Promoting Indigenous culture and building sustainable careers in the music industry

Creative Industries alumna, Sarah Elaine McLay, is creating sustainable careers in the arts and promoting Indigenous culture in her new role as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the full-service, award-winning Canadian record label, Hitmakerz (external link, opens in new window) .

Hitmakerz is a Nunavut-based record label specializing in the creation and marketing of world-class Inuit pop music. It was founded in 2016 by Thor Simonsen and the late Kelly Fraser, and has signed on an impressive roster of Inuit talent spanning multiple genres. The label emphasizes creating enriched and sustainable careers by helping its Inuit artists ideate, record, produce and market their songs to the world. And with the help of world-class music producers and songwriters, the likes of which have worked with Led Zeppelin, Sting, and Nickelback, this is easily achievable.

A journey worth documenting

McLay graduated from the Creative Industries program in 2020, specializing in Acting and Dance Studies, and the Music Industry modules, with a minor in Music and Culture. A year later, she accepted an offer as Hitmakerz newest Chief Operating Officer (COO). As to her rapid rise professionally, McLay believes her four-year Creative Industries program at The Creative School was a foundational part of her journey.

“All of the courses in the program and topics throughout the four years were valuable, and the focus on soft skills is vitally important in the music industry,” says McLay. “It was very beneficial to be able to work with multiple schools inside of Ryerson through the Creative Industries program, and to network with people from the Ted Rogers School of Management and the School of Performance.”

A day in the life of a COO

As COO of the label, McLay oversees day-to-day operations and a myriad of aspects of the artists’ career. These duties include operations and logistics, project management, marketing, grant writing, artist development, talent management, and fostering professional relationships within the industry. Significantly, a central tenet of the brand ethos is the continued promotion of Indigenous culture. Recently, she acted as the translation coordinator for the record label's newest cultural project, the Inngiusituqait campaign, which recorded and preserved traditional Inuit songs from Kinngait, Nunavut in Inuktitut as shared by Elders.

Alongside her central role as COO, she also plays a pivotal part in scouting and mentoring up-and-coming Inuit artists looking to enter the field. From reading music to teaching choreography, her extensive background in performance coaching and the knowledge she gained while at The Creative School have served to provide essential skills that have aided her along the way.

Music as a form of communication

Sarah’s affinity for music has been a guiding force throughout her life. And her capacity for expressing herself through music and helping others to do the same has only grown stronger since becoming COO. Moreover, she sees music as a means of connection and knowledge sharing, and a way of building bridges.

 “Music allows people to tell stories and connect with one another on a level that goes beyond a lot of other forms of communication” Sarah Elaine McLay

In the spirit of bridge-building, McLay is looking for students in the Creative Industries program to fill a Social Media internship position at Hitmakerz in January 2022. Students with experience in social media management are encouraged to apply for the role for a chance to gain real-world experience and networking opportunities within the music industry. Successful candidates also have the potential to stay for the long term.

Learn more about McLay (external link, opens in new window)  and the award-winning record label Hitmakerz (external link, opens in new window) . 

Interested in applying for Hitmakerz January 2022 Social Media Internship? Find out more information  (google doc) about the position (external link, opens in new window) , and email your cover letter and resume to sarah@hitmakerz.com.

The Creative School at Ryerson University

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