Gabrielle Caine, COL ’24, Hampton Bays, NY
The music industry is led by “the big three” music corporations throughout the world—Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. This summer I was selected to work with one of the three, Sony. Internships at Sony Music are extremely competitive, with thousands of applicants each summer. It has been my dream to work with Sony Music since I was in high school. I have always admired this company not only for its leadership in the industry, but also for its priority to make positive change in the world. Sony implemented an initiative called “Sony Music Gives” in 2021 in an effort to give back to those in need in the world. A leading corporation that gives profits to those in need is rare, and I am honored to have been an employee of such an institution.
This summer I worked alongside a team of all women (a rarity in the music industry) to advertise music for Sony’s artists. This included some of the world’s biggest stars like Pitbull, Eric Clapton, and Bad Bunny, as well as artists who are just beginning their careers. This experience has been extremely rewarding. Sony Music has reflected the values that it promotes. The workplace has been upbeat, supportive, and forward-thinking. My mentors and managers have taken a close personal interest in me, and to my surprise, I now even consider some to be my close friends. The leaders of my department have not only allowed me to learn countless new skills surrounding music and advertising, but have also encouraged me to make connections in the industry outside of the workplace. They have invited me to countless social events and have introduced me to higher-ups from other companies such as Google and TikTok. The hands-on approach to teaching that Sony Music promotes has allowed me to greatly increase my knowledge and understanding of the music industry. My managers have given me an engaging and rigorous daily schedule to maximize my time on the team. I am grateful for their dedication to teaching me to the best of their abilities.
The time I have spent at Sony Music has encouraged me to push myself to achieve more in my career, and has shown me that I am capable of more than I previously have believed. After this summer, I have decided that I want to continue working in the music industry as an entertainment attorney. Without this experience, I may not have had the confidence to further my education with a law degree. I am so grateful for the opportunity to work at Sony Music. This job required a relocation to New York City, and an intern salary of minimum wage would not have allowed me to afford an apartment here. The funds provided by Career Services have allowed me to work at my dream company and to advance my goals in life. My experience this summer has been instrumental to my career development and connections that will last a lifetime. Thank you to everyone involved in providing funds for students like me who would not have been able to complete exceptional internships without financial assistance.
This is part of a series of posts by recipients of the 2023 Career Services Summer Funding Grant. We’ve asked funding recipients to reflect on their summer experiences and talk about the industries in which they spent their summer. You can read the entire series here.
