From studying at Tileyard Education to managing artists like Pixie Lott, we sat down with Kristy to find out how her experience at Tileyard supercharged her career.
Growing up in a small village up north, originally studying English Literature as an undergrad, Kristy made the decision to uproot her life to the Big Smoke down south in London and pursue a career in music. With an ever-growing musical interest, Kristy worked hard to make a mark in the industry and became acquainted with various DJs and music producers over the years.
“Even as a listener and not a creative, all I wanted to do was work in music.” Kristy tells us on a zoom call.
Upon finishing university, Kristy started working in student accommodation and social media for her university. After being furloughed during the COVID lockdown, Kristy had the time to reflect on how to make her experience and passion come together. This is when she discovered Tileyard through social media and chose to apply to the International Music Marketing course in 2022.
Why Tileyard Education?
Kristy took part in some online taster sessions and came down to London for a tour of Tileyard with our Managing Director, Jamie Searls. “I instantly got the feeling it would be somewhere I could see myself.
“What made Tileyard stand out amongst the other music education institutions out there was the inclusion of a placement in the course and the incredible community and network that Tileyard has. It was the overall feel I got and the fact that it was not too rigid or corporate like other educational institutions. I knew this was going to provide me with employment opportunities as Tileyard Education was known to employ its own students whenever there was a free position.
The thing I enjoyed most about my time at Tileyard Education was the incredible support I had from my lecturers. They would always go above and beyond to help and would go out of their way to get opportunities for their students.
The course itself also provided some invaluable training in other areas such as graphic design and content creation which allowed me to further develop my skills. I am a strong believer that you get out what you put in and Tileyard definitely reciprocated this.”
The master’s degree that Kristy earned at Tileyard not only opened doors for her but also instilled in her the confidence to navigate complex negotiations, foster artist development, and oversee successful marketing campaigns. Kristy’s dedication, combined with her unwavering passion for music, has propelled her career to new heights, and she continues to make a lasting impact on the lives and careers of the artists she manages.
Career Highlights at Tileyard Music
At the end of her course Kristy was put forward by one of her lecturers, Steve Cole, for a week-long internship at Tileyard’s independent record label, Tileyard Music. This was a huge success and Kristy went above and beyond to put herself forward for any tasks going which led her to make a lasting impression.
Several successful interviews later, she landed a job at Tileyard Music straight after graduating at the beginning of this year. Kristy’s well deserved new role threw her straight in the deep end and she now currently looks after 4 major artists including Pixie Lott and Libby Whitehouse.
Her highlights so far have been working with The Voice Kids that Pixie Lott had been judging on, and also getting to spend her time with lots of other celebrities and being part of Pixie’s new up-coming album.
What’s next for Kristy?
In a role like Kristy’s as she said, there is always lots going on. However, currently her main projects include the on-going work behind Pixie Lott’s new exciting album, the onboarding of new artist Tate and the ongoing development of Kristy’s other artists.
“What is so rewarding about my job is that I’m involved in something really worthwhile and things that are going to make huge differences for these artists.
I’m continually building relationships with some of the biggest names in the industry which is one surefire reason why anyone considering Tileyard should come and study here. It offers endless opportunities and the community is simply one-of-a-kind.”
Her story serves as a reminder that with passion, perseverance, and the right education, dreams can be turned into reality.
Meet Kristy at our next A&R Sessions
Each month we host our A&R Sessions at the Samsung KX space at Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross with a guest A&R executive. Join us 31st July where you can meet Kristy alongside Amar Chhina, Streaming & Commercial for Island Records and Roisin Bakare Doyle, Operations Assistant at Cavendish Music – all Tileyard Education alumni! Tickets expected to sell out fast. Get yours now to avoid disappointment!
About Tileyard Education
Tileyard Education provides validated Higher Education and professional short courses, on site and online, from the largest independent music community in the world. We are also home to 110 professional recording studios and 250 entertainment businesses. Take advantage of small class sizes, great studio access, 1-2-1 mentoring, weekly commercial song briefs and direct links to the industry.
