Lizzo and Ricky Reed

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Lizzo Talks Creative Process, Standing Out In The Music Industry & More With GRAMMY U | Up Close & Personal

The "Tempo" queen sat down with 'Cuz I Love You' producer Ricky Reed last fall to share tidbits on her success and how others can be successful too

Jennifer Velez

GRAMMYs

Apr 23, 2020 - 4:42 pm

Pop "Tempo" Queen Lizzo has been no stranger to patience and perseverance on her road to music success.

Last fall, she sat down with Cuz I Love You producer Ricky Reed in front of an intimate group of GRAMMY U students to share tidbits on her success and insigth on how they can be successful, too. Among her pointers, she talked about how standing her ground got her to where she is today.

Up Close & Personal: Lizzo With GRAMMY U

"I was a bad bitch on this one," Lizzo shares about not compromising on her debut album Cuz I Love You. "I knew what I wanted and couldn't nobody tell me nothing."

Watch above to hear how she made herself heard while recording her full-length album, how she feels college graduates stand out in the music business, her thoughts on finding a creative process, and more. Plus GRAMMY U correspondent Emilie Menasse takes you behind the scenes of it all.

GRAMMY Museum Launches Free Digital Songwriting Workshop With Boi-1da As A Guest Professional

Photo: Steve Russell/Toronto Star/Getty Images

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Put Your Dreams To Work: 5 Ways To Land Your Ideal Music Job

From dressing to impress to getting—and staying—connected with the right network, here are some go-to techniques for kick-starting a career in the music industry

Lakeia Brown

GRAMMYs

Mar 19, 2019 - 6:03 pm

As college graduation season quickly approaches, most seniors have begun the search for their “dream job" in musc. While it's an exciting time, the quest can be daunting, especially when applying to roles in an industry as competitive as the music biz. So how do you stand out? GRAMMY U provided answers and so much more at last week’s GRAMMY U Industry Insights: How to Get the Job workshop in downtown Manhattan. A packed room of recent- and soon-to-be- college graduates received pointers from a panelists of pros: Madison Rozynek (The Madison Square Garden Company), Ian Rifkin (Universal Music Group), Christine Schworn (Sirius XM) and Lisa Hauptman (Downtown Music Publishing). Here are a few valuable tips for landing the dream job.

(L-R): Lisa Hauptman, Christine Schworn, Ian Rifkin, Madison Rozynek, Jessica McDevitt

1. Dress the Part

The entertainment industry is known for pushing boundaries, but that behavior doesn’t apply to interview etiquette. While the dress code is casual to business casual for most of the music industry, always show up to an interview in professional attire. A general rule: It’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. Keep it business professional and leave the boundary pushing until your first day on the job.

2. "Thank You..." Next

Thank you is never a bad idea, especially after an interview. Be sure to ask for a business card or an email address, and follow up with a quick note expressing your continued interest in the job and try to include something personal that was discussed during the interview. If you want to go the extra mile, “hand written notes will always make you stand out,” says Christine Schworn, Recruiter & Talent Acquisition, Sirius XM. And remember, it typically takes about six weeks from interview to hire, so be patient.

3. Play Your Position

Dream big but make sure your experience matches the job. How do you know if you qualify? Read the job description thoroughly, and be honest with yourself. Recent graduates typically land Department and Executive Assistant roles at entertainment companies to get into the door. Don’t shy away from these roles, even the temporary jobs, because they often lead to bigger opportunities says, Ian Rifkin, Manager of Internship Programs & Campus Recruiting, Universal Music Group. Network, work hard and you’ll be ready for the next level soon.

4. Circle of Life

Remember opportunities exists everywhere, even among friends. Getting an informational with a senior level executive at a dream job is great, but you can also create opportunities within your circle of peers. “Network within your circle,” says Lisa Hauptman, Global Head of People, Downtown Music Publishing. Remember to not only look up, but across. Your peers are the next round of executives.

5. Stay Linked and Aware

LinkedIn, LinkedIn, LinkedIn. Recruiters utilize the career site as a tool to identify candidates so keep your LinkedIn profile up to date, and if you don’t have an account, sign up, says Madison Rozynek, Recruiting Coordinator, The Madison Square Garden Company. Be sure to use an appropriate picture and follow companies that reflect your interests. And remember, LinkedIn isn’t the only space recruiters use for online research. Your social accounts are a reflection of you. Be mindful of what you post.

Want More?: Check Out These 5 Surefire Ways To Make It In The Music Industry

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Photo Gallery: GRAMMY U Spring Semester 2019

THE GRAMMYs

GRAMMYs

Feb 21, 2019 - 5:44 pm

GRAMMY U members met with Wallows at the Fonda Theatre on the Los Angeles leg of their tour for a SoundChecks. Members got to observe the band’s process of preparing for a sold out show along with chatting about the tour overall.

Photo: Darick Thomas

Julia Michaels joined Chicago GRAMMY U members at House of Blues on April 28 for an incredibly engaging SoundChecks program.

Photo: Matty Vogel

GRAMMY U members attended SoundChecks With The 1975 on May 15 at the Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville, Tenn. After listening to the band play some of their hit songs, students were able to ask questions about the The 1975’s recent album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, life on an international tour, and how the band handles addressing political issues in their music.

Photo: Recording Academy

GRAMMY U SoundChecks with Ben Platt in New York was a blast!

GRAMMY U members attended SoundChecks and Q&A With LANY on April 28 at the Ryman Auditorium. GRAMMY U memberswere able to listen to the band play three of their hit songs and ask questions about their career and recent album, Malibu Nights.

Photo: Ridg Downs

GRAMMY U members had the opportunity to visit X Ambassadors at Serenity West Studios for an exclusive MasterClass. The band discussed topics ranging from their humble beginnings to how they have evolved through creating music. GU members also got the chance to play their own original content for X Ambassadors and received insightful commentary.

Photo:Nicole Brown

GRAMMY U members met with Sasha Sloan at the Troubadour on the Los Angeles leg of her tour for a SoundChecks. Members got to observe Sasha’s process of preparing for a show as well as spoke with her about her career and passion for songwriting.

GRAMMY U Nashville Events Spring 2019

Photos: Josh Behm

Nashville GRAMMY U members participated in GRAMMY U Week leading up to the 61st GRAMMY Awards. From January 28 to February 1, each day of GRAMMY U Week highlighted a different aspect of the music industry. Members attended events focused on “Behind the Artist”, “Behind the Studio”, “Behind the Video”, “Behind the Song”, and “Behind the GRAMMY Awards” which took place at Nashville universities and industry sites around Music City.

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I’m A Seat Filler at The GRAMMYs

Each year the Recording Academy presents Music’s Biggest Night: The GRAMMYs. Hundreds of seat fillers are cast. We captured the experience of one of them

GRAMMYs

Feb 13, 2020 - 1:00 pm

Follow the Recording Academy through the incredible journey GRAMMY U offers college students to experience Music’s Biggest Night from the best seats in the house - as a seat filler.

I’m A Seat Filler At The GRAMMYs

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is not just about being in the room with some of music’s leading figures. It’s symbolic of the possibilities.

GRAMMY U helps students realize these posibilites, making it easier for music's next generation flourishes. Throughout each semester, events and special programs touch on all facets of the industry, including the business, technology, and the creative process.

In this documentary, viewers are given unprecedented access into the days and events leading up to the iconic awards show through the lens of a young twenty-something navigating and trying to define who he is and who he wants to be in an ever-changing world and music industry.

See GRAMMY U members travel to Los Angeles to network with other students, receive mentoring from music professionals, go behind the scenes to learn what goes into producing the GRAMMYs and gain exclusive access to GRAMMY Week events. It all culmiinates in attending the 62nd GRAMMY Awards as an all-important seat filler, where they might just find themselves seated next to GRAMMY winners!

Grammys Newsletter

Learn more about GRAMMY U

Bob Weir at GRAMMY U SoundChecks in Nashville

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Bob Weir Holds Court At GRAMMY U SoundChecks: "The Passion Is Up To You"

The rock icon hosted an intimate Q&A with a small group of lucky GRAMMY U students in Nashville to talk about success, longevity and progress in the music industry

Chris Phengsisomboun

GRAMMYs

Dec 4, 2018 - 5:51 pm

“If you’re born with enough curiosity to bring yourself to certain [creative] points, then you’ve got enough curiosity to say ‘What can I try that I haven’t done?’.” –Bob Weir

Grateful Dead co-founder and Dead & Company frontman, Bob Weir offered this piece of advice to GRAMMY U Nashville students at a SoundChecks event on Monday Nov. 5, stressing the importance of challenging oneself.

Students from Belmont University, Middle Tennessee State University and Vanderbilt University were treated to a private, in-depth sound check featuring a number of Weir’s original songs and a cover of Mississippi John Hurt’s “My Creole Belle,” featuring John Oates and Buddy Miller.

Over the course of nearly 30 years, Grateful Dead sold more than 35 million albums. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Weir managed to develop quite the following. When asked about his ability to establish and maintain such a large and diverse fan base known as "deadheads," he spoke about how the band's style of music transcends trends.

“With this particular style of music, it never goes in or out of style. We’re listening as hard as we’re playing," Weir said. "And that approach to music appeals to a person who requires a little adventure in his life and, therefore, a little adventure in his music.”

Quite a few years have passed since the so-called Summer of Love in 1967, when the Grateful Dead were a young band just starting out. The changes are especially noticeable in the music industry. From the advancement of audio engineering technology to the use of social media as a major marketing tool, the way artists and their teams create and sell music is completely different from the earlier days of Weir’s career. In regards to how technology has affected his creative process, Weir offered this perfect answer:

“Some people are going to hate it. Some people just roll with it. And I like to be somewhere in between there, I’m ere towards heritage, but I’m ere towards what’s new as well.”

Former Ratdog bandmate-turned-Bob Weir And The Wolf Bros-drummer, Jay Lane, chimed in, attributing the success of any record to its initial creative purity.

“It just needs to be organic. Not a project. That’s the key,” he said.

Weir chose to close the Q&A on a faultless note by giving students a key piece of wisdom regarding staying motivated and present in such a competitive industry:

“Just love what you’re doing. Make sure that you feel it," he said. "And if you hate it, hate it. But really HATE it. You need luck, and you need passion. The luck you might not be able to supply, but the passion is up to you.”

Overall, this SoundChecks experience was truly unique in allowing students to see into the industry’s past, present, and potential future through the eyes of a musical giant. Countless students left inspired and excited for their future careers in the music/entertainment business, with an itch to always dive deeper than the surface on any creative endeavor, and always keep the song in mind.

In the words of Mr. Weir, himself:

“You’re not going to get famous for playing the instrument. You’re going to get famous for playing the song.”

Photo Gallery: GRAMMY U Fall Semester 2018

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Lizzo Talks Creative Process, Standing Out In The Music Industry & More With GRAMMY U | Up Close & Personal

Up Close & Personal: Lizzo With GRAMMY U

Put Your Dreams To Work: 5 Ways To Land Your Ideal Music Job