So You Want To Work In Music?
Our chats with emerging music industry legends Maddy Smith, UNIFIED Music Group’s Artist Manager and Senior Day-to-Day Manager, Tara O’Kane, Frontier Touring’s Marketing and Digital Assistant and Cameron Lockwood, Sound Engineer, Producer and Musician. Find out all the details on their roles, and tips to kickstart your career in music now!
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Maddy Smith: artist manager & senior day-to-day manager at UNIFIED Music Group
Could you tell us about your current role at UNIFIED Music Group? What does a day in the life look like for you as an Artist Manager and Senior Day-to-Day Manager?
As the Manager of electro-pop queens Cat & Calmell and an alt-rock band from the Gold Coast, Selve as well as working closely with Dan Nascimento as the Senior Day to Day Manager of Ocean Alley and Jack Botts, no two days look the same and I love that!
One day I might be listening to demos and dreaming up big recording or touring ideas with artists, piecing everything together to turn a vision into reality. The next, I could be on a flight supporting an artist on tour, working through shows and press opportunities together. And then there are the days spent at my desk reconciling a tour or doing general admin, because life is all about balance. One thing is consistent though, every day I have an excuse to listen and obsess over music, so that’s fun!
What was your pathway like into your career in music?
My first music-adjacent role was at a nightclub, where I started out as a bartender, door girl and host. Not exactly the most obvious foot in the door, but it turned out to be the perfect place to connect with artists and managers passing through, which eventually led to artist liaison work for both the club and major festivals like Stereosonic. At this time, I was hustling festival tickets, back when you'd be handed a literal physical stack to sell for $5 commission each.
Then came my first ‘official’ music industry role. One of the companies I sold tickets for offered me a job in Sydney as a Marketing and Publicity Coordinator. This gave me incredible marketing, publicity and hands on experience, promoting shows for international artists like SZA and Post Malone.
After a year there, I moved to an electronic music company as a Tour Coordinator and Booking Agent. Booking shows wasn't really my jam which I figured out pretty quickly, but the Tour Coordinator side sharpened my tour-specific organisational and logistical skills. I'm still grateful for the booking experience though, as a manager now, navigating complex deal terms and touring strategy is something I can do with confidence.
Then COVID hit. My role, which was entirely events-based, was made redundant overnight! During the pandemic, my mentor reached out to introduce me to a label founder and artist manager she thought I'd click with. She was right, I immediately connected and came on board as Senior Day-to-Day Manager of the artists and Label Manager. Over the next four years, I worked on ARIA Award-winning albums, toured globally and sharpened my skills in almost every facet of artist management.
Last year I made the move to UNIFIED, where I've built my own roster, am working on artists who I’ve loved from afar and all with an incredible network behind me. In between all of this, I’ve also freelanced as a Social Media Manager and a Tour Director / Manager.
So, I guess, the takeaway from here is that there is no straightforward pathway, but that’s part of the fun and it all has played its part in a well-rounded network and skill set!
You studied a Bachelor of Management (Marketing) at the University of South Australia. Have you found this degree useful through your career?
It's been helpful to understand the theory behind marketing, but the music industry moves so fast that I'm not sure any degree could really keep up with it. I'm constantly learning about new channels, strategies and tools. This learning curve never really ends and I kind of love that about it.
And beyond just keeping up with the landscape, a huge part of the job is knowing how to apply different strategies to different artists. There's so much nuance in a great campaign, and that kind of instinct really only comes from experience. Talk to anyone in a similar role to me and their journey will look completely different to mine, so I'd never discourage someone from pursuing a career in music just because university isn't their thing.
Were there any mentors or experiences that you found pivotal early in your career?
Absolutely, and I'm going to use this as an opportunity to shout out one of the most humble, knowledgeable, generous and supportive women in the music industry: Mardi Caught. She recognized something in me before I'd even seen it in myself, and then opened the doors and basically said "go!" The experiences I got because of her early belief in me genuinely changed the trajectory of my career. Mardi, if you're reading this, thank you! I’d also like to mention Ash Hills and Dan Nascimento here too. They model such calm, balanced and focussed leadership for their teams and it’s such a joy to work alongside them.
And if there's one common thread running through all of it, it's relationships. Every single pivotal moment in my career has come back to a connection, someone who opened a door, made an introduction, or backed me when it counted.
Could you share some of your career highlights so far?
Working with Cat & Calmell brings me so much joy! We're a really close-knit team with a strong foundation of trust and that makes every day fun. I came on board last year ahead of their LIVE LAUGH COOL STAR EP, and since then, we've sold out headline shows, supported Renée Rapp, debuted on the ARIA charts, played Mardi Gras and firmly established their sound in the alt-pop and electronic space.
As I'm writing this, I'm actually out on the road with Ocean Alley on their AUS/NZ Love Balloon tour. To grow up as a fan of a band, to now being part of the management team is quite the full circle moment. I really love the team that has been built around this band since day 1, and I think it’s so cool that they have done this independently.
And then there is Genesis Owusu. Working with him on his Smiling With No Teeth and STRUGGLER campaigns as both his Day-to-Day Manager, Label Manager and often Tour Manager was something I’ll always hold close. Those projects felt particularly special given how close-knit and aligned the team was, and Genesis brings such a clear, powerful vision and sense of purpose to everything he does. Above all else, he's a stellar person and we’ve shared some truly absurd times together (go look up his show at the Enmore Theatre, thankfully no one was hurt so we can laugh about it now!)
In your career journey, have you experienced any knockbacks, or struggle to find work? If so, what motivated you to keep seeking opportunities in the music industry?
Oh, absolutely, it hasn't all been smooth sailing! I've navigated plenty of curveballs over the years, and being made redundant during COVID was a big one, but totally ended up being a blessing in disguise and allowed space for a new opportunity to show itself.
In this industry, things rarely follow a plan, so I've just learned to embrace the chaos, enjoy the challenge, and trust that it's usually taking you somewhere interesting. I feel so lucky to have turned something I love into a career, so that motivates me. I’m also endlessly inspired by the artists and teams I work with, and the incredibly talented and tenacious women and gender diverse people I get to witness doing amazing things across this industry.
What would you recommend for young people to do, who are looking to start building skills and experience in the music industry?
Everything you do is valuable, even if you don’t realise it yet. Find a way to be involved in the communities you want to work in. Show up to gigs, talk to people, put yourself in the room, sell merch for your mate’s band, take photos at their show, help them out on socials, I could go on! If you live rurally or can't make it to shows, there are still so many ways to be active. Review music online, join artist Discords, start a social media channel, be loud about the music and artists you love. The music industry is full of people who looked at a gap and decided to fill it themselves.
I once got offered a social media job because a manager stumbled across my finsta and decided my sense of humour would be a great fit for one of his artists. So yeah, you truly never know who is watching!
What advice would you give to young artists and bands who are looking to get their start?
SHOOT YOUR SHOT! Send the email, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Maybe it doesn't land this time, but by putting yourself out there, you've already taken a huge step forward. Don't be afraid to ask for help either, this industry is a team sport and we have all been at a point in our careers where we had to lean on others for guidance or advice.
Stick to your values. Take some time to really think about who you are as an artist, and then think about the kinds of people you want to work with. Know what you stand for, move in that direction, and trust that your people will find you. Integrity is everything!
Don’t forget to have fun!!!
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Cameron Lockwood: Sound Engineer, Producer & Musician
Introduce yourself and your life working in the music industry!
My name is Cameron Lockwood and I am a music industry professional, working as a live sound engineer, producer, and musician. Ever since I was in school, I knew I wanted to work in the industry in some capacity. People push you on a path of university and a full-time job, but that never really appealed to me. I ended up attending SAE in Byron Bay on a scholarship, which led me to a lot of the opportunities I have had, but a lot of them weren’t through the uni itself. I always put myself out there and presented with confidence, which is how I landed a lot of gigs.
As someone who is quite versatile in their abilities as a multi-instrumentalist, and being able to wear so many hats in a live setting or in the studio, it makes it easy to fill in for any opportunity that arises. It also helps me understand where the people I work with are coming from, because I am constantly in their position.
What can a day-to-day look like for you in your career?
Quite a lot of my time is spent keeping up with admin and organising my calendar week-by-week. The majority of my work at the moment is producing bands, recording, and mixing. So scheduling this out to make sure I keep to deadlines is very important. I have also been dedicating a lot of my time to my new band SWIVELHEAD, writing, recording demos, booking shows, and all the other things that come with being in a band. We have some gigs coming up supporting Headsend and our own headline in Brisbane. I also work at some local venues. I have some shows as a FOH engineer with touring bands such as Wolfmother and a band I also produce called Loose Goose.
I don’t really have a consistent day-to-day; I get done what I can and try my best to keep everyone I’m working with at any given time happy.
Tell us about your pathway into producing music independently and touring as a sound technician.
The first big opportunity I had was to record and mix Wolfmother's latest album ‘Rock Out’, which was released in 2021. They were the second band I ever recorded, which propelled me into being a working professional. The next big thing was working FOH on a tour throughout Queensland with Wolfmother. Prior to this, I had only done small productions in the classroom at SAE, but I wasn’t afraid to ask questions of the people at venues, and this helped me understand the workflow in that early stage.
Since then, I have dedicated more of my time to production and becoming a better producer/mixer. Working with loads of different bands such as Loose Goose, Vlads, S8nt Elektric, Destinezia, CAMRA, and many more. I am always trying to improve and use resources such as ‘Mix With The Masters’ or Eric Valentine to learn.
What have been some of your career highlights so far?
One of the coolest highlights so far was touring Europe with Wolfmother. I have also been able to meet quite a few of my heroes and some big names in the industry, such as Butch Vig, Josh Freese, Tosh, Richard Fortus, Alice Cooper, and even been to some A-list celebrity afterparties.
I would say, even though it’s still very fresh, starting my band SWIVELHEAD has been a huge highlight. To find the right like-minded people who are all very talented and dedicated to being a successful band is hard to come by. Being able to create and bring the vision to life of all the bands I work with, notably Loose Goose, has been especially rewarding, creating lifelong friendships with some sick music along the way.
How do you find balancing working in the industry while creating your own music?
With some of my solo project ambitions, I have struggled with this. But working with a full band has been much easier to balance. It all once again comes down to scheduling and time management. I make sure I have time to get things done for my clients or for my own projects. A lot of the time, the artists I work with also influence the music that I listen to. Which then also influences the type of music I write.
What would you recommend for young people to do who are looking to start building skills and experience in the music industry?
The biggest thing is, don’t be deterred by doing things for little money or free at first. Build up your portfolio of work and make sure to be a good person and friend to all the people you work with. I still do some things for very little, but in doing this, I’m always improving, which will lead to better things to come in the future. Having your own project or band to start recording is also a great way to get better at producing and to meet more people in the industry or in your scene who may also want to record with you.
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Tara O’Kane: Frontier Touring’s Marketing and Digital Assistant
What made you want to work in the music industry?
I’ve always loved music, but what really drew me to the industry was everything around it as well. I’ve always enjoyed going to gigs, seeing the energy of a crowd when everyone’s singing along and making memories. There’s something special about gigs, they feel like a community where everyone connects through the same music and love of the same artist.
Tell us about your role at Frontier Touring?
I work across both the marketing and digital teams at Frontier Touring, which means I get to be involved in a wide range of projects that help bring tours to life.
On the digital side, I work across our website, social media and email channels. This includes building and updating tour pages, creating content for platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and making sure we stay on top of trends and what audiences are engaging with. I also help produce emails for tour announcements, competitions and newsletters.
On the marketing side, I support the rollout of tour campaigns. This includes proofreading assets and links, setting up tour artwork and videos, and helping coordinate content creators. I also assist with advertising campaigns, from planning budgets to setting up digital ads, outdoor posters, and radio placements. All to help promote tours and reach the right audiences.
The most exciting part of my role is I get the opportunity to capture content at shows. This might include filming exciting live moments, moments between fans, behind the scenes footage or shooting artist content such as interviews. Overall, the role is very hands-on and fast paced.
What was your pathway to get into your current role?
After finishing high school, I knew I wanted to do something creative, so I studied a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Design. In my final semester, I took the opportunity to do an internship as part of my course, which led me to a marketing intern role at Frontier Touring. It was such an exciting experience getting a real behind-the-scenes look at the music industry, and I knew straight away it was something I wanted to be part of. After finishing my internship, I was lucky enough to be offered a role as a Marketing and Digital Assistant. I’ve been working there full-time ever since!
What are some of the highlights of your career so far?
Aside from the day-to-day fun of working in such a fast-paced, social and exciting environment, I’ve had some pretty unforgettable moments.
One of the biggest highlights was working on Ed Sheeran’s tour. I’ve been a fan for such a long time, so being part of the campaign from the initial announcement through to seeing it all come to life on stage was incredibly rewarding.
Another standout was working on our country music festival, Ridin’ Hearts. I had the chance to attend both the Sydney and Melbourne events, which was amazing. It introduced me to a whole new genre of music and a community of fans I hadn’t experienced before.
Moments like these make the job so special and remind me why I wanted to work in the music industry in the first place.
What advice would you give to your teenage self looking back now?
I’d tell myself not to stress so much about having everything figured out. It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what you want to do straight away. A lot of it comes from trying new things and figuring out what you enjoy along the way.
I’d also say to take every opportunity you can, even if it feels a little scary or out of your comfort zone. Things like internships, work experience, or even just reaching out to people can open doors you didn’t even know existed.
Any final words of wisdom for anyone wanting to make it in the industry?
Find something you’re genuinely interested in and try to shape your studies and experiences around that. It’s so much easier to stay motivated and do your best when you enjoy what you’re learning. Stay curious, work hard, and say yes to opportunities when they come your way, you never know where they might lead.