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.
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.
This week, we caught up with Tia Johnson, Marketing Manager at Atlantic Records UK.
Tia shares her journey from her music business degree to now working with major artists like Ed Sheeran, revealing how taking the initiative to seek out internships and shadow industry professionals helped her build crucial connections and gain hands-on experience.
She offers invaluable advice on staying adaptable in the fast-moving music industry, from pivoting campaigns in real time to seizing unexpected opportunities. With a focus on networking with kindness and leveraging digital trends, Tia provides the tools she used to succeed.
Read the full Q&A with Tia below 👇
What’s your current role in the music industry?
I’m currently a Marketing Manager at Atlantic Records UK, leading campaigns for artists including Rosé, Ed Sheeran, Don Toliver and Say Now.
What does your general day to day look like?
No two days are the same for me really! Recently I’ve spent a lot of time ideating and implementing strategy around the singles and albums that are in play from artists on my roster.
I spend the beginning of each day monitoring data to stay reactive to any green shoots. I also use this data to update central teams and external partners on campaign highlights to pitch on their respective areas.
Monitoring what’s going on in pop culture is also really important so that artists are tapping into important moments and trends.
Other activities include: artist meetings, creative ideation sessions, briefing marketing assets (artwork, content, ads etc), creating marketing plans, budgets and overall artist strategy / vision.
What steps did you take early in your career to gain experience and build skills to get you where you are now?
Work experience was key for me, whether it be shadowing for a day or a four month stint a few days a week.
During my second year of uni - my degree was in the music business - I was really struggling to find jobs advertised for entry level positions, so I took it upon myself to reach out to people directly in different industries and try to create opportunities myself.
This is something I really struggled with at first as I wasn’t the most extroverted person, but it was definitely one of the best things I ever did.
What opportunities did you explore early on that were particularly valuable?
One of my early work experiences in music was at The Great Escape Festival. The opportunity was presented to me via my university lecturer, and I admittedly hadn’t considered working in live before.
Open to the thought and opportunity I did it for four months and met some of the most amazing people in the business who I learnt so much from. It opened a lot of doors for me for sure, so I would say to anyone looking right now, be open to things you might not have considered.
I also volunteered at the International Live Music Conference one year. I was a runner for the panelist’s and got chatting to one of them after their panel. I ended up doing some shadowing with her, which also opened a lot of doors for me and helped get experience at the BBC in radio.
Has the opportunity landscape changed since then?
It’s really great to see the amount of entry level (and paid!) internships that are available now. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still super competitive but I think there is more of a conscious effort from the industry as a whole to ensure there are more opportunities to train and educate new talent.
There is also a conscious effort now to ensure that opportunities aren’t just London based, with initiatives now helping talent in many more areas of the UK.
Are there any specific internships, projects, or initiatives that you would recommend to newcomers looking to pursue a similar role?
Definitely! Warner Music Group has their Work Experience Programme every year where candidates get the opportunity to see the ins and outs of a major label.
I’ve done a few panels in the past for Cre8ting Vision, The Rio Ferdinand Foundation and UD Music to name a few, who host panels and workshops up and down the county that are full of industry professionals discussing the industry and how they got their start.
They’re great for any new talent looking to get tips on how to navigate landing their first role, and even developing artists looking for insight. They aren’t all London based too, so more accessible!
What advice do you have for building and leveraging a professional network in the music industry?
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect, whether it is the most junior member of a company or the most senior.
Stay connected via email and LinkedIn, and a coffee check in once in a while goes a long way.
How has the evolving digital landscape impacted your role, and where do you focus to stay ahead?
My role has always been very closely linked with the Audience team, but we’re now more connected than ever! Influencer marketing, content, social media and digital advertising all fall on the cusp of both roles.
To stay ahead, we’re looking for unexplored territories to tap into - whether that be on a developing or superstar artist level.
What trends or changes do you see on the horizon for the music industry, and how can early career professionals prepare for them?
I would say preparing for change! Things move so quickly in the industry and things can change overnight. It might be that you have a string of three records in place to release, but an unreleased demo that you’ve shared for a few seconds online might gain traction - so now you must pivot.
It’s important to have a plan in place for a campaign, but even more so to be reactive to things as they happen in real time. It might mean flipping your original plan on its head, but don’t be afraid to give it a go.
What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help and tap into your network.