Where are you based?
Ontario, Canada.
Where do you work? What do you do?
I recently completed an internship with the Artist & Label Partnerships team at Spotify Canada, where I was communicating with labels and distributors to gather and share assets, as well as offer support on campaigns when needed.
What are you listening to?
Disco, Hip-Hop & Jazz. Olivia Dean’s ‘Live At The Jazz Cafe’ EP is a current favourite as well as any playlist/mix by Fiona Zanetti.
How do you discover new music?
Most music discovery occurs through social media, specifically Instagram stories and Tumblr, particularly the Spotify playlists that users share on those platforms. DJ mixes and music placements in television, film, and advertisements are also incredible treasure troves!
What formats do you usually listen to? LP, CD, Cassette, Digital, Streaming Services? Why?
Digital streaming services, specifically Spotify and SoundCloud, because they’re convenient and offer an incredible range of music to listen to. I’m slowly collecting Vinyl and am currently looking for a record player so I can get into the habit of listening to albums all the way through!
“The benefits [of digital] are that it’s accessible and offers listeners a catalogue of music to discover, however the algorithm can prevent exposure to different genres because it’s tailored to the user’s listening habits.”
Where do you do most of your music listening?
Most listening is done at home and during walks using headphones. I have the Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones, but I wouldn’t recommend them. Other than that, most music listening happens on a speaker, specifically the Harman Kardon Onyx Mini. Great speaker! Shoutout harman kardon.
How do you find and listen to pre-release music?
To be honest, the times I’ve listened to pre-released music has been through my internships in the industry via the company’s emails, pre-release system, or artist listening sessions. Sometimes radio shows, such as Apple Music’s Beats 1, only if there’s an artist I like featured on the show.
What are your frustrations with listening to music digitally? Any benefits?
The benefits are that it’s accessible and offers listeners a catalogue of music to discover, however the algorithm can prevent exposure to different genres because it’s tailored to the user’s listening habits. That’s why I love user generated playlists, because you get to see what others are listening to and that can introduce you to new music.
How do you keep track of everything you are listening to?
Playlists! Specifically a “Currents” playlist that is updated regularly with new music and repeatedly listened for a few weeks before either saving, deleting, or sorting the songs into another playlist. Spotify’s feature to create folders for playlists has been very helpful in organising everything.
Do you tip other people off to new music? How?
Yes, it’s a love language for me personally so I typically send my friend’s links to songs that I really like and ask new people I meet what they’re listening to. My go-to question is “if you’d want me to listen to one song right after this conversation, what song would it be?”
Anything you want to “promote”?
MorMor. He just released an album and is incredibly talented and underrated.
