October Workshops :
Meet The Speakers
Our latest series of music industry workshops at Lanzarote Works has just dropped! Tickets and more info on the workshops here.
This Autumn, we’ll be hearing from pros working in sync, venue programming, recruitment and at record labels and festivals to help you understand more about the roles out there and crucially, how to get your foot in the door.
Let’s get to know the speakers that’ll be heading up the roundtables...
Angharad Davies, OTM Music Publishing
What is your current job role?I’m a Sync Coordinator at OTM, working across all media in the UK, including advertising, film and TV, fashion and video games. My role involves responding to briefs, pitching our catalogue and helping to manage opportunities as they come in. I also look after some of OTM’s marketing and help organise events, from taking music supervisors to gigs to setting up album playbacks for our artists.
How did you end up in that line of work?
I think there’s no set way, I studied music growing up, and it was always a big part of my life, although I went on to study History at university. I’d always been interested in the role music plays in film and television, and while learning more about music supervision, I discovered the world of sync and realised it was what I wanted to pursue. I then joined The Cat’s Mother Network, where I connected with some amazing mentors working in sync who helped me understand the industry and how to find my way into it.
What was your first job in the music industry?
My first role in the industry was as a Copyright Intern at Kobalt, another music publishing company. During the internship, I rotated across the Registrations and Deliveries, Confirmations and Conflicts teams, which gave me a strong grounding in different areas of music publishing. I was then offered a full-time position as a Copyright Assistant. I’m incredibly grateful to my mentor, Ian Howell, not only for hiring me but also for dedicating so much time to training me and answering all my (many many) questions about publishing!
What’s your favourite thing about working in music?
Getting to work with amazingly talented writers and musicians - and sometimes being among the first to hear their demos - is something I still consider such a privilege. Also, getting to work with the most amazing community - everyone was incredibly welcoming when I first joined!
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self when you were trying to get your foot in the door of the music industry?
Talk to as many people as possible, especially those working in areas of music you haven’t encountered before. It’s amazing how many different roles exist within the industry that you might never otherwise hear about.
What change would you like to see in the music industry?
There are lots of things I would like to see changed in the industry - I think something specific to sync would be - I’d like to see greater diversity in the music being considered for sync. There can be a tendency to rely on familiar sounds and established artists, but sync has a real ability to introduce audiences to something new. I’d love to see more emerging and underrepresented artists given access to those opportunities, alongside greater transparency around how music is selected and licensed.
Your proudest moment in music so far?
It may be a slightly obvious answer, but you never forget your first sync win - especially when it comes from something you personally pitched. Mine was for Adidas and resulted in two brilliant spots, which was a really proud moment for me. Looking forward to more proud moments.
Finally, what’re you listening to at the moment?
Such a hard one I’m always listening to new music and discovering new favs - but right now (not from our catalogue) I’ve been enjoying this LA artist called Astrid Pierce. Of course, I’m also excited for Sophia Stel’s upcoming album. I’m keeping an eye out on all of Soraya Cinema’s latest singles and I also saw the band Humane live in September who were amazing!
Daniel Mburu, Send It Anyway
What is your current job role?Marketing Manager at ADA
Artist Manager/Founder at Send It Anyway
How did you end up in that line of work?
I wanted to get a holistic understanding of how campaigns and the music industry as a whole works, marketing is the best place to be for that.
I started Send It Anyway after discovering Tia's music and thought "how can I help get her music to everyone, everywhere?"
What was your first job in the music industry?
After graduating university I worked as a radio producer at Radar Radio. Led on shows hosted by Idris Elba, Kenny Allstar, DJ P Montana, GRM Daily, DJ Bempah & JK + more
What’s your favourite thing about working in music?
Creating great moments with great people
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self when you were trying to get your foot in the door of the music industry?
Start something that's yours while you're trying to get into the industry. Whether it be a blog/label/radio show/management/clothing brand etc.
What change would you like to see in the music industry?
more artists understanding their power and establishing their autonomy
Your proudest moment in music so far?
Working with Tia from ground zero to where we're at now and developing Nemzzz into a global rap champion and a UK Top 10 charting artist
Finally, what’re you listening to at the moment?
LA Slim, amil raja & N4T
Katherine Cantwell, Heavenly Records
What is your current job role?My current job role at Heavenly is across digital strategies and audience developement. I am also the record labels social media manager. It's hard to define exact roles within an independent label, we all wear lots of hats!
Outside of Heavenly Recordings I am an Arts Emergency volunteer mentor in Greater Manchester, a Launchpad Connect Advisor (Leeds) and part of the Brighter Sound Brit's Fringe advisory group. I have also delivered industry workshops at institutions including the BRIT School and BIMM, and have appeared on panels at events such as Un-Convention and FOCUS Wales. I am passionate about creating more sustainable careers in music in regional locations for the next generation.
How did you end up in that line of work?
My natural curiosity for the inner workings of the music industry, combined with my media degree, homegrown music blog and understanding of social media trends gained me my role at Heavenly. I also did bar and cloakroom work across multiple music venues, volunteered at festivals, assisted small artists on their press releases and used the journalism part of my degree course to interview a handful of inudustry icons that I now call my friends.
What was your first job in the music industry?
My first role in music was on the 'box office' for a youth events organisation in Bournemouth where I took the money for underage gigs across the Dorset region.
The organisation was called Rock Out Events and I discovered them through a band called El Paso De Cebra on Myspace.
What’s your favourite thing about working in music?
The people you meet with good tunes that genuinely recognise that music brings so much joy to people in the world.
My favourite thing in the last few years has been hearing KNEECAP fans belt out The Pogues, 'Fairytale of New York' at their Christmas shows in Ireland, it's a riot.
What piece of advice would you give to your young self when you were trying to get your foot in the door of the music industry?
I'm going to say my younger self was more fearless than I am now. I want to turn this question on it's head and remind my older self to be just as fearless - even in the face of responsibility... I don't want to lose the enthusiasm in fighting for change and creating clearer pathways for the next generation of music movers and shakers.
What change would you like to see in the music industry?
I would like to see the see the major record companies follow in the footsteps of other large media organisation sucess stories, and find permanent office residence in the flourishing northern regions, so the next generation are not having to default to the capital be part of artists label journeys. I don't regret living in London and would never dispel the next generations ambitions to do the same, but their should be more options in different cities and it will take the bigger companies to make this type of move sustainable and build a brighter future.
Your proudest moment in music so far?
My proudest moment was managing an apprentice through the inaugural Amplify Scheme, delivered by AIM, Amazon Music, and Women in CTRL - an industry-first programme supported by eight independent record labels, including Heavenly Recordings. I'm incredibly pleased to say that assisting in carving out a role for my esteemed colleague Georgia Edge. Georgia is brilliant (she's more than than that!) as important was the schemes positive step in nepotism prevention across the creative sector.
Finally, what’re you listening to at the moment?
Christy Moore has been on rotation since I attended my first ever All Together Now back in August and I am really excited for more solo material from Radie Peat.