Emily Gallo ’12 in Nashville, Tenn.
Emily Gallo ’12 created her own major in music business at the College of Charleston. Well, to be precise, she majored in business administration and double-minored in both communication (with a media studies concentration) and Spanish, taking courses along the way to shape her education.
Her academic knowledge combined with her experience at four (yep, f-o-u-r) internships made her an ideal candidate for her position at Black River Entertainment in Nashville, Tenn., where Gallo helps represent country music stars from Kellie Pickler to Craig Morgan.
Q: What is your position at Black River Entertainment and what are your responsibilities?
A: I’m the marketing and promotions coordinator. Here at the label, the promotions team is responsible for getting our music played on radio stations and spreading the word about our artists.
My job is to coordinate that team and make sure everyone is on the same page, whether it be through scheduling print and CD mailers or making travel arrangements or going on the road myself – I’m traveling to a show with one of our artists this weekend to help out on site. I’ll plan events if they need help with that, and I also pull numbers from the country music charts and distribute that information to our employees. No day is the same, but that’s what I like about it.
RELATED: Check out Black River Entertainment
Q: What artists does Black River represent?
A: We represent five artists: Kellie Pickler, Craig Morgan, John King, Kelsea Ballerini and Glen Templeton.
Q: What is the most exciting thing that’s happened to you since you started working in Nashville?
A: Actually the most exciting thing that’s happened so far took place at my internship in Nashville the summer before my last semester at the College. I got to work at the CMT Awards, and one of the artists I was working with was very involved that year, so I got to go down where the dressing rooms are was standing in the middle of the behind the scenes madness. It was wild. I got so wrapped up with the job that I didn’t think about it, but once I actually digested it all after the fact I was like “wait a second, that was crazy!”
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I like that everyday is different. I don’t like doing the same thing day in and day out. My job, and this whole industry, is fast-paced and so busy and it’s changing all the time. I love being a part of that.
Q: How do you like living in Nashville?
A: I love living in Nashville. Of course it was heartbreaking to leave Charleston, but I really enjoy this city, it’s so beautiful and there are a lot of young people here. It’s neat that everyone is connected through music.
Q: Since you’re not from Nashville, how did you acclimate to living there after college?
A: I grew up in Pittsburgh, Pa. and then moved to Charleston for college and left for Nashville shortly after graduating, so it was a really different experience from either place I’d lived. But I stayed focused on work – I moved her for my job, so I made sure not to lose sight of that. I also had some friends and knew the city a little bit from my summer internship, so that was very helpful.
Q: How did you find out about this job and what was the interview process like?
A: I found out about this position through someone I knew growing up. She knew I was interested in learning more about the label-side of the music industry (at first I thought I wanted to be on the artist-management side), so she told me about the job.
It was a pretty quick interview and hiring process. I’ve learned two things about hiring in the music industry since I’ve been here: One, it really is about the relationships that you have and how you foster those relationships. You want to stay at the front of people’s mind, that’s how you get those breaks. Two, everything moves so fast – my label needed someone in this job and once they found the right person they filled the position and kept going. It never slows down, so if you see a position, jump on it.
Q: How did you know you wanted to be in the music industry?
A: I grew up with parents in the music industry so I always knew it was something I was interested in. I love working with artists and watching their careers grow. This particular position is different from what I thought I’d get into but it lines up really well with my education.
I actually came to the College for the pre-med program, but once I decided to do the whole music industry thing I realized there wasn’t a real music business major, so I made up my own path to get to know the industry.
Q: How did your experience at the College help you prepare for your career?
A: I was a little bit nervous when I realized I wanted to be in this industry and there was no music business major. But the fact that I got to essentially develop my own program was really cool and, at the end of the day, more beneficial for me.
When approaching my current job, I have business knowledge and public relations and public speaking experience and music experience from a music business class I took. I think the fact that I have so many different angles to take when I apply what I learned from the College at my job gives me an advantage I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere else.
Q: What advice would you offer to current students who want to pursue a career in the music industry?
A: Interning is so important. I had four internships in college. Not only did I learn a ton through those internships, but they also helped me narrow down what I wanted to do. I was able to build so many great relationships with people by being here for my summer internship, and I think in the Nashville country music scene that’s just crucial.
Beyond that, I think it’s easy to fall out of touch with people, but you can’t let that happen. Whether it’s writing on someone’s Facebook wall or shooting him or her an email or dropping a note in the mail, it’s invaluable to stay in touch.
