Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrienne Lake.
Hi, Adrienne. We’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, could you briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started with a big, scrappy music venue called The Downtown Performance Center in Tucson, Arizona, and its very kind owner, Steven Eye. When I was a teenager, it was the only place I could see live music because an adult answered the phone when my parents called and said there was no alcohol allowed, and yes, he looked out for the kids. And he did. He gave me my first music biz job when I was 18- making show posters and fliers. Then I started helping with other things and became a part of a great community space where ALL the good touring punk and indie rock bands played. He’s still doing it too. Hi, Steve!
I studied Media Arts in college, emphasizing the music industry, so a post-college move to Los Angeles seemed apropos. I interviewed for an A & R Assistant position at Giant Records and somehow got it despite my limited experience. After that, finding other label positions became easier because I got along with my well-known boss. I worked at Capitol Records and eventually ended up in the legal department at DreamWorks Records, where I learned a tremendous amount from Richard Leher, a renowned senior-level music attorney. He was kind enough to help me get promoted to the A&R Department there, as he knew I was more of a creative. I scouted and worked there with artists like Jimmy Eat World, AFI, and Elliott Smith.
I had always planned on moving to Austin and decided to make a pit stop in Tucson for a bit, but got stuck after being offered a booking job at my favorite club (Club Congress) and then a music journalist gig with The Daily Star and their entertainment website- both were so much fun. Then, when I finally made it out to Austin in 2011, I was a little shocked to discover how local-centric the music world was here. Nobody cared what I had done anywhere else, which was humbling (it’s changed since then). So I started over, working with some great local organizations like Austin Music Foundation and The SIMS Foundation and started booking again: Spider House, Heard Presents (The Parish, Empire, regional venues), and SXSW, more briefly, where I was a Music Festival Programmer until the pandemic hit.
And that’s what brought me to where I am today. Being a Talent Buyer is highly time-consuming: days, nights, and weekends with almost no vacations. So, when I finally had the space to contemplate what I wanted to do, I joined forces with my good friend and colleague Charlie Faye to launch Daydream Believer Creative. We provide consulting and other services like publicity to artists, businesses, and nonprofits, and I love the autonomy and the variety. Hip-hop, Latin music, indie rock, synth-pop- I work with all of it. My goal is to work and collaborate with creators who want to make the world a better place through music (just like me), which makes every day fun and exciting.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
On one hand, I am fortunate to have had mentors who went out of their way to put opportunities in front of me. This is something that I enjoy doing for others now. On the other hand, yes- I did have my fair share of struggles. Notably, I was working in the LA music industry in the pre #METOO era, and I looked very young for my age, so I had to work extra hard to be taken seriously. And A&R was very male-dominated. It was a time when almost nobody was looking out for women in the business- women weren’t even looking out for each other- and sexism was rampant. Fortunately, the artists I worked with were always respectful- it was more of a problem with folks working in the industry. I once interviewed at a well-known music industry magazine that was more like a fraternity hazing. I’m so glad things are better now for the younger generations of women entering the business and that we feel more empowered to stand up for ourselves.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Daydream Believer Creative is a music consulting and services company working with artists, businesses, and nonprofits in the music world. Our mission is to guide and inspire artists and organizations by providing individualized creative services, including publicity, consulting, event planning, team-building, and project management.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is constantly doing my best to do the right thing. And that includes speaking up for others, whether it’s the environment, animal welfare, or in the case of my work, supporting and enabling creators, especially queer artists and artists of color. One of the best things about owning your own business is that you can work with clients who share your values. And the more you do that, the more the right kinds of clients will find you. I want to make the world a little bit better and even the playing field for others. Doing the right thing includes being an active part of your community, which is why I love being on the advisory board for The SIMS Foundation (which provides mental health and substance use recovery services for musicians, music industry employees, and their families) and the Artist Development Director for EQ Austin (which works to stimulate cultural representation in the music sector through an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens). It’s inspiring and fulfilling to surround yourself with people who care and actively put in the work.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.daydreambelievercreative.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daydreambelievercreativeatx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daydreambelievercreative
Image Credits
Photo credits are in photo titles in this folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1WPVFggLO9Wjg2Fx_IRkG7klYFNwOVSEy
