Chris Davies
"I was really able to hone my skills, not only through the amazing labs and recording studios at Surrey, but also by working with my peers and lecturers on projects."
Course
Creative Music Technology BMus (Hons)Graduation year
2018Why did you choose to study creative music technology at Surrey?
The Creative Music Technology course at Surrey was the only university course I applied to. I was captivated by the course after my first open day and so I set my sights on it with no backup plan.
How did your time at Surrey help pave the way for your career?
Surrey gave me a great platform in terms of making connections, learning new skills, and honestly buying me time to align myself and my abilities with the world.
Throughout my three-year course I was always working on entrepreneurial side-projects – whether it be working on Bonfire Records (the record label I co-founded), doing some freelance audio engineer work, or simply making as diverse and impressive a portfolio as I could with the fantastic facilities at my disposal.
I was really able to hone my skills, not only through the amazing labs and recording studios at Surrey, but also by working with my peers and lecturers on projects. I now work very closely with some of my friends through the record label, so Surrey’s enabled me to make some friends for life as well as some great working partnerships.
How has your career progressed since you graduated?
I'm part of a full-time team of four that runs our record label, Bonfire Records. The rest of the team live and work over in the US, and I work remotely from the UK. I am in charge of A&R and engineering, and oversee our UK/Europe operations. I joined the team in 2015 in my first semester, when the label was a Soundcloud page with 800 followers. The label now garners five million monthly listeners across our main roster artists (such as Moglii, Jay Warren and Inverness), and we've recently signed sync deals with Bose and Hollister, plus had our first Hollywood film credit in 'AXL'. I've kept up with my audio engineering with a number of production credits this year, including working with Rebecca Black, Neutral and Draper.
"The best part of my job is the creative freedom, being my own boss, and also not having to work in a run-of- the-mill office."
What are you working on now?
I've been setting up an audio distribution company since I graduated, and am working on an ambitious new solo album for release next year. The best part of my job is the creative freedom, being my own boss, and also not having to work in a run-of- the-mill office.
What are your career highlights so far and what are your aspirations for the future?
Achieving 10 million streams across my engineering portfolio, working with Draper, and being able to be a full-time musician. I would love to win a Grammy in the future, whether it's for songwriting/production or for engineering. I love my work in the music business but my aim will always be to make it as a solo artist.
What advice would you give to students hoping to work in your field?
I was always thinking about what was going to happen to me after university, and what I was going to do to make it happen from the first semester right up until I graduated. I spent three years networking hard and putting my name out there in every area of the industry possible. I'd advise all students to keep one eye firmly on your course and the other firmly on the rest of your life. It’s imperative to have a concrete plan for when you graduate.
Discover more about our courses in music and sound recording, including our BMus (Hons) Creative Music Technology.
