Karla Ortiz Highlights Music Career Strategies at NAMM 2025
In this #LiveSession from NAMM 2025, Karla Ortiz (IG: @misskortiz) shared her expertise on building sustainable music careers, emphasizing digital marketing, education, and artist empowerment. As the founder of Monark Entertainment and a former VP of Marketing and Label Services for Vydia, Ortiz brings decades of industry experience to the forefront. From her work at Universal Music Group to mentoring the next generation at the Los Angeles College of Music (LACM), Ortiz continues to shape the future of the music business.
Cutting Through the Noise: Insights from NAMM
At NAMM 2025, Ortiz participated in the LACM (IG: @lacmofficial) panel, "Cutting Through the Noise: Creating a Career in the Music Industry," presented by the NAMM Foundation. Joined by other industry experts, Ortiz shared strategies for boosting visibility through social media, digital marketing, and personal branding. Attendees walked away with actionable tips on leveraging tools, resources, and networking opportunities to create sustainable careers in the ever-evolving music industry.
The Journey of Karla Ortiz: From Executive to Educator
Ortiz's career spans a variety of high-profile roles, including VP of Marketing at Vydia and Digital Marketing executive at Universal Music Group. In 2020, during the pandemic, she launched Monark Entertainment, providing strategic support to independent and major-label artists. Ortiz spearheaded the early Vydia one-stop video distribution, which soon set a standard for digital video syndication across social video platforms.
In 2022, Ortiz was appointed professor and counselor at LACM, where she now oversees digital distribution and mentors aspiring music leaders in the Music Business Department. Her dedication to educating the next generation is grounded in a passion for equipping artists with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive in a competitive landscape.
Empowering Artists Through Strategy and Innovation
Ortiz's approach to artist empowerment centers on digital marketing expertise and a deep understanding of online streaming. She emphasized the importance of maintaining control over one's narrative in the digital age, saying, "Artists today have more tools than ever to share their stories authentically and connect directly with their fans."
Read the full editorial here on The Hype Magazine. Connect with our Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jerry Doby @jerrydoby_ across social media.
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