Today we’d like to introduce you to Livia Piomelli.
Livia, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
There are so many amazing people and incredible stories that have led me to where I am today, but I’m going to start with how I got into the music industry and how I became an A&R.
I put my foot in the door of the industry by working at the publishing company, Arthouse Entertainment/Universal Music Publishing, where Kara DioGuardi, the notable songwriter, record executive and publisher taught me the unique skills needed to develop promising songwriters and producers.
Now I am the Director of A&R, Publishing at Big Noise Music Group. In my role, I am responsible for finding new talent – particularly songwriters and music producers – create collaborative opportunities and help my clients find their own voice. Additionally, I identify creative strategies for my clients in all areas of the music industry, including branding, booking, and marketing, which help increase the value of their copyrights overall.
I am also lead the initiatives program at Big Noise, which hosts events to spread awareness about issues regarding marginalized communities. This year our initiatives program created an LGBTQ+ songwriting event called OUT SESSIONS, hosted an all-female writing camp called SheWrites and facilitated in the creation of an event called Office Hours in partnership with the education platform, Find Your Grind, to help college students learn about the music industry from high-level executives and provide one-on-one mentorship opportunities.
Has it been a smooth road?
The road has definitely not always been smooth, but I’m happy to be on this journey. The biggest struggle for me was accepting failure and understanding that there is so much to learn from that. Another big struggle for me is the work and personal life balance, this is something that I have to tackle every day! I am incredibly passionate about my work, and at times it can consume me… It’s easy to forget that other things in life are also really important!
For me, women empowerment and mental health awareness initiatives such as Reboot have been an important part in filling those potholes I bumped into along the way.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
As I mentioned, I’m the Director of A&R, Publishing at Big Noise Music Group. But what does that even mean? Music Publishing is tricky to explain…to put it simply, publishers ‘buy’ a portion of a songwriter or producer’s copyright and in exchange, they collect and distribute their royalties to them.
So why is my role a creative one? I specialize in songwriter and producer development. That entails scheduling strategic sessions for songwriters and producers to learn how to collaborate, pitch records to artists and labels, ultimately forging strategic relationships that help writers’ careers, etc. My main goal is to find ways to capitalize on the copyrights Big Noise owns and facilitate the creation of copyrights that generate revenue.
I am very proud to be a part of a company that champions innovation, inclusivity and being forward-thinking.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
LA is the best place in the world for music. Period. Especially as a music publisher, being in LA for me is crucial. A lot of creatives live in this great city, and this is important for me because most of my network is comprised of songwriters and producers. There are many job opportunities, but you do need to put yourself on the line and show the key players in the industry how you can be useful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bignoise.com
- Instagram: @livia_piomelli
Image Credit:
Personal Photo @lyingawakeatnight Additional Photo @alexvnder
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