LONDON, UK (CelebrityAccess) – London-based entertainment agency Neil O’Brien Entertainment announced today that the company had appointed agents Jamie Kelly and Ross Leslie to its existing team and has launched a new theatre division – Westway Talent, with Rhydian Roberts taking the lead.
Jamie Kelly
Kelly was previously the owner of The Magnificent Agency and joins the company with his roster, including Cast, Alabama 3, Soup Dragons, Kyle Falconer (The View), Shambolics and Proud Mary.
Previous artists include The Jesus & Mary Chain, Melanie C, Black Grape, Glasvagas, The Ordinary Boys and Jah Wobble, among others.
Kelly will continue managing The View and Shambolics, co-managing with Alan McGee at Creation Management, and further developing his roster over the coming months.
Ross Leslie
Leslie was previously at Consolidated Artists and was responsible for artists including Ritchie Blackmore, Manfred Mann, Bernie Marsden, and Steve Lukather. Initially, Leslie will be working on the company’s existing artists and looking to develop his own roster over the coming months.
Founder and CEO Neil O’Brien said, “ I am excited to welcome two new members to our team, both of whom I believe can work with us to deliver specialist and artist-focused approaches to touring – something we have developed over the last sixteen years in business.”
Westway Talent
Rhydian Roberts will oversee the new theatre division specializing in live concert touring and staged concert business with more than thirty theatre actors, including Elaine Paige, Bonnie Langford, Lee Mead, Kerry Ellis, Lucie Jones, Ramin Karimloo, Ruthie Henshall, John Barrowman, John Partridge, Jamie Muscato, Jason Manford, Samantha Barks and others.
Much of the roster is linked to the music label Westway Music, formed in 2020 to deliver live recordings and events, including the regular concert series The Westway Sessions. The division is the only designated roster in the UK to develop the growing business of live music activity for musical theatre artists.
O’Brien said, “ I have worked closely with Rhydian for more than ten years developing live touring opportunities for our theatre-based music artists and over the last three years have identified an exciting area of activity where we have been able to develop some incredible live opportunities and relationships in the musical theatre space. Having set up a music and film label (Westway) during the pandemic to create business for our artists, it seemed logical to create a home for them with a hugely creative and knowledgeable person such as Rhydian. I am extremely excited to now represent some of the best theatre talent in the UK for their concert business.”
Launched in 2007, Neil O’Brien Entertainment is based in Soho, London and is a specialist independent agency representing over a hundred artists worldwide. It delivers over 2500 shows annually with a team of eight and is owned and operated by music industry veteran Neil O’Brien.
The company’s current roster includes Joe Bonamassa, UB40, Dionne Warwick, Ocean Colour Scene, Beth Hart, Fisherman’s Friends, Paul Young, Damian Lewis, Incognito, Brand New Heavies, Roachford, Aled Jones, The Alarm and many others.
