Rising Star is our monthly column in which we meet the industry’s brightest new talents. Here, we chat to Sosig Socials founder Paola Levitch
INTERVIEW: Ben Homewood
PHOTO: Margaux Contant
What led you to pursue a career in music and how did you get your break?
“I was always drawn to music; I sang in choirs when I was very young, and I played instruments. I grew up in Spain, and London always felt like a really exciting hub where so much was happening. While doing my master’s degree in music business management at the University of Westminster, I really hustled to meet people who were doing inspiring things in the industry. I eventually met Connie Meade at AMF Records. She gave me a seat at her table and introduced me to so many talented artists and teams I’m proud to have worked with, including Olivia Dean, Tom Misch, Self Esteem and more. I believe it’s really important for women to lift each other up in the industry and she was my biggest champion from day one. I want to pay that forward. That’s why my in-house editing team is women-led, and I strive to work with womxn creatives whenever I can.”
Starting your own business is a big step – what made you want to do it?
“I wanted to find a better way to approach social media for artists. I have a background in digital marketing at a record label, and I sometimes felt that artists were really burnt out by the expectation to show up on social media, as well as the way conversations around it were being conducted. I want to transform socials from being perceived as this ‘necessary evil’ into a space where artists feel empowered and are creating a world for their music, whilst really connecting to their fans. But starting Sosig was also scary! Setting out to try to do things differently, on your own, is not easy, but I really wanted to make a difference. We operate on a bespoke, artist-centric model and keep our roster small in order to provide the attention to detail that all artists deserve.”
What’s your ethos when it comes to building campaigns?
“First and foremost, it’s about human-level connection. I have built long-term relationships with all of my artists. With most of them, I stay on for multiple campaigns and the periods in-between, because I become a core member of their team. Social media can make people feel very vulnerable, and they know they can just call me any time, or text me a random picture and say, ‘Does this come across well?’ and know I will be honest with them. Also, the fact that I’m a young woman who has grown up with social media really resonates. The majority of my roster is female, and these platforms come with a whole lot of challenges that people aren’t talking about enough. We don’t ever shy away from these discussions with our artists.”
Can you tell us the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
“That you don’t have to sacrifice authenticity for success. This was never really a ‘lesson’ because it’s something I’ve always believed to be true, but it is an idea that I’ve been able to confirm with experience. Social media should work for the artist, not the other way round. Succumbing to trends that don’t feel authentic, or burning out for a viral moment, won’t bring long-term, sustainable impact. My goal is to make sure social media is taken as seriously as any other creative element on an artist campaign. I believe that socials should never be an afterthought; they should be an integral part of all artists’ conversations.”
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