Empowering Artists: A Day in The Life with Britt Hicks

Britt Hicks has had already had an exciting several years in the music industry and is looking ahead at a long and prosperous future. Currently a Strategic Partner Manager in Artist Development at YouTube, Britt has a background that spans across a variety of roles within the music industry. She brings a wealth of expertise from working at major labels, boutique labels, being in hands-on management roles, and more. All of these experiences have shaped her current role at YouTube, where she specializes in strategic initiatives that aim to lower the barrier to entry for artists on the platform. Britt sat down with Xposure Music’s Sydney Hubbard to share more.

A Day in the Life at YouTube

At YouTube, Britt works as a Partner Manager on the platform's scale and education initiatives. Her primary role involves equipping artists and their teams with the knowledge and tools they need to thrive using YouTube.

Her main objective? To lower the barriers to entry for artists and help them strengthen their fan base, grow their reach, and effectively deliver content on YouTube. This could range from Youtube Shorts to long-form content, depending on the artist's vision and goals. 

Unforgettable Moments in the Music Industry

When asked about some memorable moments in her career so far, Britt's mind immediately went back to her first job at RCA Records. There, she had the opportunity to accompany Pink on her first press run—an experience she describes as one of the craziest, yet also one of the most rewarding in her career. She describes Pink as not only incredibly kind, but easy to work with.

Insights into the Music Industry

Britt shares that one of the common misconceptions about the music industry is understanding the sheer breadth of the industry. The music industry is larger than many realize, she says, and points to the many facets in the industry that often go unnoticed.

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“I think something that a lot of people often don't realize is how many facets there are in music and how you can still be adjacent to music even if you're not at a traditional music company.”

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While labels and management companies are integral and amazing parts of the industry, Britt emphasizes that there are countless ways to work with artists and be involved in the music industry, from advertising to tech.

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Music PICKS, InspirING MENTORS, and More

Britt shared that she's currently loving the artist ARDN, who she also works with at YouTube. She's particularly fond of his record "RUNNER UP," which she listens to on repeat.

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In the industry, Britt looks up to her first boss, Frank DeCicco, who led the college marketing team at Sony Music. She admires him for his people-first approach, a sentiment echoed in her admiration for her current team leads, Ben Kramer and Jared Fankhauser, who bring a unique blend of tech expertise to the music world.

Fun Facts and Rapid Fire Questions

Aside from her busy career in music, Britt is also a fan of Jason Segel and his show 'Shrinking' on Apple TV. When it comes to music documentaries, Britt mentioned that she is eager to start watching the Rap Caviar series. When asked to choose between Justin Timberlake or Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan or Luke Combs, and others, her choices reflected her millennial roots, including picks like Childish Gambino over Kid Cudi and Billie Eilish over Billie Joe Armstrong. Of course, Britt also spends a lot of her free time on none other than YouTube, watching some of her favorite creators Matt D'Avella, Danny Gevirtz, Monica & Shelby Church, LISTED, and Casey Neistat.

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Connect with Brick Hicks on Xposure Music and follow her on IG @brittxhicks

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