Women of the Disco: Part 12

Alyssa Pascucci

I started both my creative career and my career in the music industry all at once in 2018. My first gig was an EDM boat cruise in Boston, and it all stemmed from there. I think timing and a little bit of luck played a role in my launch. I fell into the world of media + music all at once and at a time when there was great need for event content in Boston and not a lot of freelancers here working in it. I navigated the industry with the insight of a few who started before me, and had to practice a lot of trial and error to learn technical skills and business practices. Today, I am a hybrid photographer/videographer with my hands in a few niches! I work a mix of music, travel, live events, and brand projects. I’ve always found it difficult to narrow down my work, and while it can occasionally pull me in a few different directions, I love bringing influence from one niche into other projects!

In the beginning, it was to be a “yes” girl. If a contact referred my name and someone reached out, I’d say yes first and figure it out second. I was shooting and editing all hours of the day, all days of the week. Making myself available and capable played a large role in building reliability with the people who trusted me with their projects and referred me to others. As I grew in my career, learning when to say no and turn down jobs helped to not spread myself too thin or cause burnout. Best advice– be kind, helpful, and reliable!! You are working among so many talented peers, and it takes more than your creative skills to stand out. It is important to be the kind of person that people want to spend time around and can rely on.

Advice: My advice to other women in this field: You are so much more capable than you think!! Everyone faces imposter syndrome at some point in their career, and we are all truly figuring it out as we go. The secret to getting a job is delusionally and confidently putting yourself and your work out there, and you’d be amazed at the impact you can make :)

Emily Bell

I’ve always been heavily into music and going to shows but didn’t know I wanted to work in it until college. I started to write for my college newspaper about shows in the area and upcoming music etc which gave me a good understanding of the scene. When I got an internship with an artist manager after graduating, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. After my internship I was lucky to begin my career in music at my current company, Confirmed. I began advancing shows and learned all other things along the way which has led me to my current role as an artist manager!

My current role as a manager consists of overseeing my artist in all ways – touring, brainstorming marketing activations, working on overall branding for my artist, oversee merch designs and shipments, pitch my artists music to labels, and more. Working alongside my artists to help them reach their goals while challenging them to try new things and offering them ideas to get there.

Some attributes I find helpful are just being open to learning all things, new or old. Whether it be marketing, label work, touring, social media, merch, artwork, etc – letting the people around you teach you and not to be afraid to make mistakes to learn along the way to get better. I like to keep things very light hearted and funny which I feel helps ease the tension in stressful situations while still getting the job done!

Advice: I think being kind goes a long way, and you attract great people with that mentality. My advice would be don’t compare yourself/your work directly to others and understanding someone else’s success isn’t a failure for you! There’s room for everyone to succeed :)

Jasmine Reddy

I started my journey with the promotional and performance team for Notion events in Chicago in 2015. I was then inspired by Liz Hagerty’s innovative work in festival content creation which drove me to independently develop skills in social media marketing and content creation. Soon after, I secured an internship as a social media manager with Electric Hawk, which opened doors to various contracted roles in site operations, box office management, performer coordination, and content creation.

Currently, I oversee the social media accounts for the Disco Presents festivals, concentrating on brand health and community engagement, while also collaborating with sponsors.

The key attributes that have propelled my career are my curiosity and passion. I’ve embraced every opportunity that came my way, approaching each role with professionalism.

Advice: I believe that if you are truly passionate, you’ll find a path to your goals. Building connections with industry professionals and seeking out diverse experiences have been vital to my journey, and perseverance has been essential in getting me to where I am today.

Katie Sexton

Growing up in Colorado and attending the University of Boulder (Sko Buffs), made it hard not to be immersed in the vibrant music scenes. Attending shows at Red Rocks, going to events like Decadence year after year laid the foundation for a love of Dance Music. Through attending shows I fell in love with the idea of being able to bring people together to share their passion for an Artist as well as getting to bring that Artist’s vision to life. Once I learned more about the various roles within the industry I found myself drawn to the live side of things which led me to an internship at the Fox & Boulder Theatres and then to Madison House. My time there helped to solidify that I wanted to pursue a career in the Agency world. After college, I moved to Chicago where I dove into the local music scene, and through maintaining and growing relationships I found myself at Paradigm Talent Agency as an Agent Assistant until the
pandemic. Like many when the world came to a halt, I found myself looking for a way to stay connected to the industry. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to help bring a drive-in series, Lake Shore Drive Inn, to the Chicago community. Having the chance to stay connected to this community helped lead me to my next role which was as an Agent Associate at Mint Talent Group. There I was connected to my amazing mentor Mary Allen who eventually brought me with her to United Talent Agency where I’ve been for the past several years.

In addition to my professional pursuits, another passion of mine is promoting inclusivity in the music industry, especially in the Dance/Electronic space. During the Pandemic, I got involved in She is The Music, which led to me helping start the Chicago Chapter of the organization. Through SITM I became connected to an incredible group of women who also shared this passion for creating an equitable community in the Dance space, Ronny Ho, Steph LaFera, and Anna Horowitz. Together we started a WhatsApp group which initially was just a space for women across the industry to connect but has since become an incredible community and resource called HerDancefloor. It’s been such an amazing thing to see this group grow and watch people connect and foster relationships.

At the beginning of the year, I was promoted to a Coordinator at UTA and in this role, I get to continue helping Artists bring their visions to life and develop their careers. In this role I help support Agents and their rosters while building my own roster which includes some exciting developing acts like LYNY, Effin, & Taahliah to name a few. My daily routine consists of routing tours, sharing offers with management, booking shows and helping to coordinate tour/show announcements.

I think most of this applies to any industry/job, but I think they go extra far in the current music
industry landscape. A strong work ethic, taking initiative, and great communication skills, especially interpersonal communication. Being able to maintain good relationships has been a vital part of how I got to where I am. You never know who’ll meet along the journey; those interactions will impact you! Another attribute I value is the ability to have perspective in this job. It’s important to me to do right by our Artists and also have great relationships with Promoters, but we live in a chaotic and sometimes painful world and it’s important to me to hold space for that to keep me grounded.

Advice: Surround yourself with people who share your vision of success. I think in this industry, like many, it’s easy to be blinded by someone else’s idea of success and let that drive you. But I feel it’s possible to have a successful career, work hard, and have a balanced and fulfilling life outside of my job (which is my idea of success).

Marie-Pier Guérin

My journey into the music industry began five years ago when I joined Kannibalen Records in an administrative role, handling accounting, reporting, and marketing budgets. Since then, my role has evolved, and I am now deeply involved in marketing, promotion, and artist management for major acts like Black Tiger Sex Machine (BTSM), Apashe, Dabin, and Kai Wachi. With the guidance of BTSM, I have also taken on my own roster of artists, including WODD and rising talent Rayjhin.

My connection to the bass and dubstep scene started in 2012 at a Kannibalen event in Montréal, where I instantly fell in love with the energy and heavy beats. This passion led me to a position at Kannibalen Records, where I now actively contribute to the scene I love by connecting with emerging artists and giving them opportunities to shine. One of my proudest projects is working on the label’s Christmas and Summer compilations, helping showcase new talent.

Transitioning from a corporate background to the music industry was challenging, but my resilience and dedication have helped me thrive. I’ve played a key role in organizing some of BTSM’s biggest events, including their Red Rocks and WAMU shows as well as their recent announcement of Church Dome at Tacoma Dome. This year, I had the chance to be an integral part of Dabin’s Stay In Bloom festival, working artist relations and will get the chance to run it back and now expand it to New York next year.

Being recognized as a ‘Woman of the Disco’ is a meaningful moment for me. While I’ve always felt valued at Kannibalen Records, this recognition from the wider music community feels empowering. I’m continuously inspired by the incredible women that I’ve crossed paths with in the industry–friends who uplift each other and are deeply dedicated to supporting their artists. I cherish the knowledge and experiences these women have shared with me and feel fortunate to be surrounded by such strong, inspiring individuals.

Advice: Believe in your worth, stay true to your vision, and always lift others as you rise–your journey will be defined by the strength and kindness you share along the way.

Maya Nauriyal

Originally from Columbus, OH, I started interning for Prime Social Group in high school, realizing very quickly this is the industry I wanted to be part of. I had a lot of introductory experience ranging from artist relations, promotions, marketing, to eventually carving my own path to managing festival installations & activations. I worked with PSG all throughout college until the pandemic hit, and tried to remain as involved as possible through remote internships and connecting with other industry professionals. I earned a degree at Ohio University through their Communications / Recording Industry program, gaining a wide range of experience working with record labels and festival operations. In 2021, I got a job at Gravitas Recordings as their Project Manager & Release Coordinator. Soon after, I started working with DEF (Define Everything Future) in the same role. As time went on, I realized I really loved working directly with talent, and management was always something that sparked curiosity. In 2022, I started working with Kompass Music Group, and have continuously evolved in my role(s) at the company and with various artists on my roster.

Some day to day responsibilities to name a few include:

– Manage day to day operations across touring, marketing, merch, and releases with all artists Oversee and coordinate marketing, social, and content plans with all artists

– Oversee booking & touring schedules with all artists

– Manage operations and day to day across marketing, releases, content, and distribution for Memory Palace

– Oversee and coordinate merchandise announces and drops with all artists and Memory Palace

Some attributes that have helped Maya find success within her profession:
Patience, teamwork, honesty, adaptability, empathy

Advice: Don’t let anyone dim your light, your insight and perspective is invaluable