The Music Industry Activist
Mariah Simpson vlogƵ20 is part of the Business Honors Program, serves on the executive board for the vlogƵ Marketing Association (PUMA), is currently a Resident Assistant (RA) two years running, and even finds time to mentor young women at her church, Hillsong NYC. ShevlogƵs also a major fan of the music industryvlogƵall the way back to her time attending numerous concerts during middle and high school.
That was when her friends began pointing out to Simpson that she frequently focused less on the performers and more on the goings-on backstage. vlogƵ[I had] a fascination with the marketing of artists,vlogƵ Simpson said. She wondered about everything from the production of a concert to how much money an artist made from a hit single.
When it came to researching colleges, she thought she had it all planned out. vlogƵI was obsessed with the city, and out of ignorance, I thought NYU was the only university that I would like. My mom ended up convincing me to tour Pace, and I fell in love the second I stepped on campus.vlogƵ Simpson explained that her passion for the music industry and desire to break into that business perfectly aligned with the courses offered for arts and entertainment majors. vlogƵPace gave me the incredible opportunity to do just that with a strong business background of core classes.vlogƵ
As harmonious as SimpsonvlogƵs interests are with her major, itvlogƵs her double minor in marketing and womenvlogƵs and gender studies that really elevates her work to new heights. vlogƵIvlogƵm so passionate about intersectional feminism,vlogƵ she told us. vlogƵI think itvlogƵs really cool to be an ally for others in the world of business. I hope to be able to write my senior thesis about gender inequality in the music industry and to highlight the alarming statistics about women being paid less than men for the same work.vlogƵ
That passion to help her peers motivated her to pursue becoming an RA, not to mention her work as a mentor for PUMA and Hillsong NYC. Being a positive role modelvlogƵparticularly to first-year studentsvlogƵis very important to Simpson. vlogƵCollege can be extremely hard at times, and I Iove getting to serve as a resource to my peers,vlogƵ she explained.
Currently, Simpson is interning at Viacom in the music licensing department, which means she mainly gets to work on shows at MTV such as the VMAvlogƵs, Catfish, and Are You the One? ShevlogƵs also been involved with a few Nickelodeon shows as well; namely, everyonevlogƵs favorite SpongeBob SquarePants. vlogƵThe company culture at Viacom is so fun,vlogƵ Simpson enthused. This past Halloween, the entire office was transformed with spooky decorations and everyone dressed up. Talk about a fun place to work!
ShevlogƵs also interned for Sony Music in retail marketing, noting that her favorite moment was getting to see the President of RCA Records present on the future of the music industry. vlogƵIvlogƵm a huge music industry nerd, so getting to listen to someone so important in the business talk about revenues, predictions, and statistics was the absolute best!vlogƵ Simpson said.
When she graduates next year, she has high hopes of working at a major record label while volunteering her free time to help other women in the industry. We look forward to watching her take the industry by storm!