Thando Zulu studied our MA Music Business and is now working full-time in music – here’s how he did it.
We spoke to Thando Zulu, graduate of our MA Music Business course and founder of the artist management company Zulu Music, about his journey from community youth work to managing high-profile performances and running one of the most exciting emerging music businesses in London.
“I’d been a youth worker for six years. We set up a music studio in a church basement and started releasing music with the young people we worked with.”
Thando was also part of Sofar Sounds in Nottingham, a grassroots live gig movement. “I was meeting people from the music industry and really enjoying it,” he says. “That’s where the spark came from.”
As his involvement deepened, friends began approaching him for help with their music careers. “It started out casual,” he explains, “but quickly became artist management. That’s when I realised I needed to understand things like music contracts, royalties, and how to make a business out of it.”
Thando was looking for a practical masters which is when he came across an MA at Tileyard Education and applied in April 2020. That September, he was starting on the course.
“I was already managing artists while I was studying,” says Thando. “That made the course incredibly practical. Everything I learned—about copyright, publishing, branding—I applied straight away.”
The connections were just as important. “One of my coursemates now works at TuneCore, and another is an artist living in Canada. The network was invaluable for me and Zulu Music.”
The power of mentorship at Tileyard
Thando was mentored by Charlie Arme, co-founder of Tileyard Music. “We got along really well, and that mentorship led to me working at Tileyard Music for a time. Charlie’s still a contact I speak to today.”
He encourages other aspiring music professionals to take full advantage of these relationships. “The lecturers are open, the mentors are hands-on, and the industry access is next level.”
From Final Project to Real-World Business
Thando’s final MA project at Tileyard was a business plan—and that plan became Zulu Music.
“It wasn’t just an academic exercise,” he explains. “It was the actual foundation for my company. I officially incorporated Zulu Music in March 2021, just before I graduated. That final project was a gift to myself.”
“Zulu Music now manages five artists,” says Thando. “The first was Jerub, who I still work with today. We’ve grown into venue management too—we now run Hackney Church in East London. The company is sustainable, and I’m working in music full-time.”
Managing an artist who performed at the King’s coronation
One of the most surreal moments of Thando’s journey was Jerub’s TV debut at the King’s Coronation, performing with Pete Tong.
“We were backstage with Katy Perry, Lionel Richie—it was wild,” he laughs. “The afterparty was at Windsor Castle. That’s not a sentence I ever thought I’d say.”
Zulu Music has also been behind events with Willow, in partnership with Spotify and Acne Studios, and even a Christmas fundraiser headlined by Chris Martin at Hackney Church in December 2024.
Staying Connected to Tileyard
“I still go to Tileyard Studios for meetings. It’s full of businesses and creatives I collaborate with. What once felt out of reach now feels like home.”
Thando credits his leap into full-time music to his education. “Everything I’ve built with Zulu Music is rooted in that decision to study at Tileyard Education. The knowledge, the network, the confidence—it all came from there.
