Amidst our fervent streaming, sharing, and recommending of beloved artists and their viral hits, it’s all too common to overlook the masterminds driving these endeavours. In the vast realm of multimedia, where an astounding 11 million songs are unleashed monthly, we frequently neglect to acknowledge the careful planning and marketing acumen responsible for transforming a mere track into a lauded masterpiece. Enter, Billy Burrell.
Born in Berkshire and now living in Berlin, Billy is a cultural publicist with an eclectic roster spanning music and the arts. From a chance internship 15 years ago at the now defunct Sainted PR, he now splits his time between 9PR – one of the UK’s leading independent music PR and communications agencies – and Peres Projects, a globally renowned art gallery with spaces in Berlin, Seoul, and Milan. Today, Billy works with a varied list of heavyweight artists – including Wolfgang Tillmans, DJ Koze and Oneohtrix Point Never – delivering huge international campaigns. We caught up with him to discuss all things PR, the highs and lows of the job, and how he spends his time outside the office.
How did you get into the music industry, and PR specifically? Was it a conscious choice or a happy accident?
Both, I think. I’ve always been surrounded by music, and my Dad had a very eclectic taste. A few years after he died, I had his vinyl shipped to Berlin, and I’m still in the process of listening to it all. A sonic education from the grave! I had saxophone, singing and guitar lessons at school, and was in bands from age 12, so I suppose I was destined to do something related. After college I went to university in London to study music and media management, but it was a waste of time, so I quit after a term and saved myself the debt. A friend of my sister’s offered me an internship at Sainted PR, and I jumped at the chance and never looked back. I didn’t need a degree to stuff promo CDs into envelopes, so it was better to get my foot in the door and work my way up.
Can you tell us about your first job at Sainted PR?
Sure. It was a total baptism by fire. Not only was I doing all the office admin and menial tasks no one else wanted to do, I was thrust in front of industry bigwigs at gigs and covering promo on a daily basis. I felt totally out of my depth and I still cringe at the thought, but I’m slightly in awe of my younger self looking back. There was a level of enthusiasm and self-esteem I lack today. Gradually it became the norm and I felt less like a fraud, honing my writing skills, and getting involved with the A&R aspects of the job. Working with big artists on the roster (Daft Punk, Massive Attack, Robyn etc) was unbelievable as a 20-year-old but helping break new artists always felt cooler. Perhaps a tiny part of me wanted that for myself, but being a vital cog in the wheel was the next best thing. I don’t think about it too often, but it was a lot of fun.
How has the industry, and specifically the PR landscape changed since you started?
My answer would be more fun had I started in the late 90’s. My first boss was head of press at Virgin before starting Sainted, and she’d tell us countless stories about the ‘glory days’ – press trips to Japan with the Spice Girls and all the debauchery involved. I think golden eras are a myth (quote Leo Herrera,) but it definitely sounded wilder back then. There is still a sense of mystery and public intrigue, but glamorous it most certainly isn’t, unless you’re Cher. Label budgets are so tight, that sending a whole team to Asia for one gig seems ludicrous these days. At least carbon footprints have been reduced. The industry is no stranger to change, and we’ve seen the rise of digital music, the fall of physical sales, and the steady decline of radio in recent years. The slow and painful death of print media has stretched the perimeters of the job beyond recognition, so it’s definitely important to move with the times.
What do you think makes a good publicist? Any advice or useful tricks of the trade?
I think everyone has their own style, but if someone had told me “a journalist needs a publicist just as much as a publicist needs a journalist” on day one, that would have been helpful. Speaking to a renowned Guardian writer about a new artist is very scary when you’re new yourself, and so many people are unnecessarily rude. Try to be as upfront and honest as you can, and don’t be afraid to set boundaries. If you act like someone’s doing you a favour, they’re going to treat you that way, and succumbing to that power-play creates an unhealthy dynamic. PR isn’t rocket-science, it’s all about building and nurturing relationships, but the job isn’t linear and revolves around meeting people’s expectations. There will always to be one person not satisfied, so it’s all about balance and knowing when to stop. Problem solving is addictive, but answering an email at 3am won’t solve a thing.
You have recently spread your wings and moved into the art world. How have you found the transition?
Yes, I recently took on the head of press role at Peres Projects, as well as continuing with 9PR music-wise. The transition has been relatively seamless, but the experience fun and refreshing on the whole. The art world offers equal but different challenges to the music world, but I’m new to them so yet to grow weary. With 3 galleries and a much bigger team, the tools are more readily available, meaning my time is reserved almost exclusively to pitching and coordinating promo opportunities. It’s less creative in that sense, but there are only so many press releases one can write in a week. Having a whole new set of targets and relationships to build from scratch can feel daunting, but people are people, so why should it be? I’m going to listen to that song now.
What are your interests outside work?
I love to cook which is probably obvious, and football which is perhaps less so (cough.) I played football and rugby quite seriously when I was young, but now I just watch it and collect vintage shirts. Actually, I bought a bunch of tickets to Euro 2024 but have no one to go with, so if you fancy a home-cooked meal and a match in June hit me up. You can’t bail after lunch though.
And finally, any exciting projects or plans on the horizon?
DJ Koze has an album out later this year, and Oneohtrix Point Never goes on tour next month. Art-wise Rebecca Ackroyd has an exhibition at Fondaco Marcello for the Venice Biennale which is very exciting. Her FlashArt cover is due out mid-March. And me? Oh lots of plans to cancel and dreams to realise. Sadly I’ll never be Cher, but maybe I’ll tick off some others!
Catch up with Billy via his Instagram at @billy.burrell
