Everyone has a story to tell. The difference for many artists, authors and media personalities comes in having a talented team behind them who can help best communicate that story. Names like MercyMe, American Idols’ Mandisa and Chris Sligh, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Jeremy Camp, Hawk Nelson, The Afters, Jars of Clay, the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, TobyMac and more have relied upon the expertise of those at The Media Collective to do just that.
And they put their faith in the right people. This talented P. R. team has secured coverage for them in publications including Billboard, People, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, CCM Magazine, R&R, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, SELF, Seventeen, Marie Claire, Parents, Shape, Today’s Christian Woman, Brio, Focus on the Family, Tiger Beat, POPSTAR! and Seventeen as well as spots on The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, NBC’s Today Show, Live! With Regis & Kelly, The View, Larry King Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, MSNBC, Fox News Channel, The CBS Early Show, and CNN’s Showbiz Tonight.
Helmed by 17-year public relations veteran Velvet Rousseau Kelm, The Media Collective was born in January 2003 when Kelm purchased The Resource Agency's music-based public relations division, a firm she has successfully headed since its inception in 2000. Kelm brings to this new company her vast experience in P.R. and artist management and development, which has made her the first stop for many big names in Nashville and beyond.
Kelm’s early career found her directing the P.R. department of Star Song Records, creating and implementing all corporate P.R. for the label and its distribution company, Star Song Distribution. During her more than seven years in that post, she oversaw and implemented P.R. plans for artists such as Newsboys, Twila Paris, WhiteHeart and Phillips, Craig & Dean, securing coverage on Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America and E! News Daily, and placing stories in key publications that included Rolling Stone, Details and Us. .
When EMI purchased Star Song, Kelm worked in the combined P.R. departments of Star Song and Sparrow Records, overseeing plans for artists BeBe and CeCe Winans to perform at the 1998 Inaugural Prayer Service. She also handled P.R. for popular bands Newsboys and Switchfoot, pushing them to new heights of popularity. .
In 1997, hungry for a new challenge and eager to expand her knowledge of the music industry, Kelm joined forces with Wes Campbell to co-manage Newsboys, The Waiting and other artists under the banner of First Company Management. When all was said and done, Kelm spent three-and-a-half years learning the ins and outs of artist management, touring and concert promotion, experience that greatly enhanced her P. R. knowledge. .
From there, Kelm returned to P.R. to launch and run the music division of The Resource Agency. Under her direction, clients like Superchic[k] gained prominence with their music appearing on the Legally Blonde soundtrack, on MTV, and in a National JC Penney ad campaign. Other highlights included overseeing the launch of girl group ZOEgirl, the fastest-selling debut act in Sparrow Records history, and working with dc Talk founding member TobyMac, the Todd M. Beamer foundation, and former Afghan missionaries-turned-prisoners Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer on the release of their worship CD. .
Following that kind of success, opening the doors of The Media Collective was a natural next step. With a strong team that includes P.R. veterans and rising talent, Kelm & Co. offer full service public relations services to their clients both inside and outside the music industry. As her resume proves, Kelm has been personally involved in the development of some of the Christian music industry's top talent while branching out to offer authors and organizations the benefit of her years of expertise. The staff has long-term relationships in all areas of Christian media and continues to foster strong ties to mainstream outlets as well. Not content to take the usual route, The Media Collective has become known for their out-of-the box thinking, winning them raves from clients and editors. .
"Velvet and her team exemplify the true definition of public relations, and do (the job) exceedingly well,” says Jeff Moseley, President of INO/M2.0 Communications. “I’ve known Velvet for over 13 years, and am honored to have her and her team represent our artists. She has garnered the respect of the media, the artists, the labels and her peers—and she deserves it." .
The Media Collective’s commitment to finding new angles and pursue new outlets has made them a favorite among artists, allowing the company to handpick artists and projects they believe in. Their current roster is a testament to that philosophy, each client representing a relationship that goes behind mere promotion to a true belief in the work being done and the hearts behind those projects. .
“It is an incredible privilege to work with people we believe in, and who also have a great story to tell,” comments Kelm. “It is our goal to not only get the best and most coverage for our artists as possible, but to do it in a way that serves the artists, the media and the record labels. Not a day goes by that we don’t experience the excitement that working with such a diverse group of talent affords us.”