How did you get your big break in the music industry?

“I always knew I wanted to work in the music industry and so would put myself forward for every available opportunity. Starting at 15, and during my school holidays, I would apply for internship after internship – to work for artist street teams, magazine stylists, management companies, you name it. One of my favourite opportunities was working for Viper Magazine alongside the team in the lead-up to its launch. At 18, I worked in retail in High Street Kensington, right by the major labels, so after work I would doorstep each one and persevere despite all the rejections. My big break came after university when I found an ad for Platoon on Shesaid.so. Now, five years on, I lead the streaming division, working across our global roster.”

What’s the one thing that excites you most about the industry?

“Honestly, it’s the people behind the scenes. It’s great to see lots of people I worked with in the early days moving on to become music executives and managers. I look forward to everyone continuing to grow and eventually becoming presidents and vice-presidents.”

Describe a typical day at work for you... 

“My day-to-day work consists of communicating with our key reps and editors across all streaming platforms for our global roster of artists. This is to ensure they are all receiving the best possible support for their campaigns. It’s such a thrill, because it always feels like a hustle getting independent artists on to playlists. When it does happen, it’s such a great feeling. Especially when we get support with billboards and land influential campaigns such as Up Next on Apple Music, or Radar on Spotify and so on.”

Of all the campaigns you’ve worked on, which stand out? 

“There are two campaigns that I’m really proud of. The first one is Amaarae – The Angel You Don’t Know, it was such an incredible album and it’s great to see how people are now discovering her. All the planning was done via Zoom in 2020 and I hadn’t met her or her team in real life until late last year. She’s such a creative force and I think that’s why her audience gravitated towards her. She had a breakthrough earlier this year with Sad Girlz Luv Money Remix Ft. Kali Uchis, but before that we always knew she was going to power through. Another campaign I’m proud of is Adekunle Gold’s album, Catch Me If You Can. This album was all hands on deck, and I remember the day it dropped was probably one of my highlights of working at Platoon. Adekunle Gold’s music is so honest and he is just one of the best writers.”

Finally, what do you like best about working at Platoon? 

“Platoon has grown so much since I started. It’s a place where we’re able to share our ideas and work out how best to bring them to life. It’s also great to be part of a collaborative team that listens to and helps each other to solve problems. It’s great to understand pockets of different kinds of music and how to deliver them for every audience.”

CLAUDIA’S RECOMMENDED TRACK: Tay Iwar – Bad4u