As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series of interviews, we are connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys.
Liv Buckley took what most people would consider an unconventional route into music. She worked in marketing at the Korea Tourism Organisation dealing with K-pop, then moved into video game PR where she always volunteered for projects involving composers and licensed music.
One of those projects meant spending two days sitting in on an orchestral score recording at Abbey Road, her first real look behind the curtain at the music industry and still one of her biggest career highlights. Now she’s Communications Manager at ICE Services, which specialises in copyright, licensing, and royalty processing.
What’s useful about Liv’s journey is that she proves you don’t need to start inside the music industry to end up there. Gaining experience across multiple industries early on gave her the chance to develop her skills in different contexts, and that foundation turned out to be integral to where she is now.
She also makes an important point about entry routes: for years as an outsider, she assumed working in music comms meant PR at a label or publisher. But there are so many organisations and roles vital to keeping music possible and accessible that just aren’t as visible, and those pathways are starting to get talked about more.
Her advice for breaking in is practical: at a time when early career opportunities feel scarce and competitive, remember that developing skills on your own projects is just as valid as formal routes. It's all about how you present your experience.
And when it comes to networking: stay kind and curious. The music industry is simultaneously expansive and small, so it won’t be long before you know people and they know you. Don’t be afraid to reach out, the worst that happens is no reply, but more often than not, people are generous with their time.
Read the full Q&A with Liv below 👇
What’s your current role in the music industry?
I’m the Communications Manager at ICE Services, a music technology company specialising in copyright, licensing and processing.
What does your general day-to-day look like?
I oversee external communications, marketing and events, so my days can be quite varied - which is perfect for someone like me who enjoys having lots of plates spinning at once.
I generally start each day by reading the latest industry news and checking for any updates from our PR agency over my morning coffee. After that, it’s mainly lots of emails and meetings on everything from product and customer updates to industry partnerships and speaking opportunities for our team.
If we have an announcement coming up, I’ll also spend a good chunk of my day developing comms materials like messaging and press releases.
What steps did you take early in your career to gain experience and build skills to get you where you are now?
Even though this is my first job in the music industry, I’ve sought out music-related opportunities throughout my career. My first job after university was a marketing role at the London office of the Korea Tourism Organisation, where a lot of my work involved K-pop in one way or another!
I then moved into video game PR where, as a huge soundtrack fan, I always volunteered to take on projects that gave me the opportunity to work with composers and licensed music. Quite early on, this meant spending two days sitting in on an orchestral score recording at Abbey Road, which was my first real peek behind the curtain at the music industry and remains one of my biggest career highlights to date.
What opportunities did you explore early on that were particularly valuable?
Gaining experience in multiple industries early on in my career really gave me the opportunity to hone my experience in different ways. Having a solid foundation in learning and applying my skills in a variety of areas has been integral in getting to where I am today.
Has the opportunity landscape changed since then?
I’m not sure anyone would deny it’s a tough job market right now, but I do think people are becoming increasingly aware of broader entry points into the industry.
For many years as an industry outsider, I assumed if I wanted to work in music comms, it would have to be through PR at a label or publisher - but there are so many organisations and roles that are vital to keeping music possible and accessible that just aren’t as visible.
These haven’t always been talked about as much or as well understood outside of the industry, but I think that’s starting to change.
Are there any specific internships, projects, or initiatives that you would recommend to newcomers looking to pursue a similar role?
At a time when early career opportunities feel scarcer and more competitive than ever, it’s important to remember that it’s just as valid to develop and evolve skills working on your own projects as it is through a more “formal” route.
It’s all about how you present your experience on your CV or in your portfolio. Think about the things you could try out by yourself or with friends, or already love and know how to do well, and how these might transfer to a professional environment.
What advice do you have for building and leveraging a professional network in the music industry?
Always stay kind and curious. The music industry is simultaneously expansive and small, so it won’t be long before you know people (and they know you!).
Don’t be afraid to reach out to those working in the types of roles you’re interested in - the worst that can happen is they say no or don’t reply, but more often than not, you’ll find people are generous with their time and quite happy to chat about their experience over a coffee or Zoom.
How has the evolving digital landscape impacted your role, and where do you focus to stay ahead?
I’d say that, in comms and marketing, it means you can often be expected to cover an ever-increasing remit of responsibilities. It’s impossible to have the capability and experience to do every element to the same level, so it’s important to be mindful of gaps in your skills or expertise.
If there’s something I need to know or do that I’m not as well-versed in, I’ll try to research, learn and practice. But at the same time, it’s important to play to your strengths!
My background is primarily in PR, so where possible, I try to lean on these skills and identify what I already know that might be transferable to new areas.
What trends or changes do you see on the horizon for the music industry, and how can early career professionals prepare for them?
How and where audiences interact with music is constantly evolving, and staying on top of the ways people are connecting with the music they love, discovering new artists, and sharing songs with friends is vital in understanding and being prepared for the ways in which the industry is developing.
I think it will also be interesting to see what impact the growing shift away from constant, immediate digital connection and access towards slower, more deliberate and analogue choices, not just in music listening habits but also more generally, has on the industry.
What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
No matter how hard you work and plan, lots of things will be out of your control and your career won’t always go in the direction you’re expecting. Trust in your own abilities and take every experience as it comes.