Although Edie Adams ’14 has always had a passion for music, she assumed she’d be doing something related to her major in Hispanic studies after graduation from Scripps College. During her senior year, she applied to a few fellowships to teach English abroad, but until May, she still had no solid plans.
Coincidentally, a friend of Adams’ who works on music for the television series Girls and New Girl asked Adams for her résumé, with the promise of forwarding it to available jobs in the music industry. Adams soon got a call from music marketing agency Terrorbird Media about a Licensing Coordinator position.
After three rounds of interviews, Terrorbird hired Adams just before commencement, and she abandoned any ideas of teaching English. The learning curve for the position was steep, she says, but a passion for new music, and her valuable Scripps experience, helps her thrive in the entertainment industry.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Prior to starting at Terrorbird, I knew very little about sync licensing and music publishing, so it’s been amazing learning about a relatively unknown sector of the music industry while on the job.
Without a doubt, my favorite part of the job is working directly with artists who I have admired for a years. For example, I helped land a placement for one of my favorite bands, Ages and Ages, on the television show The Blacklist. A few weeks after the episode aired, I watched the official music video for the song on YouTube, and [saw] lots of comments like they “fell in love with the band” after hearing their music on the show. It was great to know the band gained new fans and exposure as a direct result of my work.
My love for music is a result of watching television. I was exposed to music that, at the time, felt so unique and daring; I love providing that exposure to up-and-coming artists through television, film, and ads because that’s how it happened for me.
What skills developed at Scripps factor into your current position at Terrorbird?
Scripps taught me how to effectively manage my time – responsibilities, homework, thesis, and more – which prepared me to handle multiple projects simultaneously at work.
I’ve also been instilled with a sense of self-worth. It’s incredibly valuable; I’m one of the youngest people at my company, but because of my time at Scripps, my contributions feel as valid and important as anyone else’s.
Were there any campus experiences on campus that inspired your career?
Definitely! Erin Coleman ’11 encouraged me to join KSPC, the 5C radio station, as well as Scripps Live Arts. She’s been my cheerleader since day one, and seeing her pursue a career in music after graduation—and succeed with flying colors—made my dream of also working in the music industry seem much more achievable.
What advice would you give to current students interested in a career in the music industry?
Nurture your friendships long after you leave campus! The real world doesn’t come with a built-in community of smart, driven, talented women who will support and inspire you. I’ve been able to make it through hard times because I’ve had my Scripps friends supporting and cheering me on every step of the way.
What are your future plans?
I want to be a music supervisor, since the job combines both the creative and business sides of music licensing. At this point, however, I’m just taking each day one step at a time and absorbing as much as I can about music licensing and publishing. There’s so much to learn, and I’ve got lots of time ahead of me to figure it all out.