By AARON KREIN
Arts Editor
The music industry student-run company, Rose Record Label Group, will be holding their third event this Friday as a way of celebrating various releases and upcoming projects. The label was officially launched in 2015 and has since blossomed with close to 50 members and three artists currently signed. The label’s faculty advisor and music industry professor, Sean McClowry, took the idea of a student-run professional organization and turned the label into a class.
This event will celebrate the release of junior Sydney Schizzano’s EP, “Felt,” The Bad Mothers’ latest single, “Why Bother,” as well as senior Alenni’s debut album, “Constellations.”
Schizzano, who originally signed as a songwriter and was later signed her sophomore year, is looking forward to sharing her five-song EP with people attending the gala.
“It’s all songs that I have written and it’s definitely a mix of sounds,” said Schizzano. “All the producers in our production company, Thorn, did so much hard work and they contributed just as much music as I did writing them.”
The songs, according to Schizzano, range from the “aggressive” heart-broken track “Felt” to the stripped-down piano ballad “Something,” which revolves around her “relationship with religion.” The first single, “Felt,” was released online last Friday.
Besides the impending release of her EP, Schizzano is eager to take the stage Friday night.
“Performing live is one of the first ways I really fell in love with music,” said Schizzano. “I love going back to my roots and working with people and creating what you’re going to hear on the EP live, whether it’s exactly the same, note-for-note, or a totally different twist on the song.”
There will also be live performances by the S.Man songwriters, which is one of the branches of the label. The six-part writing team is run by its head songwriter, junior Emily Mitchell.
“I am the person who coordinates and organizes the songwriting team to write music for our artists, and for a collection of songs we are trying to make into a catalogue,” said Mitchell. “I give them prompts and help them with their ideas.”
Mitchell is anticipating sharing new material with guests and hopes attendees will understand what this label means to music industry students.
“It’s a lot more than just writing a few good tunes,” said Mitchell. “It makes each person realize that they have to market themselves and be willing to constantly change in order to remain relevant and successful. It also allows everyone to get an inside look on how a record label works before they begin to apply to jobs.”
RRLG previously held an “official launch party” back in February 2015 and a “compilation release party” nearly a year later. The latter was to celebrate the label’s first release, “Rose Roots Vol. 1,” which included a variety of signed artists past and present as well as Saint Rose alumni.
“This is the first year we’re calling it the “Rose Record Label Gala,” and we hope to continue using this name in the future,” said senior Maria McNamara, the label’s head of public relations.
RRLG will also be revealing their new website and showcasing their recent ten-minute spot on WMHT. The label had been in long talks with producer and parent, Tony Grocki, to appear on the local PBS channel. Last semester, after various phone calls and e-mails, Grocki came in to meet members of the group and stated that he would include them in the Wednesday night special, “AHA!”
“He came in a few more times throughout last semester, shooting footage of all aspects of the record label, including recording sessions, songwriter workshops and interviews with some of our members and artists,” said McNamara.
The event takes place from 7 to 11 p.m. at Jack’s Place in Hearst. The style code is “suggested formal wear,” although McNamara assured that no guests would be turned away.
“The entire event is free,” said McNamara. “There will be food, raffles, music from all of our artists and songwriters, a viewing of the PBS special, and photography in front of our record label backdrop.”
At the end of the day, members of the label group hope for a good turnout from the Saint Rose community.
“I hope that the event draws in a good crowd so that they can see that we are doing real work as a part of this record label,” said Mitchell. “We are recording real albums with real artists, and even though we are all learning along the way, we are able to put out a product that is marketable and professional.”
