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Scrolling through TikTok and listening to comical sounds or catchy songs, users may not realize the amount of industry work and planning that goes on to create what they view on their screen. OHIO student Sophia Cardone is getting a taste of how the music industry is evolving alongside the booming app, which allows users to scroll through short clips accompanied by sounds and songs. 

Cardone, a music production and recording industry major in OHIO鈥檚 School of Media Arts and Studies, is gaining a firsthand look at the industry while studying in sunny Los Angeles through the Scripps College of Communication OHIO-in-LA program.

Through the program, Cardone, who will be a junior this fall, secured an internship with VRTCL, a company that combines music marketing with influencer marketing to create viral content on TikTok. Through collaboration with the app鈥檚 influencer scene, the company runs campaigns using a song that is introduced by a label or music management team in order to increase the song鈥檚 popularity and bring attention to the artist.
 

鈥淚t鈥檚 a really interesting experience and something that a lot of people don鈥檛 realize behind the scenes on TikTok,鈥� Cardone said.

Cardone helps to plan and run such campaigns, and tracks how well a song is being received on the app. She was surprised upon starting her internship, how many songs she knew that had already been advertised through VRTCL.

鈥淔or me personally when I first started the internship, I was looking through past campaigns that they鈥檝e run and I was like, 鈥榳ow, all of these songs I love listening to that I found on TikTok because they ran these campaigns with them,'" Cardone said.

As someone who has loved music her entire life, she is grateful to be able learn the innerworkings of the industry.

鈥淚鈥檓 really glad that I鈥檝e found this and that I鈥檓 doing it because it鈥檚 really opened my eyes with what you can do with music and social media. It has made me realize that so much of the music that we hear on social media is put there on purpose,鈥� she said. 

She found the internship through the help of a fellow Bobcat.

鈥淥ne of the alums that was in the program last summer, interned at VRTCL and now has a full-time job there. I鈥檝e worked closely with her. She sent out the information about the internship, and without that I wouldn鈥檛 have even know about the internship,鈥� Cardone explained.

There are three OHIO alumni who work at VRTCL.

鈥淚鈥檝e really made a great relationship with them, even though I didn鈥檛 know them when they were at OU. I鈥檝e made such great connections, and I think that鈥檚 one of the best parts of this,鈥� she said.

Cardone strongly emphasized the importance of making connections, and how her internship has allowed her to connect with a wide range of fellow professionals.

She works fully remotely, and sometimes around the clock due to varying time zones.

Cardone acknowledged how OHIO鈥檚 music production and recording industry program helped prepare her for the role.

鈥淥ne thing that I鈥檝e definitely learned through the program is music marketing and knowing what you鈥檙e going into because it is a different way of doing things,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen it comes to music consumption, a lot of people have different tastes, so you have to know what kind of audiences you鈥檙e catering to. And I feel like that鈥檚 something we鈥檝e focused on and looked a lot at.鈥�

As someone who is working in the music industry, Cardone describes the business-side of the music industry, and its uniqueness as a media field as well. 

鈥淥ne class that was really influential for me was on the business of media and knowing how businesses work, how they run and how to be a good part of a business that is in the media industry,鈥� Cardone said. 鈥淟earning about that has definitely helped me so much in doing all of this.鈥�

Through the program, Cardone has received a firsthand look at her potential career in the industry that she may not have gained otherwise, and it has only motivated her to continue working hard.

鈥淚 would say being out in LA while doing this internship has kept me really focused on what I want to do and who I want to be," Cardone said.

She has also been able to explore other areas of media. She was the assistant director for the short film produced by all of the students in the OHIO-in-LA program.

鈥淏eing out here has really opened my eyes to all that there is in the industry," she explained.

Los Angeles is a hub for creatives and media professionals, and the OHIO-in-LA program allows Bobcats to immerse themselves in the fields that they may potentially work in.

鈥淏eing in LA there鈥檚 so many people that are in the media industry and being able to be so submerged in all of that has been such an amazing experience,鈥� Cardone said.