Penny Opiah
Founder of Neo Music & Freelance Marketing Manager
Bio
SAE London Music Business alumna Penny Opiah has built a multifaceted career spanning artist management, marketing and culture-building within R&B. As the founder of Neo Music, she has developed the platform into a respected space championing R&B across the UK and internationally: curating live experiences, conversations and community-driven moments that centre the genre.
Alongside leading Neo Music, Penny works as a freelance marketing manager for both major and independent labels, shaping campaigns and digital strategy for emerging and established artists. Through her Neo Nights series, she has partnered with institutions including Soho House and is launching a new chapter of Neo Nights at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in March 2026, further cementing R&B within iconic live spaces.
Internationally, Penny independently created and delivered a pioneering R&B festival in Lagos at Landmark Beach, bridging UK, EU and Nigerian audiences. Across her projects, she has secured partnerships with brands including Wingstop, Black Music Coalition, BuzzBallz and Ditto Music, among others.
One of Penny’s proudest achievements has been partnering with Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club – a world-renowned stage synonymous with musical excellence – and carving out space for contemporary R&B within its historic walls. Bringing artists such as Lizzie Berchie, Dayo Bello and Anaïs Cardot to the venue was more than a booking; it was a cultural statement. Seeing a new generation of UK R&B talent command such a prestigious stage and connect with new audiences marked a full-circle moment and reinforced her mission to shift perceptions of where R&B belongs.
Penny credits her time at SAE with giving her both the technical foundation and strategic confidence to navigate the music industry with clarity. Studying Music Business equipped her with a working understanding of contracts, publishing, marketing strategy, release planning and budgeting, enabling her to approach creativity with commercial awareness. She also values the way SAE fostered independence and initiative, encouraging collaboration across disciplines and reinforcing that there is no single pathway to success in music, which later influenced her decision to host workshops in schools and demystify music careers for young women.
Her advice to future students is to treat their time at SAE as the start of their professional journey. Build projects early, network intentionally, seek experience beyond the curriculum and understand both creativity and commerce. For Penny, the foundation SAE provides is powerful, but it’s what students build on top of it that defines their careers – be proactive, not passive.
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