Disc-covering

Music is such a big part of our lives. We listen to it no matter what mood we're in, no matter what location or situation. It makes us feel things, connects us to others, helps us get through the bad times and makes the good times better. I'm listening to it as I write this.

I want to bring music to the world- but not with my own voice. Definitely not with my own voice.
So whose voice? Where will I find my artists?

Coffee shops, bars, street corners, the dark depths of the Internet, my college campus.
The genre? Good music from local artists. Call it homegrown if you will.
Where is "local"? Wherever there's good music. I know I just mentioned my college campus but if Gainesville, Florida has the next Tom Petty you bet I'd book a plane ticket.
I love the authenticity of local artists. You hear their struggle, you hear their pain. It's not a gimmick. It's real life.


I won't let anyone to tell me when or what I should be doing, or what hair color to have for that matter. I will do my own A&R. I will manage social media accounts for my artists, fulfill orders for their merchandise, books their gigs...
 
You may ask what a Communications major knows about music. Well, I know it's a major form of communication. And there are many great artists that don't get the recognition they deserve. They don't stand in line for hours in the hopes of auditioning to win America's hearts. They don't run into Usher at the airport. They don't just go "viral".

They work hard every day.

My dream career isn't about me at all. It's about small town artists just trying to make a living.

I would say Sir Richard Branson is a major influence for me. Branson, Founder of Virgin Group, which controls over 400 companies, achieved his status by realizing it wasn't about him. It was about those he represented. Said Branson in an interview for Inc., "...If the person who works at your company is 100% proud of the job they're doing, if you give them the tools to do a good job...they're gonna be happy and therefore the customer will have a nice experience".

Whereas Virgin Records represents several big name artists (think Fall Out Boy and Rihanna), I'm not worried about that amount of success. I just want to showcase other people's gifts.

What I love about Richard Branson is that he never stays in one place.
I want to do something different every day.
I want to:

• discover new artists
• run a studio
• build and run a website
• manage artists
• shoot music and promotional videos
• listen to podcasts on how to better engage my clients
• host interviews with my artists to help them connect with their fanbases

I would also book the artists to speak at schools in the area to teach local kids about music and how to achieve their dreams. Having a studio in a smaller town would hopefully generate enough revenue to provide aide to music programs in schools.


There are so many kids who have a hard time expressing themselves verbally so they use art. Music, writing, drawing, you name it. I want them to feel encouraged. I want them to know they don't have to use words in a formal setting to explain how they feel. And I want to remind adults that.