We all have had the dream of getting to meet our favorite celebrities. But what about getting to work with them for a living? Daniella Risi has landed the job we used to (and maybe still do) dream about. With a heart full of love for music and a personality fitting for that of her hometown of Long Island, she stops at nothing to fulfill her dream. From promoting artists to analyzing their shows, she is the go-to music girl. Daniella Risi is UCF’s celebrity connection.
Her Campus UCF (HCUCF): What is your grade, age, and major?
Daniella Risi (DR): I am a sophomore, I am 19-years-old, and I am a Marketing major.
HCUCF: What exactly is your career goal?
DR: I want to be the head of PR or the head of international marketing at a record label.
HCUCF: What is your current job?
DR: Right now I am a college marketing rep for Universal Music Group, so basically I use my campus to help promote all artists signed to Universal Music Group. Basically, my job is to use my campus to connect with organizations or clubs to help promote our artists. I also hang up a lot of posters for shows in the area and new album releases, as well as go to shows for the label and report back what I take in as being the demographic and what songs the audience reacts best to.
HCUCF: Who are some people Universal Music Group represents?
DR: Universal Music Group has a bunch of divisions that represent people such as Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Big Sean, 5 Seconds of Summer, Sean Mendez, Nick Jonas, Ariana Grande, Drake, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding, and Demi Lovato.
HCUCF: How does this job specifically prepare you for your end career goal?
DR: This is essentially the job you get before working there. This is hopefully going to be my job for the next 3 years, so that when I graduate hopefully I’ll have a lot of experience with the label and all of the different parts so that I will be qualified to have a job there. My job is a training program to work there after graduation.
HCUCF: What are some examples of some cool things your job has allotted you to do?
DR: Well I went to New York City last month for a weekend, and we had presentations from every label within Universal Music Group, so it was so great getting to hear all of the label executives get to speak to us. Myself, with the other college reps around the country, got to learn how our work is directly affecting the artists’ success.
HCUCF: What made you decide to want to work in the music-producing field?
DR: I can remember being 4-years-old and being at the NSYNC and Britney Spears concerts and loving it so much. I have always loved music. For the past 4 years I have traveled all over the country just to go to different concerts because I am so passionate about these artists.
HCUCF: How exactly did you get this job?
DR: I went to an Ed Sheeran concert, and this girl came up to me with a card promoting an artist with a similar style, and I asked her who she worked for, and she said “Universal Music Group”, and I was like “Oh my goodness. I need this job!” So we exchanged phone numbers, and I would contact her every week over the summer about her contacting her boss about me because I was so passionate about it. I ended up having a bunch of interviews, and that’s how I got the job.
HCUCF: What tips do you have for someone who is looking to get involved in the music-producing industry?
DR: Persistence is key. That’s my life motto! Don’t give up. If you show that you truly care, you’ll get it. My proudest moment in my job was reaching out to 12 Brooklyn newspapers and getting all 12 of them to write about a concert I was promoting. Some of them had to be contacted 5 times.
HCUCF: Who are some of your personal favorite artists?
DR: Some of my favorites are One Direction, Drake, Halsey, The 1975, Nicki Minaj, and Kendrick Lamar.
HCUCF: Aside from music, what are some of your other interests?
DR: I am a sister of Alpha Epsilon Phi where I have met all of my best friends, and I also work at Chipotle.