Welcome to social fix radio. I'm your host Mercedes-Benz and founder of social fixed a platform aim to connect more Black Talent to job opportunities in the creative industry on this podcast will get raw and unfiltered as we speak to Black industry professionals and creatives alike extracting tips tricks and some tea on how to navigate in the creative industry. Join me as we fix the Gap and fix the conversation on what it means to be a black creative in a professional world. Old so I'm really really excited to have this very special guest on the first episode of social fixed radio who happens to be a dear friend of mine, but she's also absolutely killing it in the music industry right now Velma Simmons brand Partnerships manager at Warner Music. Yeah business development business development business program partnership or brand Partnerships amazing. I mean introduce yourself well, I'm Mercedes dear friend Velma. I am the business development manager at Warner Music so I sit centrally so I sit across all labels. So I'm not exclusive to one label and I've been here now for four months, but I've been doing brand Partnerships for five years now amazing. Yeah, and what made you get into brand Partnerships? Why brand Partnerships? And what is that for people who don't know do you? Want anything loose of story? I want a very exclusive story. I think I don't even know if you know this. This is an exclusive State. I thought we were friends. Yeah, here we are. But Mercedes has a big role in De fact, I'd even Partnerships. Do you know that damn tell you this story? I'm not going to say names because don't it be you know, yeah controversial but I really wanted a job. I've had done it loads of internships. I had worked at disturbing London. I went to Sony I did. A two week internship for Roc Nation in like the air in our department and after I did so many internships. I wanted to start getting paid for doing work and I had gone to so many interviews, you know, you name the brand I had gone and then those this one specific woman that had a gave me an interview, but I didn't get it because you had moved over. Oh, I do know that he carry the show you She had me Mercedes said move that over to different brand so the woman felt so bad that she had done that to me that like every month. She would like all of them. I haven't gotten anything. No, I didn't and I was working at the bank. So then one day she emailed me and was like, oh, I know somebody at Universal that looking that they're looking for a brand partnership intern and I was at the bank I had like just got promoted. I was like nah, dawg, I'm gonna come not gonna go like whatever and That my friends are gonna just go so I ended up going and I got the job. And from there. I started doing brand Partnerships amazing. So what is brand parts? Thank you so much. Ladies, no worries brand Partnerships as well. I've obviously come back into music in the last four months before I was at a sauce, but so it can vary in different sectors, but within the music speaks, it's just a format for artists to be able to express their interest. Arrest outside of music and giving I guess brands are way to talk about their brand through a music lens. So you're like trying to marinate the to but making it organic. So it doesn't look like it's just done for money because in your world for example with you doing like being an influencer brand partnership could be something as simple as a social post, but surely you don't do any social post around things that you actually don't use right? So it's the same in the music space. Just being able to high-end that artist has experience and their story through the lens of a brand. Can you give an example there's loads there's like storms in Adidas. What's in that Heinz ketchup and Ed Sheeran, right when I was at University. I brought on Hennessy and they did that home masters of potential Series so Hennessy and that was with Abbey Road Studios, and then they put different artists side. And so it's just when a brand and a musician come together to just basically create cool content and a cool story. Yeah, sick. Yeah. Now, you know, I I loved how you were kind of giving us a little insight into how you landed your first program partnership role, but you name dropped quite a few companies you name dropped a sauce your name dropped disturbing London, which is a record label here in the UK. You name-dropped rock. Nation all right. So we need to go all the way to the beginning. Yeah. When did you realize that you wanted to work with in music? What was that that point? I went to see Jay-Z and Kanye at Watch the Throne. I didn't know what I wanted to do music, but I knew I wanted to work in music at that concert. I said change my life because I studied film and television right? So I originally wanted to be a television. Producer for live television, but that went out the window after I went to that concert and I was obsessed to work with rocking every company. I've worked for I've been obsessed to work with them. So I was obsessed to work with Roc Nation and I got my first actual internship through Instagram. I was going crazy. I was going through Instagram and I was going through Kelly Rowland's page and a man kept on popping up. Right and I was like, oh, I wonder if this is her man, so I clicked on his page. And then it said like an offer Roc Nation. His name is Omar Grant and I went to his like Instagram and someone was like, oh, I would love to send you a beat and he was like, yeah, here's my email. So I emailed him and then I was so you saw somebody else who's comment? Yeah, and you saw the email and then you jumped on the arrow and then I can create your own conversation and I like of course I have his email. So I emailed him. I was like Hey, like I just finished uni. I always go back to New Jersey to visit my friend friends and family. Does like I would love to do an internship, even if I'm out there or if you're ever in London, please let me know I kid you not maybe like a couple days later. He was like actually I'm coming to London to record Rihanna's Unapologetic album and he was like any raising just like that just like that and then how did it work for disturbing London? And how did it work for that was another one? I was obsessed with I was obsessed with tiny at Uni like that La just guys. Needs to be upset like with what they were the yeah, I was obsessed with tiny at Uni and I was obsessed with like that infrastructure because they were such a family orientated business. So I was like, I was finishing an internship at Sony and I was like, I'll let me write him a letter the me being the him and I sent a letter to their offices, but nobody ever got back and I kid you not for like the longest time. I would guess dummies email that just dummy @dl records to me out disturbing London and then some wood. Like bounce back and then one day one went through and he was in America and then it was like, oh, I'm in America recording with tiny but here's my email. He has my assistants email and if it's important, please contact my assistant and I thought this is important. I want a job. So I emailed the assistant and they were like all you know, we never really have interns but come in I met them and then they're like, yeah, you could be your art into and I think I was like their first intern that was like outside of there. Family structure that I keep saying, that's crazy because that's absolutely crazy. So I just want to know then where did this resourcefulness come from like this mentality? Yes, you were obsessed. But why did you just keep going? How comes you just kept researching their names their Instagrams their social medias their emails? Like what kept you going? I feel like I want, you know want to like see something if I guess it's the same with you when you were a d-des right once you see Something and you see like wow, this could actually be my life that this could be my job. It didn't need to be that. Oh like amazing to be like a doctor and stuff but it did it was like this other lane that I've never seen and I've always been like in while I was younger. I was always into pop culture. Do you know I mean, I never knew brand Partnerships was a job, right? Yeah, and it's like but now I was thinking when I saw the Watch the Throne I was like, yeah, Jay-Z and Kanye I hear but Dad. I must be a heap of people that I like making this happen and I just wanted to be a part of that because I just like imagine how music touches us. Right. I just wanted to be a even if it's a small part of that story. I just wanted to be a part of it. So I just felt that you have to keep going because yeah, you eventually get their amazing. So I mean from stepping into the industry as a rock Nation intern and now becoming a business development manager warning me. Sick how many years has that span? It's been about five five six years. Mmm. How was your understanding of the music industry change then from having this like, I guess this like dreamy idealistic vision of what the music industry is to I guess maybe the reality of it now working with in it for the past six years. I think when I first came in I thought it was like, oh my God like Glitz & Glam, right and old people are sitting the around and giving creative. Ideas, and it's just happening, you know, I mean, but I think being in it for six years you realize how much of a business is how many how much politic how much things that you need to budget and all of that that like the non-sexy things how much admin it goes into even someone releasing an album also is not just about jumping into those cool videos sheets and photo shoots. You're gonna have to be dying list, you know, I mean, there's even in brand Partnerships. There's so much admin that goes into it because it's A relationship career that you're everything is based on relationships. So even keeping in contact with people when there's nothing happening. It's all that will has to do with making this happen. Right and it's not just all you're going to concerts. You're going out to dinner. Oh you're at this sexy event. Do you know what I mean? So I feel like from when I started when I was younger to now to being 28, you see how much things actually go into the into this big Big business business. Yeah. Yeah and do you ever feel discouraged some days because like you said it's about building relationships constantly, even when it's quiet. It's about the admin it's about the business and you kind of came in with like the passion. There's this energy and this I want to change the world do music lens. So yeah, do you get discouraged sometimes and if so why I think I would I get this courage sometimes not so much of like all you Change the world but more so of my character as a person like I've which you can attest to I'm such that a positive bubbly person that sometimes because of the politics it could shift the kind of the kind of energy, right because things need to get hot need to happen. And I think not every I've obviously I'm a Christian but not everybody's gonna see everything in that like positive lens. Sometimes I feel like that's the only part that sometimes I get like of it. Yeah, you know in Italy. Yeah, you also make reference to the fact that you're from New Jersey. So I'm assuming that when you interned at Roc Nation, you would have seen how things were done from the American point of view compared to how things were done in the UK. Is there a difference in the energies between music labels in the UK versus music labels in the u.s. I think it's hard for me to say because when I was doing my internship he had come to London. Okay, so it was It didn't have like an infrastructure here, but I do think I don't know even just like the other day. I came back from my high school reunions, right? And there's something about New York's hustle and bustle that they're just like go-getters. Do you know what I mean that I feel like London doesn't haha. Yeah, but we're quite humble with our approach. Yeah and to achieving thing Irv. Yeah. Do you know what I mean? Yes Americans is just a rah-rah and I feel like I don't know there's something that's nicer about That do you think you get that that drive from maybe your amount of background being in America? Okay, I think Eric I think yeah, I feel like I have a good balance there. Yeah, but because obviously I've lived here for from 15 and I feel like I have a good balance, but I do every time I go back and I come back here guys - yeah, it's like a whole different like a whole different energy. I feel like you want to do more. Yeah when but when you are here at correct me if I'm wrong, but don't I feel like you get a bit complacent a bit complacent and you fill the glass ceiling a little bit more and then when you go out LA and you come back, you're just like I can do it. I could Magnus you go. I'm trying to say it's like you could dream bigger. He has here to like I said, oh dream big but okay Mercedes calm calm down. Yeah, come back down. Yeah, they always have a way of just yeah back. Yeah, so it's interesting that we're talking about that. The only reason why I made that comparison is because you know looking at entertainment industry in Cara it gassed me because I saw more people like a kid again, right when you come to the UK were kind of few and far between yeah. So how has it been as a black woman navigating through the music industry. Have you always have you found it easy or have you found yourself being the one of one in certain teams? Like have you has it affected your journey in any way being a black woman? I've always been the only black person until I came to Warner. Okay, um whenever I think Is I mean, there's like like almost half of us are colored cool, but I always think that it's so good to have people like twin Alex Boateng acquia like this. There's always been somebody that is of color that is in a higher position. Maybe not a lot but there's someone and usually I found that they are quite open to help. You know, I mean, which is I think is a good thing but I do agree with your point like if you look at America like You look at Warner in America like the head women are like killing it Yak head of labels head of like crazy black. Yeah black women like just absolutely bossing it and I feel like if we had that over here, it's nicer because it's like something you can look up to, you know, I mean that it's cool that they're in America. But if you had it here in the office you'd be you know, what I can spot. This is actually an a dream. That is an achievable. Yeah, and I would say that with your journey. Annie do you did you always have like somebody who was black that you were looking up to in order to kind of get to that next level have have all your Gatekeepers been black women just in general. My Gatekeepers. Haven't all been black women. I okay acquia was like my first after I finished disturbing London she liked and I had never even intended day in Adidas by had met her at a radio station for when I was with disturbing London. He's a CLIA. Acquia is she now is storms. He's brand manager alongside of Other people just just for the people as yeah, just for that you go listening. She's sick and she literally I'll never forget she called she went through her phone book and called everybody and was I owed you have an internship told you have an internship whatever nothing materialized of it. But from that day like just somebody that's just in your corner like that and can vouch for you moving all the way to warning like six years later twin even though I had known my manager before it. Twin was also like somebody's so instrumental. That was like an Obama. Come here. Like it's a it's a whole new Vibe. You're really Thrive here and everything. I was doing with life talks, which is like a platform that I do around entertainment, but he was just like you can really Thrive here. So I thought having somebody like him just here in the building that you could go up to you can yeah talk to you can have to you know, I mean, yeah, but like it just makes it simple and it's so important and can understand what you're going through and I have a great friends he is. Definitely. So let's talk about money. Hmm because when it comes to internships a lot of people a lot of black people and minority ethnic, so we feel or type of way because the music industry the fashion industry is really made for middle-class white Fulton in the sense that they can actually afford to live on minimum wage in order to enjoy this passion filled career, or they can afford to not make any money just to get some experience. Perience. So how is money shaped your internships from the beginning and even up into the job roles that you take now has money always been a driving force or have you done things for free? Like how do you kind of balance that notion of do I do this experience to make money or do I do this experience without the money? But just because it's going to take me to the next level I think because I was so passionate about it. I did it for free and I did quite a few in And ships for free and it was like free free. It wasn't even like any lens any expenses. I've done some for expenses and then while doing that I just juggled working at Victoria's Secret and they had like late night shift. So do that and then go to work go to my internship or I'll do like a couple of days on the internship and a couple days to work because I needed to obviously have money because at the time at the time I right around disturbing London I had lost my dad. That's so I needed to like have a job to help my mom at the time but my brother is funny enough. He was like not digging it. Like he just felt like I should get a regular job until he went to the disturbing London office and he was a trauma. I don't care what I have to do. I'll help you just so you can actually do this internship. So then I did that but then I felt like I had done so many internships after disturbing London and then I was just like, okay. Well, it's great that you have a passion for it. But when are you actually You gonna be getting paid for your time and your contribution to these companies. So that's when I started my journey of trying to look for a paid job, but it was so hard to get that first step in the door. So that's why I had to go work at HSBC crazy. And then how long were you at HSBC for I gave myself six months I said six months was the cut off before they started making my what's so when you when you quit a new your leave, Your leave notice. Yeah six months was the time that they would tell you if you were going to be permanent or not. Right? So I said I'll give all your probation. Yeah my preparation, right? Yeah. So I said I'll give myself six months to do this. And I remember a woman was like, oh I told myself the same thing and I've been in the bank for 20 years. Oh and I went to the back and I cried like I cried so much. I was like, oh my God, this is gonna be my life. Right? Yeah, and then I cried and then I came back out and then as No vomit, honestly, you have to give yourself six months. I kid you not I sir and everything on the last day of the six months. I got the job at Universal crazy and Marty and it was like, okay it was okay money for my age. Yeah. Well, I was 25 at the time and I felt like I was interning at such a I felt I was old right I fight 25 I shouldn't be in my first like we thought we would do a lot of things by 25 to be fair. So when I took that job, I was just like, you know what it's not a lot of money, but it would give me the Experience I need and if I work hard I'll be able to stay here for a good amount of time. And I stayed there for two years before I moved onto a sauce and then when I was going to a sauce then I was just like no like I felt like I had enough Stripes to now. No, I know what I'm doing. So now I should be rewarded by being paid a good amount of money. Do you know me and I think from that period onwards even coming here. I feel like money has been a big factor because I always say even to like you guys. Into my friend is that of course you want to do jobs that you're passionate about but you also have goals outside of your life right outside of your career. You want a family you want to buy your first home and you're not going to be doing that off of passion. Yeah, do you go I mean, so I feel like now moving forward that it it's you should be confident enough to ask for the money that you want because you've put the time into it, you know what I mean? So I understand that when you start first start doing internships, but I feel like internships have changed from what Yeah started. Yes, you get can make money you make you make minimum wage minimum wage, which is still good because it's like minimum wage for a year. But for what's going to come in, you know in the future, it'll pay off. I always say to like Kyle our intern is that you're making let's say you're making like 25-30 25k right now as an intern or assistant whatever imagine if you save and what and you're 21 right now imagine when you're our age what you Be making you'll be making so much because you put the time in and you know, I mean you sacrifice and I feel like every time you sacrifice a little the bigger reward will be Beyond you your expenses will be 18K a hundred percent. So we're coming up to the end of this segment. What advice would you give to 18 year old Velma? Oh my God, 18 year old bomber. I would tell 18 year old bomber relax kid. Keep going keeping passionate and don't think that you're gonna have it all by 25 because for some reason I thought you fact was that age? I thought I'd have my husband. I'd have my first kid at like 26 like I don't know who told us that 25 life. Like I actually want to know who it was. I felt like I had like a midlife crisis. It was crazy. Yeah, and it's like an hour. I always think like every time like not well majority of the time when I'm coming to work. I was just that like even this morning I was thinking whoo. Have ever thought you would be here. You know when I first was looking for internships want to turn me down. So when I got this job the woman was like wow, you've been in our system for long crazy. So it's funny how they got you on the sister. I mean from from that internship that I never got and I remember I didn't get it because the trains are running late. I had tripped at the station. It was crazy. It was like the worst day ever, but then now fast forward you would have never thought. At that like I promise you you didn't think you was gonna be a DJ when you're doing all those internships. Nice you go Army, but like I feel like God has his plan for you. But like sometimes you just don't see it. Yeah, you know, I mean so I would just say keep going and like it's all gonna be okay because it turned out pretty alright, it's alright for you. Nah, and one piece of advice you'd give to anybody who's applying for internships who's at the start of their Journey go the extra mile don't finding those. Like obviously don't be annoying and be yeah. Yeah, I mean but like even like I don't know just be creative with it because if you think everyone trying to get the same job, but not the same application guide me, but if you go above and beyond as maybe send them a brand partner if he were trying to be at Brand Partnerships and to find out the person sent them a brand partnership idea that you think would work great. Do you know I mean just think outside of the box do something that everyone else isn't doing to get that first job and be yourself. Amazing. Thank you so much Velma for coming down to the first social fix radio episode. Thank you so much my dear. So here's the second segment of today's social fixed radio episode and we are joined by two amazing individuals Kyle and tia. Hello. Hello. Thank you for having us. No, I'm glad I'm glad you're on I'm glad you're on the show because I feel like you're going to give us some really cool tips on interning. So for anyone who's listening. A sponsored by Warner Music for today's episode and they have just released their new internship program which spans over eight different departments. So what we want you guys to do is to definitely go on the Warner Music website and apply for these internships and I say this because our two guests car and TR have actually interned at one of music now Tia. Hello, you are currently interning in the marketing department. Yes, I am. Um, so I am the Atlantic marketing intern and I do I've been here for about four months now and it's a 12 month internship. So yeah slightly though, I threw yeah Ian Kyle. You also started interning at Warner as well. How did you get into it? Yes, I didn't turn in last year the SandBar and I just saw it online on Creative access applied to didn't views got it. I'm yeah lot of fun. Yeah, and so you've gone from in turning. Actually now Landing your full-time position coordinate now and how long does it take? Yeah. Yeah. I finished the whole year the internet then they only permanent amazing. So how hard or easy was it to actually land your first internship in the music industry. TR. Let's start with you. So for me, I wouldn't say it was easy. I had an advantage because I did a music industry management degree is in which kind of covered all aspects of the industry. So so law business finance like kind of everything so I had that to kind of get me going if that makes sense. But the thing I struggled with was the getting the experience to get an internship that makes sense. I kind of went in with the mentality that I was just gonna look for things and then apply like white for things to come to me kind of thing. Whereas I've figured out that I needed to like do things on myself. So I just kind of took things off my own back and approach people like for And Shadow in things like that. And and then yeah, I think having a buildup of all of those things helped me kind of get the internship. Yeah. And did you just see this role online and just kind of went for it or yeah, so funnily enough when I was in my final year of uni, so probably January this year. I was actually looking for jobs and I knew a girl who was working in a major label at the time and she was like, there's a Facebook group called social fix and I was like, oh my God. - wait, did you see this on social fixed or you started so these social that's how I started to use it and started licking. What are the odds? I know I know I did not pay her. This is actually failing as we speak. Yeah easy. So I somebody had posted in there something like are these internships have gone live? So I was like having to look through the Atlantic one applied and then luckily got it. Is incredible. Yeah, high five. I love that. All right Kyle. What about you? How was it? She's gonna land in your first internship in the music industry. It was easy, but it wasn't also apply for like a handful of stuff seem different openings on the internet. Then I saw this one open on crave access once I put that it was kind of easy other interview went really well came back for a second time that went even better. So I was like, yeah, I've got this yeah turned out and I went yeah, I think once you get put in the position where you can like talk about yourself and show your passion and stuff. Yeah, that's when he gets easy to just get your foot in the door. Yeah. Can I first opportunity? That's yeah. That's the hard part now. I remember when I was kind of like looking for internships. I would basically have this kind of apply to everything mentality. So it's not just about focusing on that one application. I kind of just send my CV to everything generic cover letter and just kind of be Like whatever lands lands wherever I get I get is that the same method that you used or where you quite more intentional with the this role that you applied for in terms of kind of putting your best foot forward for me. I would say at the beginning. I definitely did that. I was kind of like science and grab you just change the first few lines like why that role would be good for me. Yeah, and then it wasn't until I sat down with the Korea's team at my union was like I'm not getting anything back. I don't know. What to do and they went through the steps that you have to tailor it to every specific job role pick out all of the things that they're looking for and shape it into what experience you have to fit that until I kind of got the grasp of that. That was when I started seeing so yeah the seeing people come back and be like Oh interesting interview. So it's important to be super specific sometimes when you're well most times when you when you really want to apply for a job or particularly in turn has to yeah, I got burned once really yeah. Collided law. So back in like a previous life. I have like no the grid not lotteries, like legal openings that perhaps paralegals and stuff like that. And I forgot to change the law firms name. I don't even after since that time. I was like, I'm doing specific color. Yeah. Yeah so fixed TVs in the world up, so no definitely I have emailed a few too many people and forgot to change the names or forgot to take people out of CC guys email. Jessica is very important. So you don't want to get caught out know so between both of you has your ex. How was your experience at Warner Music been so far? Like what been the main things that you've learned from your experience for me. I think being at Warner in particular. It's such like an immersive experience. So with an internship, I just assumed like all you'll be an accessory to the department like you're just help out when needed but you really feel part of the team and like You do actually makes a difference. I think that's quite unique about Warner personally can't same some experience job since I started was just like, oh you have this resource already got do this. If you don't all of us kind of class we're fucked. Yeah, I was doing like the finance. Yeah. So that's pit getting money in from Brands and then paying it out to artists which is like a big thing, especially with these like big deals like millions and yeah all those kind of numbers. S so yeah, so I had like big responsibility from that the first week first two weeks first month and then kept on going on so yet that about Warner is really good. Amazing Tia. You studied a musical degree. So you kind of already knew that you wanted to get into music but Carl you said that you studied law. So did you actually receive like any backlash or maybe lack of support because you decided to switch gears a welcome like my family. Yeah family or a hundred that quite cool. Yeah. All right. Are you kind of did yeah is different because that's too harsh or not. But Italy but they were cool with it. Oh cool - just wanted to have a job that to be on and oh really? Yeah, not all cool. Like oh, yeah. So happy once I got to think this was happy so they were happy perfect. Yeah, they don't ya because they knew but I didn't really want to do the whole lawyer. So what actually made you pivot from law into music. What was that are in the law degree? Yeah. It's a realize you're over it. Yeah, I got certified you and I was like, oh, so this is what it's like it's just not like suits and like lovely lunches. Yeah, nice suits and like oh shit. It's a lot of work salaried and luck a store and a lot of memorizing. So now that I can't see myself doing that for the next four years. And then I was helping my brother does like photography and stuff. So he was taking me doing the shoots with at different heights. I was like, oh just like was interesting that I love music. Me trying to be a part of it and in us when I kind of changed inside do it on IP law. So I kind of added that's my Arsenal which I mentioned in my cover letter because it's so cool and stuff like that. And then I did that pivot inferred you. Yeah sick and what would you say would be some some top tips on how to actually land your first internship in the music industry. If you have to give one, what would it be don't get disheartened. Yeah. Go ahead know a lot. Yeah like a lot. Don't respond. Yeah that too so you can't carry it affect you. Yeah. Yeah, I would agree with that equity and I would cite to add to that. Like if people don't be afraid to approach people. Yeah, like don't think oh my gosh. I can't email this person. Like what if they don't reply to me? Like literally if you don't ask you don't get kind of thing. And then the main thing that I would say is just try and get as much experience as you can like, even if You can't see something that in your field that you want to do like try and create that yourself like even if it's just like messaging someone and saying can I Shadow you for like a day like build on that relationship every relationship that you make in the industry, like keep that connection because the amount of people that I've met before I've had this internship and then I've been at work thing and then seeing them they're like, it's so important like I can't stress that Anna now, I mean a big theme seems to be being proactive and building. Relationships that you make throughout your experience in the industry Kyle the fact that you actually landed do your first job. What was the process of going from like an intern to a coordinator? Did you have to jump over some hurdles in order to get that that kind of? Yes, you got the job. Yeah. I think there's more ballot proven that I can do it. I think in I think they kind of had it in their mind that they wanted to try and see if they could make someone into quit because they've needed to coordinate. All right. And I'm the intern and make sense. Yeah, I think I just have to prove myself in that respect. Yeah, so it's like a year-long thing of proving myself Spooner can do this. I can do the finance. I can organize meetings and all that other stuff. So it was just like never let your guard down like you got Beyond prayed all the time. Yeah, exactly and be on time those are all exactly what would you say have been like the biggest misconception so like when you looked at the music Industry, you know growing up it probably looks a lot more Glitz and glamour glamorous than it is right now. So what are the misconceptions that you've actually experienced or face whilst working in the industry so far for me, I would say how involved like a label is within an artist career. So even if it's just specifically one Department like for me, I'm in marketing but marketing literally is involved in every aspect. So whether it's promo at like help And I like literally everything. So I feel like it's not a nine-to-five. It's more of a lifestyle like you have to really really want it and be prepared to go that extra mile to kind of get the job done. Right if that makes sense like that. Yeah. Yeah. I was like, yeah, you got soaking Soph in like everything kind of say. Oh, yeah. I like a listen to this artists and that's it. You gotta like Media stuff and social medias haven't told you got to really soak yourself in the culture. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, um, but in also, so you're some oh shit. What are these are so and basically in terms of misconceptions such as oh that is like a big party. Yeah. I'll tell my friends is also what like you don't do any work. It was like mommy. There's a lot of like stuff in Photoshop going on like I do a lot. Yeah. Yeah, but but there is like good parts to it. Like I really felt about balancing. Yeah. Singing out and I guess I don't know if you've thought this far but five years time. Where would you like to be? Where do you see yourself in the industry? Whoa, good question for me. It's hard because I love marketing. Like I've always loved it all kind of started off in radio and then I'll transition to Market and because I literally love sharing music with other people like it's what I love to do and how better to do that than marketing, but I think Potentially a marketing manager. Yeah. Yeah just having like artist on your roster that you have like creative control over that. Yeah and like working with different teams. I think five year goal. That could be a vyapti I see there for me. I think just working on projects that I really love. I really care about him like really like crazy Gravely involved in because that some of the work we're doing upstairs. Like I'll try I would like a To do that like me that make sense. So yeah, I don't have any anything specific but just working on Creative projects. Yeah, that makes sense. So I guess just to round it off why should people apply for this Warner Music internship program. I think if you want like proper hands-on experience where you're literally just soaked in like the whole industry like this is the best place to be like you'll have guidance and help along the way like the Have an amazing Mentor scheme. I have a mentor here. But any help that you need like you can just go to that person and talk to them about it. But at the same time you're literally like deep in the job like it's not like not in uni or school or whatever and yeah like a lychee in it. And I think that's the best part about it doing. Yeah. I'll tell her that and also like the people that I met some like amazing people. Yeah. So yeah, I want to I think one of the best people biased Of that. Thank you so much for coming on today's episode. Thanks for me. And that was social fixed radio episode 1 recorded live at Warner Music Group in London. Thank you for listening. And I hope you really enjoyed it. Join in on the conversation by following us on all socials at Social fixed with a tea until next time.
In Episode One of SocialFixt Podcast, we chat to Velma Simmons, Business Development Manager at Warner Music and Founder of L.I.F.E Talks UK, a platform designed to help people push past the discouragement that can come with trying to break into the entertainment industry and inspire the next generation of up and coming creative minds in the UK. Long time friends, Velma and Mercedes chat about how pivotal they have been to one another’s career journeys, highlighting the ways in which friendships can serve not just personal but professional growth. In this episode, Velma Simmons shares everything from her wins: securing internships by snooping in instagram comments to moments that felt like losses: crying in the staff room at her bank job when she thought she’d never make the leap into the music industry. Perseverance is the key word in this episode. We also chat with Kyle and Tiah, interns at Warner Music about the joys of breaking into an awesome role, the challenges that come even when working in a dream role and get their tips for securing that coveted internship. This episode is sponsored by Warner Music in partnership with SocialFixt. 