Leticia van Riel, leading electronic music artist manager, has died
“Her commitment to helping others grow was a true reflection of who she was”
Leticia van Riel, the influential artist manager and founder of LvR Management, has died after being involved in a car accident in Ibiza.
Across nearly two decades, van Riel was a significant force in the global electronic music scene, helping shape the careers of DJs including Sama’ Abdulhadi , Miss Monique , ANNA and Wehbba, while supporting countless emerging artists through her LvR programme.
Born in Brazil, van Riel studied Events Marketing Management at London Metropolitan University before beginning her career as a junior agent at MN2S Agency, working with artists including Technotronic, Snap! , and Seamus Haji. She later joined London’s IMD Agency, where her work with Brazilian DJ ANNA helped strengthen her focus on techno.
After gaining further experience at Safehouse Management and B4 Bookings following her move to Spain in 2015, van Riel founded LvR Management in 2018, focusing on hands-on, long-term artist development.
In a statement shared by IMS Ibiza, the team paid tribute to her work and legacy, saying: “She worked tirelessly to open doors for others, share knowledge, build confidence and create opportunities for those finding their way in the industry. Her commitment to helping others grow was a true reflection of who she was... She will be greatly missed by the IMS team and the wider music community.”
Abdulhadi, who van Riel had co-managed for the past seven years, announced yesterday (11th June) that she would be cancelling her appearance at Ireland’s Beyond The Pale festival, writing: “Following the heartbreaking passing of my co-manager and dear friend, Leticia, I’ve had to make the decision to cancel my performance tomorrow.”
She added that she needed to be “with my team and loved ones”, during what she described as “an incredibly painful time for all of us.”
In a post shared earlier today, Abdulhaid paid tribute to van Riel, writing: "Leticia was one of the most beautiful souls in this world. She wasn’t just my manager she was my friend, my support and my family. We have been through a lot in the past 7 years I really can’t imagine life without her. Everything in life reminds me of her, even the way I prep for a gig reminds me of her. She was always there for everyone."
“Leticia was one of the most positive and effective people I’ve ever had the privilege to work with in this industry,” Ben Turner, IMS co-founder and co-management colleague, shared in his own tribute. “We are all trying to come to terms with it whilst supporting her family as best possible.”
ANNA also shared a heartfelt post on Instagram , writing: “I am so proud of everything we built together, and how we always made sure the world knew how important we were to each other. ANNA could never have happened without you, and our friendship and journey together became part of that story.”
