Adrian Binns had a degree in finance but music was in his heart.

Determined to see where his passion might take him, he went to London, where he enrolled in a one-year master’s degree in music management and set himself a deadline.

“If by the end of the year I didn't have some sort of internship or foot in the door, then I would come back to Bermuda and go into finance,” he said. “But at least I tried to chase the dream and if it didn’t work, it didn't work.”

That was in 2012. Nearly 15 years later, Mr Binns is still in London and has built the career in music he once did not know was possible.

He has worked for Apple, Ministry of Sound, Sony and Universal, on projects involving artists including Kanye West, Kali Uchis, Lil Baby, Migos and Marshmello.

Today, he is director of global artist relations at the French streaming service Deezer, leading a six-person team

It is a considerable distance from the path that seemed most likely when he left Warwick Academy.Although he was “a bit of a music nerd”, when it came time for university he considered the opportunities available in Bermuda and figured finance was the logical choice.

“I always had a passion for music. Always loved it. It was really one of the only things I was passionate about. But being from Bermuda, I never dreamed of a career in music because it was never heard of, there was no representation of that,” he said.

After four years in Canada, however, he was increasingly unsure that returning to Bermuda for a career in finance was right for him.

“It really didn't appeal to me to go back to Bermuda and work in accounting or insurance. It just didn't feel right. Although that was a solid route and probably a lucrative route, it didn't feel fulfilling in my soul, and I figured if there was going to be a time to explore a passion or a dream, it would be now.”

His gamble began to pay off in 2013 when he landed an internship with Apple, working in independent label relations for iTunes.

Mr Binns was given dozens of record labels to look after. He built relationships with them, learnt about their releases and helped determine which artists and albums were promoted in the iTunes store.

It was his first real introduction to an industry he had previously known little about.

“It definitely was a learning curve. It was definitely my first job, it was entry level, I think it was understood that I would learn on the job.”

After nine months at Apple, Mr Binns landed his first full-time job at Ministry of Sound, the London nightclub which had grown into a major independent record label.

Social media was still relatively new for businesses and artists and he helped start the label’s social media team, working on Facebook and digital marketing.

During his time there, he worked on number one singles and albums, top-ten records and gold and platinum hits.

“Even to this day, I'll turn on the radio, even in Bermuda, and hear a song that I looked after at Ministry. So that's sort of quite a nice full circle feeling.”

Mr Binns stayed with the company when it was taken over by Sony but two years later decided it was time for a change.

He wanted to branch into other genres and work on more complete artist projects, rather than focusing primarily on individual dance and electronic music releases.

That opportunity came at Universal, where he worked for EMI Records.

His projects included Kanye West, Kali Uchis, Lil Baby, City Girls, Migos and Marshmello, as well as artists who were still developing their careers.

The role gave him the opportunity to work on an album project from start to finish, with his responsibilities extending to photoshoots, music videos, physical releases such as vinyl and CDs and other aspects of marketing.

It was the behind-the-scenes role in music that Mr Binns had always wanted.

“I never wanted to be a performer or front of stage or an artist or creating the music. The interest was always behind the scenes and supporting the artists in whatever way.”

After almost four years at Universal, he was approached by French streaming company Deezer to run its artist relations team.

Based in London, Mr Binns and his team maintain relationships with record labels and look for opportunities for Deezer to work with their artists.

That can mean a performance, meet-and-greet, album preview, live session or social media project. His work has included events at the Eiffel Tower and Centre Pompidou, bringing British and American artists to their French audiences.

Nearly 15 years after he moved to London as a 21-year-old hoping to break into the business, his next step is less obvious.

“I’ve executed that plan over the past almost 15 years. I’ve become quite senior. There's definitely still room for me to grow but I'm at a place where the next step isn't as clear cut.”

For other Bermudians interested in pursuing a creative career, his advice is much the same as the approach that took him to London.

“Take a leap. Being from Bermuda, I had no idea. I come back at least once a year, and there actually does seem to be quite a creative community here. People do seem to be self-starters and not scared of exploring.”

But the leap, he said, should come with some thought about how to turn an ambition into something practical.

“So make a plan, a three-step plan, and just take it step by step and see where you land. That's what I would say. Take the leap, but have a plan.”