July 2, 2026

How Festival Lineups Get Picked with Will Runzel (Prodigy Artists) | EF EP 158

How Festival Lineups Get Picked with Will Runzel (Prodigy Artists) | EF EP 158
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This episode is sponsored by Trackstack: the operating system built for music professionals who invest in each other. Trackstack Pro gives you access to a network of labels, curators, and artists where every connection you make is yours to keep. No algorithms, no platform holding your contacts hostage. Just real professional relationships that can turn into collaborations, bookings, and opportunities that can change the trajectory of your career.

Use code ELEVATED for 50% off Pro for 3 months at trackstack.app

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How do festival lineups actually get built — and what really gets an artist booked, signed, and streamed? Host Olivia Mancuso sits down with Will Runzel, founder of artist management company Prodigy, who came up as a talent buyer and promoter before managing some of dance music's biggest acts.

Will breaks down how talent buyers really assemble festival lineups, how he booked now-headlining DJs like Zedd and DJ Snake for almost nothing early on, and how to spot a padded offer. They get into artist branding and vision, audience psychographics, owning a niche instead of chasing everyone, the unglamorous work ethic behind every breakout, and why every release is now an audiovisual project.

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Want personalized guidance on your music career? Book a one-on-one consultation with Olivia on GreenRoom where you can get tailored advice on branding, business strategy, and sustainable career growth

Instagram: oliviamancuso__

Video Editor/Audio Engineer: James Fixx

00:00 - Introduction

01:31 - Sponsor – Trackstack

02:17 - Who Gets Lied To More?

03:16 - Roots As A Talent Buyer

04:22 - Building Prodigy With Steven

05:49 - The Non-Traditional Path

07:06 - Advice For Young Managers

08:06 - Signing His First Client

10:13 - The Chicago Of It All

11:12 - Chicago's Club Roots

12:43 - Daft Punk Over Kanye

13:56 - Immerse In The Culture

14:57 - His Love For House

16:06 - What He Looks For

17:54 - Stand For Something

19:38 - Know Your Audience

20:54 - Artist Development, Day One

21:43 - His Archetype: The Ruler

23:29 - Building Content Buckets

24:43 - The Unsexy Skill: Work Ethic

27:11 - Build A Long Runway

28:30 - Why Trends Aren't A Strategy

29:30 - The Streaming Life Cycle

31:53 - Only 8% See Your Posts

33:14 - Burner Accounts & Blogs

34:09 - Every Release Is Audiovisual

36:11 - The Oliver Tree Lesson

39:09 - How Festival Lineups Get Built

41:58 - The DJs He Booked First

44:50 - Impact Behind The Scenes

45:30 - Artists Owning Their IP

46:21 - Private Equity In Dance Music

47:58 - What Makes An Artist Unmanageable

48:54 - Manifesting & A Can-Do Mindset

50:23 - Olivia's Manifesting Journey

51:26 - How To Plan For 2028

53:02 - Master One Genre First

54:39 - The Cafeteria Theory

55:19 - Wrap-Up