A haven for passion and musical hype, Bigmouth PR is the creation of music publicist Ophelia Symons. Servicing a range of publicity campaigns across multi-platform media, Bigmouth PR’s unwavering goal is anchored in tailoring care with authentic hype and a love of all things music to bring your project resoundingly to the forefront.

Tell us a little about yourself and your experience.

I’m Ophelia and I run Bigmouth PR, a publicity company based in Melbourne, Australia, specialising in alternative music!

What drove you to choose your career path?

I’ve always loved the world of music. Since I was little I’ve always found alternative music to be a safe haven for me. The gut wrenching, swirling emotional darkness involved in heavier music always felt somewhat relatable, or at least provided some sort of catharsis from me. When the opportunity to explore the world of PR came up, it felt like an obvious career move, and specialising in the music that I love was the cherry on top - and I haven’t looked back!

How did you go about getting your job? What kind of education and experience did you need?

I think the most important prerequisite is a passion for the music and patience with the process. But outside of that I studied Journalism for a couple of years and then moved more specifically into Entertainment Business Management - where I completed a degree. Education taught me discipline, but there’s nothing quite as effective as practical experience. Music is usually super inclusive, there are always opportunities to seek out.

What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?

I spend a LOT of time writing. Press releases are pretty much at the centre of every campaign, so that’s a major priority. And then from there I’m always sending emails… and waiting on replies haha. PR also requires a fair amount of creativity, planning, organising and pitching.

What misconceptions do people often have about your job?

A big one is that bands often confuse publicity with social media management. And another one is that PR replaces the need for band’s to pull their own weight come release time. But publicity is a connection campaign. It connects artists and bands to the media and tells their story, and that’s even more effective when a band has their own release/social media campaign running alongside!

What are your average work hours?

It can vary depending on the projects at hand. An average week would ideally be 9-5 Monday to Friday, but it very often pools over and borrows after-hours.

What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?

I think having templates and a schedule for the day helps, and I live for lists. I couldn’t function without a list to guide me through the day. It’s so satisfying ticking off tasks, it’s really the little things haha

What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?

I wouldn’t say I did anything too differently. I like to personally work with the artists I take on and collaborate on ideas together - so sometimes I get quite invested in the projects I take on.

Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?

I’d encourage those looking into PR to have demos ready to go when they reach out. It’s really hard to commit to working with bands that don’t have any content to share with their pitch. I work alone, so I can’t take on everything that comes through my emails. I have to be quite selective, especially with independent artists. And I need a fair amount of time in advance as I’m often booked out months in advance. And know what you want out of PR.

What's the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?

The worst part can sometimes be how overwhelming the work load can become, and it’s almost impossible to guarantee that the media will jump at what I send through. Every campaign is different and requires different things and different time frames. Releases often overlap and can be unpredictable, which means working inconsistent hours and a game of trial and error on some approaches.

What's the most enjoyable part of the job?

I love sharing in the excitement of helping people kick goals and watching bands that I believe in grow!

What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?

That’s a hard question to answer, it’s quite dependent on the scope of the job and how well those jobs are able to be carried out. I wouldn’t say PR was an easy one to categorise on the money front!

How do you move up in your field?

It’s all about hard work, putting in the hours, keeping up with the industry and maintaining dedication, drive and passion.

What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?

If you’re like me and you find yourself gravitating towards a career in music and PR, keep listening, keep going to the shows, find your community, shout about your favourites as loud as you can. If you think the music you love deserves to be loved by more, you don’t need the label of publicist to do that. The experience is in the real world.