The work I do comes from a deep love for music and those who create it.

That’s why I’m pursuing a career in the music business, where my priority is to help artists create with integrity and make meaningful connections with audiences.

As a graduating senior at Columbia University, majoring in American Studies, I’m currently based in New York City and looking to build a foundation for my career either here or in my hometown of Los Angeles. I’ve had experience at four independent record labels, a major music company, in artist management, and in radio in changing roles, at home and abroad.

Most recently, I completed a internship at Warner Music Group, working on the Spotify Digital Account Management team within Global Commercial services, where my work focused on data analysis, reporting on trends, and facilitating relationships between distributors and Spotify. I also had the opportunity to work on a team of interns creating a solution to communication gaps between A&R and Global Commercial Services teams, and presented our proposal to company executives. Prior to that, I’ve worked at four independent record labels, including Berlin’s beats-centric Jakarta Records, Arab reissue powerhouse Habibi Funk, New York dance and hip-hop staple Fool’s Gold Records, and the up and coming Radio Silence Records. Every label is different, and so was each experience. At Habibi Funk and Jakarta Records for example, I worked closely with project management, focusing on release strategies, promotion, and running our Bandcamp store. At Fool’s Gold on the other hand, I did more work on the marketing research and press side. I also have experience in music management at Red Light Management and in radio and music journalism at LA’s favorite station, KCRW. At KCRW, in addition to my daily tasks, I created an article series called “The Best Music You Sent Us,” where I wrote and published biweekly articles highlighting the five best songs submitted to us by fans, artists, labels, and managers. Beyond these roles, I’ve worked to compliment my skill set through NYU’s Clive Davis Institute Music Industry Essentials courses, Warner Music Group’s Career Classroom Series, and as student DJ at WBAR, Barnard College’s student-run radio station. As a hobby, I’m always making playlists and making my friends listen to them.

Cultivating a spirit of creative freedom and support for artists is my utmost priority, which is why I’m passionate about any role that involves an artist’s career development, growth, and reach, such as A&R or project management. My goal in all of my work is to fill in a key piece of the puzzle in a big picture of artists, labels, and fans, the piece that allows the full image to come to fruition and makes it easier for artists to reach their potential. I believe that success in a release is the result of attention to detail, the synthesis of unique talents and passions on a team, and a self-starter mindset that can flourish in any situation.

I’ve found passion at the intersection of arts and business, in connecting people to music, and connecting artists to the means they need to create. If you’d like to connect about anything, feel free to contact me at surreallewis22@gmail.com.