From Universal Music to Entrepreneurship: Rosanna Connolly on Navigating PR in the Entertainment Industry and Building Morena Comms

In this interview, Rosanna Connolly, a seasoned PR and communications expert, takes us through her journey from her early days at Mercury Records to leading PR for major brands like Apple Music and Apple Podcasts in the UK & Europe.

With a passion for storytelling and a knack for building impactful campaigns, Rosanna shares insights into her experiences with high-profile artists and the lessons learned while working with industry giants. Now at the helm of her own PR company, Morena Comms, she discusses the transition to entrepreneurship, the challenges of running a PR firm, and her vision for the future of communications in the entertainment industry.

Nicolle: What initially drew you to the field of Marketing & Communications within the entertainment industry?

Rosanna: Initially I just wanted a job working in the music industry and I didn’t care what it was! After I got my foot in the door at Mercury Records I became completely enamoured with how PR worked in collaboration with other marketing efforts, and how important crafting the right pitch is.

It was at Apple that I put my hand up for doing anything and everything I could beyond my role. I took on Podcast PR, worked across multiple product launches and really honed my chops at media training. I loved seeing how my contributions impacted the company in a positive way.

Nicolle: Can you share some insights into the high-profile campaigns you worked on during your time with Universal Music labels Mercury Records and Virgin EMI?

Rosanna: I joined Universal Music at an incredibly exciting time - my first ever PR campaign was Ludacris! I was fortunate enough to assist on the campaigns for the likes of Rihanna, Jake Bugg and Pixie Lott, and secured press for Emeli Sande, Katy Perry and Norah Jones, to name a few!

Nicolle: What were some of the key challenges you faced while leading PR for Apple Music and Apple Podcasts in the UK & Europe, and how did you overcome them?

The main challenge, as with a lot of jobs, was finding enough hours in the day to do all the work! I had to learn the painful art of prioritisation, saying “no,” and setting healthy boundaries.

The other challenge was the endless list of stakeholders you sometimes had to go through for approvals. A release sometimes took a matter of weeks to go through, which meant exercising a lot of patience!

Nicolle: What motivated you to transition from your role at Apple to joining Platoon as Artist Communications Lead?

Well, the motivation was a dream job! I travelled a lot with my Apple Music role, which meant meeting and learning from a range of people and personalities! 

One of those people was Denzyl Feigelson, an absolute legend in the music industry and founder of Platoon, a space for fearless creatives. The role gave me the opportunity to expand my skill set to a global scale. During my time working there, I set up Morena Comms and ultimately decided to dive head-first into entrepreneurship.

Nicolle: How has your experience with various genres and sectors influenced your approach to running your own PR company, Morena Comms?

Rosanna: I’m an R&B and Pop lover at heart, though I have an appreciation for all genres and the creativity it takes to produce an original body of work. If I feel there is a compelling storing waiting to be told and feel passionate about the project, I’ll take it on (privided we have capacity!). Keeping my skillset broad has allowed me to delve into other areas of the Arts, contemporary art and culture PR being one of them. Though when it comes to corporate PR, I am more specific who we work with. We work with companies within the Entertainment space, as this is where my strengths and knowledge lie - corporate is a big beast to get to grips with.

Nicolle:  Could you highlight some notable successes or milestones that Morena Comms has achieved since its inception?

Rosanna: Something I LOVE to do is teach and equip, and I get requested to run PR sessions quite a lot throughout the year. From this demand, I decided to create a program that anyone could access at any time and from any location. It’s harder than it seems to create a high-quality course, but it’s one of the things I’m most proud of helping artists to DIY their PR.

Quite recently we delivered a textbook-perfect campaign for Music Tech company Submix. It is an incredible feeling to make a client so happy as we did. It’s also a testament to how exciting what they’re doing is and I’m equally excited to take the conversation further. 

Nicolle: What future trends or changes do you foresee in the PR and communications landscape for the entertainment industry, and how is Morena Comms preparing to adapt to them?

Rosanna: This is a great question! I am confident that the digital landscape will continue to grow and we’ll see more experimentation with AI. On the flip side, I reckon the need for nostalgia and human connection will increase, and we’ll see some more areas for physical media to show up.

I also think we’ll see a big resurgence of following credible journalists/names/voices vs. outlet titles through long-form content. The way I prepare is to stay up-to-date on the news & trends that relate to our clients. I like to apply tactics from other sectors to my practice, and I always stay learning! 

Rosanna Connolly’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous learning. From managing campaigns for some of the biggest names in music to establishing her own space for innovative storytelling through Morena Comms, she has consistently embraced new challenges and opportunities. As the PR landscape continues to evolve, Rosanna remains focused on blending the best of digital advancements with the timeless need for human connection. With her deep industry knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit, Rosanna is not only shaping the future of entertainment PR but also empowering the next generation of creatives to take control of their stories.

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Nicolle Knapova is a little bit of everything. She is a freelance translator, content creator and social media executive for The C Word Mag. She loves indie music and is always browsing through Spotify to find the next amazing artist to obsess over. Her love for storytelling means she’s always writing something and she’s not afraid of any genre. Her biggest dream is to be a published author. If she’s not writing her fan fiction, she’s writing her poetry and sharing it on her Instagram @elisecaverly.