It’s said that Talent recognizes Talent. Jon Saldanha is verification of this. A celebrated musician who has performed with a number of acclaimed Grammy Award Winning artists, Saldanha is also a talent manager with a diverse group of clients. Nothing depicts this better than music group HOFFEY and Adventure Photographer Ben Prescott. In a modern marketplace where digital content and social media reign supreme in terms of marketing and promotion, Saldanha’s inclination for handling diverse talent whom he believes in defies definition. Hearkening back to an era when talent managers took on artists whom they sincerely believed in for their creations rather than simply those who attract sensationalist attention, Jon insists that great talent always earns its moment in the limelight; an end to which he’s committed. Embodying the idea of “it’s the journey, not the destination” Saldanha relates, “I love how my job changes every day. As an entrepreneur, I am always experiencing my daily tasks of emails/ phone calls in a different way. I love being able to act as an ambassador of my clients in order to produce maximum value for all. The fulfilment I get when being able to provide a service that benefits both parties is a fantastic feeling. I definitely love being able to create opportunity from nothing.”
HOFFEY is both a band and a family, literally. Jon began working with the Canadian music duo in 2017, officially signing on as their artist representative in 2018. The public’s embrace of HOFFEY’s debut single “Love Is Wild”, with its contemporary romantic vibe, coupled with Saldanha’s promotion led to their signing with Physical Presents Inc. (a division of Cadence Music Group). Jon also enlisted Los Angeles based visual content creator Kyle Houck (@kylehouck) to film and create the moody Hollywood music video for this track. Nearly 140,000 YouTube views, 1 million plus streams, and CHR rotation in minor markets vets Saldanha’s belief in the appeal of the group and their music. With new tracks in production and booking of a 2020 tour, HOFFEY’s true believing rep states, “We are all intentional with what we create and that all of HOFFEY’s music tells a story. It’s my job to work with our label to help bring that story to life through the distribution of HOFFEY’s art. One of my biggest passions is brand development and to finally see theirs take form the way it has is extremely exciting. The next step is the release of these next few tracks in Fall 2019, a tour in 2020, and new brand partnerships that we are currently working on.”
Proving that his eye for talent is as eclectic as those he works with, Saldanha has also been a prominent part of furthering the career of adventure photographer and fellow Canadian Ben Prescott “@itsbigben.” Working with Tourism Quebec, Destination BC, Visit California, and as a weekly brand ambassador for Eddie Bauer, Prescott’s images have been described as the most transcendent nature based visuals of the past several years. His work elevates basic social media platforms and photography to attain the status of true works of art. Primarily presented via Instagram and YouTube, Ben’s nature/wildlife compositions transmit serenity on the most modern of platforms. As Prescott’s manager, Jon not only partners him with major names like the aforementioned but also takes part in the actual experience. He notes, “I used to frequently accompany Ben on trips and still do to this day whenever possible (Saldanha is also a visual content creator whose work can be viewed at @jonsaldanha). However, because of everything I have my hands in, I have limited time for that. The experience is quite surreal. We typically travel to places that are quiet and scenic. It’s a therapeutic experience, visiting and admiring nature while also getting the chance to share that experience with our audiences after we’ve left. I’d like to think that I’ve created a lot of memories that I’ll cherish for a lifetime on some of these adventures with Ben.”
Treading the line between artistic mindset and business acumen is not achievable by many professionals. Jon Saldanha is an acclaimed musician himself who understands how to help other creatives of various mediums reach an appreciative audience and further their own careers. Though the 2010s have found him working primarily with fellow Canadians, the continual international recognition in which both himself and his artists have achieved indicate that global talent management Team Saldanha is likely to emerge soon.