ALPHA
MAGAZINE
Lissette Ortiz - Building Community, Success & Legacy Through Artist & Brand Management
written by
CLINT PORTE
Spend enough time around the music business and you start to notice who actually moves things forward. It’s rarely the loudest person in the room. More often, it’s someone sitting just off to the side, listening closely, asking better questions, and making decisions that don’t show up in the headlines.
That’s where Lissette Ortiz tends to operate, where she can shift and influence the trajectory of the industry. Rooted in Chicago, Illinois, Ortiz embodies the balance ambition with humility required to make it in the city.
“I learned how to hold expansion with grace, celebrating wins without ego, staying humble as the climb continues, and remembering that true leadership is service…I strengthened the relationships that pour back into me.”
Maybe that’s part of why her approach feels measured in an industry addicted to urgency. Ortiz prefers to deal with and talk about music it like an ecosystem, one where artists, executives, brands, and communities are interconnected, and where pulling too hard in one direction eventually costs you somewhere else. Ortiz's instincts are staunchly filtered through a set of values that don’t bend easily. Women, young people, and community aren’t side conversations in her work.
They’re central - “Through storms, through loss, through moments where I questioned if I could keep going. Those same storms taught me faith, trust, and surrender.”
Her advocacy for women isn’t framed as a campaign or a talking point. It shows up in the standards she sets and the space she creates. Ortiz understands how often women in this business are expected to prove themselves twice, to lead softly, to stay agreeable. She’s not interested in that version of progress.
The environments she helps build are ones where women don’t have to negotiate their authority just to keep their seat. Alongside that is a consistent focus on youth, particularly those trying to find a way into an industry that still runs heavily on access and proximity. Ortiz is clear eyed about it. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity isn’t. Closing that gap has become one of her defining priorities.
Inside the industry, her name comes up more and more in conversations around artist development and brand strategy. She’s currently working alongside executive Luciano Layne as she helps establish her partnership with ALPHA Recording Group, a relationship that looks to build on the progress made with the label’s joint deal with Universal Music Group and Virgin Music.
Currently under her management are some of Chicago and the Midwest’s biggest contemporary talent, Platinum Recording Artist, DLOW Simmons, the ever viral rapper KANG FOREVER, Roc Nation’s J Menace, the melodic singer M4lik, and the eclectic songstress Del Marie, among other enterprises.
There’s ambition there, no question, but it’s paired with patience and alignment around values. Ortiz tends to gravitate toward partnerships that make sense beyond a quarter or a rollout.
As a part of the marketing team behind Alpha Recording Group’s breakout Rn'B Artist, DNDTILSUNDAY, her work spans brand positioning, release strategy, and audience engagement. Her ability to read the room without being ruled by is critical to her success. Ortiz pays attention to culture, but she doesn’t chase it superfluously. The goal isn’t to flood the timeline; rather, It’s to make sure the music lands in a way that audiences don’t just simply scroll past.
Ask Ortiz what drives her, and it usually comes back to belief. Belief in artists before the numbers arrive.
Belief in women leading fully and without compromise. Belief in young people who might be one conversation away from changing their path.
“Your gift matters. Your dream matters…with the right people in your corner, you can take it further than you’ve ever imagined."
She’s not especially interested in quick wins or viral moments. Her focus is on momentum, on building work that still matters when the noise dies down.
As her footprint in the industry continues to grow, the through line remains consistent. Ortiz isn’t chasing the next wave or waiting for the green light to join it. She’s already in the water, helping steer where it goes, doing it with a steadiness that puts her several steps ahead.
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