Women in Pro Audio: Bella Cooper Women in Pro Audio: Bella Cooper...
Our Women in Pro Audio series shines a spotlight on the talented women who are shaping the world of sound. This series provides a vital platform for these often underrepresented professionals to share their unique journeys, challenges, and triumphs. From front-of-house engineers to production coordinators, tour managers, and consultants, each of their stories helps shape our industry into a more diverse and creative environment. Amplifying their voices is a catalyst for inspiration for others who want to get involved in live events and pro sound.
Meet Bella Cooper
From an early age, Bella Cooper was drawn to music, a passion that would eventually lead her to a career in the pro audio industry. Originally from the UK, Bella grew up in the countryside outside Melbourne, Australia, and then returned to the UK on her own in 2017. Her journey into audio began while working at a café in Bath, where she decided to pursue music production and business at BIMM in 2020. Her path was anything but linear, but through volunteering, networking, and a lot of hard work, she became a versatile sound professional, holding roles such as Production Coordinator, stage tech, front-of-house and monitor engineer, and L-Acoustics L-ISA playback events consultant.
“At the moment, I’m working full-time as a Production Coordinator for Outernet Venues in London. Alongside this, I’ve been freelancing as a stage and Ableton technician for Matthew Herbert, working as a FOH/MONs engineer on a freelance basis, and providing pre-production and technical support for L-ISA playback events,” she shares. “While I sometimes feel like a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, exploring these different roles has been incredibly valuable and has allowed me to develop a well-rounded skill set across live sound, production, and spatial audio.”
The Journey into Pro Audio
Bella’s initial entry into the industry was forged through determination. As she explains, she “started by simply throwing myself out there, seeking any opportunity that might bring me closer to working in live events.” Her first steps were shadowing sound engineers at Café OTO, which led to a summer job with a small PA company—her first professional live sound gig. She later gained valuable experience as a warehouse operative at Britannia Row Productions, where she learned how large audio rigs are assembled. This foundational knowledge helped her land touring roles as a front-of-house engineer for artists like Saint Levant, KAWALA, SOFY, and stage technician for Matthew Herbert.
Bella reflects that while her career hasn’t been a straight line, she finds it rewarding. “My journey definitely hasn’t been linear, and I’m sure it will continue to be full of surprises, but I love the work I’m doing now, and there’s still so much more I want to learn,” she says. One of her biggest challenges has been overcoming internal mental barriers and the pressure to prove herself, but she credits the support of her early colleagues for helping her build confidence. “I was incredibly lucky that the first group of people I met in the industry were so supportive and encouraging,” she notes. “They believed in me from the start, trusted that I could do the job, gave me guidance when I needed it, and otherwise let me get on with things.”
Persistence Pays Off
She also believes in the importance of persistence, especially when faced with challenges. “I’ve had to give myself more than a few pep talks along the way, and still do, but that persistence is part of what’s kept me here,” she shares. This resolve was tested during a “nightmarish” gig earlier this year.
“About 30 minutes before doors, I realized I hadn’t saved a scene on the sound desk, and I still had to soundcheck a support band, all while dealing with a cascade of other issues that decided to happen that same evening. At that moment, I genuinely thought, ‘This is it. This is the end of me.’ But I had no choice except to push through. It was, without question, the worst show I’ve ever done. And yet… I’m still here.” She explains her mental process during these moments: “When I hit challenges like that, I tell myself: ‘I need to solve this. I can solve this. I will solve this.’ Staying focused is key, though it’s easier said than done when chaos is unfolding around you.”
Unique Challenges for Women in Pro Audio
Bella has firsthand experience with the unique challenges women face in a male-dominated field. She notes that while people may make assumptions based on appearance, the biggest hurdle is the lack of infrastructure to support women who want to start families. “The system is quietly designed to push women out at some point,” she explains. Bella highlights the difficulty of balancing a career in live events, which involves long, irregular hours and physically demanding conditions, with the demands of pregnancy and early parenthood. “The question becomes: do you have children first and try to figure the career part out later, or do you wait until you’re ‘established enough,’ knowing that could mean delaying for years?”
She points to the need for better support systems, like proper parental leave, and initiatives that work for freelancers. She cites the “Pregnancy and Motherhood in the Live Music Industry” survey, which reports that many women feel forced to make career decisions purely to protect their longevity in live sound. “It’s still a topic many avoid discussing with colleagues, for fear it might cost them the next job,” she says. “It shouldn’t be that way; we should have the freedom to choose both family and career without penalty, or the fear of losing our place.”
Visibility
Bella also believes a lack of representation in education and the media contributes to the low number of women in pro audio. A point from her university research has remained with her: “Technology isn’t inherently masculine or gendered, it’s just how our society has shaped it to be. That really gets to the heart of it. The barrier isn’t the technology itself, but the cultural messaging, lack of spotlight on visible role models, and the limited access routes that have traditionally excluded or discouraged women.”
To combat this, she advocates for earlier exposure to technology, stronger representation of women in technical roles, and mentorship programs to help dismantle stereotypes. “The good news is that I am seeing more of these changes happen, which is encouraging,” she adds.
Advice for Other Women in Pro Audio
Bella’s advice to other new women in pro audio is simple yet powerful. “Don’t wait until you feel ‘ready.’ Jump in, say yes to opportunities, and figure things out as you go. It might feel daunting, and you might mess up sometimes, but you’ll learn and grow from those moments.” She emphasizes the importance of building a supportive network of people who genuinely want to see you succeed.
The best advice she ever received was from another engineer. “If your EQ on the desk screen looks a little crazy, but it sounds great and you’re happy, don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong,” Bella says. “This was a perfect reminder that the end result—the sound—is all that truly matters.” She adds, “You belong here if you want to be here. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise. There will be moments when you may not feel welcome or like you fit in, but stand your ground. You deserve your place just as much as anyone else in the room.”
When it comes to career growth, Bella says some of the best resources for her have been conversations with other established engineers, especially at festivals. “I’ll often ask about their career and any tips or wisdom they’re willing to share,” she says. “Those chats have been invaluable.” She also credits Google as a surprisingly helpful tool. “There’s an incredible amount of information out there, and while it can be overwhelming to know where on earth to start, it’s pretty amazing how much you can learn just by searching.”
Favorite Moments
Among her most memorable professional experiences was a gig in Saudi Arabia, where she spent the day troubleshooting an audio interface, only to be helped by Chet Faker. “I then spent the rest of the day trekking around in the heat hunting for a replacement interface,” she recalls. “Then, while waiting backstage between sets, a stray kitten appeared from the rocks and hung out near the stage. We were in the middle of the desert surrounded by huge rocks; it was quite something.” On top of that, it turned out one of the production team members had gone to school with Bella’s cousin in the UK. “The whole experience felt completely surreal,” she says. “Looking back, it seems hilarious, not real, and it was definitely one big learning experience. (Always take a backup interface, ha!).”
Why She Does It
She also loves her current role as a stage technician for Matthew Herbert and Momoko Gill, where she works with a highly interactive Ableton setup. “It’s been a great challenge because it involves a lot of MIDI ins and outs, plus various sends going to and from different points on stage,” she explains. She also has fond memories of working with the band SOFY, whom she describes as “great musicians and even better people.” She explains that working with a supportive team makes it much easier to overcome challenges together. “Working with nice people who genuinely trust you makes a huge difference,” she says. “You can be honest in the moment when something’s not right or needs changing, and you’re treated like a human being: someone who can make mistakes, fix them, and grow from them.”
Bella’s favorite part of her job is that “there’s never really a dull moment. Every day is different, and one of the biggest joys is meeting and working with new people; it’s the people that really make the job.” She also loves walking away from a shift having learned something new. “Recently, working on L-ISA playback events has been exactly that, an incredible learning experience,” she says. “The technology is so exciting, and every time I work with it, I feel like I’m expanding my skills in ways that keep me inspired.”
Bella’s Pro Tips
Regarding skills and tips, Bella cautions that she’s aware of how subjective these tips are and understands that they’re unique to each person in the pro sound industry. With that said, she recommends focusing on two things. First, learning to build show files on offline editors. “Not only does it help you understand how a particular desk functions, it’s incredibly useful when traveling between festivals or venues,” she says. Second, understanding the gain structure on a desk. “When I first started, I was intimidated by that gain pot… but getting a solid grasp on gain structure has been transformative. It allows you to get the best out of each instrument, control feedback, and approach the desk with confidence.”
Looking Ahead
Bella is hopeful for the future of live events, especially as she sees more artists prioritizing immersive experiences. “Right now, I’m really enjoying shows that have clearly had a lot of thought put into the production. Things like set design, costumes, and a bit of storytelling are woven through. Chappell Roan is a perfect example and a real benchmark for that at the moment.”
She’s also excited by the potential of spatial audio for live shows. “I’m also excited by immersive shows, like those from Max Cooper. He combines lasers, lights, and cutting-edge technology to create incredible, interactive visuals, especially when paired with live spatial audio. Even on a smaller scale, I love seeing artists create a full experience for their audience. It just elevates the whole show and makes it something truly memorable.”
You can find Bella on Instagram at @bellamaecooper.sound, on her website, and on her DJ account: @bellaunwin.
Read last month’s Women in Pro Audio interview here.