Who Am I?
I’ve been banging on pots and pans since I was five. From the minute I picked up my first pair of drumsticks, I realized that nothing else in this world mattered as much as rhythm. I wanted to spend the rest of my life learning why we all naturally gravitate towards certain sounds over others.
Growing up in the Bay Area, I've always felt immense gratitude for the impact that all the local music landmarks had on my perception of the world. From the Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin murals on Haight Street, to the East Bay Punk scene at 924 Gilman, I could feel the weight that these historic sites had on the creative currency of my community at large. Having constant reminders of musical inspiration all around me, I naturally developed an obsession with seeking raw talent. My years of performing in Jazz & Rock bands only validated my intrinsic ability to tell within 10 seconds if a band has the right sound to resonate with an audience. Through my time as a college radio host, I began to spread the nuanced sounds I found to anybody that would listen, eventually earning an excellence in freeflow programming award for the impact of my weekly radio show. Since then, I have developed a daily routine of monitoring new releases from my favorite indie labels on Bandcamp, debating the accuracy of Pitchfork album ratings, marveling at NPR’s Tiny Desk concerts, educating myself on forgotten countercultural gems in low budget Youtube documentaries, all the while using my newfound knowledge to educate my peers on the importance in respecting artistic innovation and the creative process itself. No matter what I’ve been involved in, it has always tied to my greatest ethos: music.
With my Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Digital Studies from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, I continue to seek opportunities to utilize my expertise in creative cultivation, digital asset curation and audience growth in the music industry.
Kristina Waters, Senior Marketing Director at Universal Music Group