Austin Dotson | Senior Talent Agent [Exclusive Interview] – Monsoon Season

Austin Dotson, Senior Agent At Prysm Talent Agency Is Connecting Emerging Talent With Global Opportunities

Interview by: Garth Jones

We Chat With Austin About His Upbringing In The Dance Music Industry & His Current Career Status At The World Renowned Prysm Talent Agency

If you have been hiding under a rock, pent up in your own world, or simply just not paying attention to the dance music industry; you may have missed the meteoric rise of Prysm Talent Agency. Debuting the agency in 2021, with little to no time at all, they have slingshotted their way into the utmost premier position of a startup company and are showing no signs of slowing their ascension.

Studding their roster with over fifty emerging musicians in the electronic and hip-hop music genres such as Inhuman (formally known as Code:Pandorum) , Point.Blank, Artix, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Dirtysnatcha, Stoned Level, Axel Boy, and Bommer. The diversity and level of talent in their repertoire are truly remarkable.

Their staggering success right out of the gate is purely a byproduct of the hardworking team that makes up Prysm and the results are mindblowing. Surpassing five hundred events garnering their roster, working with industry-heavy-hitters like Insomniac Events, Disco Donnie Presents, and showcasing their musicians at massives like Dancefestopia, Forbidden Kingdom, Groove Cruise, Imagine Music Festival, and Lost Lands Music Festival.

With 2022 still unfolding, the possibilities are unwritten, endless, and not to be undermined with this top-tier agency.

Without further ado, let’s learn more about senior agent Austin Dotson and the one-and-only Prysm Talent Agency...

Q1: Welcome to our torrential downpour. Austin, can you expand on your history with dance music? Do you recall the song that got you hooked or the moment you felt this was going to be your new favorite genre?

A1: I first knew I wanted to work in the dance music industry in 2016. I went to a Flux Pavilion concert and the feeling was just unexplainable. I had never been a part of the scene before, and seeing the massive amount of people come together and just have love, peace, and harmony with one another was amazing. At that moment I knew this would be something I could enjoy and be a part of. The amount of good things in my life that came from meeting people in the dance music industry has been extraordinary.

Q2: From being an attendee in the crowd to now, working for a worldwide recognized talent agency. What led up to Prysm and where did you get the experience from along the way?

A2: Great question! So when I started at Prysm in mid-2020 I realistically had about zero experience in how the agency side of the industry worked. Through constantly working on training and being ambitious along with my work ethic and quick learning skills I was able to be in the position I am currently.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Prysm Talent Agency (@prysmtalentagency)

Q3: Prysm has been on an unstoppable ascension with exciting additions to the roster, tour announcements, and events galore. What can the audience and viewers expect in the near future that may surprise them?

A3: Prysm Talent Agency has been growing at an unbelievable rate, from artists to agents, one-off shows to tours… as of today we have been able to pump out 10+ tours just this year and we’re planning to put out another 10 more before the end of 2022. As one of the senior agents, seeing where things came from early 2021 to now has just been the most rewarding feeling. The fans of the community can expect to see a lot more of us and our artists playing in their community as well as at major festivals. We have come very far and have no plans of stopping our progress anytime soon.

Q4: The dance music industry is ever-changing and evolving at a rate no one could have predicted. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of the industry as a whole?

A4: My favorite thing about this line of work would be seeing it all come together and run smoothly. It takes quite a bit of time and effort to put on a show, festival, or tour so seeing everything come together and work out is the best feeling I could ask for. Realistically, I don’t think there’s anything I don’t like about the industry. I fell in love with this and I never feel like I am working. Being an agent in the industry is very rewarding and there is nothing else I could see myself doing as a career.

Q5: Fast forward the clocks and look into the future. Where do you yourself in five years, and where do you see Prysm in that 2027 utopian timeline?

A5: Ultimately, we want to be the number 1 music industry booking agency out there and we have already made great strides toward that goal. I think that by the year 2027 we will be able to say we reached that goal. I don’t want to come off cocky, but I am confident in my team and myself.

Q6: Just for fun and to keep things energetic. Do you have a wild party story worth sharing with us?

A6: Well, I’m not much of a “party person” but at Lost Lands 2021 [During Dirt Monkey’s set] I had met Boogie T while backstage with the Prysm crew. He was with the Sweets Kendamas crew and they challenged me to do a kendama trick. I had never even tried to use a kendama before, but I flicked it up and caught it on the spike on the first try. It was awesome.

WATCH THE NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE

Q7: We are your first blog interview, which excites us! Blogging is no new medium in the industry but the future is bringing a lot of virtual and augmented style endeavors to the public. Where do you think concerts, festivals, and events are going in the future? Staying, going, or modified?

A7: I think the industry is always evolving, everyone’s looking for the next sound or the next best thing to present to their fan base. We as humans always have the want to do better, sound better and present the best to our people so I would say it’s going to constantly modify.

Q8: Who inspires you the most to do what you do and would like to give a special shoutout to anyone you feel contributed to where you are today?

A8: My inspiration would come from my mother, she raised three kids on her own working day and night to provide for her children, and seeing that has taught me how to be a strong independent person. As well as a good provider for my children and family. I’d also like to shout out the person that gave me the opportunity to do what I do today, Colton Anderson (CEO of the Prysm Talent Agency). Without him, all of this wouldn’t be possible.