Lauren Sieh Interview
Lauren Sieh
Director of National Promotions
BEC Recordings
Career Capsule: I have been very fortunate to have my career start off at BEC Recordings back in 2009 and almost 14 years later I am still working here.
Lauren, Tell us about what’s new with you, your latest adventures, happenings at BEC Recordings?
Personally, there has been a lot that has changed for me over the last few years. I got married, had my son (Luther), bought first house, had my daughter (Naomi), moved again and survived many football seasons (husband is a HS football coach). Life has been very full, but wouldn’t change anything. 🙂 For work, 2022 has been an exciting year for BEC Recordings. We have had a lot of success with Tasha Layton and Jordan St. Cyr this year. It is amazing to see the connection their songs have been able to make with listeners and we are so thankful for all the support radio has shown our label. We also recently signed The Young Escape and Zauntee and excited for new music from them as we enter in 2023.
Since you have a such a busy schedule, how do you best manage your responsibilities and priorities?
I know everyone has a lot to juggle and wear multiple hats, but I am a big list person — nothing better than getting to check items off the list and also see what priorities need to happen for the day and week. With the way we have our radio department set up, I get to chat with most of the stations, so a good spreadsheet also always helps keep everything organized with what’s going on at each station. There are a lot of stations to try to connect with each week, but I wouldn’t want to give up any of those relationships. I think Bill Ronning and I have been tracking since my very first day on the job (so almost 14 years of calls)! I also am very thankful when I need to focus on administration or big picture planning, I can rely on the indie promoters we partner with to make sure our songs are still being supported at radio each week. Shoutout to Jennifer Mouttet, Matt Ingle, Chris Hauser, Grant Hubbard and Rick Steimling — love getting to be part of a team with all of them this year!
Complete this sentence: The best way to get a new artist recognized is to____________?
Provide great music! I think at the end of the day the music has to be able to connect. It is magical when you are able to have it all come together and the song hits in a different and special way! I think one recently that stood out for us was Tasha Layton’s “Into The Sea (It’s Gonna Be Ok).” Tasha was a relatively new artist in the CCM world at the time we released the song. It was the beginning of the pandemic and I think the song broke through and was truly able to put into words what a lot of people were needing to hear!
Generally speaking how do you see the state of Christian radio?
Even with all the new technology and platforms out there, I still believe the importance of radio has not changed. I know there were ups and downs through the pandemic, but I think the way I hear that listeners are still giving even during the unknown and hard times proves the need. Christian radio still has the way to uniquely connect with a listener that other mediums aren’t able to do. I never tire of hearing the stories of when the right song played at the exact moment someone needed to hear it. As my life has changed over the years and now I have 2 kids and in my mid-30s (still need to get that minivan 😉), I find a new and greater appreciation for Christian radio. I love what it pours into my kids — nothing is better than my kids belting to their favorite song on the radio!
Regarding record sales how has it changed ….please explain?
It was interesting during the pandemic that I felt like there was a little less impact given we already had braced and had to change the way we operate when sales hugely shifted from physical to digital. I think as things continually change it will always be important to be innovative and flexible in the way we approach record sales. As there are different avenues now to see what is connecting with consumers — digital streaming, church/CCLI, etc. I still see the connection and the impact radio has on sales! We are so thankful when something connects at radio to see the ripple effect.
What promotions with radio have you been involved with personally that are most memorable?
There have been some fun promotions I have been involved with at radio over the years — I know some radio programmers are tired of the typical coffee mugs, shirts and trinkets over the years. I have sent a fair share of them LOL. One fun promotion we did for Kutless was sending mini lock boxes with an advanced copy of the record. We saw all different types of determination from programmers to figure out the 3 digit code. 🙂 I believe one intern at a station was tasked with opening it. It took them one full day trying out all the different combinations. I also love surprising the programmers with your not typical promo item — like a David Dunn pillowcase. I joked that by the end of it they might get a full bed set haha.
Do you feel the record/radio relationship is still as important as it has been in the past………..explain how its same/different?
I think record and radio relationship is still very important. When labels and radio work together I think great things can happen. I love when there is a mutual appreciation for everyones role and job. When we bring a great artist and song to the table, radio has the ability to connect the music to the listener in a way we aren’t able to do on a daily basis. They have a role in the consumer/listener’s life that we don’t play. I hope that radio also sees the importance that labels play in bringing music to them that will help everyone succeed!
Who are your industry heroes, people you admire and look up to?
The first person that comes to mind that I really admire is Tamara Moore. Tamara was the one who took a chance on a girl who had no experience in the world of radio. We only got to work a few years together, but she has poured so much into my life. I admire her work ethic and her dedication to be the best at whatever she sets her mind on. I appreciate that she is always a phone call away and has been my biggest cheerleader.