Today we’d like to introduce you to Karlie Cupani.
Hi Karlie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Growing up, I always pictured myself on the West Coast. Somewhere sunny and in the heart of the music scene, which I knew meant Southern California or Nashville, given the immense songwriter and live music scene there. I couldn’t tell you exactly why, but I felt a strong pull to leave home, even though I grew up with great family and friends in suburban New York, and had many reasons to stay.
I listened to my gut and I left at about 17 – I went to college across the country, and I loved it (though that took some time to adjust). That’s what brought me to California for the first time. What stayed with me after was the freedom to build a life around how I viewed it. What I really cared for, cared about, and felt a pull to pursue. I started researching the music industry seriously and applying for music business jobs in Los Angeles after I graduated.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not! This journey has been going on for about twelve or thirteen years – since I first left for college and my whole process of self-discovery and self-sufficiency started. Moving to California to build a career as a songwriter and singer, alongside the business side of the industry, was never smooth, and it is still rough at times. I’ve always loved working with people, and around innovation, and I wanted to make a bigger impact than I could on my own. That’s what pulled me more toward the business side as I got older and more experienced.
I was thrown into a music startup at an early age. It was stressful, and it was also the best thing that could have happened to me, because I learned fast and met incredible people.
When you move to a big city in your early twenties with no place of your own and a brand new job, the pressure is immense, both financially and mentally. We talk a lot about dreams, but not many times do I hear us talk enough about what the day-to-day actually looks like, and it’s worth understanding that before you decide what you want to do. Getting where you picture yourself takes real sacrifices, and it can easily take years, but so well worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work at the intersection of music, marketing, and creator business. I’m a recording artist and songwriter, while also working with artists and agencies through my own company, where I do freelance music marketing, brand partnerships, admin and concept work, and creator management.
I’d say I specialize in building relationships and adapting quickly. Artists, creators, and companies all want a wide range of assistance, and often times have different and specific goals tailored to their company and talent, and I’ve learned to listen first and adjust as fast as I can, while not losing integrity of the work.
I’ve performed in LA, Prague, and London, and I’ve also been behind the camera for production, logistics, partnerships, legal, and more, so I understand the work from both sides, and I truly love being involved in both.
What I’m most proud of is getting myself to LA and breaking into this scene. Its not easy, and I applaud anyone who has made the connections, done the work, and keeps innovating.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Yes, I’ve taken many big risks, and for someone who enjoys alone time and not oversharing these days, that’s not always natural for me, especially as a singer and songwriter.
The first big one was choosing to attend college across the country where I didn’t know anyone, away from family and where I grew up. I knew I loved law and wanted to bring music into it, and I knew I wanted to support myself financially at all times and create a life for myself. I set out to become a music attorney, and along the way I realized that while those skills would serve me well, I wanted to be on the creator and music-facing side as a woman in business, partnership management, an artist, and a writer, but not as legal counsel. Sticking it out on the opposite side of the country is how I figured out where I needed to go and did’t give up when things became difficult.
The second was packing up and moving to California without an apartment or anything set…not even sure I would be able to afford one on my own! I’d been offered a role at a startup I believed in, and I bet that the experience would be worth it. It was terrifying, but it was absolutely worth it, and it gave me the experience that shaped how I move now. Those two leaps made the smaller risks possible. Because I’d already put myself in unfamiliar places, I was able to walk into networking events, sessions, etc. with some of the best professionals in the industry, and learn to navigate those conversations, and start to understand what I didn’t know yet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://karliecupanimusic.my.canva.site/karlie-cupani-official
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karliecupani/?hl=en
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlie-cupani-611018162/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@karliecupanimusic
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/karliecupani
