As part of our new 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.
Horizon is CMU's weekly newsletter that brings you a hand-picked selection of early to mid stage career opportunities from across the music industry, paired with insights and advice. Whether you're looking for your first job in music or you're ready to take a step up, Horizon is here to help you find your dream job faster. Horizon is focused on highlighting the best and most exciting roles we've seen and is made for people who are building their careers with ambition.
Getting started and progressing your career in the music industry can often feel overwhelming. Despite the wide range of positions and opportunities available, early-career professionals often face a daunting array of challenges. From the frustrating cycle of needing experience to be able to get the roles that help you build experience, to often intense competition from like-minded peers, the barriers in music can sometimes seem higher than in many other fields.
At CMU we spend a lot of time trying to explain and demystify the music business, and our Horizon newsletter is dedicated to helping the next generation of music leaders build and progress their careers. Our new series of Q&A interviews, Horizon Future Leaders, talks to rising professionals from across the industry: to hear firsthand how they started out and what they have learnt along the way, sharing practical tips and advice for anyone looking to build and own their future in the music business.
As part of our Horizon Future Leaders series, we’re connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys.
This week, we caught up with Martha Cleary, founder of Glow Artists.
From her early days volunteering at The Great Escape Festival and interning at NME to founding Glow Artists, Martha has built a career dedicated to supporting artists. In this Q&A, she shares how her early experience at Tru Thoughts and her strategic networking helped shape her role today, where she manages five artists and curates radio shows. Martha also offers actionable advice on breaking into the industry, leveraging connections and navigating the challenges of an evolving digital landscape.
Read the full Q&A with Martha below 👇
What’s your current role in the music industry?
I am the founder of Glow Artists, a management and PR company which strives to support artists with growth and development through day-to-day management, campaign planning, and press and radio promotions. I manage five artists full time – Bryony Jarman-Pinto, Miranda Joan, Sly5thAve, Steven Bamidele, Werkha.
What does your general day to day look like?
Without bursting any bubbles, as for so many people in the music industry, my day consists of a lot of emails and meetings… The first thing I check is my inbox, followed by radio plays to see if anything exciting has come in from the previous day.
I swear by to do lists and have notebooks full of daily notes/tasks/reminders. My priority is always anything that’s actively ongoing - eg tours, release campaigns - followed by ensuring all my management artists are on top of everything.
I put together radio shows three times a month for my Underlying Oddities shows across 1BTN in Brighton and Totally Wired Radio in London, and go to as many gigs as possible, both for Glow Artists and as a music fan.
What steps did you take early in your career to gain experience and build skills to get you where you are now?
I’ve always been a music fan with no aptitude or ambition to become a musician, so from early on I knew I wanted to gain as much experience as I could understanding what goes on ‘behind the scenes’.
From a job at HMV Chelmsford when I was fifteen, to student radio, making zines and volunteering for events, I finished university with a degree in Politics, Philosophy And Economics and a job working in corporate PR and political communications. From this, I took a grounding in research, a broad understanding of PR strategy, and a drive to find a job I actually enjoyed.
I used up my holiday blagging my way into BBC 6Music for the occasional work experience day and by the time I applied for a job at Brighton-based label Tru Thoughts as a Press And Radio Officer - my first proper job in the music industry - I had relationships with many of the station’s presenters and producers.
In short: I took every opportunity that came my way and spoke to anyone who offered greater insight. I encourage anyone who is starting out in the industry to remember that behind every role, every artist and every company there are real people, and that who you are as an individual and your integrity can lead to success.
What opportunities did you explore early on that were particularly valuable?
Volunteering at The Great Escape Festival when I was a student was a fantastic opportunity. As well as getting to see loads of new music for free, it also led to me working with the festival’s production team, which then led to more live opportunities and connections.
I also did a two week internship at NME magazine, which didn’t offer loads of practical experience but was something extra for my CV!
Has the opportunity landscape changed since then?
I think there are still plenty of opportunities to build up your CV, gain experience and network at an entry level if you know where to look and who to ask. I’ve worked alongside different universities and their music business programmes, and while not essential, these do offer a gateway into this world.
However, I think the biggest issue in the industry is still that starting salaries are so low for entry-level positions and they haven’t increased - enough - with the cost of living. Paid internships, funding and employers willing to offer above living wage are all hugely important to continue growing and diversifying the industry.
Are there any specific internships, projects, or initiatives that you would recommend to newcomers looking to pursue a similar role?
As I’ve already mentioned, volunteer at festivals and get to know your local venues, even if you’re not interested in the live side of the industry. They’re such a good way to connect with people and help piece together how the industry works.
Attend accessible - affordable - conferences and be aware of communities within the industry who might offer good networking opportunities, such as CPWM, shesaid.so and Ladies Music Pub.
If you know anyone with any connections to the music industry, ask for advice and go for coffees. Even if people can’t offer you work, knowing that you’re keen enough to seek them out is a good sign.
The same applies for any people or any companies you’d like to work with/for. Again, remember there’s a person on the other side of all of this and the worst that can happen is they might not reply.
What advice do you have for building and leveraging a professional network in the music industry?
An old employer once told me that you should be careful how you treat people on the way up, because you never know who you might meet on the way down – which feels like exactly the sort of thing you expect to hear working in politics, but it’s also useful advice.
When I was starting out in the music industry, I was so grateful to anyone who took the time to respond to my emails, offer me opportunities or advice, or just to remember my name, and I try to do the same for as many people as possible.
Obviously, be strategic with who you want/need to get to know and work with, but also make friends and connections where you can. You never know where people might end up and what doors might open.
How has the evolving digital landscape impacted your role, and where do you focus to stay ahead?
For the artists I manage, the upkeep of their online presence is a huge part of my role. From socials to streaming platforms to websites, the upkeep and monitoring of artists’ online presence is an endless task. I enjoy data analytics and make a lot of spreadsheets, but still feel like I’m only just scratching the surface of what could be possible with the insights that are available.
I’m lucky enough to be one of this year’s MMF Accelerator managers and the sessions we’ve had with different digital companies have really helped keep my understanding of the landscape up to date. Otherwise, I read the trade press, listen to lots of podcasts, and hope not to miss anything big.
What trends or changes do you see on the horizon for the music industry, and how can early career professionals prepare for them?
My latest obsession is whether Spotify Discovery Mode will make streaming numbers obsolete. If you’re an artist who meets the DM threshold and your music works well with the algorithm, it can lead to a significant growth in streams… and all for the small (!) price of taking a lower payment from Spotify.
However, it has begun to feel as though the numbers aren’t as genuine and demonstrative of listenership and fanbase - and I’ve spoken to a few artists who agree. I think experimenting with release dates and timelines is an interesting way to prepare for this.
Tyler, The Creator releasing an album on a Monday got the industry talking, but it also gave his team four days of organic streaming figures before landing in playlists on the Friday. Of course, this is an artist on a huge scale, but there’s something to be learnt here for independent artists and early career professionals.
Alongside this, I think growing newsletter databases and getting a proper understanding of ‘fans’ is going to be an invaluable thing in the music industry moving forward, even more than it is now.
Instagram followers, TikTok likes or streaming numbers don’t necessarily sell gig tickets or records, given how much information and music online is consumed passively. I think there is going to be a continued development in harnessing ‘real’ fanbases where possible.
What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
Don’t be afraid of getting it wrong. I think I expected to be fully formed at age 22 and I just… wasn’t. You have to be open to learning to be able to properly grow. Saying that, it's entirely possible people did tell me this and I just didn’t listen to them!