[INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT] Oscar Sanchez, CEO and Founder of Affluent Records

 

by Cyrus Webb

Talk about a timely conversation. With so much changing in the world--especially in the music industry---it's great to have people like Oscar Sanchez to tell us what he believes we need to be doing now. Oscar and I have known each other for years, but we met each other for the first time in 2019 while I was visiting New York. Over the years he has shown his ability to not just work with amazing talent but share what he has learned about the industry along the way.

In this informative conversation he talks about his love of music,making his mark in the entertainment industry and what you need to be doing NOW to make sure you remain relevant moving forward. 

Oscar, glad to have you finally in the pages of Conversations Magazine. It’s been great featuring you on the radio show Conversations LIVE in the past. For those just meeting you tell us when your love of music began? 

Thank You, Cyrus. Its been a beautiful blessing being on your show through the years. Always loved your interviews, because you always allowed an open platform for all your guests to speak from their heart and give key direct insight to so many.  

Today I would like to say congrats on the magazine, Awesome accomplishment. 

As far as when my love of music began, I would have to say at the young age of 9 or 10 years old. That's when I encountered my wow moment. I grew up in downtown Manhattan, in the village and music was always around me. 

In my house, at the neighbors house, and as soon as I opened my window, in the streets everyday. Back then everybody had their doors or windows open, like my neighborhood was one big campus (laughs). So out of every home and out of every social club you would hear so many different types of genres blasting out loud daily. 

So I grew up listening to a variety. My house would play Salsa, Mariachi, Jazz, and Top 40 Pop. In addition at night there was always the usual selective mixture of Italian Opera, Jazz, 50/60s Doo Wop Songs, Disco, Pop, and a flurry of Frank Sinatra Rat Pack tunes coming from Dodges Bar that used to be beneath me. Visually my nights living on top of a bar was like a typical scene out of a Martin Scorsese movie.

One summer I remember I had to meet my mom at her friends house. As soon as I arrived, my mom’s friend older son comes into the apartment right behind me and props his huge boom box radio in front of my face on the kitchen table. It took up like half the table.

But what caught more of my attention was what was coming out of the boom box speakers itself. The track blasting out the box was Rappers Delight and that chic sample got me. Once I heard that guitar and the bass pump that beat, that was it, I was hooked. I never heard anything like that before. It had so much energy it felt like an experience more than the bland pop songs on the radio at the time. My life since that day began to focus on music and searching for more of that same sound and energy. That's why I became music producer as well. 

You are the founder of Affluent Records. How did the idea of Affluent come about?
Great question. My best answer I would have to say I woke up and realized 2 of the most important mantras in life such as Everything happens for a reason but in order to win you have to make those reasons successful for you, If you can see it you can live it.  

Affluent came to be because as I grew up working in the industry I got tired of seeing amazing artists fly through the system and not get signed or get overlooked. It was like being a stock broker and seeing the winners ahead of time. Back then signing decisions were based on creative aspects not data and numbers like today, so deals were done differently. None the less no matter what, it was a hurdle as an A&R to get your label boss to sign off or believe in the same vision you are seeing in the artists that are coming in daily.   

These life lessons were the sparks that set the fire that made me realize that I needed to work for myself, create my world like LA Reid, Russell, Andre, Puff, Lyor, and Chris did. Not stress working for the next guy, but take the initiative and build my own platform, my own world. In reality all these events were the examples and a grand wake-up call for me to make that difference. I had a vision, but to create that vision I had to manifest what I wanted. Aside from all those visuals I needed capital and a strategic plan to make this all work. 

Absorbing everything into a fold I created a name that I wanted to reflect my life and my world from that point on. It meant how I see life from now on and above all how I wanted to live it. Affluent defines the fluidity of success and the best of the best, all of highest value. Since I came from nothing, I wanted to create a platform that reflected success, progress, the best and creative freedom. A futuristic platform that would be progressive . This is how Affluent came to be. Affluent Entertainment and Affluent Records were established in East Harlem in New York City  on 111th Street in 2005, and we have grown ever since. 

Part of what you have done is help artists share their talent with the world. How does that feel to know you are making that kind of impact? 
Truly incredible. That's why I love being an Executive Producer. It's absolute magic to be able to see the best of an artist, or a song or project or brand and actually produce it to manifest into reality. I always felt that part was always a beautiful high for me creatively. 

 

2020 is not panning out to be the year many were expecting. How have you had to adjust what you are doing to fit the current environment?
2020 has turned out to be beyond words so far. Our lives have changed within the blink of an eye and now our new reality is what we have to see and live for. As far as the music business, the thrive of the digital world is full blown now and the only viable source. 

Due to the reality of artists not touring until possibly 2021 and night life venues now open fully until around the same time we have refocused the push of artists' online presence. 

We live in a world where content is now everything. So artists + labels + brands need to get busy and start creating + releasing new music,new videos, new projects soon to keep the progressive flow forward.  The internet rules everything and you have to keep people entertained in order to succeed and build a brand that wins. Now more than ever content creation is #1.

As far as what am I doing to adjust to this new normal I am in the process of updating sites and our work model to adjust to this new era. The need for remote artist and label services are crucial right now, so we need new pricing, more bundles, more subscription options, more diversified varied content and additional online one-on-one interaction options for my clients via remote chats as the new line of communication standard. 

Fear is one of those things that stop so many today. How have you kept from letting it keep you from pursuing your goals and dreams?
Fear has destroyed the lives of so many people in front of my eyes growing up that seeing that alone put the fire in me to push to not end up in that same way. I have always lived understanding that we all as humans fall from time to time on our walks along our journey, but it's more important that we get up and keep going forward instead of falling into the fear and fall back. I believe our Creator gives us what we need to push ourselves to be best we can be. 

Social media is such a powerful tool, especially today. How have you been able to use it to reach your audience for your artists and to network?

Social Media platforms are everything. They are the current day Roman Coliseum, and you have to come correct. It's all about first building your platform and feeding your platform so that there is a progressive fluid story to your brand or project. 

Clients that have budgets also opt for online advertising on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube, but it can be a costly option.

In regards as to what I have done the focus has been to put a prime focus on content creation, making sure everything is at mainstream level. That is the core audience I sell to. I have also diversified the talents and genres of music in my catalog to reach a more global market share. In addition I  have opened to partner with brands to do collective online marketing. 

Any advice you have for others out there looking to pursue music or the entertainment industry?You only live one life, so live out your dreams and GO FOR IT!. This life is amazing and even more beautiful when we all bring our best to create, entertain, prosper, love, and live it out to the fullest! Live affluent. The best is yet to come! 

Thanks for your time, Oscar. Continued blessings and success to you. How can our audience stay connected with you?
Thank you for the opportunity. You can reach me directly via email oscarsanchez@affluentrecords.com or via cell 646 351 7216. Check out our label site Affluent Records at www.affluentrecords.com. On Instagram you can reach me at www.instagram.com/affluentnyc.