Horizon Future Leaders – Mish NnadiAs part of our Horizon Future Leaders series of interviews, we are connecting with the music industry’s next generation of leaders to gather candid advice and insights into their career journeys.
This week, we caught up with Mish Nnadi, Global Asset Coordinator for Warner Music’s Global Sync Department.
From getting her start through Small Green Shoots’ Short Sharp Shot Programme to securing a key role at a major label, Mish’s journey is a testament to the power of early career opportunities, networking with intention and staying ahead of industry trends.
She shares why having a holistic understanding of the industry is crucial, how mentorship doesn’t have to mean a formal relationship, and why bouncing back from rejection builds confidence and determination. Plus, her insights on the evolving digital landscape and how to position yourself for success in sync.
Read the full Q&A with Mish below 
What’s your current role in the music industry?
I am the Global Asset Coordinator for Warner Music’s Global Sync Department.
For anyone that’s not familiar, sync is about curating and licensing music for films, TV shows, ads and games.
Sync is a beautiful thing because it not only connects artists and music with new fans, but heightens any piece of media – for example: ‘Something In The Way’ by Nirvana in ‘The Batman’ and Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ in ‘Stranger Things’.
Sync placements can change the trajectory of an artist’s career, and sync works with music from any time period, country and genre. My role prioritises increasing that potential for Warner Music’s international acts. I absolutely adore film and TV almost as much as I love music so this is essentially my dream job!
What does your general day to day look like?
My role essentially involves pitching Warner’s global music catalogue for any opportunities that come our way and finding more opportunities in different countries.
I support Warner Music’s international sync teams in getting their artists’ music in front of music supervisors and big brands, and globalise our successful UK and US initiatives.
In sync, we tag tracks according to tempo, mood, feeling, genre, vocals, instrument and track type – eg cover, remix, demo, soundtrack etc – so I make sure all our tracks are tagged properly, which makes it easier for our teams to find music when searching for songs that match a project’s musical brief.
London’s Warner Music sync team is incredible and we have some really solid infrastructure in place – I’m responsible for helping implement parts of it to our international teams.
Every day at work is different for me, but in essence what I do involves listening to and curating a lot of global music, and brainstorming creative ways to help Warner Music’s sync teams in all territories around the world gain visibility for the artists that are signed to us.
What steps did you take early in your career to gain experience and build skills to get you where you are now?
The most essential step I took early in my career was applying for and being accepted into Small Green Shoots’ Short Sharp Shot Programme.
The programme is an eight week intensive course that teaches you all the crucial skills and software required for working in music and other creative industries, like admin and invoicing, Chartmetric, Adobe Premiere Pro, Canva, social media scheduling, content creation, event planning and coordination etc.
They also walk you through how to better your Linkedin profile, take you on tours of labels and other music companies, and bring in music executives and others that work in the industry so you can learn extensively about specific departments within music that aren’t as well known.
That’s how I discovered sync and knew it was what I wanted to do career wise.
What opportunities did you explore early on that were particularly valuable?
Some of the main opportunities were artist management and visiting Barcelona for the first time a few years ago. Barcelona was truly a breath of fresh air for me. I spent a week there and met/maintained relationships with some really incredible creatives out there.
It’s extremely inspiring to see people out there create art solely for the love of it. I found that experience extremely valuable because it took me outside of my social ecosystem and exposed me to a different way of life and creativity. Barcelona is now a home away from home for me. I’m super excited to be going back there in a few weeks.
Artist management was also a really valuable opportunity, because I understood strategy, creativity, marketing, A&R and artist needs/desires more than I ever could as an audience member or fan. So much goes on behind the scenes to break an artist, connect them with people around the world and shape them to success, so I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to understand that.
Also, while I was at university, I applied for and was accepted for A24‘s Remote International Marketing Intern position. It unfortunately didn’t work out because of visa difficulties, but the interview process, and the fact that I actually got chosen over others that live in America, boosted my confidence greatly and cemented my belief in my abilities. That’s something I’ll always be proud of and look back on fondly.
Has the opportunity landscape changed since then?
It definitely has! Based on the skills I developed at Small Green Shoots, I continued on to work at Universal Music’s Decca, ADA and now Warner’s Global Sync team.
Artist management and working in music has introduced me to so many incredible people and valuable life lessons. Visiting Barcelona helped inspire my creative pursuits outside of work and expanded my worldview.
Most important of all, all of these experiences and opportunities have taught me that the limit is so much higher than the sky and that, if I trust in myself and dedicate myself, there’s nothing I can’t do. I try to carry that sentiment with me everywhere I go.
Are there any specific internships, projects, or initiatives that you would recommend to newcomers looking to pursue a similar role?
Small Green Shoots of course and UD Music are great spaces for newcomers hoping to learn more about the music industry and work within it.
Warner, Universal and Sony also have incredible yearly internships across all departments. Dazed Club, ITV, BBC and BFI have some really cool opportunities for people that want to work in creative spaces outside of music too.
Honestly there aren’t enough accessible initiatives for people to learn about the vast music industry and about sync specifically, but that’s something I plan on fixing in the near future so keep an eye out!
What advice do you have for building and leveraging a professional network in the music industry?
It’s really important to not have a ‘one and done’ approach when it comes to networking. Networking is more than just meeting someone you admire once. Having someone’s email and communicating via that can be more valuable than an Instagram follow sometimes.
Don’t overlook LinkedIn! It’s an amazing platform to connect with industry professionals and showcase your achievements. Document everything you do! If making a portfolio or website seems too daunting or costly, your social media can serve as a portfolio if you use it right.
Asking industry professionals to be your mentor is a big ask, so ask for ten to fifteen minutes of someone’s time instead and make it count. Prepare good questions ahead of time, get your head in the game, bring your best self and don’t be discouraged by rejection – bouncing back from rejection produces knowledge, determination and confidence.
How has the evolving digital landscape impacted your role, and where do you focus to stay ahead?
Digitalisation has opened so many doors for sync and my role. As a Global Coordinator, my role involves connecting with other Warner sync teams around the world, so the advancements in communication and platforms like DISCO have been incredible for us.
Social media has always been extremely beneficial for discovery – the ability for fans to post and share film and TV scenes, trailers and ads has done amazing things to globalise sync placements and the artists we represent. Shazam alone as a technological digital advancement has done wonders for the music industry.
I use social media to keep track of audience trends, music trends, and film and TV announcements – and present them to my team where relevant.
What trends or changes do you see on the horizon for the music industry, and how can early career professionals prepare for them?
Social media is always changing and evolving too, so don’t assume that TikTok is the pinnacle of marketing and discovery. Always put yourself in the shoes of the audience in music and pay attention to what people like – and especially what they don’t like.
The audience holds as much power as the artist, labels and companies – if not more. I think the psychology of audience engagement and social media is really overlooked in music.
AI developments in music and technology are also on the rise and sync isn’t exempt from that, so despite your thoughts on AI, it’s important to keep track of what’s happening there.
What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you at the start of your career?
That my success will always be a result of who I am and what I can do.
Stand proud of who you are, be open to feedback, don’t shy away from rejection and don’t compromise on what you know you deserve. Put yourself and your abilities out there as much as you can and trust and believe in yourself – it’s never luck, it’s you.