Sony Music Group (SMG) surprised 500 families at Burlington stores, the national discount retailer, by paying off their layaway balances thanks to the company’s partnership with nonprofit organization Pay Away the Layaway. The campaign was designed to support historically excluded communities and provide relief for families that have been disproportionately impacted by the global pandemic. 

Throughout the month of December, Sony Music Group, alongside their notable artists and songwriters including Aloe Blacc, Buddah Bless, DMC, Erica Campbell, Kirk Franklin, Matthew West, Tamar Braxton and Zach Williams and Pay Away the Layaway volunteers surprised unsuspecting customers during a series of in-person and drive-through events at Burlington stores nationwide with the news that their layaway had been paid off. 

In speaking of his participation in the event, DMC said, “I’m excited to be part of this event with Sony Music and Pay Away The Layaway because I feel it’s always important to take the opportunity to spread love and joy to impact and touch people’s lives. This holiday season is the perfect time for all of us to work together and do something special for people who need a little love and joy to lift their spirits.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chloe Melas Mazza (@chloemelas)

This campaign represents the ongoing collaboration between Sony Music Group and Pay Away the Layaway to support local communities nationwide. “It’s amazingly impactful to partner with Sony Music Group to spread joy this way,” says Pay Away the Layaway Founder, Lee Karchawer. “They understand what it means to inspire hope and spread kindness in a meaningful way. The SMG artists we’ve worked with deeply care about their hometowns and communities, and it shows. We’re incredibly grateful for this partnership.” 

In Nashville, SMG artists Matthew West and Zach Williams recorded videos to share with customers instead of appearing in-person in efforts to keep everybody safe and leave lasting memories for the customers to take home.

For Sony Music Group, Pay Away the Layaway and Burlington stores, the health and safety of all customers, staff, volunteers, artists and songwriters was of the highest importance. Volunteers and Burlington associates ensured all customers followed CDC guidelines and wore masks, socially distanced and remained diligent throughout the duration of the in-person events.

Sony Music Group is excited to introduce our Full Scale Fellowship Program.

This three-year fellowship aims to cultivate and foster a pipeline of aspiring multicultural recent law grads, and provide participants with a fully-immersive experience in all aspects of the Sony Music Group business.

“Through this fellowship program, our ambition is to address and ameliorate the multicultural talent gap often seen in the Business and Legal Affairs industry while continuing to deliver on Sony Music Group’s commitment to providing educational opportunities and resources for the next generation of music professionals. We’re grateful to Covington & Burling for partnering with us to mentor and train our fellows throughout this program,” said Julie Swidler, Executive Vice President, Business Affairs & General Counsel, Sony Music Entertainment.

Participants of the program will rotate through different SMG business divisions every six months, exposing them to a wide breadth of learning opportunities, projects and teammates. Those business divisions include: Global BLA, Global Digital Business, the labels (RCA, Epic, Columbia), The Orchard, CMG/Legacy and Sony Music Publishing.

Fellows will be empowered to grow as individuals, build meaningful relationships and access opportunities that will help shape their careers while gaining insight into entertainment and corporate law in the music business through hands-on work and real time guidance from our lawyers.

Read more about the program details here: sonymusic.link/fullscale

Sony Music Group’s commitment to corporate giving is at the heart of our philanthropic programs and activities across the globe – from the programs led by our businesses to the partnerships we forge with artists, songwriters, and other creators.

We’ve taken action and provided funding to support communities that need it most, inside and outside the music industry. Now, the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund is on track to connect with nearly 400 community partners around the world. Together with these groups, we aim to help advance bipartisan solutions in the areas of civic engagement, criminal justice reform, and education. You can see our full list of partners here.

And that list is about to grow—because today, we’re excited to share the news that we’ve started outreach to organizations for the fourth round of funding from the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund. Our global task force leaders and their teams are hard at work determining the next pool of community partners to receive support.

We are eager to work in collaboration with more nonpartisan groups whose efforts align with our three giving pillars. Whether we’re supporting new community organizations or recommitting to existing nonprofits, our goal is the same: to empower our employees to make change happen—locally and abroad.

You’ll hear more from us about the new round of funding in the coming months.

In the meantime, we’re excited to separately kick off this year’s Season of Giving campaign, which begins next week on Giving Tuesday.

Thank you for all that you do to serve our communities in need around the world. 

Related:
Latest Round of Funding from Sony Music UK Social Justice Fund Focuses On Mental Health and Racism
Seven New Beneficiaries Announced for Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund
A Conversation With Towalame Austin, Sony Music Group’s Executive Vice President of Philanthropy and Social Impact

In the first of a new behind-the-scenes interview series with Sony Music Group, HR Future magazine profiles Claude Monnier, HR Director of Sony Music France in Paris. Monnier talks in detail about how Sony Music France is bringing diversity to the music industry through its wildly popular, nationwide A&R recruitment campaign. 

In the interview, Monnier discusses the importance of diverse talent and teams and how those values are reflected in Sony Music Talent Factory—a nationwide A&R recruitment campaign encouraging people across the country from a variety of diverse backgrounds to apply for a position at Sony Music. The campaign gave people a glimpse into the life of an A&R and the value and passion these roles bring to artists, resulting in 60,000 video applications.

“We wanted to build a bigger pipeline of people who are open and attracted to working in the music business, by encouraging and growing their curiosity and passion for music,” states Monnier. “At the end of the day, our aim is to develop artists’ careers and, to do that, we need creative people who can relate to, and best help, our artists find success. So, we knew we needed to think differently about how to build a pipeline of France’s future A&R leaders.”

Monnier goes on to describe the inspiration behind the Sony Music Talent Factory recruiting idea, and what the most important takeaways have been. 

Read the full interview Sony Music’s Journey to Greater Diversity in the November 2021 digimag here.

This article is written by Morganne Stephenson and is part of the SMG Impact Fellows Mix Tape Series, a collection of first-person essays written by the inaugural cohort of Sony Music Group Impact Fellows. Read more about the SMG Impact Fellows Program here.

What is your favorite aspect of interning at Sony Music?
Interning at Sony Music—where should I even begin?! Sony gave me my first “big girl” internship as a Public Relations intern. There were so many things I absolutely loved about interning here, however, my favorite aspect of interning with the company is definitely the way my SMG team interacted with me and took a genuine interested in my growth and development.  

For one, I appreciated working with people who have significant projects and responsibilities (such as the worship leader summer project) so I could learn and work alongside them.

My Sony Music team didn’t treat me like an intern; I was consistently viewed as an equal by all the teammates I worked with.  My Public Relations team integrated me into every project and made it apparent my effort and contributions were part of something bigger.  Throughout my internship experience, I felt seen, valued, and appreciated.

Tell us about intern workshops and events held throughout the summer. What did you enjoy most about it?
I loved that the Talent Development and Talent Acquisition team ensured a standard of balance. They provided our intern class with well-organized and much needed workshops that supported our professional development, in addition to leisure opportunities to meet and greet other interns. We were able to share our internship experiences with one another, motivate each other, and bring out the best in one another. Our internship program leaders showed that they truly care about us as professionals and individuals, and they did excellent job in ensuring that we get the best out of our internship experience. That level of care, in and of itself, has left an impact on me!

What is one of your main/personal takeaways from your Sony Music internship experience?
#LifeatSonyMusic exceeded all of my expectations. The tremendous personal and professional growth I’ve experienced during since the start of the internship is beautiful. I joined Sony Music as a timid over-thinker and am departing as a strong-minded and confident young professional. All in all, I just want to say to Sony Music Entertainment.

Last but not least, what’s songs are currently in your rotation and on repeat?

• “Hazy” – Chloe x Halle
• “My Power” – Beyoncé, Tierra Whack

This article is written by Laura Souto and is part of the SMG Impact Fellows Mix Tape Series, a collection of first-person essays written by the inaugural cohort of Sony Music Group Impact Fellows. Read more about the SMG Impact Fellows Program here.

What’s it like working in Philanthropy & Social Impact?
During my time as part of the first cohort of Sony Music Group’s Impact Fellows this summer, I have come to understand the power of music and corporate social responsibility. As the first ever SMG Philanthropy and Social Impact Intern, it has been an honor to support the advancement of SMG’s Social Justice Fund. The fund’s pillars of civic engagement, criminal justice reform and education enable SMG to work with community partners to improve the world we share – one vote, one life, and one opportunity at a time.

Being on calls with SMG’s international teams who enthusiastically contribute to the expansion of SMG’s philanthropic work around the globe, with the sole purpose of these efforts being to uplift those who need it most, confirmed to me that supporting the advancement of communities is one of my passions.

What are your biggest learnings from the SMG Impact Fellows experience?
I learned that while rivers are the arteries of the earth and need to be protected, music represents the veins of culture that pump society’s pain and joy into the spotlight. Music can serve as an important driver of change.  
 
I learned that just as music making boosts executive brain function, strengthens memory, improves mood, and even reduces physical pain, investing in young minds reaps societal benefit beyond what any statistic highlight.
 
I also learned that although environmental, social, political, psychological and health issues seem to be growing just as quickly as technology is evolving, collective commitment and action toward the creation of a better society is happening, and generations to come will accept nothing less than bold action and change!

What is one of your main/personal takeaways from your Sony Music internship experience?
I can say with full certainty this incredible learning opportunity was only possible because of the many who believed in my potential, the support I received from my passionate, talented team and the fact that equity advocacy in corporate spaces truly does make a difference for the better. Often the anxiety imposter syndrome produces tries to defeat us, but those feelings are nothing in comparison to the desire to grow, however uncomfortable the process may be! 

Amidst the ripples of culture, creation, business, art and difficult global circumstances, the collaboration of for-profit and non-profit work can build meaningful, lasting impact in the communities we live, work and serve in. I am so grateful to have experienced this firsthand during my time at SMG and cannot wait to take the lessons I learned with me in my professional and personal life.

Last but not least, what’s songs are currently in your rotation and on repeat?

• “Damn Right” – AUDREY NUNA
• “Do It” – Chloe x Halle
• “Bad Habits” – Ed Sheeran
• “Only Time Makes It Human” – King Princess
• “Comme des Garçons (Like The Boys)” – Rina Sawayama

Today, Sony Music UK announced three new beneficiaries in their latest round of funding from the Global Social Justice Fund. This follows the June 2021 announcement that highlighted key partnerships chosen by a diverse advisory board that represents labels and divisions across Sony Music UK.

So, who are the organizations and what will the new partnerships focus on?

Mind
Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem, and it campaigns to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.

Building on Sony Music UK’s existing relationship, this innovative partnership aims to research mental health interventions for young people affected by racism. This is sometimes described as racial trauma, but research on the impact of racial trauma is limited to the UK.  

Sony Music UK’s funding will enable this important youth-led project to understand the best blueprint for services, given statistics show that people from racialized groups may be more likely to experience mental health problems but less likely to receive appropriate support.

Mind submitted the proposal as part of their aim to be an unflinching advocate for racial justice and mental health and as part of their ambition to become an anti-racist organization. Read more about the project here.

The Runnymede Trust
As the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank, The Runnymade Trust generates intelligence to challenge race inequality in Britain through research, network building, leading debate, and policy engagement.

Contributions from the Sony Music UK Social Justice Fund will finance ground-breaking research with Runnymede: Examining a lack of ethnic diversity across some music genres and exploring structural barriers that may prevent Black, Brown or ethnically diverse artists from starting or succeeding within genres where such artists are less represented. 

The findings will inform efforts to dismantle barriers and drive understanding within the music industry to enact long-term change. 

OnSide
A UK-based national charity, OnSide is a national charity determined to make sure that all young people have the opportunity to shine by funding, building, launching and supporting a network of state-of-the-art, multimillion-pound Youth Zones in the UK’s most disadvantaged areas.

Three of those Youth Zones, specifically in London (Croydon, Barnet and Barking & Dagenham), will be supported through music mentoring programs for marginalized young people living in some of the capital’s most deprived and under invested communities, where young people can develop confidence-boosting skills in musicianship and beyond.  

We are proud to develop our Global Social Justice Fund approach from a strong base of grassroots projects into addressing more embedded and structural challenges that we face as a society. You can read more about the Sony Music Group Global Social Justice Fund here.

Related:
Seven New Beneficiaries Announced for Sony Music UK’s Social Justice Fund
A Conversation With Towalame Austin, Sony Music Group’s Executive Vice President of Philanthropy and Social Impact

Sony Music is one of fifteen UK companies to have been awarded the YOUNITED Flag, in recognition of our commitment to hiring ex-offenders. 

Launched in September 2019 by Nile Rodgers and crime prevention charity Key4Life, the YOUNITED Flag award encourages companies to employ ex-offenders, rewarding those that do with the prestigious kitemark. Flag-bearing former convicts on horseback paraded at Mansion House for the awards ceremony last week, where Alderman William Russell, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, presented the accolades.

“I’m honoured to present the YOUNITED Flag awards,” said Russell. “It’s remarkable to see graduates from rehabilitation programmes attaining impressive corporate roles because someone cared enough, for long enough, to change their lives. Employing ex-offenders offers the chance to include a new perspective in the workplace and provides a genuine opportunity to do something meaningful by offering these young men a second chance.”

The ceremony also marked the ninth birthday of Key4Life, which has an unrivalled track record for transforming the lives of some of the most disaffected young men in Britain. The charity reduces re-offending through its innovative rehabilitation programme for young men in prison and those at risk of going to prison, saving lives by helping to break the cycle of crime. 

“Research shows that 50% of corporate Britain would not hire ex-offenders, and yet having a job is the crucial success factor for men with convictions,” said Eva Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Key4Life. “With reoffending costing the UK government £18.1 billion a year, the YOUNITED Flag award highlights how employing ex-offenders can drive change by dispelling stereotypes and removing unfair prejudice.” 

Read the full story here on SonyMusic.co.uk.

This article is written by Jocelyn Peña and is part of the SMG Impact Fellows Mix Tape Series, a collection of first-person essays written by the inaugural cohort of Sony Music Group Impact Fellows. Read more about the SMG Impact Fellows Program here.

How would you describe your internship experience, using a song from a Sony Music artist?
“I replayed this moment for months/ Alone in my head, waitin’ for it to come”. These lyrics from Camila Cabello’s song “Don’t Go Yet” express how I felt as a Sony Music Intern. I have waited for a moment to intern in the music industry since I was young. As a strong-willed creative with a passion for music, I found my way to Sony Music Entertainment this summer via the MAIP program.

What are you studying now and how is it tied to your internship at Sony Music?
I am currently a rising senior studying advertising at the University of Georgia. MAIP is a talent development program that gives talented and diverse entry-level students opportunities in a multitude of industries, including advertising, public relations, and now, music. I was in my finance class when I got a call from Amber Vidals, Senior Associate of The Multicultural Advertising Internship Program (MAIP). When she mentioned that Sony Music Entertainment extended an offer, I put her on mute and screamed. The stars were beginning to align for me. I mentioned to my professor earlier in the semester that I wanted to work in the music industry and that it was where I saw myself in the future. Getting that call motivated me to be my best self and go all in. Sony Music and MAIP have given me an amazing opportunity to pursue my passion, develop my skills, and network with professionals and like-minded peers.

What professional development opportunities did you enjoy/experience at Sony Music Group?
Everyone that works at Sony Music has a passion for what they do, and they are willing to mentor their interns. Sony Music offers many workshops where employees in the company, come to share their experiences and give the interns advice. Having the opportunity to network with people that I look up to has been surreal. During the Sony Music internship experience, you get to meet people from all over the company, in addition to teammates in your department and location.

What are you most proud of accomplishing during your internship?
One of my greatest accomplishments is successfully helping with several tasks for my supervisor while he took a well-deserved vacation. I helped review daily airplay and consumption reports with promotion staff and artist managers, that included activity statistics from various platforms; as well as  updating artist calendars for travel and logistics. Personally, that task was a big deal because I had earned my supervisor’s trust in just a few short weeks. My attention to detail and confidence strengthened and I was able to grow as a professional during that experience. It was an honor to have him trust me with these responsibilities.

How has your MAIP Fellowship enhanced your Sony Music experience?
Aside from working at Sony Music, MAIP Fellows attend weekly labs where we receive additional training, mentorship and hear from guest speakers at different agencies and companies such as Google, Amazon, Dentsu, and other large organizations. You are also assigned two additional summer projects. I had the pleasure of working with David & Goliath Agency for Jollibee, and Adam & Eve Agency for IZZE as their PR strategist. MAIP is always rooting for you, your MAIP coach, your group partners and everyone in the MAIP class. 

As I spent my summer interning at Sony Music and MAIP, I think back to my younger self and I know she would be proud — proud of all the sacrifices she made when she would stay after school while her friends went out, proud of the time she took her chemistry packet to a concert to study while singing her lungs out and lastly, proud of being able to tell her immigrant parents she is climbing up the ladder. Thank you, Sony Music and thank you MAIP for paving the way for more opportunities in the music industry.

Last but not least, what’s songs are currently in your rotation and on repeat? 

• “Imagine” – Doja Cat
• “Top Off (Homecoming Live)” – Beyonce
• “Todo De Ti” – Rauw Alejandro
• “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown
• “Come Through” – H.E.R. & Chris Brown

< Back to Inside Sony Music

This article is written by Jacob Lam and is part of the SMG Impact Fellows Mix Tape Series, a collection of first-person essays written by the inaugural cohort of Sony Music Group Impact Fellows. Read more about the SMG Impact Fellows Program here.

What does music mean to you and how does your outlook on music fit in with your internship at Sony Music Group?
During my summer internship at Sony Music as an international marketer of Sony Music’s U.S.-signed artists, my perspective on the music industry and the international influence of American artists has broadened exponentially. Artists with followings of all sizes have global impact, and it is incredibly cool to know that people miles away from one another, speaking a whole different language, can still connect to and dance to the same song. Music really is an experience that is worth sharing with others, so I’m excited to share my experiences as a Sony Music intern.

To me, music is like a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day—or icing on my favorite cake! It is a foolproof companion through hardships and an amplifier of our emotions. If I could describe my internship experience, it would be spicy ramen. It was challenging, and it made me want to take a step back and grab some milk, but as soon as I felt some form of relief, I couldn’t wait to dig right back into it. Having the opportunity to grow and learn with Sony Music, while identifying areas where I could improve was one of the most fulfilling parts of my experience.

What does an average week look like in International Marketing?
At Sony Music, my day-to-day tasks include identifying and keeping track of trends globally, creating digital newsletters to send to the international team, updating the statistics and data for our priority artists, and researching heavily on social media platforms such as TikTok. My favorite aspect is having the opportunity to brainstorm creative ideas for global launch campaigns, and pitching ideas to boost advertisements globally by seeing what trends are resonating across various communities. I also love to help summarize international marketing plans and spends. It allows me to see what kind of creativity, budgets, and expectations other markets have in mind for our global artists. The projects and initiatives I’ve worked on are honestly amazing, I’ve loved every part of my Sony Music growth journey!

Could you tell us about one of your highlights of the role?
Throughout my time on the International Marketing team, I noticed how quickly our teammates and projects move and how well we collaborate and work together. When I first started, I was not used to the fast pace, but as time passed and with the support of my teammates, I overcame that challenge and adapted to the fast-paced environment. I was also able to improve and enhance my creative thinking in an actionable way. Every now and then I would come up with ambitious ideas that seemed out of this world. While working at Sony Music, I’ve learned how to bring some of those ideas to fruition by building out a realistic strategy. I am so happy I had the opportunity to spend time with such a talented, multifaceted team. I also want to give a special shoutout to my supervisors Keri and Julio, who really took care of me this summer and enriched my experiences in many ways. 

How would you describe your Sony Internship Experience using a song from a Sony Music artist?
I am so delighted I was able to learn and grow with Sony Music over the past 10 weeks. It was undoubtedly the highlight of my summer. We know that music is associated with memories, and I hope that in the future, whenever I hear “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, I can relive the upbeat moments I experienced this summer on the International Marketing team at Sony Music.

Last but not least, what songs are currently in your rotation and on repeat? 

• “Stay” – The Kid LAROI, Justin Bieber
• “Working” – Tate McRae, Khalid
• “Kiss Me More” – Doja Cat (feat SZA)
• “Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow
• “Don’t Go Yet” – Camila Cabello

< Back to Inside Sony Music