“Fox bringing the inside of the music
business to television”
Chloe Riccardo
Some of you may know this all ready
who have read my blog, others new to “Inside the world of Honey Brown Sugar” I will inform you on some things. I
wanted to be a singer as a little girl, yes I wanted to be a singer-songwriter,
writer, actress, and dancer. A couple of those things I have done not on a
professional level but one of them I do now obviously the writing part. I wrote
30 songs from age 11-16. I never recorded them but that’s how I got my start. I
looked up to you know Brandy, TLC, Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Whitney, all
of the greats. So here’s something
I never told you guys aside from loving the music industry. I have never seen a
television show or a dra Now I
actually did work at a record label I wanted to break into the industry so bad
I even wrote in my diary once setting a timeline so I would have my “hit
record” out by a certain date. Now
even though I am not directly center stage in the spotlight. I am still
somewhat in the “entertainment industry”.
Now back to my story about being in the music industry. As you know music is a product, it’s
extremely useful, and it is a business 100 percent. Music is one thing that is
attainable and you can use it again and again for decades to come. Now when I was in college at Bergen
Community College before I graduated to get my Associate’s degree in Journalism you have to complete a
career internship before you are able to get your degree. Its funny before I started college I
couldn’t decide between Music Business or Journalism. I chose the latter
actually because it just felt right. So I didn’t do a broadcast or journalism internship for
college credit. I did work at a
radio station at La Mega was my very first real paying weekly and seasonal job.
I did an internship at a record label and my career counselor, Mrs. McLaughlin
approved. I think at the time I really didn’t need
it cause I was a staff writer or a
newspaper so it’s funny it didn’t work out that way. I ended up actually working
at Universal Music Group in New York, NY.
 |
Taraji P. Henson, Macy Gray, Timbaland, Malik Yoba, Jussie Smollet, Gabourey Sidibe, and Tasha Smith  |
I worked for Roc La Familia a division of Roc A Fella
Records. My mom pulled a couple
strings we knew some people from working at La Mega 97.9 I used to work there
as well. So during my internship I never admitted this to my boss that one I
wanted to be a songwriter and I knew the music industry very well. I learned so
much during that time and experience.
When you are young I was 20 going on 21 at the time. Extremely new to
this business, looking for a new opportunity, and in heaven because I felt like
my dream was about to come true. I
stayed there for 4 months from January 31, 2007-May 2, 2007 I ended and
completed my internship getting my six credits towards my degree and as we know
I got my degree and transferred to Hunter College that fall and graduated three
years later.
So what does this have to with Empire you ask? Key word I
said I worked at a record label and I know how this business works. My mother
worked as an account executive at CBS Radio, Majic 102.3 in Washington, DC, Hot
97, WBLS, LA Mega, Air America, Kiss FM 93.9 and a few other stations she came
from a radio background and I fell in love with the music definitely. I fell in
love with the industry when I met my first celebrity I met the R&B group,
IMX formerly known as Immature. I
was also introduced to local dee-jays at the stations too. You learn quickly
there’s so much more to this business than just “sing a song” and go on stage.
There are levels to this business, you have to go through step one, the
president and vice-president of the label, A&R (Artist & Repertoire)
department which is developing an artist, promotion and marketing, publicity,
copyright and legal, even the government plays a huge part in the music
industry. There are so many levels
to making an artist a true star because like I said it’s a business, it can be
fickle, and you better know exactly what to give the audience before your
artist even comes into a recording studio.
Now this new television show is
doing exactly that you get many elements to this new show. You get the fashion
and style, the information on how the business operates, the personal side of
the industry. Also you see how an artist
comes together completely and how it doesn’t happen overnight. It can take an
artist almost 10 years to have their music make it on the radio station locally
or globally. You have to fight for
your artist and develop them completely. There’s a lot to this business,
because one thing I have learned not everyone makes it to the stage. Sometimes
you can strike gold and get gold and platinum records, other times you are
truly lucky if you get through the front door to a meeting with a record label.
Now this is not to discourage anyone because as we know I believe dreams come
true. My dreams have come true but I am telling you it doesn’t happen in one
night. It takes time because you need the right team of people to build the
singer/recording artist. I think with this show you get to see that. They have
an all-star cast coming to the show.
Its directed by Lee Daniels, Terrence
Howard, Oscar nominated, Taraji P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe, Rafael de la
Fuente, Nealia Gordon, Jussie Smollet. This cast has a lot of familiar faces as
well brand new coming into the industry as well. This show I can all ready tell
has a great plot and twist with these two in the lead. Henson is actually a
singer and so is Howard so they have plenty experience with the concept of the
show. I am looking forward to it and I am extremely excited I have a great
feeling about this one. So will you tune in on January 7, 2015 at 9p.m. So you can learn about the music
industry business? You will see everything I am saying is true it’s many level
to this business and many layers involved: family, fortune, fame, the business,
your dreams, and developing yourself as an artist as well too. Tune into Fox and visit http://www.fox.com for more information.
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