This week we're chatting to Xanthe Fuller, Senior Marketing Director at Mixcloud and someone who's been sneaking into jungle raves since she was 13. She's worked her way up from 4am radio shifts at XFM to producing shows for Pete Tong, Adam & Joe, and Jamie Cullum across BBC Radio 1, 6 Music and Radio 2.

We get into the proper art of pitching music without sending paragraphs that nobody reads, why online radio is the new pirate radio, and how building global communities around niche genres actually works. Plus she explains why saying yes to opportunities you don't fancy can completely change your career trajectory.

Includes actionable advice on getting your music heard, why work ethic beats being flashy, and why burning bridges in the music industry is career suicide.

Key Topics:

Early Music Journey

Started sneaking out to jungle raves at 13 with friends First rave: Jungle Mania at The Astoria, Tottenham Court Road Influenced by sister's mixtapes from DJs who later got signed to Ninja Tune Parents were surprisingly supportive of clubbing, prioritizing safety over restriction

Radio Career Path

Transitioned from TV work to radio after sister's suggestion Got XFM job by writing "ridiculous answers" to competition questions Worked 4am-8:30am shifts while temping full-time Produced Adam & Joe show (loved the TV show as a student) Worked across BBC Radio 1, 6 Music, and Radio 2 Produced Pete Tong, Jamie Cullum, and Mary Anne Hobbs shows

Radio Production Insights

Producer roles vary dramatically between shows Some require heavy music curation, others focus on live direction Key skill: balancing relationship with talent while maintaining authority Eventually hosted own show on Soho Radio

Mixcloud Journey

Met founder Nikhil when running early online radio station Mixcloud solved real problem: sharing DJ mixes was previously clunky Evolved from community role to marketing director COVID accelerated live streaming features, shifted to subscription model

Pitching MasterclassThe Golden Rules:

One sentence only - "Never send paragraphs because it's just not going to be read" Instant access - Click and hear immediately, no downloads/sign-ups Start small - Pitch lightest idea first, build relationship, then expand Get rid of fluff - Find the one kernel that piques interest

Industry Insights

Online radio replacing pirate radio as talent hotbed Global communities forming around niche genres Brand partnerships work best when supporting culture, not exploiting it Streaming made music "secondary activity" - background listening

Career Advice

Work ethic beats flashiness - "People that got kept on got their heads down and delivered amazing work" Say yes to opportunities - Even unappealing projects can lead to great relationships Don't burn bridges - "Really small industry, you'll keep bumping into same people" Admit what you don't know - "People love coaching, find someone to teach you" Test ideas quickly - Don't get stuck in bureaucracy, try things fast

Future of Music/Radio

Traditional and online radio should coexist Need for human curation vs algorithmic echo chambers Communities now global rather than geographic

Standout Quotes

"Never send paragraphs in an email because it's just not going to be read" "It's a real skill to narrow your pitch down to one sentence" "Don't be afraid to admit what you don't know" "It's a really small industry and you will keep bumping into the same people"

Song Recommendation "Overdose of Joy" by Eugene Record - Makes her laugh every time due to unintentionally hilarious lyrics while being a genuinely great soul tune

Recommended Future Guest Nikhil Shah - Mixcloud co-founder, ran record label, organized warehouse parties, now developing new products

A masterclass in why relationships, varied sources of inspiration and good systems matter more than most other things in music supervision. When a client wanted a mashup of Aerosmith, Run DMC, Loretta Lynn and Lou Reed for a big sync it seemed unlikely to make it happen but Anton drew on his interpersonal skills to get all the artists onboard. He tells you how he gets through these challenges in this interview. And pulled off this and many other campaigns worldwide... He takes us through the sometimes non-linear career path where every relationship built along the way has become a crucial part of his work, connecting with labels, agencies and artists for decades. When the near impossible brief came in those relationships were the reason he could make it work. Good relationships and strong networks are crucial. But at the core of it all is the passion and love for good tunes.

Check out his work at: http://www.trailermedia.com/

Find our work at: https://www.wellnicemusic.com/

Find more on 'How Do I Music'?: https://linktr.ee/howdoimusic

David Renshaw joins us on the pod and this one's a HUGE deep dive into music journalism.

The Fader's UK News Editor has been covering music for over a decade, working his way up from student papers in Liverpool through Gigwise and NME. He gets 300-400 emails a day but how many of these pitches are worth the time?

We dive into what actually makes him want to write about something, why three-star reviews are pointless, and how the economics of online journalism are...screwed? David gives us the lowdown on finding stories that nobody else is covering, why streaming made music a "secondary activity", and the common mistakes people make when trying to get coverage.