Then we go from there.<\/p>\n

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When executives fall from grace<\/span><\/h6>\n

While much of Andy Saunders\u2019 crisis work involves artists, he\u2019s equally experienced in managing reputations for music industry executives who find themselves in hot water. The dynamics, he says, are fundamentally different from artist cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith executives, the first thing you have to understand is the corporate reality,\u201d Saunders explains. \u201cArtists can\u2019t really get \u2018fired\u2019 \u2013 executives can.\u201d<\/p>\n

He adds: \u201cI had one particularly high-profile exec case in the past few years, a classic \u2018my life\u2019s ended, what am I going to do?\u2019 situation. I had to tell him, \u2018There\u2019s no way your company allows you to survive in your job after this. Yes, you haven\u2019t harmed anyone. But you\u2019ve been stupid, and your employer won\u2019t protect you at all costs.\u2019<\/p>\n

The strategy then shifts from damage limitation to planning for the future, says Saunders. \u201cOnce they\u2019ve accepted the reality, which isn\u2019t always instant, you can have a more honest conversation about how they can come back from it \u2013 and how long that\u2019s going to take.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working with American lawyers on executive cases brings additional complexity, particularly in what Saunders calls \u201cadversarial situations\u201d between US competitors or former partners.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I\u2019ve worked with music industry professionals who\u2019ve found themselves in a legally adversarial situation with a company, it\u2019s really important that they have a narrative that will play well with the judge and\/or jury,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes, in the US especially, the best way to push that narrative into the wider world is actually through court filings. There are specific circumstances where, if you get the messaging right, court filings can be the best \u2018press release\u2019 you could hope for.\u201d<\/p>\n

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<\/figure>This article originally appeared in the latest (Q2 2025) issue of MBW\u2019s premium quarterly publication, Music Business UK, which is out now.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

MBUK is available as part of a MBW+ subscription \u2013 details through here.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

All physical subscribers will receive a complimentary digital edition with each issue.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When artists are wrongfully accused of transgression, it can be career-ending. One go-to expert in reputation management explains how he helps stars navigate their way back to public acceptability \u2013 and why he has firm rules over who he will, and won\u2019t, help\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":236654,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=236653"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":236662,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236653\/revisions\/236662"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/236654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=236653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=236653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.musicbusinessworldwide.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=236653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}