The Music Industry is forever changing. The next generation taking on employment are the people who are labelled as a 'Gen Z', they are going to help drastically change the music industry for the better.
In this series I wanted to talk with several different Gen Z's, like myself, and hear about their stories and where they are heading in the future. I have a variety of professions to talk about but to start off I talked with Tom. Tom has his own blog named 'The T Word Blog' which covers a range of topics from mental health to music, each as important as the other. (His blog is linked at the bottom.)
Here is the interview!
Hi! So could you introduce yourself, how old you are, where you are from and what area of the music industry are you aspiring to be in?
Hi I’m Tom Dingley, I’m 23 and I’m from Bournemouth. The simple answer to what area of the music industry would I like to be in is right now I don’t know, I love music and I love writing about it, and if something came up that really interested me then I’d have to take the opportunity but right now I’m keeping my mind and options open to whatever opportunities come my way.
The music industry is know for its challenges and hurdles along with rare opportunities. Does the music industry intimidate you?
Of course, whilst the music industry can have great rewards it can also have huge challenges. From someone who is currently just writing about music - amongst other things - looking at the music scene from where I am generally is one big challenge but it’s definitely one I would love to take on at some point if the right opportunity came my way.
What is your best piece of work that you are particularly proud of and why?
I think my personal favourite is one that is not music related but it’s one that I think a lot of people would have needed to hear at this moment in time as it is to do with Mental Health throughout the lockdown periods we are going through (photo & link below). I received a number of messages after this post went live saying that it was a really helpful read which made me really proud of something I had written.
I know everyone is so over being in lockdown! How have you made lockdown into a positive thing and how has it helped you in terms of progressing your area of work?
So I actually began writing in the first lockdown, that’s when I started up my blog and that’s really been a good way for me to keep busy and keep my mind sharp as well. I’ve also been working full time throughout in a management role in a well known UK retailer so I’ve been keeping busy and still been able to socialise with colleagues at work which feels like a luxury at the minute if I’m honest. Along with that I’ve used the time to get my fitness up as well so going for runs regularly and stuff like that which has been really good for me mentally as well as physically.
Link to Blog Post - https://www.thetwordblog.net/post/mental-health-in-lockdown-and-how-you-can-use-lockdown-to-your-benefitDo you think the music industry has changed a lot over time? Have you noticed anything specifically?
100% the music industry is always changing and will continue to change. It seems like right now The UK scene is elevating to a higher level which is amazing to see, a lot more American artists are jumping onto the UK wave and collaborating with artists from over here and drill is having a huge influence everywhere with artists from all over the world now having their own drill wave such as OneFour from Australia, Fivio Foreign in America and so on.
What is something you wish you could say to someone high up in your profession?
From a writing standpoint I would love to speak to somebody at the top level and ask them what motivates them and what they would suggest when going through a bit of a block when it comes to what to write about. I would also love the opportunity to conduct more interviews with artists and Internet personalities and any others that are a part of the music industry because I find their stories so interesting.
What is your biggest achievement?
I would say becoming a part of the team at LinkUpTV and writing posts for their website for me was huge. As a lover of the UK music scene to become a part of a team who are so well respected and have played (and continue to play) such a big part in the UK scene over a number of years is really a privilege and something I’m proud to be able to say.
How do you engage with your audience?
I am always looking at my DM’s, taking suggestions from people on what they’d like to see me write about, posting stories on my Instagram page for people to interact with and respond to and so on. Audience interaction is something I find so important in building up a loyal following, and a following that is genuinely invested in your writing as well as you as a person.
I feel like there is a lot of expectations on where you should in life at a certain time. What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone younger wanting to do what your doing?
Just go for it. Writing was not even on my mind prior to the lockdown and as soon as I thought about doing it, I felt a bit indecisive and someone told me “if you don’t go for it, you’ll never know where it could go” and so I went for it, and now I have my own blog and I’m writing for LinkUpTV so definitely don’t regret going for it it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
What are three songs you want everyone to hear ASAP?
Keeya Keys - Anglo Saxon
Isaiah Dreads ft Spencer Elmer and George Foster - Lonely Nights
Jalen Santoy - Foreplay
Thank you for answering some questions! I wish you all the best for the future, is there anything else you’d like to add?
I hope you don’t mind me giving myself a shameless plug here but go and check out my blog! @the.twordblog on Instagram and the link to my site is in the bio on that page! Thank you so much for this opportunity!
A big thank you to Tom for being a part of this series. I hope you guys reading took something from the interview for yourselves!
The T Word Blog Instagram -https://instagram.com/the.twordblog?igshid=ixhupht8o004
The T Word Blog -