Walter Kolm

Walter kolm photo

Walter Kolm, CEO of W.K. Entertainment, is one of Latin music's most respected and accomplished figures. Currently focused on managing major Latin music stars and developing new talent, Kolm's experience within the music industry is footed in years of experience. Before becoming one of the most influential managers in music, Kolm was the President of Universal Music Latino and Machete Music where he oversaw some of the company's most successful campaigns and where artists such as Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, Paulina Rubio, Wisin & Yandel and Don Omar experienced some of their biggest campaigns and career peeks.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 6, 1968, found in his native city a music store of infinite possibilities. Such was his passion, that when he would buy a vinyl record, for example, he would even memorize the producing label. In the 1980s, Argentina freed itself of the shackles of a traumatic military dictatorship. Winds of freedom blew through the country, and creativity ruled as the song of the day. In that scene Kolm flourished. “I was never a musician, but I was punk, and belonged to the whole Argentine underground music scene. Then, at 17, almost 18 years of age, a band asked me if I wanted to be the manager. Those were the days when multinationals did not pay attention to alternative music and the indie labels devoted themselves to popular music,” remembers Kolm from his office. “Thus, I began to represent, which meant booking shows, finding a little place to play, for about 400 people. And I was doing flyers, promoting performances.” Since Argentina’s alternative groups were rarely recorded then, Kolm, who also published a fanzine covering the field, seized the opportunity to make an EP, a four-song record, that he would release himself. Taking the fanzine to places where records were distributed, he learned how to distribute his own production. And when that first record sold 10,000 units, and other bands began calling him, Kolm realized something that would change his life: that by the late 1980s, he was responsible for the birth of a record label, which he would call Radio Trípoli. In 1988, Kolm would release a groundbreaking compilation album of punk bands called “Invasión 88”. The genre got stronger, Kolm was signing up acts and success soon followed. With artists such as Attaque 77, Andrés Calamaro, Los Auténticos Decadentes, Pappo, Los Guarros, Memphis La Blusera, Los Visitantes, Hermética, Bersuit Vergarabat and others, Kolm’s company had grown to become Argentina’s most important independent record label by 1993. But at age 23, Kolm sold everything and took off to travel the world. He was contemplating his next move when Universal Music International approached him to direct Universal’s operation in Argentina.

By 25, Walter Kolm found himself building a record label practically from scratch. That’s when that innate ability to perceive what others miss came in handy: tropical music was enjoying a boom, and along with it would be Universal Music Argentina. “I led the company for three years, and it was the smallest Universal label with the largest market share in the world,” remembers this single father who dresses in a relaxed and casual manner. “I was always passionate about seeing what was coming up next. I am tone-deaf; I don’t know if a guitar is tuned or not, but I like to watch for trends. It doesn’t have to do with whether I like the group or not, but whether it has fans, if there’s a movement.” Kolm knew that if he wanted to turn his label into a multinational, he would have to triumph in a new niche. And that niche was the bailanta musical genre. The success that it would bring the company made Kolm’s boss, Jesús López, take him to Universal in Spain (the label had merged with PolyGram to form Universal Music Group), as Managing Director of the Mercury subsidiary. The young executive did not realize it then, but the move to Europe would be his first big opportunity to jump into the international music market. In Spain, Kolm immersed himself in flamenco music, taking charge of a marketing campaign called “El flamenco es universal” (Flamenco is universal); of an album of never before released material by legendary musician Camarón de la Isla; and of Pepe Habichuela, father of some of the members of the Ketama group. “For me, the most important aspect of that time was working with Bon Jovi, Elton John, Mark Knopfler and U2”, says Kolm about the end of the 1990s, when Spain was the ninth music market in the world. “That took me to another level.” The marketing experience Kolm gained by working with some of the industry’s biggest stars was just what he wanted to bring with him when he moved to the United States. Before that, however, he would spend a year and a half as President of Universal’s label in Chile.

Once in the States, Kolm would become (by 2003) Senior Vice President of Marketing and A & R for Universal Music Latino. In the five years he spent in that position, he was responsible for the successful strategies behind artists such as Juanes, Enrique Iglesias, Paulina Rubio, David Bisbal and RKM & Ken-Y, among many others. Challenges, however, were many: long promotional campaigns, a much wider geographical area, and a Latin population of some 40 million people with diverse tastes. “I had to focus on pop; had to take our pop artists to the highest level, so they would become megastars,” Kolm explains. “They had to sweep in the awards show, sell many records, and be profitable to the company. Those were the objectives, and we achieved them.” In 2008, Universal Music Group bought Univisión Records, acquiring its entire catalog of regional Mexican music, and becoming a powerhouse in that genre. This gave rise to an entertainment colossus: Universal Music Latin Entertainment. That same year, the pop and urban departments of the company were brought together, and Kolm became President of Universal Music Latino Machete (pop, urban, tropical, rock), leading some 50 people and with the responsibility of 100 artists.

After 3 years as president of Universal Music Latino and Machete in May 2011 Cristian Castro, who then became the biggest selling artist for Universal Music thanks to his latest album “Viva el Principe”, asked Kolm to be his manager. "The business of the record company was decaying year after year when it bought Univision it had to sell $ 150 million dollars per year, and three years later we weren’t even selling $35 million dollars. For a while I was looking for the opportunity to jump out from the Titanic, not literally but this is how I viewed the situation of the recorded music industry, and Cristian Castro helped me take the leap. Thanks to Christian I was introduced into the world of management and discovered that how today’s society and businesses are, from this end is where I could accomplish great things. In 1 year we made the biggest tour that Cristian has had in his last 10 years and was also signed with Sony Music, which was the main reason why Cristian took me to work with". Castro's success under WK was capped by a 2011 Latin Billboard Award where Kolm joined Castro onstage to accept the award after the Mexican artist thanked him for being a central part of his accomplishments.

Walter Kolm now focuses his management expertise on the career of Colombian singer, composer and actor Carlos Vives. Under Kolm, the star has experienced one of Latin music's most important comebacks and in 2013 was recognized as the most important artist of Latin America. With Kolm, Vives' album "Corazon Profundo" debuted at #1 on the Latin Billboard Charts while it’s follow-up album “Mas Corazon Profundo” broke first week sales records in Colombia. Together both albums have spawned 5 consecutive #1 radio singles, among them international mega-hits such as the anthem "Volvi A Nacer" and “Cuando Nos Volvamos A Encontrar” Featuring Marc Anthem. With these project’s Carlos Vives has become the biggest Latin Grammy winner of the last two years, taking home 5 gramophones, more than any other artist and also the 2014 American Grammy for Best Latin Tropical Album. Furthermore, WK spearheaded what became the artist's triumphant comeback tour with sold-out concerts in the United States, Latin America and Europe and during 2014 became Colombia’s biggest concert outing in history with more than 200,000 fans filling five stadium concerts throughout the country.

Last year, Walter Kolm extended his artist stable by taking not the international management responsibilities for one of Latin urban music's hottest rising stars, Maluma. The 21 year old Colombian talent who has become an idol and phenomenon throughout Latin America becoming Instagram’s #1 Latin male artist in the world with more than 3 million followers. In total the rising star has 16 million fans online and over 400 million views on Youtube. Under Kolm's management, Maluma was chosen as one of the three coaches on the first ever Colombian edition of “La Voz Kids” where he not only became the top-rated program’s most popular judge but also led his young artist to win the competition and in the process became one of Colombia’s biggest celebrities. Recently Maluma released an advance EP “P.B.D.B. Mixtape” exclusively at the Colombian supermarket and pharmacy chain, Colsubsidio which broke pre-sale records in the country as he became the first urban artist to have a gold album upon its release. Now, he prepares to release his official sophomore album "Pretty Boy, Dirty Boy" under Sony Music US Latin later this year.

Walter Kolm begins 2015 with the signing of his third exclusive artist, Colombian singer and actress, Fanny Lu. Currently they are working together for the return of Colombia's #1 female voice to the international music stage.

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