Student Spotlight - Margot MacLeod
“As it is a small course, you get to know the lecturers a bit better than you would at a more traditional uni with big lecture halls and hundreds of students.”
Our dynamic Music Business degree allows you to gain valuable inspiration, experience, connections, and knowledge to succeed in this exciting and diverse industry. You will benefit from real opportunities, experienced and dedicated staff, and strong industry links, with previous guest speakers from renowned companies including Universal Music, Sony Columbia Records, BBC Radio One, Live Nation, and Ticketmaster, as well as Stevie Wonder's manager, Keith Harris.
In this week’s blog we chatted with a student who has just finished the course and is hoping to forge her way in music journalism.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Margot MacLeod and I am from Inverness.
What course are you studying at UHI Perth?
I have just completed my fourth year studying Music Business.
How did you hear about UHI Perth?
I heard about UHI Perth through studying music business at Glasgow Kelvin College as we often had Gareth and Rik coming in to talk to us about progressing onto the music business degree course at UHI Perth.
What were you doing before you came to UHI Perth?
After school, I took a year out to work, and during that time I became more interested in music journalism, which lead me to look into journalism courses. I remember wanting to go to Edinburgh Napier but unfortunately, I did not gain the qualifications at school. So, I looked into music business courses, which in Scotland are quite few and far between, and Glasgow Kelvin came up, and after visiting Glasgow for a gig, I decided it would be a nice place to live and study. I started the music business course at GKC in 2022, finishing the HNC and HND course in 2024.
Why did you decide to pick this course?
I chose Music Business at UHI because it was a progression from the college course in Glasgow. Having already completed two years of studying, I thought it would be worthwhile studying for a couple more years to gain a degree, which is something I have always wanted to achieve. There are other music courses like Commercial Music at the University of the West of Scotland, and Edinburgh Napier, but having already lived in Glasgow for two years, and enjoying it, I did not want to move away, and the option to do the course online has been very beneficial.
What is your favourite thing about the course?
One of my favourite things about the course is some of the opportunities we have been given. For example, a couple of years ago, me and my course-mate were able to go to the Scottish Album of the Year awards ceremony in Stirling, which was a lot of fun.
Also, being able to do the course online has been beneficial because we do not have to commute through to Perth, and have the flexibility to attend classes from home/in cafes etc. The times that we do go through to Perth is for panels and guest speakers, this is also a good opportunity to meet other people on the course.
Has there been any standout/memorable moments from your course?
A memorable moment from the course was when UHI hosted a music industry panel on the Perth campus. They had a variety of speakers from different backgrounds in the industry such as music journalism, concert promotion, radio, PRS, and SMIA. This was interesting as there was an opportunity to ask questions about our projects and receive feedback.
What knowledge, skills and experience have you gained from your course that will help you when you leave UHI Perth?
Looking back, I have been able to gain lots of skills and experience throughout the course. We have had quite a lot of guest speakers coming in to talk to us, it is inspiring to hear how other people got into the music industry, as a lot of the time people took an unconventional path.
Also, the work placement opportunities are a great way to learn about different aspects of the music industry that you may not have previously considered. I completed a placement with the music publisher 23rd Precinct last year, and although publishing is something I didn’t know much about, it was great to develop skills in that area which I can now add to my CV.
Have you undertaken a placement or work experience whilst at UHI Perth?
Last year, I completed a six-month placement with the music publisher, 23rd Precinct. As a company, they also run Resonate music conference. Before starting, I had outlined my interest in music journalism, and as a result of this - a large part of my role there was writing questions for Resonate Artist of the Week Q&As. As they are quite a small team, I also had the opportunity to help out in other areas like organising press kits and helping with the publishing.
For our Professional Development module in fourth year, it was mandatory to undertake a work placement, ideally in an area of the music industry that we want to work in. We learned about how to write a good cover letter and CV, and I used these skills to reach out to companies. As well as journalism, I am also interested in music PR and researched different firms. I came across Supercat PR, as they work with bands that I really like such as English Teacher and Westside Cowboy. Through this role, I have done a lot of research into different publications, and potential brand partnerships as well. I have also practised pitching artists to publications.
Have your lecturers been supportive during your studies?
Yes, as it is a small course, you get to know the lecturers a bit better than you would at a more traditional uni with big lecture halls and hundreds of students. The lecturers are supportive and often reply very quickly to emails and are open to answering lots of questions.
Any other achievements you have gained on your journey?
For the fourth year Creative Honours Project, two of my course mates and I created a music podcast called Coorie In, focussing on the Scottish Music scene. It was interesting to learn and research more about social media promotion, and how crucial it is today in music. We also filmed the podcast, which is something I always thought I wouldn’t be comfortable with, but it ended up going well and has definitely helped me build more confidence when it comes to self-promotion, which is also important in the music industry.
What do you like about the campus/facilities?
Although I haven’t spent much time in the campus, one of the facilities I like is the Goodlyburn Theatre. For the course a couple of years ago, they hosted a music industry panel, alongside live music.
Have you enjoyed studying at UHI Perth? Any highlights?
Yes, I have enjoyed studying at UHI Perth. It was a good progression from the music business course at Glasgow Kelvin College, and we were already familiar with the course structure. For highlights, I have enjoyed days going through to Perth for panels, as it is nice to do more in-person, rather than just online. I have also enjoyed different opportunities that we have been offered.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of your studies?
I enjoy going to gigs in Glasgow, there is something different to see just about every night, and there are plenty of great venues. As I live in Glasgow, there is so much to do, and I love going out with friends, grabbing a coffee and discovering new places. I also volunteer at the Garnethill Multicultural Centre, this has been a really nice way to feel more a part of the local community and is also a good way to meet people.
Alongside your studies, you are working as a journalist for the highly respected music and culture publication ‘Clash Magazine’ Can you tell us how this opportunity came about? What does a typical week look like in the job?
The opportunity came about because in third year for the professional development module, we were to reach out to someone working in an area of the music industry that we are interested in. So, I reached out the editor of Clash, Robin Murray, with a wee introduction about my studies, where I am from, and a link to some previous work, and to my surprise, he responded. He added me to the contributor list, and every week or so, Robin will send a list of interviewing and reviewing opportunities in an email chain.
There have been a few highlights and opportunities which I am very grateful for. Recently, I was able to review Olivia Dean at the Hydro. This was a great opportunity, as I was able to meet her publicist, and other journalists reviewing the gig. This was inspirational, as I was able to find out how other journalists started out. Also, after the gig it was interesting to read their reviews and familiarise myself with different writing styles.
Unfortunately, as the role is fully remote, I have never met anyone else who writes for Clash. There are also not many Scottish writers at Clash, but a benefit of this is that there are lots of opportunities for Scottish writers. Robin is also very open to ideas, and just from asking I have been able to cover gigs like Blondshell at QMU, Belladrum music festival, and Houseguest Festival in Glasgow. Robin is very supportive.
Journalism can sometimes be an under-represented career pathway for Music Business students. What advice would you give to anyone thinking about possibly pursuing this pathway during their studies/or when they graduate?
It definitely is under-represented. I would say it's beneficial to start locally and make your own zine/magazine, as then you have something to help you build a portfolio. It's also a great way to be engaged in the local music scene and meet other people. Also, through having your own platform you can sign up to PR companies mailing lists and be sent tour announcements, press releases and albums, this is a great way to build relationships with publicists. I would also say that it’s good to read the music press and read work from journalists that you grow to like through keeping up with the work they put out, I find this improves my own writing.
What are your future career plans? Are you looking to stay in music journalism?
For my future career, I am open to any work available in the music industry, ideally in Scotland. Alongside my interest in journalism and PR, I am interested in promotions and have been doing box office shifts for 432 Presents for a few years now and would like to try repping gigs at some point. But ideally, I would like to work for a PR company and be a freelance music journalist.
And finally, what advice would you give to someone thinking about studying at UHI Perth?
I would say it's worth it, it’s a very accessible University, and there are lots of degree subjects to choose from. The music business course specifically has given me great insight and access into the Scottish music industry.
