Road To The Stellars-Industry Insider & PR Veteran – JoJo Pada

Profile Feature: JoJo Pada

Noted Work: Founder of leading Gospel music industry public relations firm- IgnitionPR, Former publicity director of Light Records and Zomba Gospel. Has spent 15 years in the music entertainment industry working with a myriad of entertainment entities. Some include: Essence Magazine, The Discovery Channel, and The NBA Players Association. Has been involved with press campaigns for some of Gospel music’s most noted artists. Some include: Mary Mary,  Jessica Reedy, Dawkins&Dawkins,  Donald Lawrence, Donnie McClurkin, Marvin Sapp, Hezekiah Walker, Coko Clemons, The Clark Sisters, Commissioned, Darryl Coley and many more.

 JoJo Pada is a known face and force in the Gospel music industry. With years of experience in the entertainment industry, she knows what it takes to make it in the music world. This is why she is the “go to girl” for all things PR in the Gospel music industry. After many years with prestigious and noted entertainment labels and entities she launched IgnitionPR and has been putting her public relations prowess to work on campaigns for Mary Mary, Jessica Reedy, Dawkins&Dawkins, William McDowell, Gail Holmes, Ricky Dillard&New G, Pastor Shirley Caesar and more. We caught up with her to get her perspective on Stellar Awards weekend and get some tips for artists and musicians trying to break into the industry.

GOSPELflava.com : Where are some places that you think new artists/musicians should definitely try to be during the Stellar Awards weekend?

JoJo Pada: Firstly, the Stellar Awards Weekend is the premier gathering for artists (independent/major), executives, and radio personalities.I believe in the Stellar Awards and sowing into it. It has been our foundation.  One of the great events that happens right at the start on Thursday night is the industry prayer meeting  at the church CeCe Winans attends in Nashville–Born Again Church. It’s put together by Carla Williams and is an opportunity for the music industry to come together and pray for the strength of the industry, the year, and  all that is to come. It’s a great way to start off one’s time during this weekend of events. There are a few events that happen on friday that are definitely worth checking out. There’s the BMI Trailblazers of Gospel Music Awards, which is invitation only, but if artists are affiliated with BMI they should look into trying to be at that event. It’s for excutives and artists and provides an opportunity to honor those who have been pivotal in advancing the reach of Gospel music. The Stellar Awards Pre-show is another great place to be. It is a red carpet event and there are definitely industry executives and radio entities present that will be essential to artists. Friday night the Bonnerfide Radio party takes place. I think this is a great networking event. It’s great because many signed/unsigned artists are given a platform to perform. So many different people from the Gospel music industry attend the event, so it’s definitely somewhere that one might want to be. The Stellar Radio Awards Saturday is also a great place to be. It’s a gathering of all of the radio entities and personalities being recognized for their great work throughout the year. Artists definitely want to be there because these are the people that will possibly provide them with the necessary airplay that will contribute to their success. Last but not least, artists/musicians should definitely find themselves at the Stellar Awards taping.  This is where one sees how it all comes together. It’s definitely the height of the weekend.

GOSPELflava.com: What do you think executives are looking for in artists?

JoJo Pada: They are looking for a full package. They want you to have a following–and audience of people that believe in your artistry and will support it. An artist needs to have a clear vision of who they are and where they want to go. Amber Bullock and Jessica Reedy are good examples of this. They want to know that you are on the right path, so that they will be confident in making an investment in you.

GOSPELflava.com: What do you enjoy the most about the Stellar Awards weekend of events?

JoJo Pada: My favorite event is the BMI Trailblazers Gospel Music Awards. It started about 6-7 years ago and it’s such a beautiful event. It’s reminiscent of the Clive-Davis’ Pre-Grammy event that happens yearly. The mic gets passed around a lot during the tributes, and there’s such a feeling of excitement in the air. I love it! I look forward to the event each year.

We hope that you were able to take away some good nuggets from JoJo Pada. Continue to keep your eyes open for more “Road To the Stellars -Industry Insider” pieces all leading up the big event on January 14th in Nashville, Tennessee.