A young Bermudian had the key role of selecting the music during the CBS Television broadcast of the Super Bowl this year, including every “drop” leading into or out of a segment during the production.

Making her moves in the entertainment industry is Taylor Crystal Ralph, handling all things music for CBS Sports, including getting approval from the artist and label.

Ms Ralph is the twentysomething daughter of Mandy Richardson Ralph, originally from Somerset, and Walter Ralph, from New York. She was born in Boston and raised in New Rochelle, New York.

Her Bermudian grandparents are Gladwin and Marilyn Richardson.

Ms Ralph spent her summer holidays in Bermuda, becoming well known working for her uncle, Kent, the triathlete, at his West End waterskiing business.

Before she flew to Las Vegas, where the Kansas City Chiefs became the first team in two decades to repeat as champions after a 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers, Mr Richardson and her aunt, Crystal Anderson, gave her inspiring words of affirmation.

Ms Ralph studied music business at New York University in Manhattan, where she was taught artist management, including marketing and licensing and supervision – getting the right to use a piece of music on television, streaming and in digital.

“This is definitely my dream job, doing music licensing, working in movies, and television and music, and this is the perfect pairing of it. I definitely want to explore more of the movie industry side of it, but, yes, this is a dream job.”

Ms Ralph now runs CBS Sports’ music division, which includes work for The NFL Today, NFL on Sunday and The Super Bowl. It also is responsible for golf’s PGA Tour for 2024.

In the past, among the awards CBS Music has earned was an Emmy for the short feature The Move, the 2021 PGA Championship opening tease, and The Super Bowl LV pre-game show.

Ms Ralph’s responsibility is to pick the music to every feature or “tease” during a show and to negotiate the rights for that music. It often includes working directly with the artist or their management teams.

“Every time you hear music before a commercial or a graphic or before a segment, I pick that music,” she told The Royal Gazette. “For golf, the tone is different from say, basketball, where we will use more of funk music; whereas for golf, it would be orchestral.”

Much of her time is spent meeting music labels and streaming services, such as Spotify, and at listening events for new music.

Music labels will invite music supervisors to meet artists and will feature their music to build relationships.

A highlight of her experience at the Super Bowl this year was the negotiation process with the estate of Frank Sinatra.

Ms Ralph had to clear both the music and film footage of Sinatra singing My Way, which was used for an opening segment that had a Las Vegas theme.

She was key in securing the services of rapper Talib Kweli to do a voiceover on a feature about the 2014 Seattle Seahawks and their efforts to advocate for families to get justice for the victims of police shootings.

“It was my suggestion that he narrate it,” she said. “We talked to him. We talked to his team. He narrated it and it was a wonderful little spot.”

She also worked with superstar DJ Steve Aoki, who has a residence in Las Vegas. Aoki remixed CBS’s NFL theme with an “EDM/Vegas party vibe”, which aired throughout the Super Bowl broadcast.

For March Madness, the NCAA basketball championship, CBS Sports has partnered with Warner Media/Turner Sports.

“I’ll be working with the producers for all of the March Madness content, from Selection Sunday all of the way to the Elite Eight, highlight features on players, hype teasers and for the Final Four, I’ll be doing some features on that as well.”

CBS Music will also be licensing the women’s basketball finals.

When asked about following her dream to be in the music industry, she said: “There are so many jobs out there that people don’t know about.

“Don’t just think that you have only a few selections for a job. I would tell young people to make the most of their opportunities, to research what they want to do, talk to people and make connections – don’t limit yourself.”