The state of press, utilising social media and discovering talent: Katherine Cantwell

• Katherine represents Heavenly Recordings’ label manager and office manager, serving as the primary point of contact between the PIAS marketing team and the head of the label/A&R. Heavenly nurtures the career’s of some of the UK’s most loved artists such as Temples, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard, Lynks, Kneecap, Katy J Pearson, OneDa and The Orielles.
• Katherine also mentors work experience students and interns at the label, helping them reach their full-potential as industry professionals.
• Since her career began, Katherine has founded her own blog named Stalky Music, worked at venues and labels in London such as The Macbeth Music Venues and Fuzz Club Records, as well as lectured at the likes of BIMM University.

Tell us about starting your career and how it went from writing for your Stalky Music blog, to interning, and then working at Heavenly. 

I applied for work experience at NME Magazine and did three separate weeks experience from the age of 15 to age 18. During my time with NME I connected with some of my favourite journalists and was given some key advice (my writing was good but I clearly had a bigger passion for championing new bands) and therefore it was pointed out to me that my skills would be better placed within a record label.

I studied a BA in Media and Communications at Goldsmiths University and during my time on the course I gained key journalistic skills as well as learning new skills about social media and marketing. Outside of my course I made the most of my free time – working part-time behind the bar at Brixton Academy, writing for the student papers and interning one day a week at music venue The Macbeth (in Hoxton). I later did a week’s work experience at Begger’s Group and this cemented my interest in working for a record label.

I would be lying if I said that ending up at Heavenly was an easy task. I sent multiple emails and hand-written letters to multiple labels and applied to nearly all of the internships available at the major record labels at that time. Often I wouldn’t hear back and it took several months to find more experience in this area.

I was fortunate that Heavenly offered me one day a week – and even more fortunate that one day turned into two and then they offered me a full-time position once I finished my university degree. 

What have you learnt about music journalism and press over the years? 

I am currently writing this with the news that this week it was announced that the Condé Nast Restructure – means that the influential music publication ‘Pitchfork’ will be moved under men’s fashion magazine GQ and that as a result staff have been laid off. 

Music journalism is in a sad state of affairs right now, with multiple magazine closure over the years and online publications struggling to pay writers. Websites now regurgitate press releases and band biographies are featured alongside track releases over critical reviews or interviews. A good band biography is one of the only ways to engage listeners now via the written word (and a way that good journalists can still get paid a fair wage).

A result of these closures – music press is harder to come by for artists and a focus on artists’ social media presence has become more integral to a campaign and releases. 

Hats off to DIY Magazine, The Quietus, Loud and Quiet, So Young Magazine, DJ Magazine and a handful of other sits like The Line of Best Fit, Hard Of Hearing and The Most Radicalist who continuously work hard to showcase new music, pay their writers and collectively fight the good fight daily to stay afloat.

What do you think of the argument that online blogs and print media might not be here to stay, do you agree?

It’s really hard to stay positive about the state of the music press right now – with so many magazines and site closures.

However, with every closure see’s a small number of people rebel against the squeeze and I’m seeing more artists and labels create their own zines, host interesting events and produce engaging social media content that offers fans a way in to engage with music. Podcasts are proving more popular and independent radio stations are proving to be more popular too. It’s hard to tell what will happen to the music press next… fingers crossed that elements of it are here to stay against all odds.

Tell us about what Heavenly Recordings. 

For me Heavenly is Music defined by the Magic that opens its door to everyone who Believes…

Right now our roster is buzzing with exciting new acts Lynks, Kneecap, Tapir!, OneDa and Revival Season. In recent years our roster has also seen The Orielles evolution as one of the UK’s most exciting DIY outfits, Gwenno be nominated for a Mercury Prize, Katy J Pearson capture the hearts of listeners across the airwaves and at festivals, Halo Maud’s vocals feature on the recently critically acclaimed Chemical Brothers tenth studio album and Working Men’s Club achieve a top 20 chart position on their second LP ‘Fear Fear.’

It’s a really exciting time on the label as our roster is at the largest and most eclectic it has ever been.

When does the label start paying attention to an artist/band as a potential new roster signee?

We’re all massive fans of music at Heavenly so this doesn’t have a specific answer. We go to a lot of gigs, take onboard recommendations from friends, and find ourselves discovering new artists at festivals and online via our inboxes or social media. 

Once we like an artist and their music we then seek to meet them as it’s really important to us that our artists share a similar spirit and vision when it comes to showcasing their music. Creativity is key as well as being kind, good natured humans that we can foresee building a good, strong relationship with. 

With the concern for mental health and social media nowadays, what is the label’s approach to their artists and their social media?

Social media has obviously become a huge marketing tool, place of discovery and also a creative tool for artists to promote their music. For artists – managing multiple accounts can be exhaustive and time consuming. Where we can, we encourage artist managers to assist with running certain platforms, and encourage artists with multiple band-members to do the same. As a label we offer advice and give out schedules and plans to enable a more focused approach to using social media and encourage the use of scheduling to avoid burn-out.

We don’t have agreements in place with artists about what they can or can’t do on social media. We encourage our artists to do what they feel comfortable doing and also which platforms they wish to use. Not every artist needs to be on every social platform – and, using platforms consistently with relevant content is a better approach – rather than spreading yourself too thinly across everything.

Not every artist needs to be on every social platform – and, using platforms consistently with relevant content is a better approach – rather than spreading yourself too thinly across everything.

Social media should be seen as an extension of an artists work – a portfolio of work that want to share with the world.

Where do you find your content inspiration for social media? 

Like real-life gigs and experiences – social content inspiration comes from following other people of inspiration… My favourite artists, my label peers across the independent sector and my friends all inspire me online.

Heavenly wise, Lynks is a massive inspiration – they know more about social media than I do and make it look so fun and easy, as well as super swish in style.

OneDa is consistently my favourite Heavenly artist online simply because it’s an extension of who she is – a positive force of nature who works her socks off, champions her peers and is true to herself. Inspirational for every musician out there, every woman out there and well… everyone really.

Outside of the label: I have always liked how Arlo Park presents herself online – again a genuine artist not afraid to be herself. Cat Burn’s similarly has become someone I admire for her honesty with her ADHD diagnosis and outpouring of love for the LGBTQ community.

How do you approach finding an artist’s target audience?

Finding an artist’s target audience is reflective in the audience that attend shows at first and working from there.

It’s all about the folk down the front! 

What would you say are the best and worst parts about your job?

The best part is…I probably don’t consider what I do a proper job – don’t get me wrong – it’s hard-work but I do what I love and that fulfils me daily.

The worst part of the job is probably the invention of a new social media platform and keeping up with all the constant changes in the digital world… but that can be exciting too!

What current affairs in the industry are of most interest to you and your work with Heavenly?

If you were to take on a new intern at the label, what sort of thing would impress you? 

We were fortunate enough to take on an apprentice last year – thanks to AIM, Amazon Music and Woman In CTRL. What impressed with our choice was their dedication to hard-work, passion for music, ability to ask for help when needed and also apply herself to tasks with ease as well as coming up with new ideas for the wider team to explore.

An intern needs to be polite, friendly, ambitious and have the ability to work well with a team as well as comfortably working independently at times too. 

It’s really important to present a friendly, positive attitude as someone entering the industry. You never know who might be at a gig or who you might bump into so maintaining a friendly smile is essential.

What motivates you?

The team around me – my friends at Heavenly HQ who constantly inspire me with their creative ways of thinking and working. Our artists – we’re fortunate to work with exceptionally talented people and when they deliver amazing music to us – getting up with a spring in my step on Monday morning is a no-brainer.

Lastly, do you have any new artist recommendations?