Louis Godfrey’s Instagram tags him as a visual enthusiast. The 28-year old grew up in Christchurch and graduated from University of Canterbury with a law degree. While not really following that path he almost inadvertently found himself involved in music management, and for much of the last four years he’s been working as day-to-day manager as well as on the creative team of the Australian former pro surfer turned flamboyant international dance DJ, FISHER.  

Travelling all over the world with one of the world’s top dance DJs, his responsibilities have included tour operations and logistics management, business admin, scheduling and co-ordination, planning and execution of content creation. New York, Toronto, London, Mumbai, Sydney and his Surfers Paradise hometown were among the list of massive headline shows FISHER performed in 2025, with residencies in Ibiza and Las Vegas to boot.

In January this year he performed at Tauranga’s Bay Oval, and although Louis has since stepped back to form his own management and creative agency, we started with wondering how he had come to score this sweet gig?

Was music management in your sights while studying law?

To be completely honest, not at all. I always loved music and going to shows, and my favourite genre was always house music, but I had no idea that was even a job! My main focus was just finishing the Law degree so I wouldn’t have to do any more exams. On the side I was working on construction sites for extra cash.

So what was your first step into music management?

It was in NZ, my friend Walt hit me once I graduated asking if I wanted to manage his band. I had no intention of going and working in an office, so for half a year we were on headphones chatting about booking different summer shows, while digging holes on site. From there we started a management company, The Good Batch, we ended up managing five different artist groups, until Covid hit…

And the career steps from there that led to you scoring the Fisher gig?

By 2022 Covid had shut down live music shows twice. The second time I decided I wanted to go back to the US. I spent a year there after high school working at a Summer Camp in Texas, so I got a taste of the American life.

The second time our business ground to a halt I reached out to AYITA [part of global artist management operation the Circuit Group] through an email I found. I had been a fan of Fisher’s since he was a surfer on tour, and grew up watching him interview pros, so I knew who he was managed by.

In 2014 I saw Fisher on the side of the road in Wanaka, NZ, and I gave him a ride to the festival in our tiny van. I happened to film this interaction, and added this to the application video, which I think caught the team’s eye! I sent the company a video letting them know I was down to come run coffees and work as an intern, they hit me back and said if I sorted my own visa and accommodation I could have the job.

Presumably over four years your role slowly expanded, or did you step straight into a large portfolio of tasks?

It has been a malleable job title with no two days being the same. I was there to help the team get whatever needed to be done, done. I started watering plants and booking flights, by the end I was booking line ups, designing album covers and show flyers, handling brand partnerships and anything else that was needed.

LA is where Fisher’s management is based, and a great central location. Throughout the years I have spent between 160 – 190 days on the road in almost every of the globe, so I never really felt like I was home much. Home was sort of on the road. Now that things have slowed down a little I am planning to move to the east coast, Miami.

Is it a supportive or a competitive scene?

I have nothing but love and admiration for everyone I have worked with. A lot of people talk down on the legitimacy of relationships in the music industry, but I don’t find this to be the case in the dance music world at all.

It feels like everybody wants to see everyone else win, and push the scene and culture forward. I have friends in this industry who feel like family and I would do anything for. I am sure they would say the same back, it’s a special scene to work in.

What are some major wellbeing challenges of that sort of lifestyle you’ve observed?

Burnout is very real. Lack of sleep, lack of trust, lack of support. This lifestyle can chew up and spit people out, and I would be absolutely lying if I said, (similar to everyone I am sure,) I hadn’t thought about quitting a million times.

But those moments are brief, you take a deep breath and remind yourself why you do it. The good moments outweigh the bad, and the wins feel so electric when you are there with your people celebrating all the hard work paying off.

Your Insta self-description is ‘visual enthusiast’ – what does that cover?

I love visually aesthetic things, whether it’s album art, cars, clothes, mountains or the ocean. I think music is something that can transcend time, but when the visuals accompany the sound, and work together, that is when people really gravitate towards something. I think that is why I have enjoyed working in music so much. Being able to add a visually creative twist to things is always fun.

What are some key highlights of the past few years for you personally?

Both Under Construction (Sydney) shows we did as a team, at Coachella and on the Hollywood Blvd. It is always the most special when Chris Lake and FISHER get together and the music cannot be beaten. I will remember those moments for the rest of my life.
Helping design the Catch & Release branding for the record label, and how we presented and advertised FISHER shows for the last few years.

Got any bloopers you can share?

Too many to count, and none to share. But they can’t have been the worst, because I’m still here kicking!

How much of the year are you able to relax at home as it were?

Relaxing isn’t really something I’m good at, but I’ve been able to get home twice since I’ve left in four years. I forget how beautiful NZ is and how special the people are. The last time home was in January, and I think that was truly one of my favourite days of the year.

Being around success on that scale must be addictive. Have you got a next career step in planning?

Yes, I am taking a step back from the FISHER world to focus on my own management and creative agency, Art @ Pace.

Is LA likely to remain your base for the foreseeable?

For the next few months I am in LA, my client DJ/producer Brunello is playing Coachella. I am planning to eventually move to Miami.