WARNER MUSIC AND THE RIO FERDINAND FOUNDATION HOST INAUGURAL YOUTH CAREERS EVENT IN BELFAST
Major music company, Warner Music, and sporting charity, the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, have come together with the support of local broadcaster, Cool FM, to host their first ever careers event for young people in Belfast at the city’s Oh Yeah Music Centre.
Taking place on Saturday 24 September, up to 60 young people from across Northern Ireland aged 16-24 will have the opportunity to meet with and hear from the professionals behind the careers of some of the biggest names in music, from Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Ed Sheeran and 2022 Eurovision winner, Sam Ryder, to Griff, Joel Corry, Pa Salieu and Tion Wayne. Local songwriter and performer, Jealous of the Birds (aka Naomi Hamilton), who is signed to Canvasback/Atlantic, and Irish rapper, Sello, signed to a joint venture between Atlantic Records, Trust It Entertainment and Warner Music Ireland, will join to share their experiences in the business as artists.
Through a mixture of panels and workshops, participants will hear first-hand how the major record company markets and promotes music and supports artists throughout their career. With the involvement of Cool FM, young people will also get a glimpse into life behind-the-scenes on the airwaves. The sessions will enable attendees to learn valuable business skills and benefit from networking opportunities, bridging the gap between the classroom and the boardroom.
Speakers throughout the day will include Tony Harlow (CEO, Warner Music UK), NI-born Priscilla Kotey (SVP, Warner Music Ireland), Victor Aroldoss (SVP International Marketing, Warner Music UK), Austin Daboh (EVP, Atlantic Records UK), Declan Legge (Manager and Producer, Big Space Studios), DJ Hix (Cool FM and Warner Records), Belfast native Fiona McAuley (Head of Audiences, Atlantic Records UK), Mark Mitchell (Co-President, Parlophone Records), Pete Snodden (Cool FM) and Phil Taggart (BBC / SiriusXM).
The free-to-attend event marks the first joint event for Warner Music and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation outside of London and is part of the two organisations’ drive across the UK and Ireland to increase equity, inclusion, and access to opportunities in music for young people from underrepresented communities. It follows previous events and initiatives from the Rio Ferdinand Foundation which works with community youth groups across the island of Ireland to support equality and inclusion through training, accreditation and employability pathways.
The event comes less than a year after the crowning of Belfast as a UNESCO City of Music and highlights the role and importance of the music sector to the Northern Ireland economy.