The phenomenon of “the girl crush” has been circulating the globe for as long as anyone can remember. English women back in the 1500s probably wanted to be Queen Elizabeth just as badly as ninety-percent of the female population wants to be Jennifer Lawrence today. And no, it’s not just because both were rich and famous; there are plenty of women like that who aren’t nearly as admired (I’m talking to you, Miley Cyrus). It takes a certain kind of girl do be deemed “crushable”, and here’s a profile of some bonafide girl crushes walking around campus.
Name: Kate Russell
Year: 2015
Major: “Something cool involving communications and music business” in Gallatin
Hometown: Massapequa, NY
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Girl Crush Status: Again is yet another example of why the majority of us feel like we should be doing more than vegging out in front of Netflix. Launching it before her sophomore year of high school and maintaining it to this day, The Music Obsession is a smorgasbord of one young girl interviewing an insane amount of bands, both known and not-so-known. Hell, she even interviewed Chris Jericho which, for being only twenty, is pretty damn impressive. Charming, witty, and really getting down the liquid eyeliner, here’s what she has to say about it.:
HC NYU: Who are your personal girl crushes/ why?
KR: Tina Fey has always been an idol of mine. She’s just herself and it’s stunning. She has a certain dorky charm that I love, plus there’s a flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream named after her character on 30 Rock! Too cool. More recently, I’ve developed quite the lady crush on both Kat Dennings and Christina Hendricks. Those two not only have curves, but embrace them. As someone with curves myself, I love seeing women like those two who are proud to be themselves and don’t feel the need to be so thin that they barely exist. These women exist in a strong way, and it’s amazing.
HC NYU: Which traits do you find in not just girl crushes, but admirable people in general?
KR: There are three key traits in my book: honesty, strength, and individuality. Let’s be real, we’re all human. I love people who are proud to be themselves and who don’t worry about someone else not liking them because of something that’s in their nature. Also, you don’t have to only talk about your flaws because that would be depressing, but acknowledging that you’re not perfect and that nobody else is either and moving on from there – that kind of honesty in a person appeals to me. Sometimes it takes strength to be honest about who you are, what you believe in, or what you can’t stand, especially when it involves a generally unpopular opinion. For me, I don’t drink or “party” or anything like that, and going through high school and college has been tough at times because of it. So when I see people who stand by their values or interests regardless of what others think, I greatly respect them for it. People with those traits are the ones I tend to keep close.
HC NYU: How does it feel running a website before even graduating college and what kind of perspective do you have on your career post-graduation due to this?
KR: It’s pretty crazy actually. I first started my site, TheMusicObsession.com, in June 2008. I was fifteen at the time and I treated it sort of like a journal where I wrote about all of the bands I liked. I didn’t really expect anyone to read it, or for it to become a “thing” like it is now. I’m not exactly running Rolling Stone (I wish) but I’m at a point with the site where I’m getting several press releases and requests every day. It’s amazing, but also super overwhelming at times since I’m in school and often can’t cover a show because of a big paper due or an exam the next day. I recently skipped a film premiere to do homework which was weird. Things like that and the scheduling of in person interviews/show coverage are tough because I always have to think “what’s my homework situation looking like…” or “oh no wait, I can’t do the interview then because I have class,” which is strange. I feel like I’m running a business already but I’m still in school where I’m supposed to be learning to do just that. I also just took on more writers and contributors for the site as of a month or two ago because my site has outgrown a team of one. This lets us cover more events, albums, etc, but it also requires me to give assignments, teach the staff how I do things, listen to and sometimes implement new ideas, and overall keep things on track. It’s definitely a lot to handle, plus school, an internship, and a part time job. It’s absolutely chaotic but I love it. As for post-grad plans, I don’t have anything definite yet. I’ve known that I wanted to be involved with music for as long as I can remember, but I haven’t quite decided which side of the industry I want to end up on. Right now, I’m a writer/editor/reporter. I’m interning at a music PR agency called Golightly Media which is teaching me about the opposite side of things. Where I usually just receive press releases and requests, working at Golightly has me sending those press releases and requests on behalf of the clients. So that in itself is a completely different route that I could potentially take. Secretly, I would love to run a record store that also sells collectibles too, and maybe manage a record label on the side or something like that, but for now who knows. I like the feeling of having various options to choose from. Dream big, right?
HC NYU: Do you have any moments which you are particularly proud of?
KR I have a few, actually. I’ve been doing press on the Vans Warped Tour for the past four years now. I remember how nervous I was to apply for credentials the first time, and when I got approved I was so thrilled. Honestly I’m still thrilled each time. In addition to doing interviews and such on Warped Tour, I also covered both the CBGB Festival and the CMJ [College Music Journal] Music Marathon this year for the first time. These two music festivals were two back-to-back weeks in October and involved artist showcases as well as panels, interviews, and more. The fact that I’m able to not only attend but get press credentials for these festivals is still amazing to me, but I try to make the most out of each opportunity. On a personal note, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve stuck with my decision to avoid drinking and the whole “party scene.” Like I said earlier, it’s been tough having to constantly explain that no, I just don’t want to drink and that no, it isn’t weird. People are often shocked since drinking is the “norm,” and since I’m involved in the music scene people just assume that’s my lifestyle. But I’m proud that I can be surrounded by people saying “We should really get you drinking” and silly things like that and not have my values shaken. I don’t care if other people drink, it’s honestly no big deal. It’s just not something I personally want to do, and while it’s been hard to keep my head above at times, I’m proud of the fact that I’ve stayed true to myself regardless of what goes on around me.
HC NYU: What is it specifically about the music industry that draws you to it?
KR: As a part of living the sober / straightedge life, I get called “lame” a lot. People ask “How do you even have fun that way?” My answer is music. The feeling I get when I’m seeing a band I love play live is amazing. It’s cheesy but I often get so lost in the moment when one of my favorite songs gets played in front of me. Also, it’s super cool going to see a band I’ve never heard of, or an artist that I’ve heard of but haven’t listened to before, especially when they turn out to be great. Through going to shows I meet people, whether they are musicians or publicists or just fellow fans. Being surrounded by people with common interests has always drawn me in. The idea that everyone in that venue is there for the same reason – to watch this artist perform – is really incredible. It’s similar to the appeal of Comic Con and things like that. It’s basically a big room or event full of people who like some of the same things you do, or who know enough about those same things to hold an intelligent conversation about them. Getting to find new music, share that music with others, and to even meet the people who make that music and hear their perspective – the whole thing will always intrigue me. I mean, I met my boyfriend of 2+ years at a show and that’s working out pretty well if you ask me. But generally knowing that to some extent you’re surrounded by like-minded people is just a really nice feeling. Like life, the industry can be crazy and strange at times, but the metaphorical highs are more than worth the lows.
HC NYU: What are some personal attributes that you pride yourself on?
KR: I don’t generally like talking about myself (shocking!) but I will admit I’m quite fond of my sense of humor. Being able to make people laugh makes me so happy. I’m super sarcastic and I have a dry sense of humor apparently, but it works out okay most of the time. Even making someone face-palm because of a really bad (good) pun is good enough for me (and that happens on the regular, trust me). Also, on a more superficial level, I like to think that I’m pretty good with liquid eyeliner. I’ve been doing “wings” since my sophomore year of high school, and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. I like it. Makes me feel fierce. I think those years of precise practice helped me hone my painting skills to an extent too. In my spare time, which is rare, I make custom vinyl figures that I take requests for on Etsy. The fact that I can physically take a blank base and make something identifiable out of it is another awesome feeling that I’m lucky enough to experience.
Check out The Music Obsession at http://themusicobsession.blogs…