How Valuing Community Turned Music Into My Dream Career
I first decided that music would take a significant role in my life at the age of 14 when I was finally allowed to weasel my way into shows at my hometown’s small but mighty local concert venue.
While I may have not believed at the time that a career in music was even possible, or what it would look like if it was, I knew that from that point on that if I was ever granted the opportunity, I would try absolutely everything I could to make a living out of my passion for music and the people that help make it. Music fosters community, and a strong community fosters the music right back, and I realized decently early on that I wanted to do my part in taking care of that relationship for as long as time allowed it!
As I near the end of my college career, I finally feel like I have a small portfolio of accomplishments I’m proud of: Three different internships, a staff position at my college radio station, and a whole tool belt of industry knowledge I didn’t have before coming to school. I can confidently say investing time into the people around me and fostering those connections got me farther than any sole experience or resume bullet point, and helped land me internship roles that I could have only dreamed of having as a teenager.
However, we all start somewhere, and for me that looked like dragging whoever I could to my hometown’s local low-capacity venue, Strummer’s, as many times as humanly possible in high school. I can still recall every small detail, specific songs place every one of my senses back into the venue that nurtured my passion for music and the people that make it. How could a teenager not love it? A simple transaction that seemed like a no-brainer to me: a crumpled-up ten-dollar bill at the door in exchange for the experience of countless obscure, semi-local bands that, luckily for us, hadn’t seen enough success yet to play for any more than 500 people. I was always where the music was if I could help it. I loved that music provided such a strong sense of community amongst total strangers. And that’s when it clicked for me! The realization that the world of music is so much more than just the music itself, it’s bolstered by a group of people who connect with it and therefore connect with each other.
So, naturally, as soon as I moved to southern California, I began to do everything I could to find those communities of music lovers. Most notably, I immediately joined my schools’ radio station, Chapman Radio, and started hosting a show that showcased my love for alternative and pop punk music. I was 15 minutes early to all of the meetings, I followed probably every single person on Instagram that I could find involved with the station, and when I couldn’t sleep I would slip down into the broadcast room and handpick songs I wanted the world to hear at 2:00 in the morning. I was finally *doing* something!
As a freshman, I reached out to the station’s then music director, Giovanna Sestito, to get coffee because I was interested in what she was doing at the station and externally, she was interning with Warner Music at the time. We shared so many common interests and immediately became great friends, she eagerly and graciously showed me the ropes of the radio station and helped me get involved in programs like Grammy U, immediately extending her knowledge to me to help get me as connected as I could. Working with Gigi undoubtedly changed the course of my college career. It was a true privilege to learn from her as a colleague and friend. It was so refreshing and inspiring to meet a young individual so driven and goal-oriented yet gentle and kind, especially within an industry as cutthroat and intense as the world of music. I consider her a mentor and our relationship is a prime example of how valuable it is to have someone supportive and encouraging when navigating the music industry as a young person.
Flash forward to junior year of college, I now held the music director role after Gigi had graduated, and much to my dismay was still on the receiving end of countless dead-end interviews and internship rejections. Admittedly, I was frustrated and even a little confused. I was told I was doing everything right, my resume looked fine, I even had participated in countless interview and resume workshops to make up for the little experience I had up until this point. I was putting so much effort forth, and didn’t feel like I was getting through to anyone. So I decided to try a new method. I forced myself to take a step back and change my intention and attitude towards the application process. Up until this point I was looking at internships like stepping stones or collector’s items, and realized a lot of what I was writing in my applications reflected that attitude. In cover letters and in application questions I was talking a lot about why I admired the company, my career goals, and what I wanted to learn from them. I wasn’t talking at all about myself, and nothing I was putting into any of these applications was showing my personality. I decided to approach any future applications as a conversation, and be honest about where I’m at and how I felt. I wrote my application for Rise Records about being a fangirl, I wrote about Strummer’s, and I wrote about what I’ve learned from being friends with my fellow staff members at the radio station.
That was the first interview I had that led to another! In my second interview with Rise Records /BMG, I got the opportunity to talk to someone on the BMG Talent Acquisition Team, which is a conversation I will also value forever! I wasn’t focused on being too professional, I remember thinking it didn’t even feel like an interview. We talked about our own personal journeys, our shared experiences growing up in small towns, and so much more. I ended the interview feeling like I had made a new friend, which I had never experienced before. Much to my excitement I got an offer letter a week later, and I vowed to treat the rest of my semester like I treated that interview: I fell in love with music through fandoms and community, and so I would make it a priority to carry that love for music and people through my entire experience.
Rise Records was a dream for a metalcore, pop punk, rock fangirl like myself. Diving into marketing strategy for one of the industry’s leading labels (and one I admired as a teenager) was so full-circle. I learned how to amplify an artist’s voice, not just through music but through branding, storytelling, and fan engagement. It was a lesson in the art of visibility—understanding how to make great music resonate with the right audiences. I learned from what was probably the coolest team of people I’ve ever met, and spent time getting to know their journeys as well.
Following the spring, I decided that since I had such an incredible experience with Rise and BMG that I would reapply for their summer internship cohort! I had another interview that echoed the first one I had that landed me the Rise internship; transparent, comfortable, and enthusiastic, all qualities I felt comfortable presenting after months of making an effort to be personable before I tried to be anything else.
Fortunately, my journey continued at BMG through the summer, where I worked as a streaming intern, navigating the fast-paced world of playlist placements and digital trends. The experience deepened my appreciation for the mechanics behind the music—how algorithms and audience insights intersect to shape listening habits and launch careers. I was so fortunate to have been able to return for another term to such an amazing company, and continue to learn from some of the kindest, most supportive people in the industry! Prior to starting my internship over the summer, my knowledge of the DSP world was essentially limited to what I knew about it from a user standpoint. I came to learn very quickly how important information about streaming performance – such as editorial playlisting statistics for new releases – is to artists and labels alike! I spent a lot of time organizing upcoming releases and assisting our Spotify and Apple Music departments with tasks such as roster organization, weekly post-release research on playlisting, and general research on how to optimize/streamline our processes for pitching future BMG releases to the DSPs we work with.
The culture of BMG is so supportive, everything I so firmly believe about music and community takes human form in the people I worked with there! Everyone’s main priority was taking care of the artists as people. Even in a department like streaming, that heavily focuses on algorithms and the less personal side of the industry, about how the artists would be affected by playlisting, and personally celebrating every “win” when it came to a great playlist placement or partnership opportunities with DSPs.
These roles taught me that success in the music industry is about more than passion—it’s about adaptability, creativity, and persistence. But in my experience, it’s most importantly about relationships. Building genuine connections with artists, industry professionals, and fans alike is at the heart of what makes this business so special.
