frontline Meet the industry’s brightest new talents… Sophie Benjafield
Marketing manager, ADA @soph_benj
How did you get your first break in the music industry?
“I spent my teens doing anything I could to immerse myself in music: writing for online magazines, putting on gigs and volunteering at events. Growing up in Devon, there wasn’t much of a music scene, so it wasn’t until I moved to Brighton to study the music business that I could really get stuck in. After university, I landed a 12-month internship at ADA, not knowing what distribution or label services really entailed. I was fortunate enough to be made full time when those 12 months were up, and I haven’t looked back since.”
What’s been the biggest surprise about the business for you so far? “It’s a lot more data driven than I anticipated. The rise of short-form platforms has only increased that: social traction and viral moments can fall away just as quickly as they appear, so it’s crucial to live in the data in order to spot opportunities early and know what fans are gravitating towards. We’re fortunate at ADA that our model allows us to be nimble, so we can react quickly when we spot something heating up and make sure we’re doing all we can to amplify it. This year alone we’ve seen that with the rise of EsDeeKid, as well as more success with Sonny Fodera, incredible new bands like President and new releases from artists like Songer and Alt Blk Era, whose music defies genre itself.”
You also worked on The K’s’ No.1 album campaign – what did that chart result say about what’s possible for new artists today? “It’s proof that the sky is the limit for artists who know their audience and are willing to put in the work to connect with them. Having laid the groundwork on the live circuit over the last eight years, The K’s have cultivated a fanbase who really get behind them in those big moments, because they want to be part of the story and they want to see their favourite band win. A lot of the activity surrounding the album took place in regional parts of the country, and it meant a lot to fans in those areas that the band made the effort to come to them. As long as you strive to serve that core fanbase, and you have a team working towards one vision, you can achieve incredible things.”
There’s so much noise out there now – what does a good marketing campaign need to stand out?
“Consistency, a strong visual identity and to always have the artist’s authentic voice at the centre. Consistency builds recognition and trust. A cohesive identity helps create a visual world around the music, and translates it into something recognisable on and offline. Most importantly, authenticity is what makes an artist resonate with fans. They can sense when something feels forced or overly manufactured.”
Finally, what’s your ultimate ambition in the industry? “For me, it’s all about longevity. I want to help artists build careers that are sustainable and long-lasting, and make sure they always retain creative control, own their copyright and deliver results that prove you can achieve the highest levels of success by doing things that way.”
ARE YOU A RISING STAR?
Under 30? Making a name for yourself? Email Ben Homewood at
ben.homewood@futurenet.com to appear here...
10 | Music Week
and long-lasting” SOPHIE BENJAFIELD, ADA
are sustainable
musicweek.com
“I want to help artists build careers that
INTERVIEW: Ben Homewood
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