The New Bosses 2025: Ellen McEleney, DF Concerts

The 18th edition of IQ Magazine’s New Bosses in association with Futures Forum was revealed in IQ 137, recognising 20 of the most promising 30-and-unders in the international live music business. To get to know this year’s class a little better, IQ conducted interviews with each one of 2025’s New Bosses, discovering their greatest inspirations and pinpointing the reasons for their success.

Since her start as a student intern seven years ago, Ellen has steadily progressed through the ranks at DF Concerts & Events to become the company’s first home-grown female promoter, now leading a strong and diverse artist roster, including the likes of Chappell Roan, Alex Warren, Myles Smith and Reneé Rapp.

This summer marks a major milestone in Ellen’s career with two sold-out 30,000-capacity shows for Chappell Roan – her largest shows to date. Alongside supporting a growing number of successful touring artists from across the globe, Ellen remains committed to developing long-term careers for emerging talent.

In recent years, she has played an active role in helping shape Scotland’s music scene, particularly through championing the rapid growth of country and Americana genres. Deeply passionate about mentoring new talent, championing underrepresented voices – especially young women in the Scottish music industry – Ellen is helping to build a more inclusive and forward-thinking live music landscape.

You’ve been involved in live music since you were a teenager – was someone else in your family involved in the business, or was there something or someone else who prompted your interest?
I’m the first in my family to work in the music industry, but I grew up in a house where music was always playing and gig tickets were a big part of our lives. It was a constant presence, so it felt natural to fall in love with it. Music was always my favourite subject at school, but back then, I feel the Scottish education system mainly focused on performance or teaching – both great paths, but I just knew they weren’t quite right for me. I ended up doing a year at a local college to explore things further, and that eventually led me to the Commercial Music Business degree at the University of the West of Scotland. That’s where I really started to understand the live side of the industry – and I’ve never looked back.

You got your foot in the door early, at the start of your career. What advice would you have for other young women to encourage them into careers in live music?
Say yes to every opportunity. And if there aren’t any doors opening, find a way to build your own. When I was at university, I heard whispers about a volunteer programme at TRNSMT Festival – Scotland’s flagship music festival – and I chased it relentlessly. I made sure my name made the list, and that experience ultimately launched my career within DF Concerts. Also, make a point of speaking to as many people as you can. Introduce yourself, offer to help, especially on site – there’s always something to be done! Be friendly, be professional, back yourself, and make sure people remember your name. It makes a difference.

“I’ve always been someone who is obsessed with finding new artists and listening to music”

You’ve worked through a number of departments at DF Concerts. What made you want to concentrate your energies on the promoting end of the business?
Promoting always intrigued me, even when I started as an intern. I was curious about how tours came together: how shows ended up where they did, how offers were put together, and what went on behind the scenes. When a promoter assistant role came up internally, I went for it straight away. It’s a very admin-heavy job, but I loved being in the middle of it all, working on exciting tours. I’ve always been someone who is obsessed with finding new artists and listening to music, so over time, it just became clear that becoming a promoter was the next natural step for me.

You work across quite a number of clients. What has been one of the biggest highlights of your career, so far?
I’ve been lucky to tick off some big moments pretty early on in my career. The first show I ever promoted was for an artist called Jasmine Jethwa, in a 120-capacity room in Glasgow – and it flew out. That buzz never leaves you. A year later, I promoted my first sold-out O2 Academy with Reneé Rapp, which was a huge moment. Reneé being on my roster played a major role in my progression behind the scenes, so that one meant a lot on a personal level, too.

And as I’m writing this, I have my first, sold-out show at the legendary Barrowland Ballroom tonight with Stephen Wilson Jr., an incredible rock-Americana artist from the US. That one is going to be special.

You’ve been working in country music for a while now, and it has become the fastest-growing genre. Are there any home-grown stars you think people should be keeping an eye on?
Definitely! It’s been so exciting to see the demand for country and Americana really grow in Scotland. There are a couple of amazing Scottish women I work with – Riley and Robyn Red – who are doing brilliant things up here. Robyn is an artist we’ve been working with for years, and she just sold out her first headline show at the famous King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, which I know was such a special moment for her, and Riley is gearing up to release her next single, Maggie’s Rodeo, which is a proper pop-country banger, affectionately named after Glasgow’s favourite country bar. If you know, you know!

From a UK perspective, Maya Lane is someone I absolutely adore. She’s such a talented singer-songwriter and is having a massive summer; she’s playing BST Hyde Park with Noah Kahan and just took part in SXSW London. One to watch for sure.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to trust my gut and not get too swayed by other opinions”

You’ve been working with Chappell Roan since before her meteoric rise in the past couple of years. What tips do you have when it comes to identifying emerging talent?
It’s often instinctual for me. I listen to a variety of different genres – pop, country, indie, alt-pop – and it usually comes down to a gut feeling. If I connect with it straight away, chances are someone else will too. Particularly in pop, I happen to fall within the core demographic as a 26-year-old woman, so I feel I have that personal connection on my side as well as the professional point of view in mind. Of course, music is subjective – what works for me might not land with everyone – but over the years, I’ve learned to trust my gut and not get too swayed by other opinions.

Is there anyone in your life that you see as a mentor, or who helped you learn the ropes?
As the sole female promoter at my company, a lot of my mentors have been the men I’ve worked closely with. I was really lucky to be the assistant to Dave Corbet and Craig Johnston, who, between them, have worked with pretty much every major name under the sun – Beyoncé, Coldplay, Lewis Capaldi, Olivia Rodrigo, Sam Fender… the list goes on!

They gave me such a strong foundation and, more importantly, made space for me to grow. When I started thinking about building my own roster, they were so supportive, letting me lead conversations, showing me the ropes on the financial side, and backing me all the way. I believe it’s a testament as to why my relationships with the agents I work with today are so strong – they’ve known me since day one and watched me come up.

I’ve also been supported by an incredible network of women at Live Nation: Maddie Arnold, Anna-Sophie Mertens, Sophie Pitchforth, to name a few. They’ve been a real lifeline at times – whether it’s for advice, encouragement, or just a drink and a debrief. Their support has meant the world.

“Recently, I was denied entry to one of my own shows by a security guard who didn’t believe I was the promoter”

As a new boss, what one thing would you change to try to improve the live music business?
Gender equality still needs work. We’re making progress, but there are still moments that make you realise how far there is to go. I recently had an incident where I was denied entry to one of my own shows by a security guard who didn’t believe I was the promoter because I “didn’t look like the others.” You learn to develop thick skin in this job, but it’s frustrating all the same. I also think the industry should keep embracing new ways in – whether that’s through different education routes, work experience, or people finding their own paths in. The more open we are to non-traditional backgrounds and avenues, the more exciting talent we’ll bring into the business.

What would you like to be doing in five years’ time?
If you’d shown me my roster five years ago, I’d never have believed it so, who knows what the next five could look like! I’d love to keep building it, helping my artists grow and go from baby band rooms to sold-out theatres and arenas. I’m especially proud of the work I do with early-stage artists – it’s such a joy being part of those beginning steps and watching it all come together. And, in a dream world, I’d love to have a stadium under my belt in my 30s!

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