Francesca Conte is a Digital Communications Manager, a figure fully engaged in the music world and in the management of image and communication through social and non-social platforms. A woman passionate about her work who has made her way in the world of music with determination and with the passion she cultivated since childhood until she has flourished in this environment. Her experience has taken her around Italy, from Milan where she began her studies, to Rome where she currently works since July. In this interview, she tells us about her journey that has led her to fulfill her dream.
What did you study and what is your background?
I am originally from Campania, from Castellabate in the province of Salerno, the town of the movie "Welcome to the South". After high school, I decided to move to Milan to attend university and graduate in Communication, Media, and Advertising. During my university years, I undertook my very first experience in a small record label and I realized that I wanted to work in this world. I decided to deepen my knowledge by attending a master's degree in Music Communication which allowed me to continue my work experience. I have always been involved in communication at 360 degrees. In July, I moved to Rome because I wanted a change of scenery and to meet new people. Currently, I work for a company that organizes music festivals in Rome, specifically I deal with communication, marketing, and social media management.
What exactly does your job entail?
My current job is that of Digital Communications Manager. At the moment, I work for two music festivals in Rome and I am in charge of managing social channels, taking care of websites, creating content, and following live events.
What are the pros and cons of your job?
The thing I love the most about my job is being able to be among other people and feeling the love and passion of all those who work in my field but also, and above all, being moved when I see other people attending the concerts of their favorite singers. Among the negative aspects, I would say time; it's a job that completely fills your day, especially during festivals, so there is little room to carve out personal moments.
When did your interest in the music industry begin and when did you realize that this passion could become your career?
I can say that, unconsciously, I have always wanted music to be part of my life in its entirety. I remember when I used to take the bus to go to high school, it was essential for me to always have my headphones and my iPod with me; listening to music was fundamental to start and end the day. Also, I remember that when I bought records, I always read the credits and I was curious about these famous record labels; for me, it was an alien world, since I came from a village of a thousand people.
When and what was your first practical experience in the music industry? Any anecdote you want to share?
I had the opportunity to do an internship (we're talking about 2014, I feel really old ☺) for a very small record label in Milan. My luck was to have a boss who with a lot of passion and patience, day after day, tried to transmit all his knowledge about this world to me. The internship was supposed to last 3 months but in the end I decided to stay for a whole year, also because I was able to reconcile study and work and, for me, that was a happy place where I could learn notions I had never heard of before. The headquarter of this label is located in the famous Palazzo della Musica in Galleria del Corso in Milan, where the very important record labels Carosello and Sugar Music reside. I remember one day in the elevator I met Emis Killa (a famous Italian rapper), being a rap lover I tried to be as professional as possible and after a normal 'hello' I asked him what he had planned, I think it was the year of the release of his song Maracanà.
Have you ever had any difficulties or noticed any disparities as a woman?
In general, I would say no. I have always worked in "mixed" environments, even in one of my experiences, the majority of the team was made up of women; however, I have often found myself working with male colleagues and they have always treated me with respect.
Who are your favorite artists and which songs have left a mark on you? Do you think they have pushed you to work in this sector?
I grew up listening to a lot of rap and hip hop: Notorious B.I.G., Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, 50 Cent, Eminem, he will always remain in my heart, The Eminem Show was one of my first records and every time I listen to Hailie’s song (song written for his daughter) I get a lump in my throat, Hailie is also my Instagram username. Then over time, I listened to artists like Asap Rocky, M.I.A., Rosalia, Billie Eilish, Kanye West, Little Simz, and many others. As for Italian music, I remember listening to Teste Mobili (a collective also formed by Fibra and Nesli), there are some pieces that I will never forget and that I still listen to occasionally like Parole da dedicarmi by Nesli. Now I can say I am a big fan of Coez, I think I have been to every one of his concerts in Milan and I can never find a piece that I don't like, really cool productions (like those of Sine), perfect lyrics and imagery. However, my listening has never been confined to just one genre; in my playlists, there are always Bon Iver, Chet Faker, Novo Amor, Thom Yorke, M83, Frank Ocean, and many others, too many to write.
How would you describe the Italian music industry? Do you think it is very different from larger markets like the Anglo-Saxon one?
The Italian market continues to grow, even premium service subscribers are increasing, a very important factor because I believe that people are finally understanding that you have to pay to enjoy creative content like music. I think our industry is profoundly different from the Anglo-Saxon market, I believe that Italy's image abroad has always been linked to a certain type of "traditional" music. In recent years, however, there has been an improvement in the export of Italian music abroad, a blatant example being Maneskin. Also, the fact that a young artist like Anna who has recently signed a contract with a very important American label shows that even abroad they are starting to look at us differently than usual. Beyond this discourse, I am very "proud" of the current historical moment of Italian music, I listen to a different artist every day and I always notice a great quality in production, lyrics, and above all, I often find myself going to concerts of artists and bands that I don't know and every time it's a great discovery. Moreover, there are several music festivals that give artists, even those who are not so known, the opportunity to perform just like they do it abroad, for example at MI AMI where personally, at every edition, I have discovered new music that then entered my playlists.
Do you think being Italian influences your career in terms of opportunities and market size?
I believe so. I think a person who lives and works in London or New York has more chances of finding work in the sector than someone who lives in Milan (there are always exceptions, of course). The markets are larger, so there is more supply. In Italy the industry is really small, so getting into it is not easy.
What are your future projects?
Continuing to work in events, among and with people which is the thing that makes me the happiest and taking courses completely different from what I am currently doing; I was thinking about programming, which has always intrigued me.
Do you have any suggestions for other people who want to work in this industry in our country?
Start working as soon as they have the opportunity, even as volunteers at festivals, and start understanding how this world works. In my opinion, experience is even more important than getting out of university with the highest mark.
Can you suggest an Italian song to the readers?
"VV" by Dargen D’Amico, a piece from 2013 that takes me back in time when I had just arrived in Milan and I was starting to discover everything about that magical city.
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