I started at UNIFIED in 2017 after some amazing “right place, right time” energy – the job offer came the day after I graduated from university! I studied Media & Communications/Politics & International Studies at the University Of Melbourne, in the hope of growing my skills in social media and digital marketing to one day make the leap to the music industry… but it turns out I was able to slide straight in. Over the years, I’ve learnt a lot about the industry and developed different skills in campaign management and marketing to lead me to where I am now.

I’m a Product Manager in UNIFIED’s Recorded Music division, overseeing all of our marketing operations and artist campaigns out of Australia. A typical day starts with a Zoom catch-up with our Australian and North American teams, which is always a highlight – we’ve been keeping up communication as much as possible throughout COVID and into 2021, so there’s always plenty of helpful conversations and laughs early in the day.

After a few label and artist manager catch-ups, I usually get stuck into my to-do list – building release campaigns, getting updates on music, artwork, videos and other things that artists may be working on, running our social media profiles for UNFD, planning digital marketing campaigns, overseeing vinyl plans, briefing for design assets, and everything in between.

I think that when people look at a label like UNFD, they don’t expect more than half the staff to be female, but that’s the way it is and I absolutely love it. I’m also really grateful to show female representation in the heavy music community, because I know how important that can be to other women – to show that they can comfortably exist in a scene like this – and also to show men that it’s not just a boys’ club anymore!

I’m so lucky to work with a lot of incredible women and I can’t go without shouting out my amazing colleague Francesca Caldara. She’s achieved so much in her career and she continues to work hard to develop our label in North America every day and it’s really paying off!

I’ve also worked with some amazing musicians like Jenna McDougall and Mikaila Delgado, plus I have friends kicking some serious butt in the music industry like Ro Flack and Debbie Carr.

Finding your image and voice is super important, and I think that it can easily become an afterthought for emerging bands. While you should definitely be focusing on your music and performance, make sure you consider what it’s going to look like when someone Googles you or finds your social media/streaming profiles after a show and if the way you’re presenting yourself is easy to understand and engage with as a fan.

I think it’s important to find mentors and peers in the music industry that you can trust, and to develop a solid group of people around you. Celebrate each other’s wins, give each other advice, and you’ll learn a lot as you find your space and voice in what can be a pretty intimidating and male-dominated scene. There’s likely going to be moments along the way where you’ll doubt yourself or feel like a very small fish in a very big pond, but at the end of the day, as long as you’re working hard and doing the right thing, you’ll crush it.

We’ve seen the music industry get abandoned by legislators and governments in recent months as COVID has taken away a lot of peoples’ livelihoods, and even though we’re starting to get back on our feet, it’s clear that this industry isn’t in the healthiest place. I hope that we can teach fans and the general public the true value that music has as a cultural touchpoint and economic powerhouse, and we can get them to rally behind indie artists, contractors and everyone else doing it tough.

I don’t think that higher education is 100% necessary, but personally I did find that the critical thinking skills and work ethic I developed in my time at university continue to help me to this day. I think that there’s a lot of different paths to get into the music industry, so if you are looking at tertiary study, don’t limit yourself to the courses that just have “music” in the name, and look for topics that you’re passionate about/want to learn more about!

I think burnout has been a big factor in my career – as a young female in such a huge industry, it can be easy to overwork yourself to impress others and “keep up” with everyone else. Working a full day in the office and then doing international calls in the early morning/late evening can be hard enough, then add in going to multiple shows a week, travelling interstate for meetings and more shows, and you’ve got a cocktail for burnout right there!

I’ve tried to be open and honest with my boss and co-workers about when I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed, but sometimes you just have to take a bit of time (even an hour!) and focus on yourself. I love a bit of self care (the practice and the album by Yours Truly), so it’s important to carve out time for yourself and do what makes you happy.

Also remember that your job isn’t your life and those messages and emails can wait! That’s a lesson I still haven’t fully learnt myself but I’m working on it.

I’m based in Melbourne and it really feels like the local scene is firing on all cylinders. Bands are lining up to do shows and tours, and fans are certainly loving being able to go out to concerts all the time! After the pandemic, it also feels like people aren’t taking these experiences for granted and everyone in the room is ready to get as involved as possible. It’s a nice vibe.

I am originally from Adelaide! I used to work on the Soundwave Festival/Warped Tour (AU) circuit when I was fresh out of school – from there my love of the industry formed. I made the decision to move to Melbourne to pursue my dream. Once here I was a freelance writer whilst I studied at JMC where I met my incredible lecturer and friend Andrew Watt. He helped me to get my foot in the door and I got my first official job in 2017 at a booking agency. From there I learned, connected and grew until I finally landed my dream job at UNIFIED Music Group!

My role is a fun one! I am at the end of the ‘production line’, so to speak. Once the single or the album is complete it is my job to make sure it gets to the world. This means anything from digital streaming, online sales, and the wider retail space. Whilst it can be very data heavy, it is also about creating and maintaining relationships which is something I really love.

I think that being a female in such a male heavy genre is really great. Being at UNFD among so many inspiring women makes you feel even more powerful.

So many but if I had to pick one for a special shout out it would be Sarah McMillan. She has been an inspiration and a wonderful mentor to me from my early days in the industry. She always strives to do the best for her artists and continually pushes boundaries to achieve incredible results.

I think now more than ever it is important to be open and genuine. People are really responding well to artists that have a message or a story that they can connect to.

In this community I think it is important to find a team that is supportive of you and your goals. Don’t settle, back yourself and make sure you are somewhere you will be given the tools and resources you need to be able to be your best.

Right now? The threat of the post-COVID world is very real; the live performance industry continues to suffer and that has a knock-on effect to all others. I encourage everyone to support the smaller bands and smaller venues and make yourself heard to local and Federal government so we don’t lose this integral part of the music scene.

Not really. I think the industry is so fast moving and each company and artist is different so that to spend a lot of time studying is not really the best way to learn. I think the best way is to get in there and THEN look to study to hone your skills.

Many! I worked in an environment that had some very profound effects on my mental health and I felt that I was not fully appreciated as a valuable member of the team. I had a great network of friends who encouraged me to take my health seriously. In addition to this, I reassessed what I wanted/needed out of a workplace when looking for new work. By setting myself some guidelines for what I deserved I was able to find a place where all of those issues were not existent!

Brunswick, Victoria! A bustling creative hub. It is really nice to see people back at shows. We live right around the corner from Stay Gold so it is great to walk past and see all the punters waiting to get into the show.