WORLD'S LEADING INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Dreamer Spotlight: Jazmine Valencia

Jazmine Valencia carries a Sharpie wherever she goes. This is an unnecessary habit for most individuals. But Jazmine’s unique line of work and uncanny ability to interact with celebrities practically dictates that she must.

Jazmine launched a digital record label, Brightside Records, in April 2007. Through her adventures in the music industry, she has met Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, and Papa Roach (just to name a few). She danced on the set of Maroon 5 which featured Kanye West and Eve for the taping of the MTV show 45th at Night. She walked the red carpet with Will Smith at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards. She sat behind Gwen Stefani and the Laguna Beach cast. She once attended a Paris Hilton after-party and saw Lindsay Lohan. And she makes it all sound very simple. “I just meet people and start talking to them, and I get invited places,” she said. “It just naturally happens to me.”

Jazmine’s company was created to counteract the money-driven music industry. She read about the future of the industry and discovered that it must change to continue growing. “Most record labels don’t care if they put out a bad album as long as they make money,” she said. “They don’t appreciate the passion of the music, what it really is, and what it means to the fans.”

She is disturbed by current practices, where fans are often promised a “Meet and Greet” if they pay the typical $50 club fee. Even when the artist comes to town, “the odds for the fan to meet his or her favorite musician are not good,” Jazmine said.

Jazmine’s record label aims to defy this approach. “The idea is to bring the artist and the fan together,” she said.

She acknowledges the risk factor of this aspiration. “You never know what will happen. You put in the energy and hope for a good outcome,” she said.

“Anyone who wants can have their music heard by their fans,” she said. This strategy allows the artist and fans to connect, free from fan club memberships and other outside influences. “If you are there, we will do our best to get you closer to the artist,” she said.

After Jazmine finds a venue to pay her for showcasing an artist, she must do her best to promote the show. “I promise that the band is good enough,” she said. “I tell them, ‘I will fill the seats and make you money.’”

Her success is validated in the audience’s faces. “I see the smiles and know they are enjoying the show. It brings a smile to my face,” she said. “It makes me happy to see the outcome, to see that people love what I do. It’s a good feeling to know I made their day.”

Jazmine knows exactly what career path makes her excited every morning. “I have always been a big believer in doing what you love, and I definitely love what I am doing now,” she said. “Taking photos, just being at a concert… I get a rush from doing this. It is so much fun because you never know what’s going to happen next.”

It didn’t take long for bands to sense this passion and approach her. “They say, ‘We want to play. We want our music to be heard,’” she said.

Jazmine’s internship at Island Def Jam Records supports her long-term goal to work in the music industry. “Music has always been my passion, so I might as well do something in the music industry,” she said. “I am in it for the music. I love and appreciate music as much as any fan because I am one.”

Jazmine plans to own a record label on the side while she works for a company. “I want to learn and work for a company first, so one day, I can implement what I see into my own label,” she said.

In the meantime, Jazmine will enjoy her time spent hanging out with rock stars. “I am just really outgoing and don’t get nervous around them,” she said. “You just have to be nice to them and respect their boundaries.”

She already owns a collection of drumsticks and guitar picks from famous musicians. This summer, she asked her manager if help was needed when Fall Out Boy performed on the Today show. As a result, she was granted a VIP all access pass to photograph the band for their official website and met the entire crew, including lead celebrity Pete Wentz. “I just asked Pete, ‘Can I have your guitar pick?’ and he gave it to me,” she said.

Jazmine’s exceptionally positive attitude pushes her to continue doing the work she loves. “I want to live my life as best as possible,” she said. “Life moves fast. You have to enjoy it as best you can.”

Jazmine will complete her Masters in Business Administration, concentrating on the music industry, at Florida Atlantic University in spring 2008.