Michelle Edgar
Michelle Edgar is Founder & CEO of Edgar Talent Agency (ETA), where she creates strategic event activations and high-impact partnerships that accelerate growth and cultural influence. With a career spanning ICM Partners, The SpringHill Company, Epic Records, Warner Bros., and Redlight Management, she has shaped the careers of top talent and launched mission-driven ventures redefining brand and cultural impact.
Michelle serves as West Coast Lead of The Founders Club; Strategy Lead at Venbrook Insurance Services; and an Ambassador for Steadfast LA, helping advance the rebuild of Los Angeles in partnership with Rick Caruso and Greg Econn through the development of a builder’s risk course-of-construction program for homeowners affected by the California wildfires.
She serves as Santa Monica Arts Commissioner and was most recently appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. Michelle has also founded Music Unites, The XX Project, and Community Collective to foster innovation, equity, and opportunity through culture and community.
What NYC neighborhoods have you lived in?
I started on the Upper East Side, moved down to Soho, then kept heading west—from the West Village to Chelsea, right next to the Highline when it first opened.
What do you love (and maybe dislike) about New York?
New York is my forever love—the city that never sleeps. I thrive on its energy, grit, and nonstop movement. You can go from Lincoln Center or Carnegie Hall to a Brooklyn rock show to a Michelin-star restaurant, all in one night. That cultural mash-up is pure magic. There’s nothing I truly dislike, though I’ll admit my fitness game is stronger here in LA.
Only-in-New-York moment?
One night, my dear friend Jon Batiste called me at midnight: “Come meet us in Union Square—we’re testing out new music on the subway.” That evening was one of the most memorable nights as we rode with his entire band on the subway all night testing out new music in the middle of the night on the streets of NY. I was at Warner Records at the time and had to be at work at 8 a.m., but I went — it didn't matter as I knew it would be a special one. We played all night from Meatpacking to Brooklyn to Harlem until the sun came up. It was unforgettable—and I’ll never forget booking his first Joe’s Pub residency before my agent days.
When and why did you move to LA?
I was born in London, raised in New Jersey, and trained as a concert pianist at Manhattan School of Music. After Warner Bros. Records, Redlight Management brought me west 13 years ago. I knew if I wanted to be a serious Hollywood/music executive, LA was the place. I became an agent, built artists’ careers, and never looked back.
Where do you live in LA now? How has life compared?
My LA path mirrored my NY one—moving west. I started in West Hollywood, then Westwood during my agent days, and finally Santa Monica, which feels like home. I love it so much that I now serve as a Santa Monica Arts Commissioner and was recently appointed to a state board by Governor Newsom. California really is the place for dreamers.
What do you love (and maybe dislike) about LA compared to NY?
With the sunshine and waves, LA gives the opportunity to get out there each day and be active, enabling me to live my healthiest life. I start my mornings running by the beach, doing Hot8 yoga, or training with my coach—it sets the tone for everything I do. At this stage, LA is where I can be my best self. One thing I've always wanted to do is experience the snow, desert and beach all in one day starting off with skiing, the dry desert heat and ocean waves surfing — all in a day!
Only-in-LA story?
Living the Hollywood agent life meant five nights a week at shows, sometimes multiple in one night. A defining moment was going to the Grammys with my client Andra Day, then producing the Warner Music Chateau Marmont party. And the wildest? During Grammy week, I told top agency partners I wanted in. One gave me 48 hours to close a Kendrick Lamar deal—this was the year he swept the Grammys. I pulled it off, and landed my agent interview at 8:30 a.m. the next morning.
Favorite hidden gems in LA?
The Georgian’s speakeasy, Baltaire on a Thursday night, Little Beach House Malibu, and in Santa Monica—Bergamot’s Le Great Outdoor and Birdie G’s.
