Glee

                                                                        

I often write about helping those in my field with tips, info and what not. But I thought today I'd write something a little different...Glee! Yes, I'm officially on the bandwagon to this show....although late but that's what happens when you have no TV.  And it was official when I saw the very special episode of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Just when I thought real talent was out the window, it came right back! And to prove my point, check out the wedding scene from season two. Its not so much about the wedding, but the signing, dancing, and acting combined on this show that, in my opinion, makes these young actors very gifted and talented. Years ago (and when I write this, I mean when television was in black and white) actors did what these young people are doing and its finally making a comeback!

There's been much discussion about the lack of talent or creativity within the music industry with artists that should or should not be in plain sight...seeing this show changes my mind and gives me hope that we can continue to see this talent emerge because this is what our business needs.

(To see these stars shine, click on the link!)

Happy Holidays!

I usually would write something regarding the business but today I thought I'd wish everyone a happy holiday season and new year! I know this year has been tough on many people emotionally, financially, or for whatever other type of reason but just think of it this way....a new year will begin and let's all hope for the best. Have a good one.

Nicole

Celebrities and their good intentions...

and when these good intentions go bad. Yes, I said it, bad! Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake and others vowed to refuse to be active on  Facebook or Twitter unless $1,000,000 was contributed to the charity "Keep a Child Alive" that launched Wednesday (December 1st), which was also World AIDS Day.

Unfortunately, our big hearted celebs forgot our economy is still on its very long path to recovery, people have no jobs and guess what? The holidays are here! I spent at least $150.00 MORE for my plane ticket than what I would have normally spent just for going home for Thanksgiving! And last....social media helps drives campaigns. How else would anyone know about new movies or that new album they want us to desperately know about? Hmmm....you tell me?

I think its safe to say our celebrities just shot themselves in the foot...I mean feet.

Why you should blog!

Monster College recently listed 5 good reasons you should BLOG! That's right, blog! And here they are:

1. You show you are intelligent

2. You show that you know how to write

3. You demonstrate you are motivated

4. You have something to say

5. You are a leader in a community

And if you don't take my word for it, listen to Alexis Tirado who is now the head blogger for Alicia Keys' Iamsuperwoman web site under way. That's right! She is a former journalist and now work's for one the industry's most talented artists.

So blog away and you just might land your dream job!

(To see and read more, click on the links.)

Editor from People Magazine

Yesterday was an exciting day! My class and I got to meet Steve Helling, one of the editors from People magazine! Yep, People!  He was a great guest speaker and had some tips to give those wanting to either work management in the industry or be an artist. Here they are:

1. Be truthful about yourself. Don't lie.

Funny how as someone who studied public relations, this was the first thing my professor at the time, now the chair of my school, told my classmates and I.  In fact, he may have even suggested us to tattoo it on our heads!

2. Be simple. 

When building a brand or your image, you must be simple when it comes to describing who you are and what it is you're trying to do. 

3. Be prepared for the media at all times.

And most importantly, be prepared for whatever happens! Remember, if you're an artist, everything you do is not private. He didn't say this, its my own personal opinion. Unfortunately, privacy goes out the door once you sign on that little line next to the X. Anyone ever heard of sex tapes? Yeah, that's an example. If you're representing an artist (or celebrity), you have to be on your game at all times. Remember, its your job to know what is going on with your artist (or celebrity) because you play a part in their team and that is representing who they are.

(Click on the link to follow Steve on Twitter.)

I'm in Latina!!!!!!!

Well may be not on the cover but my letter to the Editor is! Yep! I wrote a letter to the editor regarding a past issue that featured Latin women attending West Point! And couldn't resist to tell her about my field (the music industry) and she couldn't help but put my letter to her in the letter to the editor section! So pick up your copy today and show me some love!

Tip from a colleague!

Oh, all I can say is it has been too long for me being away from my blog and I apologize!  On the other hand, I come always with little tips of info to share with all of you!  So I was networking, like always, and I ended up coming across an entertainment lawyer.  For some reason, the topic of people who have been wanting me to manage them came up.

My new friend suggested from his experience that if I'm going to manage anyone to make sure the artist or band is already performing, getting some air play on their own, and making professional mixtapes/demos.  Unfortunately, a lot of money was lost (on his part) and possibly even some blame was shifted to him.

Therefore kiddies, if you're thinking about becoming someone's manager, make sure they meet the above criteria....it'll only prove they're "industry ready" as my colleague informed me.

When family should step aside.

We all love our families, right?  I mean I do, I know we sometimes can butt heads but when it comes down to it, I love my family no matter what.  But I also know because of my work, my family doesn't really get to have a say in anything I do.  Not that I won't take their advice but I ultimately make the best decisions for me...especially my work and the field I participate in.  Enough said.  (But don't worry, my family is actually very supporting of what I do and I am fortunate for this).

However, not everyone can say no to family.  Take Jessica Simpson and her father Joe.  It was recently reported by PopEater.com that because Joe has been her "manager" since forever....doesn't mean he's made the exact or right choices for her as an artist.  Apparently she had a meeting with former President George W. Bush a few years ago and then good ol' daddy cancelled.  Hmm....the President?  Bad call!

So my up and coming moguls and artists!  Really think about who should be your manager or on your team representing you and if its worth it!  Or if you can't afford anyone yet, see who can help out (and really dedicate their time to you) in the mean time until you get yourself a professional.

(To read the article, click on the title.)

Unusual Spotlight

For those of you artists struggling in this terrible, terrible, did I mention terrible economy?  Have no fear, Ikea is here?!  Well not so much that I want to mention Ikea, but at least the company's commercial that airs  pianist Mara Carlyle's music.  The commercial begins with an empty Ikea store and soft piano notes that is suddenly taken over by cats!  Yes cats!  Kittens, big, small, cute cats!

According to the Guardian, a United Kingdom paper, the ad is a hit and "reviving" Carlyle's career.  Now I'm not saying all of you should run out to Ikea and pitch them your song(s)...but that wouldn't be a bad idea now would it?!  Hmmm....the point is that any artist should be willing to be crafty (not that you all aren't already) and promote it in areas that will definitely get you some major attention!  Whether its a furniture store or some form of guerilla marketing.  Make your music stand out and it surely will.

(To see the furry felines in action, click on the title.)

Give it up for the ladies!

No really, give it up for the ladies because Billboard.biz is and so can you!  Women working in the music industry can be nominated for Billboard's Power Player series, which acknowledges

"women executives who drive our business forward with their vision, dedication and hard work."


Yep, that's right!  This will be the sixth year Billboard has recognized women in all aspects of the field.  Even executives are eligible.  However, these VIPs should be nominated primarily as individuals!  To nominate your leading lady, click on the title and it'll take you right to the nomination page.

The Printed Blog

In case you haven't heard about The Printed Blog, then I'm here to tell you about it. It's a magazine...but not your average magazine....it's filled with content from bloggers! Yep, that's right, bloggers! Not to mention this is the first magazine of its

kind...definitely revolutionary.

Aside from its content, you should just look at some of the contributing editors: Brittany Snow, from Hairspray, Sara Paxton from Superhero Movie, and Matt Dallas from Kyle XY. Pretty damn impressive if you ask me!

Oh, and there's more good news! Bloggers and photographers who get their work featured in the magazine get paid! Of course this is based on subscription revenue but compensation for doing what you love best, awesome!

Make sure to check it out and as always just click the title and it'll take you to the site!

Updated Resume

So I figured it was that time again to pull out my resume and get it looked at. Yes, I know it may sound crazy but I usually update my resume every so often...and I've probably had it "updated" about several times since its creation. Yes, you heard me...seven times! Oh and this one will be the eighth time!

I went to my school's career development department and dropped in where a very nice adviser looked over and immediately praised the fact that I even had a resume....I'm 26...who my age doesn't have a resume? Well turns out most students on campus don't and that was just sad to hear that none of these kids have a resume?! I've had my resume since I was 19 (barely 19 actually, I had just turned 19 and yes I will rub it in your face) and adding jobs left and right!

She then proceeded to tell me that there were some items I wanted to keep and others I could cut straight out and I agreed. Out with the old, in with the new! But she also recommended that I'd want to save/put things that would target an employer based on what I wanted to do. Seemed smart...and here I thought putting everything would land me a job....man was I wrong!

Anyways, I could go on and on about this stuff all day but I'm not gonna so here's a list of things to do in case you need to update your resume or make one!

-See an adviser if one is accessible to you. Take their feedback if you feel you're both on the same page. If not, kindly thank them for their help and proceed to someone else or leave your resume as is. And if you don't have a resume, they can help with giving you some examples.

-Don't have an adviser? Try the Internet. There are tons of places to look online but check out a reliable source. Not that I'm trying to promote any of these sites but Fastweb or Monster always have examples of resumes.

-Go to the library! When I was studying for my first degree...the library was literally my home away from home! I'm not kidding, you can ask my mom that for a fact! Believe it or not the library is one of the best or not the best place for any kind of topic you're looking for...and you know what else is best? Librarians! They make your research a lot easier, trust me I've had tons of help from them. (Maybe I should thank them for all those As and Bs for all my papers!)

-Don't want to go to the library, check out Barnes & Noble or any book store. Again, not trying to promote any businesses here but I've gone to Barnes & Noble plenty of times and have seen people relaxing and checking out books....especially students! And you know what? Its free and no one is nagging you!

-Last, once you've chosen which format to use for a resume just write. I'm serious, write about every title, occupation, what you did at work, what you did that improved work and so on. This will give you the chance to go back and overlook anything that you may have left out and don't want to.

Happy resume hunting! You're gonna need it!

Giving Back

I decided to do something a little different today. Today's topic won't be about music, which this blog is dedicated to but giving back. Let me explain. Last Sunday, my friend/classmate and I participated in a flash mob video for the American Cancer Society. We woke up at the crack at dawn...not even the sun was up...to catch the bus...which took forever and when I mean forever I mean over an hour waiting for this bus. The bus came! Yea! And we were off!

We arrived at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando and hurried to the sign up booth. We were late but asked if it was too late to participate. An older woman said no and that we could still sign up. We filled out the release form giving the society our permission to feature us in its' video and acknowledging that we would not be compensated. As soon as we were done, we were on the grass starting to learn the moves. We caught on quickly despite being late.

After a couple of hours getting the dance down, we had a break and then went to the location where the video would be filmed. Filming began...we danced about 9 times for the video. And for every 3 times, we began the video differently meaning we entered from the sides of the other streets or we walked all the way up until a certain point and then danced. Filming stopped at noon. We were thanked for our time and for supporting a good cause.

Our feet were in pain, we were hungry, and tired. Yet we know and knew we had fun contributing our time and at the end of the day that's all that mattered.

Not only because I am a woman, but I also decided to take part in this event because of my prior job, which was in retail. My retail job primarily catered to women and intimate clothing. Which means on occasion I had customers who were survivors of breast cancer. I never forget the first customer I had who was looking for a bra with padding because she no longer had one of her breasts. Much of retail skills are learned on the floor (sales floor) if you're a good associate, but training also helps. I had not been trained for anything like this and did my best to give her all the help that she needed. I helped her find her bra and she was on her way. I then asked to be excused...and when I got off the floor I went to our restroom and cried. I couldn't imagine being in her shoes and asking a total stranger for help because I no longer had a certain body part.

This is why I got up early last week and danced to increase awareness for the fight against breast cancer. For her and all my other customers is why I danced. While she and others may not have been related to me, but I know she had to be someone's mother, daughter, grand-mother, wife and friend. So for anyone wanting to participate in any event or function that not only gives back to the community but others as well; I strongly urge you to just do it because I know this may sound corny but you really do feel good after its over...a little sore but still feel good for giving even a few hours of your time.

Network Revisited

Its been quite a while since I've personally done any professional networking and might be result of my move from California to Florida or the unfortunate event of me being in an accident in May and am still recovering but I finally got back on track and am so happy! Yes I said it, happy because I realized that this is what this business (and like any other) is all about: networking!

I attended an event for school that had guest speakers the Nappy Roots and their manager along with a recent graduate from the school now working for the group. It was a great event to be a part of and wonderful because not only did the group give inspiring advice but also personally wanted to assist students that wanted any kind of information about a certain issue or feedback on their music. One group member, Big-V, gave the number to his office and my friend was also able to speak with him personally about possibly working at his place since they were in town...lucky boy!

I, myself was able to network with Skinny, another group member, the graduate now working for them and another student on campus. Not to shabby for a girl who's been a little rusty! And we weren't the only ones so was everyone else because as Big-V said it best "Closed mouths don't get fed."

Fake Money

One of the things that I have learned so far while in school (studying music business) is that many fans, but not all, unfortunately seem to think bling, cash, cars, you name it is about the music. Its so sad that even our music videos aren't even that creative anymore (some). And I think the problem is we get caught up with the fame and fortunate and feel as if it should be handed to us when in fact that's not even the case with many artists! How do you think they got there?!

Glamour's current issue has an article featuring Zac Bissonnette, an author and finance columnist gives readers six tips on how to save money in the long run and why everyone should! But number 5 was my favorite! "The people you think are rich probably aren't." What does that tell you! One might wonder where I'm going with all of this and I'd have to say that I speak for many of my classmates and I wanting to make a change in this industry is that we are tired of the music industry being portrayed as bling, cash, cars and you name it...that was done on purpose just so you know. I'm working in this industry because I love music! My mom brought me up listening to Motown! And as I grew up my interest ventured off in other genres and my love for music continued to blossom....its a love affair really.

Now I really don't intend to insult those of who you who see the industry as this because that is how the industry has been portrayed to you...but that doesn't mean you can't see it in another perspective....just the music. Let's make a pact, you agree to see only the music and I promise to deliver only the music.

Boycott Arizona!

That's right I said it....and its not just because some of my relatives (some!) I can't stand live there! Its to show the state of Arizona that we have had it up to here *hand to neck* with this ridiculous law SB 1070 passing in July! In case you didn't know, the bill basically "legalized racial profiling" and has given authorities the right to use "reasonable suspicion to anyone they assume to be in the state without documents." Now several other states are thinking of enacting the bill!

Join Zach de la Rocha, frontman for Rage Against the Machine, and other artists, celebrities, comedians, etc., by signing the petition on the Sound Strike site and let Arizona feel it where it hurts the most, it's pocketbook! Click the title to go directly to the site.

Pay the fucking band!

Hey everyone! Well as many of you know (or if you don't shame on you!) that our artists and musicians aren't paid for airplay! In fact, some still haven't seen a damn royalty till this day from work they've done years ago! So I urge all of you to support them, especially for those of you like me going to work in the industry or future artists. Click on the title as always and get educated!

Very Important Source

Hey Everyone! Long time no see! As for me in case you didn't know I no longer reside in beautiful Cali...I'm now in sunny Florida going back to school for my second degree in Music Business. Which is what I've been occupied with for the past year or so by making the transition from one coast to the other. But back to business...and speaking of business what better source than Billboard's site where it has everything from updated news of artists to actual conferences! Yes conferences! In fact, there's one coming up in November for touring! But that's another story. Anyways make sure you're up to date with all the industry news by checking out the site!