I’ve always been a massive music fan since I was a kid and gravitated towards anything creative. I was in a band in my 20s, painted my whole life and just loved being in that type of space. I started focusing on graphic design and began taking courses at SVA, but still wanted to incorporate music into that somehow. I applied for an internship at a label to gain experience combining music and design, and completely fell in love with that world.

My official title is Marketing Manager which entails wearing a lot of hats. Day-to-day can vary from helping with general artist assets, social media, and digital delivery but that’s kinda why I love it – you’re always challenged and no two days are ever alike.

I have a lot of role models in the industry! I’m mostly blown away by the women in this industry, some of whom I’m lucky enough to call friends, like Jeanette Wall at City Slang or Nicole Mercedes, a local Brooklyn musician. Seeing them create and push the local scene while really championing their friends and artists is inspiring.

I absolutely love it. I think when you live in NYC it’s easy to develop this love/hate thing with it but in terms of fuelling your creativity and just being in awe of what people do here, it’s really hard to compare to any other place.

It’s been devastating to see the effect COVID has had for the creative industry in NYC, and really highlights the larger problem of how there’s no real safety net for artists who are a major part of what makes the city such a magic place to be.

We’re slowly emerging and seeing the music industry come back again but I think we’ve got to be aware that the root problem won’t disappear if COVID is no longer an issue.

So many amazing artists to check out it’s hard to keep track! Nick Hakim, Zenizen, Weeping Icon – the talent in the city is wild.

Unfortunately a lot of venues shuttered in the past couple years, but really happy that spots like Sultan Room and Elsewhere made it through – some of my favourite shows have been there.

I’d like to work with Patti Smith, just because she’s always been this ethereal New York City figure to me, who seems just as kind as she is talented. 

I don’t know if it’s a main career goal but I think one day I’d love to have a go at organising my own festival, with an unlimited budget for talent, design, etc so I could invite all my dream artists – Patti Smith included, of course.

Spice Girls, sometime in the early 2000s – think I really solidified my fandom there. My dad very epically drove me and my sister hours away to this venue in Ohio because tickets were sold out everywhere – I showed up in pigtails and scream-sang the whole time. Also watching Sigur Ros play live was a beautiful and surreal experience.

A lot of projects in the pipeline that I’m excited about!

We’ve got some new signings and releases coming up that I’m so stoked to be working on – absolutely cannot wait until we get to share those. Pachyman and Neal Francis to name a couple – but also looking forward slowly easing into post-pandemic life and not rushing around too much.

Annie Lennox No More I Love You’s forever and ever x