With offices and employees spread across the globe, sometimes it takes time to get to know everyone. In our series ‘What The #&@$ Do You Do?!’ (WTFDYD), The Orchard highlights Orchardites from all over the world to learn more about their role at The Orchard and experience working in the music industry.
Giulia, tell us about what the *&^# you do!
I’m the Director of Italy and I am based in Milan with the rest of the team. I joined The Orchard in 2015 and since then things have changed a lot in the region! When I started working at The Orchard I was the only person in Italy and I was doing both label management and retail marketing. I was the one person doing a bit of everything to support our clients and position their music on DSPs.
Since then, our roster and the services we provide have grown and today the team is composed of seven people. We provide distribution services to both artists and labels. Our services include retail and digital marketing, advertising, video services, collections, and much more! We work closely with our distributed labels and artists to develop the best strategies to position and promote their music in the digital landscape and help them grow.
How does your role / department fit into The Orchard?
As the Director of Italy, I oversee and coordinate the different departments locally, to make sure we always provide the best services to our artists and labels. I scout for new opportunities and work with our international teams to onboard new artists and labels.
Internally, I also work with all departments on a global basis – from tech and legal, to label management and artist services – to develop business strategies and implement the best solutions for our distributed clients in the different markets. I also manage the relationship with Sony Music Italy teams and many of our key labels and artists. I support our clients with their release strategies, which is probably my favorite part of the job.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
As I mentioned, I love the relationship with artists and labels. I feel incredibly blessed to work directly with artists and professionals in the business and have the opportunity to learn from them. I love to help our partners build solid strategies locally and internationally. And it puts me in the fortunate position to listen to new music every day! It is exciting to be so close to the creative process and to contribute to the success of talented artists.
What’s a campaign/project you are proud to have worked on?
As a company, a big focus at the moment is leveraging our network of distributed labels and artists to foster international music collaborations. I am currently leading this project with the European team, thinking of new processes to help the international label managers share opportunities, music, and make collaborations happen! This project is a great addition to our value proposition and I am excited to work with my colleagues all over the world to make it easier for artists to meet other talents and create new music!
How did you first get started in the music industry?
I started my career in the music industry with The Orchard. Before The Orchard, I worked for almost ten years in different industries and international teams. I have always been led by curiosity and willingness to explore new challenges, but I must say that music has always been my lifetime passion. I grew up going to concerts and being obsessed with my musical idols. Then one day I had the opportunity to turn a passion into a job and I’ve felt incredibly lucky ever since!
What advice do you have for independent artists / those who want to break into the industry?
My best advice would be to stay focused on their music and to trust the team they chose. Often artists succumb to the urge to reach success, especially when they are very young. It is true that today’s market is very fast and the competition is fierce, but it still takes time to build a solid career (both as an artist and as a professional). Shortcuts and easy solutions rarely bring long term success (and the digital World is full of traps!). Quality, transparency, a strong strategy and trustable professionals always do.
What artist have you been listening to on repeat lately?
This is the Summer Bizarrap, Nathy Peluso and Latin music heavily invaded my playlists! Also, Jorja Smith’s last EP Be Right Back has been on repeat for at least a couple of months. I couldn’t get out of it. She is the kind of artist that seduced me little by little, until a big love exploded!
What’s your favorite thing about working at The Orchard?
No doubt it’s the people. This may sound like an obvious answer, but it is not. The Orchard has been able to expand all around the globe, hiring people of various backgrounds, culture and skills, but all of us are strongly linked by The Orchard culture. You could say it’s family: I always find great respect and genuine support around me, both from peers and our executives and I am grateful for that.
Favorite tradition at The Orchard?
The European and Global Summits are my favorite! And generally, any occasion when we gather together from all around the world. It’s fantastic to meet my colleagues in person and have the opportunity to get to know them better. Many of them have become friends over the years! “Orchardites” definitely have a special skill when it comes to partying [laughs].
How do you discover new music?
I obsess over what people around me listen to! I am curious by nature, and I think it’s a nice way to better understand my friends. Whether I am in a car with someone or at a friend’s house, I pay attention to the music they choose and I add the songs I like to my personal playlists.
Obviously, for my job, I’m hyper-connected to all platforms and socials where I get a lot of input and I also rely on the algorithms to suggest new music for me – but I must say the best discoveries always come from my friends!
What’s something you’ve learned outside of work that helps you to be your best self at work?
To let things be. I always try to be open to new opportunities, ideas, people, emotions, etc., especially when it implies a change. I try not to build boundaries that could prevent me from learning and discovering something new. Sometimes it’s hard because to let something happen, you may put yourself in a very different position from where you are, but I believe that this new position is always a good opportunity to look at the world from a different perspective that enriches you and the people around you!
