Let's say it louder for the people in the back: fans are one of the most talented and valuable assets the music industry has. Being a fan and a professional are not mutually exclusive. I had the pleasure of chatting with Maya Kaspi, and she proves this to be true.
Originally from Seattle, Maya moved to Los Angeles to follow her dreams of working in the music industry. Once in LA, she started getting internships in the industry and eventually landed a job in publicity and digital marketing at Crowd Surf, a digital marketing agency that works with some of the most iconic pop artists.
Although always a big fan of music, Maya didn't realize her passion for music could become a career until she traveled around the world and followed some of her favorite artists on tour. She originally booked her trip to follow Justin Bieber on his 2017 Purpose Stadium Tour until it got cancelled. Although devastated about it, she didn't let this stop her from taking the trip. She then decided to follow Shawn Mendes and Why Don't We on tour.
Seeing Why Don't We on tour was the defining moment in her life where Maya knew she wanted to work in the music industry. She discovered them when they were just starting out and got to witness their growth as artists. Maya wanted to help them grow further and participated in many fan projects. A project she created along with other Why Don't We fans or Limelights (official Why Don't We fandom name) is a documentary called "Through Our Eyes: A Fan Documentary". It highlights what it really means to be a fan along with the amazing friendships fans have created through bonding over their favorite artist.
By attending shows on their tour and creating these projects, she got to know the band and crew and was able to learn more about the different aspects of the industry while making connections.
Being a fan is what helped Maya get her foot in the door within the music industry. However, we often hear many misconceptions about fans. People sometimes assume that fans are young teens who can't be taken seriously and don't know what they're talking about. When the reality is, fans know exactly what they want and use their talents to support their favorite artists. For the longest time, these misconceptions are what made Maya feel like she had to hide the fact that she's a huge fan. She didn't want employers finding her Twitter account and avoided wearing merch. She then realized that being a fan is actually impressive.
"The reason I am good at my job is because I am a fan," said Maya.
So to all the fans out there that want to work in the music industry, keep being fans (it will only help you)! Again, fans are one of the most talented and valuable assets the music industry has.
If you want to get to know Maya a little more, here are some great tips and fun facts she shared with me!
Tips from Maya
Advice for breaking into the music industry:
Talk to everyone: Don't be afraid to ask questions, you never know where that might lead.
Ask questions: If you see someone working at a concert, go up to them and ask them how they got their job.
Patience: Be patient when applying for jobs. The music industry is very competitive but you will find what is right for you.
Keep being a fan: Create your own fan projects and join street teams.
How to support artists virtually:
Promote their music: Share their music with your friends or on your socials.
Host streaming parties: It is also a great way to interact and meet other fans.
Buying merch!
Fun Facts About Maya
First concert: Hilary Duff
Dream job: Change the way artists do meet and greets, tour with artists, and run VIP experiences.
Most meaningful meet and greet experience: Got a tattoo inspired by Justin Bieber "believe in yourself and you’ll find your purpose" and got to show it to him. He was very excited!
Artists currently into that everyone should listen to:
Olivia O’Brien
Bea Miller
Machine Gun Kelly
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