From Dance to Radio: Suzy (Hyland) Walby on working in the music industry

Now working as Senior Director of Media at Universal Music UK, Suzy (Hyland) Walby has built a long-standing career in the recorded music industry, having been working in radio promotions for some of the world's biggest artists for two decades. However, it may not have been the path that the LIPA Dance alumni might had expected to take after graduating from LIPA in 2004.

As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations, we spoke with Suzy to find out more about her role, memories of LIPA and get her advice for aspiring creative professionals. 

Originally training as a dancer, Suzy began her career performing while also building experience across the creative industries. “I did a lot of work experience in the creative industries,” she told us, “including working on Hollyoaks during the holidays whilst training at LIPA.”

Her early career quickly moved beyond performance into the wider music and entertainment world. “My first proper entertainment industry job was at MTV, where I was working more behind the scenes than on the stage,” she explains. “I went all in on that world for a while and loved it, I was suddenly having breakfast and mingling with The Pussycat Dolls and The Foo Fighters, who coincidentally had a roadie I knew from LIPA with them!”

From there, Suzy began actively pursuing opportunities within the recorded music sector. “I was always interested in working at record labels, so I started trying to make more connections in that world, even entering competitions to meet artists, and getting work experience wherever I could,” she says. “That eventually led to a job at Island Records,” a label of Universal. “I started out in radio, and would go on the road with artists for radio tours and events for a couple of weeks at a time with artists like Sugababes, McFly and Tinchy Stryder.”

Since that first role at Island Records, Suzy has spent the rest of her career to date at Universal Music, progressing through the ranks into a senior leadership role. “Since then, I’ve done a variety of similar roles at Universal and its labels. Now I oversee a department at Universal that represents radio, TV, press, podcasts and more across all of the label’s catalogue.”

In her current role, Suzy oversees major media campaigns across Universal’s label group, supporting artist visibility across multiple platforms. “Universal is the biggest label group in the world, and my role essentially involves overseeing all of the labels media strategies and artist promotional campaigns,” she explains.

“That includes things like Live Lounge performances and pitching artists for TV appearances, on shows like Later... with Jools Holland, and helping to facilitate those opportunities from what songs they’ll perform, how they’ll perform, styling, you name it.”

Looking back, Suzy highlights working with some of the world’s biggest artists as a particular career highlight. “I’m most proud of is working with Taylor Swift for 15 years,” she says. “She is such a formidable artist and person, and building that relationship with her and her team is something I’m really proud of.”

Outside of working directly with the biggest popstar on the planet, she also reflects on the joy of working on campaigns she truly cares about. “I’m also so lucky get to work with artists that I’m already such a huge fan of, people like Katy Perry, Olivia Dean and Lola Young, which is something that excites me every day.”

Reflecting on her decision to study at LIPA, Suzy describes the decision making process as a simple one. “Coming to LIPA was very intuitive for me,” she says. “I went to visit and just got a feeling for it straight away; the facilities were great, there was a strong sense of community spirit, and I loved that it wasn’t just focused on dance, it felt much more diverse than other colleges in that way.”

Her time at LIPA also exposed her to a wide range of creative peers and experiences, that would go on to shape her music career. “There was so much talent around LIPA when I was there, people like Sandi Thom and The Wombats were fellow students, and even beyond those big names there were just so many brilliant creatives in one building, and I found that really inspiring. You get to learn a bit about everything at LIPA, whether that’s in your classes or just from your peers, and there’s a real sense that you’re all in it together.”

She encourages young people entering the industry today to seek out opportunities wherever possible. “Look out for paid internship schemes, that’s one of the best ways into labels and that whole side of the industry,” she says. “Those paid entry-level opportunities just weren’t a thing when I was trying to find my place in the industry and I wish they had been!”

Suzy also emphasises the importance of curiosity, persistence and getting hands-on experience. “You need to live and breathe what you do,” she says. “Young people today are also so entrepreneurial and often come in with a lot of experience already. Just go out there, get involved in live shows, help wherever you can, and hustle.”