No I Do Not Party for a Living... I Am Begging People to Reply All

Going home for the holidays when you work in the music industry is honestly such a specific feeling. You walk into your childhood house or meet up with friends you have known forever, and before you even sit down, someone hits you with it. So what do you actually do now.

You laugh because you can always feel this moment coming. You try to explain it in a way that makes sense outside the bubble you live in. Most people only know the industry through television characters and movie scenes. If they watched Entourage they ask if you are the next Ari Gold. If they loved Almost Famous they throw out Penny Lane. Everyone reaches for the one reference they have because it helps them shape something that feels far away from their lives.

And you get it. It is funny watching them try to translate your job into something they already know. But the real version of your life is so much more grounded. You work at a real music agency. You are an assistant to three agents who each work with different artists and different lanes. You help make sure communication is clear. You help keep everything organized so the day runs smoothly. You support the people who are negotiating shows, routing tours, building relationships, and making the bigger moves that artists depend on. It is teamwork. It is structure. It is the beginning of a real career. And you love it.

But trying to summarize that in one sentence at a holiday dinner table is nearly impossible. You try to break it down. You try to describe what a music agency even is. And somehow the response still ends up being something like oh so you manage artists.

You just smile because you know they are trying. And you know it is one of those jobs that makes perfect sense when you are inside it but sounds like another universe when you try to describe it out loud.

Somewhere during the week someone will finally ask the right thing. It is never the what exactly do you do question. It is the how does it feel question. And that one you can answer with your whole chest. It feels exciting. It feels motivating. It feels like you are learning something new every day just by being in the room. It feels like you are laying the foundation for a future that actually matches what you care about. You love seeing how many people come together just to make one show happen. You love that you get to support three agents who trust you and teach you and push you to grow. You love that you are part of a world that revolves around music in the most real way.

Your family and friends may never fully understand the details of your day to day life. They may always picture you as some combination of a movie agent and a seventies rock muse. But they understand your passion. They hear it in your voice. They see the glow you get when you talk about work. They can tell you are proud of what you do and that you feel like you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

And honestly that is what matters most.